Miss America damage control: Pageant beset by hazing, scholarship reports

By Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

It’s safe to say this wasn’t the best week for Miss America — the pageant or the person.

“I must’ve aged 10 years over the past 24 hours,”Kira Kazantsev wrote in her blog on Tuesday night. On Monday, not long after becoming the third consecutive Miss New York to win the crown, Kazantsev, 23, also became the subject ofa story from the website Jezebel. An unnamed person had accused her of promotinghazing at Hofstra University’s Alpha Phi sorority. “Over the past 24 hours, I have experienced cyber-bullying, hatred, and judgment unlike ever before,” Kazantsev continued. “People write you off at a moment’s notice, simply rejoicing in the fact that you might’ve done something wrong.” Writing off Miss America — the pageant — may seem easy, given the last few days. Just before the hazing story came to light, John Oliver, HBO’s late-night news satirist, skewered the Linwood-based Miss America Organization for vastly overstating its scholarship contributions.

The “Last Week Tonight” host said show staff found no evidence the scholarships awarded to contestants amounted to any number near the $45 million claimed. And people were paying attention. The Chicago Tribune reported that in just two days, Oliver's suggestion for viewers to donate to other scholarship programs resulted in an influx of $25,000 to the city's Society of Women Engineers.
For a pageant that already suffered from an image problem – the swimsuit competition hasn’t exactly helped — Oliver’s debunking session and the hazing allegations against Kazantsev seemed to indicate a swift downward spiral.

The questions many observers are asking now: Can Miss America recover from yet another set of PR blows? And how will all of this impact the pageant's current home, Atlantic City, which is facing its own share of public relations and financial crises?

Scholarships and ‘solvency’
The hazing allegations forced Miss America to regroup, but the scholarship story appeared to be more damning. After all, the organization trumpets that it is the largest provider of scholarships for women. “That’s why those women, many of them, enter the pageant,” says Karen Kessler, a crisis communications expert at Evergreen Partners in Warren, who has represented the Giants, Jets and more than a few politicians, also serving as a technical adviser to TV series "The Good Wife" and "Nashville."

Addressing the pageant-faithful on stage at Boardwalk Hall this month, Sam Haskell, CEO of the Miss America Organization, said the cash-strapped pageant once used would-be scholarship money to cover office expenses. Back on network TV and returned to Atlantic City, he said, the pageant had regained both “relevance” and “solvency.” Yet when it comes to money, the pageant and its contestants aren’t the only stakeholders. “There’s the people of New Jersey,” says Kessler. The competition arrived in Atlantic City just as neighboring Trump Plaza was preparing to close, becoming the fourth casino to shut down this year. The state, through the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, has put millions of dollars toward underwriting the pageant’s production costs.

After the Sept. 14 broadcast, pageant officials beamed about Miss America’s No. 1 spot in the Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings. But TV ratings declined. Last year the broadcast drew 8.6 million viewers. This year: 7.1 million. Though Miss America’s contract with the CRDA and Boardwalk Hall is up after next year’s show, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Atlantic City officials have expressed support for the pageant remaining there. Miss America began in the fall of 1921 as a strategy to lure business back to the beach. Does the flailing casino town now have a choice in the matter? As casinos falter, Atlantic City’s current mantra is to boost “non-gaming” activity. “New Jersey and Atlantic City once again look like they got a very short end of the stick,” Kessler says. “If it’s all about nostalgia, the question is, at what price?”

Mixed messages
If Miss America’s modern-day goal is to “empower women,” a story associating the titleholder with poor treatment of women provides an easy way to torpedo the mission. Appearing on “Good Morning America” after the Jezebel story broke, Kazantsev, whose pageant platform advances domestic violence awareness, denied hazing was the reason why she was asked to leave the sorority last year, saying the cause was an email in which she joked about the practice. But she admitted to participating in a larger campus culture of hazing.

“What can be more damaging?” Kessler says. “It is the essence of sort of everything that they say they don’t stand for.” Kazantsev said the hardest question she had to answer on the morning show was about what she would say to young girls regarding her behavior at the sorority. "I'd tell them it's OK to make mistakes," she said. "You know, that's life." Yet as host Lara Spencer delivered the query to the smooth-talking spokeswoman, for just a beat, the pageant queen’s eyes looked distant.While the Miss America Organization issued a statement praising Kazantsev’s “transparency” about her termination from the sorority, it is still unclear when pageant officials learned about her history with Alpha Phi. One of the requirements for contestants is that they fulfill “character criteria.” Kazantsev rejects any notion that she promoted verbal or physical abuse.

There is (so far) no video of her participating in any hazing activities. Unlike Vanessa Williams’ nude photos — plans for their publication in Penthouse magazine prompted her Miss America resignation in 1984 — there is no visual evidence of a violation. “I don’t think that this is grounds for dethroning,” says sociologist and pageant-watcher Hilary Levey Friedman, a former judge of the Miss New Jersey pageant. Her mother, Pamela Eldred, was Miss America 1970. Though advancing the stereotype of sorority “mean girls” isn’t the stated aim of Miss America, the ritual has produced a kind of sorority identity, she says.  “The Miss America pageant has a history with the sorority program in the U.S.,” says Levey Friedman. “That’s why it’s called a sisterhood.” The names used to describe preliminary competition groupings — Mu, Alpha and Sigma — come from Mu-Alpha-Sigma, a Miss America sorority organized in 1940.

Even as the hazing allegations may damage Kazantsev’s credibility as a national spokeswoman, Levey Friedman doesn’t think they will destroy her year. “There was a time when Miss America was held up as this totally perfect ideal,” she says. “What Miss America’s trying to do is say, we’re relatable, we all make mistakes.”

How Kira Kazantsev went from Cronut blogger to Miss America

By Kirsten Fleming and Dana Schuster

Kira Kazantsev, the newly crowned Miss America 2015, has always been an overachiever.
The 23-year-old speaks three languages (Russian, Spanish and English), was a triple major at Hofstra University (political science, global studies and geography), was accepted to Notre Dame Law School and even worked the princess circuit in high school, according to Kazantsev’s cheerleading adviser, Laurel Londahl. “One year she came to my daughter’s third birthday party dressed up in her Miss Junior Teen California pageant gown and crown and read them stories and gave them princess goodies,” says Londahl, who still works at Kazantsev’s alma mater, Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek, California.

