Miss DC organization's Teri Galvez with Washington Post's John Kelly, a judge

Pageants are work. A lot of work. We had day one of judging the Miss DC pageant and what an impressive of group of young women we have this year. As someone who enjoys public speaking I have to admit I would be terrified if I was in their shoes. Our panel of judges (6) spent hours grilling the gals on everything from Obama’s healthcare plan and Bachman to fundraising tactics and tech trends. The range of ambition stretched from world renowned opera singer to Middle East global ambassador.

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What are we told to look for? The full package of course: Sharp public speaker with confidence, brains and of course a good look.

“This isn’t a beauty pageant… but it’s not an ugly pageant either, ” one official reminded.

MORE: Pick your favorite contestant

After nearly 4 hours of private interviews with the contestants there is no doubt it’s going to be a very hard decision. There are 3 women who stand out to me at this point but there’s still a lot that can change as the competition continues.

Why don’t you join us for the journey? This Sunday you’ll get the stuff made for TV. Swimsuit, formal gown, talent. It’s happening July 10th at 7pm at The Arena Stage.

Judges Chef Spike Mendelsohn and Angie cut loose between contestants

Heavy Sifting: Judges had to study bio, platforms, personal statements of 20 contestants and come up with personalized questions for all.