Zach Kelly Zachary Kelly packs a lot of personality in his pint-size body.

And for that, the 2½-year-old Simi Valley resident won the grand prize in a recent pageant.

Zach bested 11 boys in his age division in the 2006 Little Miss & Mr. Hawaiian Tropic pageant last month at the Boys & Girls Club in Simi Valley. Zachary not only won first place in the Baby Mr. category but also took home a trophy for Best Personality.

While on stage, the towheaded toddler danced, showed off his muscles and blew kisses to the judges and the audience.

“He warmed their hearts on stage,” said Kathy Kelly, Zach’s mother. “When we put him on the stage and the music was playing, he wanted to show what he could do.”

Kelly said her youngest child and only son was just being natural on stage.

Zachary is quite a character and full of energy. He never walks but runs everywhere, so Kelly constantly has to keep an eye on him.

For example, at age 2, Zach scaled the 3-foot brick fence in front of his house in a matter of seconds while Kelly’s back was turned.

The pageant is the first link in a chain that ultimately leads to the Hawaiian Tropic international pageant, which is scheduled for later this year.

Included in Zachary’s winnings is paid registration for the next link, the tri-state pageant scheduled for April 28-30 in Anaheim.

Kelly said Zach will enter that competition. “He’s a showboat; he needs to be up there,” she said.

Hawaiian Tropic West Coast pageant director Linda Keller said children benefit from the pageant experience. “It has brought self-esteem to the kids,” she said.

Keller, who’s directed pageants for 19 years, said many contestants, including children with special needs, who were shy before the competition become outgoing and charming when they’re on stage.

What’s more, she’s seen several children go on to model for Disney, Mattel, Gap and department stores.

The 25-year-old international Hawaiian Tropic pageant is the sole means the sun-care product company uses to select child models for two of its national print advertisement campaigns, according to the company’s website.

“Everything is a competition in life, and this is just another form of it,” Keller said. “This is a positive thing.”