Kazantsev, who moved to New York in 2009 for college, is the third consecutive New Yorker to snag the Miss America title. It’s a huge achievement for the Big Apple — and the Murray Hill resident. But friends and family say they expected no less from the personable pageant queen who begged her high school principal to let her captain the cheerleading team while simultaneously serving as student body president. “I told her, ‘You can’t do both . . . it’s just too much work. You can’t do it,’” recalls Kazantsev’s former principal, Pat Lickiss. “She said, ‘Mr. Lickiss, I can do it.’ There’s nothing that girl couldn’t do.” “She’s the hardest-working girl I know,” agrees Londahl. “We marched in the local parade every year, and Kira was there as Miss Junior Teen California, and she had to jump out of the car she was in, change into her cheerleading outfit and then march with the cheerleaders. She was incredibly dedicated to her team.”

So who is the aspiring attorney with the sparkly crown? The daughter of Russian immigrants, Kazantsev — who has a 15-year-old brother, Boris — was raised by her surgical oncologist father, George, and real-estate broker mother, Julia, in Northern California. “They’ve always said, ‘If you can, do more.’ Pushing yourself isn’t a bad thing as long as it’s in moderation,” Kazantsev tells The Post. When it came time to choose a college, Kazantsev says, she always dreamed of going to school in New York, and settled on Long Island’s Hofstra because they gave her a scholarship that covered 50 percent of her tuition. Her tenacious work ethic continued throughout her four years on campus. She enrolled in the school’s honors college after her first semester (getting an invite to the prestigious program requires a 3.6 GPA or higher, according to the honors college dean, Warren Frisina) and studied in Barcelona her junior year.

“I don’t think anyone knew she had ambitions in that [pageant] direction. She seemed pretty darn focused on her schoolwork and succeeding academically,” Frisina says. She has deferred her acceptance to Notre Dame law school, but eventually hopes to earn a law degree and her MBA at the prestigious Indiana school. The brainy beauty, who sang Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” in Hofstra’s 2010 talent show, was one of the 300 volunteers chosen from more than a thousand hopefuls to rub elbows with the political muckety-mucks during the 2012 presidential debate hosted by Hofstra. For two summers, she interned at Solidarity Strategies, a political consulting firm in Washington, DC. According to the company’s founder, Chuck Rocha, Kazantsev says the tenure helped her nail the 2013 Miss New York pageant. “She said that she wouldn’t have understood the question [about campaign finance reform] if she hadn’t worked for me,” says Rocha, who recently had lunch with Kazantsev in NYC. “It made my chest swell with pride.” According to Rocha, the new Miss America has the perfect combination of drive and personal skills. “And then you throw in the fact that she is drop-dead gorgeous and really smart,” laughs Rocha, who says Kazantsev looked up to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. She volunteered for Gillibrand’s re-election campaign in 2011.

Asked if she wants to run for political office, Kazantsev says she wants to pursue international business and influence policy for women’s issues across the globe. “I love politics and the environment that goes with it . . . but for now, [elected office] is not necessarily my dream.” After graduating from Hofstra, she moved to Murray Hill with her best friend and began waiting tables at Hillstone and, later, hosting at Harding’s in the Flatiron District while studying for the LSATs. “You gotta do what you gotta do to make it. Miss New York is a full-time job, but you don’t make money. It’s a labor of love,” says Kazantsev, who is savoring all that the Big Apple has to offer, including dining at Mario Batali’s hot spots Eataly and Esca. Kazantsev also dabbled with a food blog called “Confessions of a Fat Soul,” where the pizza- and bagel-loving city gal braved the Cronut line and explored NYC’s culinary terrain all in the name of hunger. (The now-defunct blog’s tag line reads: “Bringing recipes and restaurant reviews to my fellow fat souls. Dedicated to making the fat souls out there even fatter.”) “Blue Water Grill is one of my favorite restaurants. I love going to the Brooklyn Flea and Chelsea Market. My friends and I go to Central Park and lay out and we try to live the New York life on a budget,” she says, adding that she likes to “window shop.”

“My personal style for New York isn’t edgy, but for the rest of the world, I think it is. Sometimes people in the pageant world question my choices. “I love shoulder pads, prints and things that are a little out there. I like to color outside of the line and wear what I want to wear,” she says. According to Kerime Ataker, president of John Paul Ataker, the designer who crafted Kazantsev’s stunning custom rose-colored gown she wore at Sunday’s event, “She’s definitely a risk-taker,” gravitating away from typical pageant garb. When she isn’t eating (and staying remarkably thin, thanks to her penchant for running, according to Rocha), Kazantsev is putting in countless hours advocating against domestic violence, a cause close to her heart after an ex-boyfriend stalked her in college. In August, she joined the junior leadership counsel of Safe Horizon, an NYC-based victim assistance agency she has volunteered with in the past. “She identifies with the people who are impacted by it,” says Eddie Pelto, Safe Horizon’s chief development officer, who adds that Kazantsev’s “been a strong voice for domestic violence survivors through social media.”

“I want as many people as possible to understand what domestic violence is,” says Kazantsev. “To talk about it. To not be scared to talk about it. You can pass laws and make rules but you won’t affect real change until people’s minds are changed.”Modal Trigger Concerning the Ray Rice scandal, she thinks that maybe, one day, the football player will deserve a second chance. “There’s an extraordinary moment for Ray Rice to step back and understand what happened and take this media attention and turn it into a way to raise awareness. This has been done and no one should be questioning his wife’s decision to stay, because every woman is an expert in her own life.” Right now, Miss America has a good mister by her side. “He’s a very calm guy. He’s a Marine,” says Ataker, who says Kazantsev brought her beau to dress fittings.

“Such a nice guy. He didn’t talk much. All he did was smile and say, ‘Looks great,’ and that was it.” When asked about her dating status, Kazantsev politely says she would rather not discuss it. But if you were a potential suitor, she says she’s low-maintenance, preferring to stay in and binge-watch “Orange Is the New Black” or “House of Cards.” “I am so easy to please,” she says. “Just give me a slice of pizza and a bagel and I am a happy person. I am a simple person who happens to be involved in some crazy stuff.” For now, Kazantsev says, she is going to celebrate her shiny new tiara in her trademark low-key way. “I am going to have a very nice sleep. I don’t know when I will have another opportunity to do that.”

