Constable: Twins vying for Miss Illinois Teen title that only one can win

Mount Prospect twins Jeneva and Nicole Mercado have been close during their 18 years together. Jenny and Nicole were born just two minutes apart. They were in the same classroom all of their elementary years at St. Alphonsus Liguori School in Prospect Heights. They both graduated from St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights. They both are headed to Marquette University this fall, where they will both take premed classes as they both want to be physicians.

They also are both contestants in this weekend's Miss Illinois Teen USA pageant in Normal. But they both can't win.

“It's fun,” says their mom, Sophie Mercado. “I feel like I have two horses in the race.”

In addition to competing against each other, the sisters will be rooting for each other.

“They have a very strong sister bond. They would always help each other,” Sophie says.

As with most siblings, Nicole and Jenny don't get along fabulously all the time.

“We'd be in petty fights and then we'd step out of the car and be best friends,” Jenny says.

“I always thought it was kind of cool,” Nicole says of having a twin sister.

Fraternal twins, Nicole and Jenny always have been easy to tell apart. Jenny was the first to talk. Nicole was the first to walk.

It was Jenny's idea to enter the Miss Illinois Teen USA pageant, but Nicole says she looks at the competition as a good activity for her, too.

“People tell me I'm shy, so I guess this will make me more confident,” Nicole says.

The contest is open to any qualified girl born from 2004 to 2008 who lives, works or attends school in Illinois, so Nicole represents Mount Prospect and Jenny represents Arlington Heights. While physical fitness and appearance are part of the judging, there is no swimsuit competition or emphasis on beauty. Much of the competition features personal interviews with judges.

“If it were a beauty pageant, I wouldn't be in it,” says Jenny, who says she is very passionate about women's rights. Nicole focuses on environmental issues.

“We hope the pageant encourages the contestants to gain self-awareness, self-confidence, individual pride, and greater social awareness,” reads a passage at missillinoisusa.com. “We hope each contestant improves her ability to communicate effectively, speak in front of people, and stand up for her beliefs.”

The winner of the people's choice award is guaranteed a spot in the semifinals. Each vote requires a $1 donation, and donors can vote as often as they choose at missillinoisusa.com/vote through 10 a.m. Monday. Miss Illinois Teen goes on to compete in Miss Teen USA.

The twins are the children of Sophie, a longtime labor and delivery nurse, and her husband, Alvaro Mercado, an obstetrician-gynecologist. Sophie has a 31-year-old son, David, from an earlier marriage, who has been a supportive big brother to the sisters.

Jenny and Nicole have been active in community service, as they both volunteer with Feed My Starving Children, bake for the homeless through Catholic Charities and write letters to the residents of nursing homes. Both helped St. Alphonsus Liguori put on its school play. Jenny is more interested in music and singing, and Nicole is more of an artist. Both are actresses represented by Bravo Talent Agency.

At St. Viator, both were on the honor roll all four years and were inducted into the National Honor Society.

Nicole graduated with high honors, was a member of the golf and tennis teams, worked on the school paper and yearbook, received an award for outstanding achievement in choral music and was a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Jenny, who was a member of the golf team and worked on the yearbook staff, graduated with highest honors, was a member of the Querbes Scholars Honor Program and the Spanish Honor Society, is an Illinois State Scholar, and was recognized as an outstanding member of chamber singers and achievement in choral music.

If Nicole wins the pageant, “I'll be just as happy as if it were myself,” Jenny says.

“If she wins, I'll be happy for her,” Nicole says of Jenny. “I can brag that my sister won.”