The Competition I started competing when I was 16. I’m 20 now.
The first year at Miss Ohio I was preliminary swimsuit winner, spirit award winner, commitment to excellence award winner and top-10 overall. The second year, I was top-10 and swimsuit winner. I got another spirit award, too, which was great.
It’s not catty like you see on “Miss Congeniality” or stereotypical shows or movies. There’s so much more to it. But it is tough because all the girls are amazing. My whole life I’ve always had trouble dealing with girls because of jealously. I’ve always been a cheerleader or a dancer. And I’ve always been the best at what I’ve done because I’ve always worked very hard.
I met the other contestants for Miss America earlier this year, and it was great because they were all like me.
The worst thing you want to do is compare yourself to other contestants. It’s all about your confidence. Really, that’s what it is. A girl can be the most fit, but if you can tell she’s nervous, she’s not going to score high. Who has that silent confidence? That’s the girl who’s going to win it.
For Miss Ohio, you get to pick your own swimsuit. I wore my favorite color — pink. I always win when I wear that swimsuit. At Miss America, all the girls wear the same swimsuit. We don’t know yet what it’s going to be, but I hope it’s a string bikini because I know I’m going to look good in it. I work with a personal trainer, and I work hard to look the way I do, so I’d definitely like to show that off.
I do weight training three times a week, and I do a lot of cardio now too. I’m trying to lose a little bit more weight for Miss America because when you’re onstage you look a little bit heavier. I weigh 125. I want to weigh 110.
Miss Ohio When I was crowned Miss Ohio, they gave me a company car - a 2000 silver Pontiac Sunfire. It’s got 90,000 miles on it. I’m constantly traveling - Mansfield, Toledo, Cleveland - to make appearances all over the state. That’s what makes you so tired, all the driving. I practice singing in the car, talk on my cell or listen to NPR news. It’s always something, some sort of preparation or business.
You’ve got to know where you stand on an issue, not wishy-washy. Anything goes in the interview room. The question is not just, “What’s your favorite color?” or something like that. But if you don’t know or haven’t thought about that particular issue, you should just say so. What’s important is how you say it. Half the judges probably don’t know what they’re asking you anyway. They just like to listen to themselves talk.
The biggest thing is just to be yourself. It sounds so easy, but it’s hard when you’re in the pageant world. So many people say, “Oh, you should get this done or you should get that done.” So many people want to change your appearance or change who you are.
People have told me that if I got lip injections, I’d have fuller lips. That would not be me, and I wouldn’t be comfortable with that. A lot of girls know all about this stuff. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as lash extensions. I’m going to stick with fake eyelashes. That’ll be fine.
I wouldn’t have won Miss Ohio if I had those kinds of problems. I’m happy with what God gave me and what I have, so I’m not going to change anything. Some girls feel that that’s going to make them feel more confident so, hey, go for it.
Past the Pageant It’s not about winning the crown. It’s about what you do with the job. So many girls do this for the wrong reason. I guess that just gives me reassurance to know that I’m in this for the right reason.
If I don’t win, then God has a bigger plan for my life. There’s so many things I want to do with this opportunity. There’s so many lives I want to touch. There’s so many ideas I have.
After this is all over, the first thing I’m going to do is go back to school. I would be in my third year at CSU. My degree is in digital media and film production with an emphasis in journalism. My next goal is to get an internship. But I don’t want to be just a newscaster. I don’t think that’s interesting enough to me. I would love to eventually have my own TV show like “Regis and Kelly.” I would like to have something where I could show my personality.
Until then, I know I’m meant to do this. I just knew my whole life that God made me differently, even in middle school. I was always very independent. I was never in a clique. I always did my own thing.
I think a lot of people didn’t like me in high school. I never went to parties or things like that because I was always busy with dance - constantly involved with things. Now I’m glad I did all those things because it’s paid off. Look where I am. I’m so much closer to my dream of being Miss America.
- as told to Colleen Mytnick