"THE REALITY OF MISS AMERICA" by Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev

by Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev

It’s been a little over a week since I was crowned Miss America, and what a whirlwind it has been! I’ve already taken two cross-country flights, participated in countless media interviews, and had the opportunity to attend the Clinton Global Initiative’s Annual Meeting where I met some very influential people who are doing incredible things around the globe. It is such an honor to be Miss America 2015 — and to represent the amazing 52 women who I had the privilege of getting to know over 2 weeks in Atlantic City. They epitomize everything that Miss America is about and being chosen from among them is my greatest honor.

I’m launching this personal blog to share my year with you because I feel it’s important for people to know what it’s really like to be Miss America. It’s not just one night a year on television — it’s a 365/24/7 job. In addition to all the amazing opportunities that come with the title, it also is a year of personal growth — and challenges. This first week of being in the public eye is not something you can ever prepare for. The positives have far outweighed any of the negativity and craziness that comes with being in a high profile position, particularly on social media. But I’m learning as I go, and I hope to do my best to represent the organization and the title to the best of my abilities.
On that note, I’d like to address one specific issue that has popped up in the media. Because what type of role model would I be if I told people, young women especially, that you can’t make mistakes? That’s not real life. When I entered the sorority recruitment process at Hofstra University in Spring 2010, I decided to join a sorority for the social life but I also thought that I was joining a legacy of success and philanthropy. My friends were joining, and for fear of being left out, I joined too. To be completely honest, I didn’t know what I was signing up for.

The worst of the so-called hazing was standing in a line reciting information, a few sleepless nights, and crafting. I was yelled at a few times. That year, the sorority got in trouble for those actions and was disciplined by both Hofstra and the national organization. However, after being brought up through that process, my class thought the only way to gain respect in the sorority was to go through it or be seen as weak. Later on, I had the opportunity to be the New Member Educator for a semester. It was a very rewarding experience as you get to connect with the recruits on a very deep level. However, I did oversee some pledging events as part of my job description, similar to those described above. Furthermore, my termination from Alpha Phi surrounded entirely different circumstances and I would like to use this opportunity to further explain. When I was a senior, as one of the older sisters in the sorority, I was asked by a new member educator at the time to send an email to alumni asking them to attend an event. In the email, I joked that we could make the evening scary for the pledges. That statement was a joke – we never intended to actually engage in the wrongful behavior that I have been accused of – and the alumni event I spoke of never came to fruition anyway. But this is when I learned a very important communications lesson that will stick with me for life.

The email was forwarded by someone to the national organization. Based on that information, the national office summoned me for a judiciary hearing. At the time, it was the end of the school year. Finals, graduation, and moving to New York City were at the forefront of my concerns. Based on the fact that I did not attend this hearing that was the official reason given for my termination.
I was never involved with any name-calling or use of profanity toward a girl during my time with the sorority. I was never involved in any physical hazing or any degradation of physical appearance of any kind. This has all been immensely taken out of context and manipulated purposefully because I am now in a public position.

The nameless source that is saying these things is doing exactly what it is that I was wrongfully accused of. Now that I’m 2 years removed from that experience at the sorority, I’ve learned what healthy relationships are, and can better speak to what young girls entering college should avoid and it has further developed my platform, “Love Shouldn’t Hurt: Protecting Women Against Domestic Violence.” I’m also proud to say that Alpha Phi Theta Mu of Hofstra University is an upstanding organization that has completely abandoned these practices and I’m incredibly proud of the work they do as an organization. I understand that it can sometimes be hard for women to help other women. It’s so sad but I see it happening over and over. The Miss America sisterhood has taught me what true sisterhood is. It is a group of women that has elevated itself from that pettiness and is able to be happy for one another instead of trying to tear each other down.

I was one of those girls who fell victim not only to the abuse of an intimate partner but the abuse of people who I thought were my friends. In response, I imposed that attitude unto others because I thought it was right. Today, I am proud to say — as I have said before — that I have lived a lot of life in my 23 years. I have made mistakes, and I have made magnificent triumphs, most importantly the one that happened to me on September 14 in Atlantic City. I look forward to sharing my year of service with you and continuing to engage in a dialogue about trading adversity for success. I want to be someone who people look up to as Miss America, and I also want women to understand that despite anything that has happened in your past or the mistakes that may have been made, you have the power to control the outcome of your future.

Newly Crowned Miss America Goes On Defense After Her Talent Gets Bashed On Social Media

Source: Ass. Press

America got a new Miss America Sunday night, but it hasn’t been completely “Happy” for Miss New York’s Kira Kazantsev, who has faced an onslaught of criticism following the talent performance which helped land her the crown. The beaming blonde sat cross-legged on the stage and sang Pharrell’s hit song “Happy,” while rhythmically beating and flipping a red cup in time with the music.

The Associated Press reports that her performance immediately set off a “furor” from social network users, who were displeased that this was the talent of the eventual winner: Kazantsev told the AP she was inspired by the movie “Pitch Perfect” when developing her talent. In the movie, Anna Kendrick’s character auditions for an a capella group by doing the same routine with a cup while singing “When I’m Gone.” She said she also wanted to inspire others to do what they enjoy doing, and not worry what others think. AP reports:

“The reason why I chose to do that talent is I wanted every single little girl in America to be able to see that you can do that talent – you can do whatever talent you want on national television – even with a red cup – and still be Miss America and have the time of your life.”

“I literally in that minute and 30 seconds had the most fun I’ve ever had. And that’s because I stayed true to myself and I did what I wanted to do for my talent, no matter what everybody else told me, and it paid off. I’m very happy about it.” While some may not feel her performance was crown-worthy, Kazantsev’s talent was not the only reason she was named Miss America. Many who criticized the judges’ decision seemed to miss the fact that the 23-year-old triple majored in Political Science, Global Studies and Geography, and she has already been accepted into law school.

Her official platform is preventing domestic violence, which she was inspired to pursue after going through an abusive relationship in college. Plus, she’s fluent in three languages: English, Russian and Spanish. After looking at the big picture, the fact that she was crowned Miss America makes sense.

Miss New York named Miss America for third year in a row

BY BILL HUTCHINSON | NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

New York’s cup runneth over — again.

