Kelsea Campbell, Miss New Hampshire Teen USA 2013, gearing up for Miss Teen USA competition

By ADAM SWIFT
Union Leader Correspondent
Newhampshire.com

AUBURN — After Kelsea Campbell of Auburn watched her older sister compete in the Miss Teen New Hampshire pageant in 2007, she was hooked. “I fell in love with the pageant,” said Campbell, 18. Over the next five years, Campbell prepared to compete in the pageant herself, and last November, those years of preparation paid off.

Competing in her first pageant, Campbell was crowned Miss Teen New Hampshire 2013 and will now go on to compete in the Miss Teen USA competition at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas on Aug. 9 and 10. Although she did not compete in any pageants prior to last November, Campbell said the maturing process over the past several years gave her the maturity she needed to win the crown. “It was important to mature and develop a voice in what I was passionate about,” said Campbell, who graduated from Manchester Central High School in the spring.

As part of the competition process, pageant participants need to have a platform they are passionate about. For Campbell, her platform of Alzheimer’s Disease research was inspired by her grandparents. One of the highlights of Campbell’s time as Miss Teen New Hampshire has been her interaction with young people. “With the events I do, I love to see their faces when I walk into the room with the crown,” she said. “They look up to that and I like to be a positive influence in their lives.”

Campbell said her plans for the fall are still up in the air depending on how she does in the national competition next month. Eventually, she said she would like to go to law school in Boston. For the time being, when she is not preparing for Miss Teen USA, Campbell said she can be found out on the links working on her golf game. “My friends are so excited and are offering their support,” she said. “I couldn’t ask for better friends and family.” In addition to her older sister, Campbell has an older brother and twin 10-year-old sisters. 

At Manchester Central, she was a varsity cheerleader for four years and competed in the hurdles and high jump on the track team and was an active member of the school’s Key Club. During her time as Miss Teen New Hampshire, Campbell said she has been proud to represent the people of New Hampshire and is hoping the people of the state show their support for her. 

Vote for Miss Teen USA at missuniverse.com/missteenusa. The competitor with the most votes automatically makes it into the semifinal round of 15. The Miss Teen USA pageant is no longer on TV, but it will stream live at missuniverse.com/missteenusa on Aug. 9 and 10.

Miss USA, Erin Brady, on "Better Connecticut"

Miss USA Erin Brady returns home to Portland High School

(source: The Middletown Press)

by Jeff Mill

PORTLAND >> Erin Brady arrived back at Portland High School on Tuesday to excited cheers and quiet tears. The newly crowned Miss USA, Brady alternately excited campers at the Summer Quest program and thrilled school faculty members who said they knew Brady was destined for great things when she was a student at the school.

All in all, her return to her roots day was a whirlwind of color, excitement and no little emotion.

Through it all, the willowy brunette was the master of the moment, whether it was signing autographs for a seemingly inexhaustible conga line of excited campers, posing for photos with star-struck selectmen, participating in rousing camp cheers, or pitching in to serve ice cream sundaes.

In comments welcoming Brady, state Sen. Art Linares and state Rep. Christie Carpino neatly captured two of the many roles the 25-year-old Brady embodies.

“You’re a true inspiration, especially to young women,” Carpino said. “You showed that you could be both beautiful and smart.”

Brady graduated from Portland High as a member of the National Honor Society and then went on to earn a degree in finance from Central Connecticut State University.

For his part, Linares told Brady, “You are such a wonderful role model.”

Linares then electrified a number of the females campers who gathered in the school cafeteria to greet Brady when he said, “Maybe one of you young ladies will be the next Miss USA.”

When it came her turn to speak, Brady admitted, “I’m a little bit excited — and a little bit nervous.”

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Brittany Oldehoff, MISS FL USA 2014, at Miami's MBFW swim.

Erin Brady, MISS USA 2013, featured on the cover of Pageantry Magazine

Erin Brady, MISS USA 2013, featured on the Fall 2013 cover of Pageantry Magazine.