Sisters Brea and Katie Polos of Yucca Valley will represent the Palm Springs area this month during the 2010 Miss California USA and Miss California Teen USA pageants.

“Getting (this) type of opportunity to come our way is just amazing,” said Katie Polos, 19, who will compete for the title of Miss California USA.

Brea Polos, 17, hopes to become the next Miss California Teen USA.

Each of the sisters applied and was interviewed by pageant officials before being selected.

Keith Lewis, executive director of the Miss California USA Pageant, said the organization tries to select young women who are “ going to gain confidence from the experience.”

The pair will compete among 175 contestants on Nov. 21 and Nov. 22 at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage. However, Lewis said, the biggest competition for any contestant is found within.

“They're really competing against themselves (They're) looking at themselves as the person they want to better,” Lewis said.

Katie Polos, a 2007 Miss Yucca Valley, graduated from Joshua Springs High School. Her career goal is to become a teacher.

Brea Polos is a senior at Joshua Springs High School. She plays varsity volleyball and is in the Associated Servant Leadership class.

The sisters have spent hours reading about pageant competitions, watching Web videos on how to walk, monitoring what they eat and exercising, said Jodi Polos, the girls' mother.

The Polos family plans to dress in red during the pageant to show support for Brea and Katie, Jodi Polos said.

“I just can't believe the girls are doing this,” she said.