Miss New York was crowned Miss America 2015 Sunday night, marking the third year in a row that the nation’s pageant winner hails from the Empire State. Kira Kazantsev, 23, of Manhattan, won the beauty pageant in Atlantic City after singing Pharrell Williams’ hit “Happy” while banging a plastic red cup and seated on the stage cross-legged. Outgoing Miss America Nina Davuluri sealed the New York three-peat by passing on her jeweled crown to the emotional Kazantsev, who strutted the stage to the iconic tune, “There she is, Miss America.”

Kazantsev, a graduate of Hofstra University, scored the victory with brains, beauty and her unusual talent.

MEL EVANS/APKazantsev walks the stage in her swimsuit during Sunday's pageant. In the all-important question category, which counted for 30% of the total score, Kazantsev was asked what issue women in the U.S. Senate should press upon their male colleagues. “I really believe that sexual assault in our military is an issue these women have got to fight for,” answered Kazantsev, whose platform is raising awareness of domestic violence. She beat out Miss Virginia Courtney Paige Garrett for the crown and a $50,000 scholarship. The pageant was broadcast live on ABC from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.

Kazantsev may be the first contestant to win the contest by playing a plastic cup on stage, topping rivals who sang, dance, played the piano, and even one, Miss Ohio, who performed ventriloquism while singing. This year’s outcome was a replay of last year’s, when Davuluri was presented the crown from Miss America 2013, the former Miss New York Mallory Hagan. Hagan, who was raised in Alabama, was living in Brooklyn when she won.

Prior to Hagan’s victory, a Miss New York hadn’t won the contest since Vanessa Williams was crowned in 1984. But Williams was forced to give up her title when Penthouse magazine published nude photos of her.

Nina Davuluri Looks Back at Her Year as Miss America 2014

Source: NBC News

Nina Davuluri made history last year as the first Indian American to win the Miss America pageant. Born in Syracuse, New York, the daughter of Indian immigrants, Davuluri beat out 52 contestants for the 2014 title with a Bollywood-inspired dance performance and a platform of "Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency." Though her win was marred with an online barrage of racist tweets and social comments -- questioning Davuluri's American identity and incorrectly calling her Arab and Muslim -- the 24-year-old met her first challenge wearing the crown with grace and aplomb, rising above fray and focusing on her year ahead.

As she prepares to hand over that crown at the Miss America 2015 pageant this weekend, Davuluri looks back at what she was able to accomplish in the last year, and hints at what could be ahead. Below, five things to know about Nina Davuluri before she adds "former" to her title.


1. She doesn't actually remember the most memorable moment of her Miss America pageant.Before she was even named the winner, Davuluri seemed to know the significance ahead as she stood with fellow contestant and finalist Miss California, Crystal Lee. At the time, she said "We're both so proud. We're making history right here, standing as Asian Americans." But as she thinks back to "The Moment" -- as her name was called, as a sea of faces celebrated her, as the crown was placed on her head? "I honestly don't remember the actual crowning moment," said Davuluri. "It was such a blur!"
"Unfortunately, I was prepared," said Davuluri. "However, I can honestly say that for every one negative tweet, comment, or post, there were hundreds if not thousands of people who had positive words of encouragement and support all across the country and world for that matter."

2. Davuluri wasn't completely surprised by the torrent of negative tweets and nasty social media comments following her win.


3. She won the title by celebrating, not playing down, her Indian heritage, with the hope of sending a message to other young, minority women. 
"I came into this organization wanting to change the face of who Miss America was," said Davuluri. "It was so timely for this organization to finally reach out to a new demographic of young women that is representative of America today. I hope this encourages young women to embrace their ethnicities and cultural heritage."

4. Born and raised in New York, Davuluri spent two early years of her life in India, and believes finding balance between both cultures is a lifelong process.
"I'm very blessed to have a family that was always supportive and encouraging of my dreams," said Davuluri. "The biggest thing I've learned through this experience is that assimilation has to happen from both sides. It has been a constantly evoloving journey in my household."


5. She once had designs on becoming a doctor, but now plans on pursuing her MBA. Her advice for the next woman to wear the crown?
"I will always say that becoming Miss America was something I have worked for my entire life," said Davuluri. "My biggest advice is to know who you are, love who you are, and stand up for who you are."

Miss Alabama Caitlin Brunell's dad, NFL quarterback Mark Brunell, calls Miss America 'her Super Bowl'

By Mia Watkins

Miss Alabama 2014 Caitlin Brunell's journey to Miss America is a big deal, according to her dad.
"A lot people would say this is basically her Super Bowl, and they're right," he said. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime and a moment she's been hoping for since she was a little girl. Yeah, this is pretty exciting." He should know. He's Mark Brunell, a former NFL quarterback who has played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and the New York Jets. He, along with Caitlin's mother, Stacy, and her three brothers, will head to Atlantic City next week to cheer Caitlin on in her bid for the Miss America crown. The pageant finale will air live on ABC Sunday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m., preceded by "The Road To Miss America" at 7 p.m. "I'm very proud of all the work she's put into this," he said. "I mean, it has been for the last three years a dream come true for her to represent Alabama as Miss Alabama and now to go on to Miss America, she's wanted to be Miss America since she was twelve years old. We're about ten days out and she's really close to fulfilling her dream."

Brunell said he was overcome with emotion when his daughter was crowned Miss Alabama in June, calling it a "proud father moment." "It was her third go at it," he said. "She put so much time into it and was disappointed the first go-round. The second go-round, she was so close and she didn't quit. She wanted to be Miss Alabama. She didn't give up, she worked very hard and I was just so proud that she stuck to it." One thing that she didn't stick with is sports, despite coming from an athletic family, according to Brunell. He said Caitlin briefly dabbled in basketball and soccer, but ultimately chose dance. She went on to study dance at the University of Alabama and will also be displaying that talent during the pageant as she performs to the hit "Let It Go" from the hit Disney movie, "Frozen."

