Miss Branson: September + October
Heyoooooo, party people! It comes as a big surprise to some that I’m back competing for the job of Miss Missouri, utilizing my final year of age eligibility in the Miss America Organization - while I’ve never been one to keep a surprise secret (🙈), I’m thrilled to have the esteemed privilege of representing one of my favorite Missouri cities, Branson, as Miss Branson 2023.
For you curious folk, the Miss America Organization’s age eligibility and competition categories have changed since 2016, when I first started competing in the Miss division. As of this writing (December 2022), the candidates can be no older than 26 as of December 31, 2023… making this my last year of eligibility at 25 years old. A young pup to some, old to others! ;-) I am excited to have this opportunity to compete for Miss Missouri one last time — this time, as a MBA graduate with a full-time career in food philanthropy, a fully-established social impact initiative with national recognition, and proof of my capabilities in the job of a state titleholder.
SEPTEMBER 2022
I competed and was selected as first runner up for Miss Kansas City / Kansas City International in early September. With that, I finished my time as Miss North Kansas City representing the Kansas City area. A beautiful growth opportunity for me and even better lifelong friendships were formed in my year as a Zona Rosa girl — a family forever in my corner! The following weekend, I won Miss Branson, received the Best Interview award, and was selected as Miss Congeniality by my fellow Miss and Teen candidates that weekend.
What felt like a devastating loss (not winning the local I tried first) was a redirection for a new opportunity; a chance I would not have taken had I stopped after one ‘no’. When I speak to new candidates in the Miss Missouri program, I always encourage them to keep going — different judges, different day, different outcome — and that each local / state competition is an opportunity to get better, to learn, and to grow, whether that results in a crown or a pat on the back. I’m a woman of my word (🤍) and practiced what I preach: getting back in the game for another local preliminary. Oh believe me — I cried, a lot, and thought about quitting — but the essence of my Miss America story is getting up and trying again, year after year after year… and that’s a narrative I’m continuing to write.
SEPTEMBER 2022
Winning Miss Branson opened the doors to Missouri’s unofficial theatre, music, and performance capital! In the first few weeks after winning, I attended Branson’s Terry Music Awards with my fellow #417 titleholders and mingled with Branson’s best entertainers, musicians, performers, and personalities. I even met a former contestant on America’s Next Top Model!
OCTOBER 2022
In October, the Miss Branson Scholarship Organization hosted Miss Spook-Taculous, a ‘practice pageant’ for girls ages 3-18. Many of the contestants compete in other systems or are just getting started in the sport of pageantry. It was such a fun experience emceeing the event and getting to meet the contestants and their families!