I started doing Pageants when I was 12 years old. I was extremely shy and hated talking in class. I also was the tallest in my class, and didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere besides with my teachers because I read so much…and they were the only ones who would know what I was talking about. I would bury myself into books, and unbeknown st to myself, I had created a wall between the world and me. I got invited to compete in National American Miss, a big time pageant for young girls looking to build self esteem and confidence, and I asked my parents to let me try it, because 1) I had always wanted to be a princess and 2) I was very competitive.

I can never correctly explain how greatly that pageant impacted me in September 2004. All I can say is that unless you try one, you will never know. I had never felt so accomplished, or confident in my entire life. By the time I had gone back to school, I did a complete 180 degree turn. I was dressing better, talking openly to people, and even started to volunteer at different organizations I had heard about from girls I had met at the pageant.

I have no doubt in my mind that pageants are what really shaped me into the person that I am today. I love sharing my story because so many people don’t know what is going on behind the smile of a “pageant smile”. Yes we are scared, nervous, or sometimes very timid and shy. But once we hit that stage, nothing buy God himself could stop a smile from spreading onto our faces. We plow through adversity and work to be role models for the community. I personally work with young girls in middle to high school, teaching them the skills that I learned in pageantry, so that they can discover their confident and improved self way smoother than I did. :)

I have competed in Miss Teen USA, NAMISS and MISS AMERICA preliminaries. I have held 2 titles, and have won Miss Spirit and Miss Photogenic. And the awards will just keep coming, as my pageant journey is far from over.

if you have any questions about pageants or how to get started in one, don’t hesitate to ask me! I’ll be sure to give you all the information I have.