She still rooted for him and her athletically inclined brothers. Caitlin told AL.com in a previous interview that she never viewed her father as a professional athlete. "With my relationship with my father, that was just his job," she said. "My family and I never looked at my dad as 'Oh, he's in the NFL, he's a quarterback.' He was just my dad who went to work every day." "He also kept football and family very separate. This time, he said her family and friends will be the ones cheering her on.
"She's a special girl, she's touched a lot of people," he said. "I know a lot of family and friends that are cheering for her. This is an incredible opportunity. They're thinking about her and praying for her." Brunell said he's also proud of his daughter for being candid about some of the family's most difficult moments during her continuing reign as Miss Alabama, including a devastating house fire and a public bankruptcy. "Her story is our story," he said. "Families go through difficult times, and we have found that the things that we've gone through in our lives have made us closer as a family, have strengthened our faith, gave us perspective and helped us to understand really what's most important and that is family."

Brunell said that while next week will be exciting, it will also be trying-- adding that he will be a nervous wreck. "I've played in the Super Bowl. I've played in front of thousands of thousands of people at one time, it doesn't compare to when I'm watching my daughter in a pageant. Those are the moments in my life where I have gotten the most nervous. Nothing comes close."

Miss America contestants arrive in Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY(AP) — Miss America is back in Atlantic City, just in time to brighten the mood in this dazed gambling city licking its wounds from the closure of a third of its casinos. The 53 contestants met the public Wednesday afternoon on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Entrants from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands appeared at the traditional welcoming ceremony across from Boardwalk Hall.

Preliminary competition will begin next Tuesday. This is the second year that the pageant, which began in Atlantic City, has returned to its roots after six years in Las Vegas. The ceremony came hours after the first of 5,000 casino workers who lost their jobs over the holiday weekend began filing for unemployment, health insurance and food stamps. The Showboast and Revel shut down over the weekend; Trump Plaza, next door to Boardwalk Hall, where the winner will be crowned Sept. 14, is shutting down two days after that. And the Atlantic Club closed in January. All told, about 8,000 workers will have lost their jobs.

"I look at Miss America as the jewel in the crown of Atlantic City," said Sam Haskell, CEO of the Miss America Organization. "My heart breaks for the people losing their jobs. But I am confident that the economic boost Miss America brings to Atlantic City will create some calm to sooth the disappointment of these closures." John Palmieri, executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, said at the ceremony that Miss America should generate about $30 million worth of economic activity in the region.

Fresh off a visit to the White House a day earlier, where they met with some of President Barack Obama's advisers, the contestants crossed the Boardwalk and walked onto a stage where they signed a map of their home state, introduced themselves and detailed their career plans. Among the would-be Miss Americas are aspiring doctors, veterinarians, meteorologists, broadcast journalists, music therapists and a future sports agent. As usual, Miss New Jersey got the loudest cheers from the hometown crowd. Cierra Kaler-Jones said she's excited to represent her state, given her family ties to Atlantic City. "As the child of two casino workers," she said, "it is historic for me to be participating in this."

Family experience with pageants helps many Miss America contestants

By DEVIN LORING Staff Writer

Five minutes before Miss Nevada Ellie Smith was crowned, her younger sister and best friend, Amy Smith, 15, was crowned Miss Nevada Outstanding Teen. “When she won I think I was crying harder than she was,” Ellie Smith said. She is the youngest Miss America 2014 contestant at 17-years-old. “I was on the other side of the stage freaking out. I run over to her, give her a hug, and then right in my mind, I’m like, ‘Oh, what if I don’t win?’” Fortunately, it worked out for the Smith sisters. Ellie was crowned immediately after Amy, whose turn it was to freak out.

“It was the best night of our lives by far,” Ellie Smith said. “Just such a magical moment to be able to share that with my sister, my best friend, and now to be able to share a whole year with her is really, really, truly great.” While Ellie Smith paved the way into pageantry ahead of her sister, many of this year’s Miss America contestants follow in family members’ footsteps. Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray, 22, has two older sisters who inspired her to pursue a crown. They both competed in the MAO at local and state levels, but Murray is the only one in her family to win the title of Miss Mississippi.

Still, she said, she couldn’t have won it without her sisters’ direction and good example. Miss Maryland Jade Kenny competed for Miss Maryland three times before she won the title. Likewise, her mother competed for the state title when she was 17 years old, and won the preliminary swimsuit award. A fact, Kenny said, her mother has on occasion, “rubbed in her face.” “It’s kind of funny because my first two years I never won swimsuit, and she won swimsuit. She would always kind of rub that in my face like, ‘Your momma’s still got it,’” Kenny joked. “So I definitely pushed through so I could win the swimsuit preliminary my third year.”
Although her mother may have goaded her a bit while she was competing, Kenny said her mother never pushed her to do pageants. The 23-year-old found the hobby independently. When she was 13 years old, Kenny said, she had trouble grieving the loss of her best friend and grandparents. When a guidance counselor told her to develop a thicker skin, she was furious.

“I found the Rainbows Organization and it helped me through a very difficult time,” Kenny said. “Ever since then I needed to make sure that no child is ever told to get over something like that.” Pageantry, she said, gave her a “microphone” to support the Rainbows Organization. On the road to Miss America, Kenny’s platform is Healing the Hurt, Restoring the Hope – the Rainbows Organization. Kenny said competing in her mother’s footsteps and finally winning Miss Maryland is kind of like a relay race, “We’ve finally hit that mark,” she said. Although Miss Hawaii Stephanie Steuri’s mother was Miss Maui 1977, her parents were not immediately onboard with her participation in pageants, Steuri said. They were worried she was sacrificing the years she had dedicated to her education.

“That local title was my chance to show them that I can do both, I can be that beauty and brains figure,” Steuri said. “I can continue my education with a title in the Miss America system and earn scholarship money.” After winning a local title, Miss Paradise Kauai, and continuing on to compete in Miss Hawaii, Stueri said her mother’s attitude toward pageants shifted. “She was super-excited, almost living vicariously through me,” Stueri joked. “She was just so excited that I had grown so much as a person both academically and as a woman.” Three of the women received valuable advice from their predecessors, “be yourself,” while Smith had some advice for her younger sister. “If you believe you can do it, you can do it,” Smith said.

Miss America Nina Davuluri visits NJ children's hospital

Source: New Jersey 12News

NEW BRUNSWICK - Children in a New Jersey hospital got a special visit from a celebrity bearing an icy treat today. Miss America Nina Davuluri was at PSE&G Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick visiting patients and handing out Dairy Queen Blizzards.

At least $1 from each blizzard sold at many Dairy Queens in northern and central New Jersey on Thursday are being donated to Children's Miracle Network, which supports the New Brunswick hospital.

