The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

At the ripe old age of 3, Kylie Elizabeth Olive should have her “queen’s wave” perfected along with her pageant smile. Taking part in 24 pageants in her lifetime, she is the newly-crowned “Texas State Tiny Tot Cover Girl.” This is her first state title, but she also has held three local titles, nine photogenic titles and numerous runner-up positions.

Besides pageants, Kylie has appeared in parades and fashion shows, and within the last year was cast in a commercial for Game Cove in Beaumont.

Lorna Badon admitted Kylie to her dance studio in ballet and gymnastics at the age of 20 months. The young dancer has already participated in two recitals and will ad tap classes in the fall.

Her brother, Chance McAbee, 5, is no stranger to the stage either. He was named Texas Prince Charming Photogenic for 2007-08. Kylie’s mother, Nichole Olive started entering Kylie in pageants at the age of two weeks because she wanted her daughter to be more outgoing. “I remember her first pageant, she wore a watermelon outfit. I couldn’t find shoes to fit, so it was just her feet,” said her mother.

As a child, Nichole was a very quite, shy girl and she didn’t want that for Kylie. That shouldn’t be a problem “She really enjoys them (pageants)” Olive said. “Since the day she was born she was happy and outgoing, loved to play dress-up,” said Nicole. Talking about when Kylie was only 20 months old, “I caught her walking around in my high heels.”

The Olives are shifting gears this year. “We are going to focus more on education and making her a well-rounded child by introducing her to new things including T-ball, karate, more fashion shows and commercials!”

She may go to Vegas to compete in the Miss International Tiny Tot later this summer, but, they are concentrating more on the modeling aspect than pageants this year. “New York is where everything happens,” said Nichole, “we’re looking more in that direction.”

Kylie will attend Pre-K classes at First Baptist Church in the Fall.  She will continue attending Lorna Badon School of Dance in Orange in ballet, gymnastics and tap.

“Her ambition is to be the next youngest ‘Shirley Temple,’” said Nichole.

Wanting all children to enjoy the fun of pageants, including her oldest son, 7-year-old Cole, Nicole directed the Octoberfest Pageant dedicated to special needs children. Funds raised went to the special education department at Sims Elementary. Kylie participated in crowning the winners.

The young beauty queen is the daughter of Nichole and Alan Olive, of Bridge City; granddaughter of Jimmy and Paige Olive, David and Lisa Nissen and Natalie Tran.

The family would like to thank her sponsors, Tattoo Dreams and Evans Truck Repair in Bridge City.