Cara Standifer was momentarily stumped.

“You’re the first person to ask me that,” she said, bouncing her daughter on her lap. “Alyssa is seven months old, so you’d think I’d’ve thought about it before now.”

But the veteran of pageant interviews had fielded tougher questions on stage, so, seated in the living room of her east Chattanooga condo, it didn’t take her long to identify the best part of being a mom.

“To look down at her and know that’s a piece of you. It’s still pretty overwhelming. I hope she’ll have the best qualities of me and Marcus and be a positive contribution to society.”

As her husband took Alyssa, to place the not-feeling-very-well and stuffed-rabbit-clutching youngster into her walker, the former Miss Chattanooga and Miss Hamilton County (now working in corporate communications for UnumProvident) reflected on her years as a pageant titleholder and her life since.

Her pageant titles: Miss Northern Tennessee, 2001; Miss Chattanooga, 2002; and Miss Hamilton County, 2003. As Miss Hamilton County, she was a semi-finalist in the Miss Tennessee pageant, where she was the swimsuit preliminary winner.

How she got involved in pageantry: “When I was in college, a girl who was in choir with me got me interested in it. Initially, I did it mainly for the scholarship money, but it turned into more than something that just benefits me. I feel like I really had an opportunity to contribute to the community as well.”

Her platform: Music education in schools. “My greatest opportunities and successes have come through music, and the pageant scene allowed me to showcase that and encourage it in schools. I had a dual role for two years because Miss Chattanooga and Miss Hamilton County are spokespersons for DARE, so it was like having two platforms. In three years I logged just shy of 900 hours of community service. I don’t know how I held a job, graduated college, and juggled all that.”

Her musical talents: Singing and the French horn, which she played in middle and high school and in the UTC orchestra. She still sings publicly, although not as frequently these days, but hasn’t practiced her instrument for a few years. “I was really stretched, and something had to give. I wish I could pull it out and play something, but it wouldn’t be pretty.”

Her husband: She and Marcus (who handles network support for Aztek Industries) have been married for three years. They became engaged while Cara was Miss Hamilton County, and married about five months after she took part in the Miss Tennessee pageant. At the time they met, Cara was an account executive for a local media company and Marcus operated an internet café. “The place where I was working out also happened to be next door to his business, so I was there every day either exercising or trying to get him to buy advertising.”

How she spends her leisure time: “Exercising, exercising, exercising. I’m a pretty avid runner, and I’m working on my personal training certification.”

Does pageantry overemphasize fitness? “It gets a bad rap sometimes, but it’s important for you to be a demonstration of physical fitness. Sixty percent of adults are considered obese, and from that number, there are those considered morbidly obese. It’s such a growing problem. Fitness needs to remain part of the pageant.”

Why are pageants often viewed as little more than parades of swimsuits and evening gowns? “Lack of knowledge and lack of knowing anyone who’s ever competed. Most anyone with that perspective would disagree with that line of reasoning. Pageant titleholders are women who are talented and dedicated. There is no way just a pretty face or an empty brain could be out there talking to kids and working in the community. It’s a shame that’s the stigma it’s gotten.”

Does a measure of responsibility come with a pageant title? “That’s what sets the Chattanooga titles apart from most others. It really is a job. You are relied upon to be the person who’s out there in the community. You really have to have a passion for doing it. It’s very time-demanding, but it’s very rewarding.”

On serving as a judge at the 2007 Miss Hamilton County pageant: “There is a long line of big shoes to fill. That was true for me, and it will be true for the winner of this pageant. I can say that because I’m intimately familiar with the kind of work she’ll be doing.”

Advice to pageant participants: “This sounds so cliché and cheesy, but it’s the most truthful piece of advice I can give. Be yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in the whole scene, worrying about who’s got the best dress or the best platform, but the best role models are themselves and let that shine rather than getting caught up in the drama.”

Advice she’s appreciated: “You’ll never know where you might have been until you try. I read that a long time ago, and it stuck with me. Maybe one of my flaws is that I’m too driven, but I don’t ever want to regret not pursuing something. I guess that’s my mantra. I’d rather look back and say I was pressed for time and pulled in a million directions than I didn’t do anything with the time I had.”

How she describes herself: “Extremely driven. I’m not a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person. I know what I want, and I go after it. I’m extremely self-motivated. There aren’t enough hours in the day to pursue all I want to do.”

Her favorite indulgence: Chocolate.

Her favorite movie: “Braveheart. I couldn’t be called a history buff, but I like movies based on historical events. My family is part Scottish, so I can relate to the story, and Mel Gibson always helps.”

On their Willow Trace condo: “It’s been a nice first home for us in a safe and well-kept community, but now we’re thinking about a double-car garage, three bedrooms instead of two, and an office. When you have a baby, you suddenly have twice as much of everything.”