"Oftentimes when I walk into a room, the children don't necessarily know who I am or what I am," Davuluri says. "But all they see is that a princess has walked into the room for a day. So to take their mind off their treatments that they're going through even for just a few minutes is one of the best parts of my job."

Davuluri is making her final few appearances with the national title. A new Miss America will be crowned next month.

Miss America Goes to Washington

by Alan Neuhauser

Call it a meeting of the old and the beautiful.

Members of Congress and Education Secretary Arne Duncan met with Miss America Nina Davuluri this week to talk science, technology, engineering and math education. The Miss America Foundation and Davuluri – herself a science grad from the University of Michigan – have made STEM learning one of their platforms. When the annual pageant returns in September, it will for the second time offer a range of STEM scholarships to its contestants. 

“Sixty percent of the contestants on the Miss America stage were involved in STEM-related fields: PT school, PA school, engineers,” she says, referring to schools for physical therapists and physicians assistants. “If you enter in this organization, you walk away with some form of scholarship money.” Davuluri began competing in beauty pageants to pay for college, she says. Having been named Miss Michigan’s Outstanding Teen in 2006, Miss Syracuse and Miss New York in 2013, and Miss America last September, she’s won about $92,000 – allowing her, with help from her parents, to graduate debt-free.

“I had no means to pay for school aside from student loans, so I started competing,” Davuluri tells U.S. News during an interview on Capitol Hill. “This is not the only way to earn a scholarship and it’s not for everyone. This is a creative way to do it.” Schools and employers have long struggled to attract women and minorities. While women made up more than half of the country’s college-educated workers in 2010, for example, they comprised only 28 percent of the science and engineering workforce, the National Science Board found earlier this year. Meanwhile, blacks, Latinos, American Indians and Alaskan Natives accounted for just 10 percent of science and engineering workers. Asians made up 19 percent. Davuluri, who is Indian-American and the daughter of a physician father and computer-programmer mother, declined to speculate how discrimination and social pressures may discourage women from entering those fields.

“I can’t say I know one particular case,” she tells U.S. News, adding, “I never experienced anything in terms of not being encouraged to go into a STEM field.” She suggested, though, that students, guidance counselors, parents and lawmakers could look more broadly at what a science or technology job might encompass. “Thinking outside the box of what STEM is is something that I’ve been really trying to encourage this year,” she says. Davuluri pointed to her visit to a cosmetics factory, where she learned to make her own lip gloss. “I think a lot of times, we are in those confines of engineer, computer programmer,” she says. “Oftentimes young girls can’t think outside the box of what STEM is.” And that goes for tuition, too: “The cost of a higher education is astronomically expensive,” she says. Paying for it, she continues, “doesn’t have to be what you think might be the normal way.”

Ousted beauty queen sues Miss Del. pageant

By Robin Brown, The News Journal

Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization spokeswoman Carolyn Nelson said Wednesday night that the group would have no comment on the lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Court of Chancery, reveals an awkward and formerly undisclosed moment just after Longacre was stripped of her crown in June, two weeks into her reign. First, officials told her she was too old and said she had to return her crown, wouldn't get her scholarships and couldn't compete for Miss America. Then, the previously unidentified state pageant official who axed her – executive director Debi Wilson was a named defendant in the filing – "offered to make it up to her by hosting a wine and cheese pajama party," the suit says.

The suit names other pageant winners disqualified after competing and contends pageant officials knowingly recruit ineligible contestants to boost dwindling participation, take advantage of them for fundraising and appearances, then disqualify them. The suit details more than 20 appearances Longacre made, cites her additional fundraising for the organization and the facts that she suspended work on her master's degree in social work at University of Pennsylvania for a year, cut her work to part-time and ended internship programs as required by the Miss Delaware organization to fulfill her duties. Two days after Longacre was disqualified, first runner-up Brittany Lewis of Wilmington was crowned Miss Delaware in a brief ceremony at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, elevating her to the national contest that gives each contestant a $3,000 scholarship for participating and the chance to win a lot more. Longacre, whose only previous pageant experience was for the separate Miss USA competition, says Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization officials recruited her and certified her eligibility after she repeatedly submitted her birth certificate, driver's license and resume – all with her birth date of Oct. 22, 1989 – as she competed successfully first for Miss Pike Creek, then Miss Delaware.

Lewis also is 24, but she was born July 21, 1990. Although state and national pageant websites say those 17-24 are eligible – as the lawsuit notes – state pageant officials said in their one public statement about Longacre's ouster that they discovered after Longacre was crowned that she was too old under Miss America rules. Board member and legal counsel Elizabeth Soucek – who was Miss Delaware first runner up in 2007 – has said national contestants could not turn 24 before Dec. 31, meaning they could not have been born before 1990. She called that "a Miss America rule."

Soucek told The News Journal after Lewis was crowned that she directed Lewis and state pageant officials not to comment about the situation with Longacre "due to the possibility of pending litigation." She couldn't be reached Wednesday night. It was only after Longacre went public with her highly emotional account, first in an interview with The News Journal and then on televised "Today" show, that Soucek said she would get the $9,000 scholarship she earned with the state title. Until that time, according to the lawsuit, the only thing the organization had offered Longacre was the "wine and cheese pajama party." But when Soucek told The News Journal that Longacre would get $9,000 scholarship from the state title, she was asked about her other scholarship funds for winning Miss Pike Creek andstate contest preliminary events and Miss Congeniality. Soucek then said Longacre would get all her scholarship funds.

The lawsuit said the Pike Creek title came with a $500 scholarship and her other wins totaled $1,250. In detailing Longacre's damages, the suit also said she lost potential career enhancements such as television and guest appearances, also that she had to spend more than $4,500 on expenses such as a voice coach, clothing, hair and makeup. Her suit also asks the court to require the pageants to make age requirements clear on their websites and to all potential contestants. While her lawsuit does not seek an apology, Longacre told The News Journal she never got one from anyone with the Miss Delaware pageant. Her attorney, Mark Billion of Wilmington, said before the suit was filed that they reached out repeatedly to organization officials. "Not only did we not get the courtesy of a response," he said, "we haven't gotten anything from them saying she is disqualified."

Longacre recently said she feels lumped in with pageant winners dethroned for reasons from criminal activity to pornography. "I'm being treated as if I did something morally and ethically wrong," she said. "I'm just really heartbroken."

Ex- Miss Delaware offered chance to compete in Miss USA pageant

Source: Fox News

Amanda Longacre, the Delaware beauty queen who was stripped of her title and her chance to compete in the Miss America competition because she's too old for the crown, may have a chance to compete for the title of Miss USA.

The Donald Trump-produced Miss USA pageant is inviting Longacre to enter their competition for the Delaware crown later this year. She lost her Miss Delaware title after about two weeks when the organization realized she would turn 25 before the year's end, disqualifying her from representing the state in the Miss America pageant and costing her the crown. The Miss USA rules dictate the pageant's age limit for contestants is 27. "We have invited her to compete for the Miss Delaware USA pageant this November," a spokesperson for the pageant said. "If she wins that title she will go on to compete for Miss USA (and then maybe Miss Universe). She did not 'age out' of our pageant system."


Reps for the Miss USA pageant told TMZ they became aware of Longacre's situation when they were bombarded by irate pageant fans, who mistakenly thought that they were responsible for her disqualification.
A message on the Miss Universe website, which oversees the Miss USA competition, explained, "Please be advised the recent dismissal of Miss Delaware and Miss Florida has nothing to do with the Miss Universe Organization and they are from a completely different pageant system."

Ex-Miss Delaware Fights to Win Title Back, Compete in Miss America Pageant

by REBECCA MACATEE

Beauty pageants aren't always pretty—just ask former Miss Delaware 2014 Amanda Longacre! The 24-year-old was stripped of her title Tuesday when pageant officials determined she was too old to compete in the pageant (The Miss America Organization has a rule stating that contestants must be 17 to 24 years old, and Amanda will turn 25 in October.)

First runner-up Brittany Lewis, 24, was crowned Miss Delaware Thursday, and will go on to compete in the Miss America pageant on Sept. 14. And while Amanda has learned she will get to keep the $9,000 in scholarship money she originally won (this amount will also be awarded to Brittany), she appeared on Today Monday and told Savannah Guthrie she wants "the title I rightfully won" back.

VIDEO: Ex-Miss Delaware tearfully breaks down on Today over lost title
"I am Miss Delaware. I was nothing but honest from the beginning. I did not know that rule, I did not know that rule at all, and they reiterated to me since they beginning that I was eligible to compete," she said. "I asked from the beginning, 'Am I eligible?' They said yes, they signed off on my contract, they had my birth certificate. I gave them everything." Her lawyer explained to Today, "What we want is to see Amanda compete at Miss America and serve as Miss Delaware, and to our mind, that's what's fair. If we have to sue to do it, we will, but our goal really here is that she be allowed to enjoy the title that she's earned."

Miss Florida pageant crowns wrong woman after scoring error

BY AYANA STEWARTMIAMIHERALD.COM

After Elizabeth Fechtel was crowned Miss Florida 2014 on Saturday, sorority sisters gushed on social media. Several news outlets interviewed the Leesburg native. Fechtel called the pageant life-changing, saying she was “privileged and thrilled to have become Miss Florida.” The excitement was short-lived. Late Thursday, pageant officials visited Fechtel to inform her of a massive error: The crown should’ve gone to the first runner-up instead. The Miami-based organization released a press release Friday saying that a tabulation mistake resulted in the title being awarded to Fechtel instead of runner-up Victoria Cowen. Fechtel planned to take a year off from her studies at the University of Florida to prepare for the Miss America Pageant, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The university shared a congratulatory message on Twitter and sent out a press release. By Friday evening, the statement was updated to reflect the pageant error. But the Miss Florida website still showed Fechtel next to a sparkling “Miss Florida” graphic. Florida isn’t the only state making news for pageant blunders. Amanda Longacre, Miss Delaware, had her title revoked Tuesday because she turns 25 in October, which violates Miss America rules. Participants cannot turn 25 before the end of 2014. While Longacre will reportedly keep the $9,000 in scholarship money she received with the crown, the Tampa Bay Times reports that Fechtel will have to give her scholarship winnings to Cowen. The national pageant will be held in Atlantic City, N.J. Calls to the pageant’s president and executive director Mary E. Sullivan weren't returned as of Friday afternoon. Late Friday, the Miss America organization shared a headshot of Cowen on its Facebook page and congratulated her on her new title.

“We thank Elizabeth Fechtel and wish her the very best,” the post adds. Further down, there’s a post with nearly 3,000 likes from earlier in the week — a smiling portrait of Fechtel. The caption reads, “Congratulations to Elizabeth Fechtel on being crowned Miss Florida 2014!”

Karlie Major crowned Miss Utah 2014 Saturday night

By Jackie Hicken, Deseret News

Miss Cache Valley Karlie Major traded in her old title and will now spend the next year promoting her platform — Get Real: Embracing a Positive Body Image Through Media Smarts — across the state after she was crowned Miss Utah 2014 at Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City Saturday.

It's a task and a platform she's excited to bring to the national stage as she represents Utah at the Miss America competition in Atlantic City in September. "There hasn't been a platform yet at Miss America that is promoting and educating and empowering youth in media literacy," Major said Saturday. "This is such a relevant issue." As Miss Utah 2014, Major will also act as an ambassador for the Miss America Organization's national platform, the Children's Miracle Network. During Saturday's competition, 10 finalists were chosen from 48 titleholders based on preliminary scores from Wednesday, Thursday and Friday competition. The finalists were Bailey Johnson, Miss Davis County; Kelby Tyler, Miss Pioneer Valley; Lauren Wilson, Miss Pleasant Grove; Mallory Rogers, Miss Panoramaland; McKenna King, Miss Wasatch County; Sasha Heaps, Miss Provo; Kira Hannemann, Miss Northern Utah County; Chelsi Lukens, Miss Legacy; Abbey Eyre, Miss UVU and Major.

Lukens was named the fourth runner-up and took home a $600 scholarship. Heaps was named the third runner-up and received an $800 scholarship. Wilson, the second runner-up, was awarded a $1,500 scholarship and Eyre, as first runner-up, received a $3,000 scholarship. As the new Miss Utah, Major was awarded a $10,000 scholarship. Other awards given Saturday night included the 2014 Children's Miracle Network Miracle Maker Award, which went to Miss Roy Brittni Strickland, who raised more than $6,000 for the Children's Miracle Network. The Miss America scholastic award went to Miss Pioneer Valley Kelby Tyler, while the Miss America service award went to Miss Lehi Dania Rice. Tyler also received the Sadie Huish Memorial Scholarship during an earlier night of competition. Additional awards included the Spirit of Miss Utah award, which is voted on by the contestants and went to Miss Pacific Islander Whitney Matagi, and the Glenn Harman Instrumental Music Awards, which went to Miss Utah County Hannah Harkness and Miss Garfield County Baylee Palmer.

This year, the Miss Utah Organization partnered with the non-profit charity organization Dando Amor and participated in their "Shoes for Love" program, collecting more than 70,000 pairs of shoes for children in Ecuador, Africa and Haiti. The new Miss Utah Karlie Major and Miss Draper Kelsey Blaser were honored for their work in collecting the most shoes out of the 48 contestants. During the first night of competition Wednesday, Lukens, the eventual fourth runner-up, took home a preliminary talent award for her performance of "And I Am Telling You," from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, and Miss Lehi Dania Rice claimed a lifestyle and fitness award. On Thursday, Lukens won a lifestyle and fitness preliminary award, while Miss Utah County Hannah Harkness won the talent preliminary with her piano performance of "Flight of the Bumblebee."

During Friday's competition, Heaps, Saturday's third runner-up, took home a lifestyle and fitness preliminary award and Eyre, Saturday's first runner-up, won the talent award for her dance performance. Each preliminary award winner received a $100 scholarship. More than 700 young women competed in local Miss America-affiliated pageants throughout Utah this year, with the 48 titleholders raising $9,000 and donating some 1,100 hours of service to the Children's Miracle Network. These 48 young women also have dedicated a combined 19,000 hours of service and raised $456,000 to support their personal platforms.

From a Miss USA: The Difference Between Miss America & Miss USA

by Kristen Dalton Wolfe 

Editor’s Note: This is not a commentary on either winner pictured in the cover photo. This is strictly a commentary of the overall purpose of each organization.

One of the most commonly asked questions during my year as Miss USA was, “What is the difference between Miss USA & Miss America?” My pageant friends, whether competitors, supporters or friends/family in either program have experienced this question too and reasonably so. Over the years, I have noticed that rather than using this innocent question as an opportunity to empower women by highlighting the benefits of each program, it has served as a source of division. A defensive tone is taken while each party tries to prove that one program is better than the other. This past week, I spent 5 days judging the Miss NC America pageant. I competed in the program myself, so I was aware of the invaluable benefits and ideals it affords young women. But, as a former Miss USA that has been heavily involved in the Miss Universe Organization for years, this past week turned on a light switch. We are all in it for the same purpose. Although different, the ultimate goal of each program is to enrich the lives of young women. Why don’t we uplift and support each other?

I was so impressed with the Miss America program, especially how it operates in North Carolina. The calibre of young women blew me away. They are top of their classes, Student Body Presidents, published authors, internationally traveled performers and founders of organizations. I was judging the Teen program and was practically mind-blown by their sharp, intelligent, diplomatic, well-spoken interviews, which are conducted like a press-conference. I had to keep reminding myself that they were teenagers!

Each one of them are truly leaders of their generation and it is largely in part due to the empowering standards & ideals of the Miss America Organization that these women have learned the benefit of rising above the status quo. As I sat there conducting the interviews, I thought to myself, “I hope my daughter will look up to someone like her.”

I was impressed to learn that Miss South Carolina 2012 Ali Rogers, who judged alongside me earned $63,000 in scholarship money. The women who compete in the Miss America program win thousands of dollars in scholarship money, not only at the national and state levels, but at their local levels too. These women are able to further their educations, obtain Masters degrees and have the freedom to start their careers debt-free. Being surrounded primarily by Miss America enthusiasts for the week, many people wanted to know what the Miss Universe Organization is all about and what my experience as Miss USA was like. I excitedly explained that I got to live in New York City for a year, represent our country in the Miss Universe competition, had Donald Trump as my first boss out of college and traveled the nation speaking in schools. I was also privileged to raise awareness and funding for breast and ovarian cancer research and volunteering with the USO.

The prestige of the title led to great relationships and opportunities after the crown as well. A fantastic career has developed with a company I have been with for 5 years. I’ve been in several national commercials, Super Bowl commercials and have been the National LA Fitness Spokesmodel for the past two years. The interpersonal, mental strength and public speaking skills I gained have prepared me for my ultimate career goal, which is operating my own company and motivational speaking. Miss USA may have originated as a swimsuit competition and they may still place an emphasis on beauty in the actual competition, but the life skills gained in the preparation process and in the actual job of a titleholder are immeasurable and enriching. Ultimately, involvement in the organization can cultivate and lead to successful careers and financial independence for young women. Just look at Ali Landry, Shandi Finnessey, Rachel Smith, Susie Castillo and Kimberly Pressler. They are all incredibly intelligent, driven women. A common belief is that USA girls are pretty and America girls are smart. As a matter of fact, when I won Miss NC USA, someone said the answer I should give when asked the difference between the two is this:

“Miss America is the girl who lives next door, Miss USA is the girl you wish lived next door.”

I remember feeling so off-put by that off-putting definition. After this week, I whole-heartedly understand why. It is because at the end of the day, both Miss America and Miss USA are programs that promote and cultivate the empowerment and success of young women. They are both aiming to be relevant and fresh while being good role-models, so that young girls have someone truly honorable to emulate. Yes, each program has a different approach and thank goodness! They both provide an outlet for a wide range of young women to participate with their individual strengths, interests and career goals. Competitors in both organizations are beautiful and smart. Let’s make it black and white. Let’s stop saying beauty defines one and intelligence defines the other. Next time you are asked the difference between Miss America and Miss USA, here is a response that empowers both organizations:

Miss America is the leading provider of scholarships for women in the nation and Miss USA is a salary-based position that represents our nation at the Miss Universe competition. The preparation that goes into each competition fosters self-confidence, excellent communication skills, a resilience in regards to rejection and constructive criticism, drive, goal-setting, poise, self and global awareness.

I’ll end on this note. It was my platform title when I competed at Miss NC America: It was my platform title when I competed at Miss NC America:

United We Stand, Divided We Fall Behind.