Women like Tori Cowen, make pageants look easy.

She’s drop dead gorgeous, dances beautifully, and has an incredible amount of poise on stage.  However, Tori didn’t just “wake up” one day and become a pageant winner…  In the Pageant Junkies Podcast with MAOTeen 2009 and Miss Alabama 2014 Caitlin Brunell, Caitlin talks about meeting Tori when they were both young and participating in the Cinderella Pageant System (hear Caitlin’s podcast here).

Tori’s goal was always the Miss America stage – and in an article inside PanamaCityLiving.com, Tori talks about how Miss America changed her life…

“I am very fortunate, the Miss America program has provided me with the opportunity to earn more than $35,000 in scholarships that will allow me to graduate from FSU debt-free, as well as the possibility of studying abroad or completing my master’s degree. I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without this organization. It has shaped me and helped me realize my dreams.”

Tori certainly made her mark at Miss America – earning a preliminary swimsuit award and placing as the 3rd runner up.  In the same article mentioned above, Tori reflects on her year as Miss Florida and the potential impact each titleholder has available to them…

“The crown and title doesn’t really change you as a person; it just gives you a bigger voice and helps you reach more people. You have to have a servant’s heart! I want to make a difference and leave a legacy and inspire little girls as they dream of growing up and becoming Miss America.”

I’d have to say – Mission Accomplished Tori… Well Done.

And after back-to-back Top 5 finishes over the past 2 years at Miss America (Tori Cowen and Myrrhanda Jones), who do Junkies think has the best chance at becoming Miss Florida 2015?  That information was released on Sunday in the Junkies Newsletter! Click here to sign up for the Junkies Newsletter and we’ll send you our latest predictions!  The latest newsletter is sent by 5pm EST every day – So have patience!  It’s worth the wait!

JUNKIES LOVE FLORIDA!!!  HAPPY 80th ANNIVERSARY!!!

#GoodLuckLadies

#BigJunkieLove

Miss North Carolina 2014 Beth Stovall, has been busy.

In fact – North Carolina does a crazy-good job of keeping their state queen on the move, making appearances, speaking and doing service elements related to the young woman’s platform.  If you don’t believe me, check out the Miss NC Facebook page – Not only will you see how active Beth’s year has been, you’ll see the state organization has 144,000 likes!!!

Yes – that’s not a typo… 144,255 to be exact (as of this writing)… And although Miss NC has been strong on Facebook for a number of years, I’ve gotta believe another reason for that number is because every year, Miss NC is VISIBLE!  She is out there, networking, meeting new people, and causing others to follow her on social media.  Goes to prove you can’t take “a year off” with a queen who isn’t particularly interested in serving her state – It’s all in for North Carolina!  And it’s proving to produce strong contestants and an incredible fan following.

OK – Back to Beth… One of my favorite articles about Beth Stovall came from Hendersonville.com.  It reads:

You wouldn’t know it by the glittering white “Miss North Carolina” sash and four-pointed crown she now wears, but Beth Stovall has actually lost 8 out of the 12 pageants she’s entered.

That’s why on Monday, the reigning Miss North Carolina 2014 brought a message of perseverance and determination to the students of Etowah Elementary.

She told students that she’d always wanted to be a singer, and art and soul was her platform for running for Miss North Carolina. Ever determined, Stovall said she wants to one day be crowned Miss America – and encouraged students to set their own goals and to never falter from them.

I can just picture Beth talking to these elementary kids… and telling them that she LOST twice as often as she WON – but the point is, to keep going.  Maybe some of you needed to hear that today too.  It doesn’t matter how often you lose – just make sure you’re always improving – and just keep swimming (Dorrie, Finding Nemo). 🙂

Beth will be headed back to college this fall and hopes to one day become a music professor.  Junkies know this past year as Miss NC has fully prepared Beth to accomplish anything she desires – and we wish her the absolute best in her future endeavors!

And now – In case you didn’t know, Junkies have a soft-spot for Miss North Carolina!  We take this competition super seriously every year, because Junkies were personally invited to attend Miss NC during their 75th anniversary a few years back… What a special time, and what an amazing group of people leading the organization!

Oh – and if you wanna play along today… CHECK OUT THESE VIDEOS!!!  Check out this link here…  Miss NC had each of their contestants film a selfie-video for their people’s choice awards!  This whole idea can be used by any state pageant – and we love it!  It gives everyone a sneak-peak into each young woman’s personality and their ability to communicate!  ENJOY!!!

North Carolina has big shoes to fill after Beth Stovall’s year and her non-finalist talent performance at Miss America – Who do Junkies think will win the crown this year??? That information was released on Sunday in the Junkies Newsletter! Click here to sign up for the Junkies Newsletter and we’ll send you our latest predictions!  The latest newsletter is sent by 5pm EST every day – So have patience!  It’s worth the wait!

 JUNKIES LOVE NC!!!  GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!

#BIGJUNKIELOVE

You gotta try really hard NOT to like Mackenzie Bart.

She’s super engaging, she’s dazzling on stage, and her ventriloquism piece brought home the preliminary Talent Award to Ohio for the first time since 1993 (Titilayo Adedokun – 2nd Runner Up).

Oh – and of course, Roxy was there too.

But not only did Mackenzie win Preliminary Talent, she made the Top 10, performed on national television, and brought home a STEM scholarship… Making her grand total = $16,500 just for competing at Miss America (not to mention any additional scholarships earned at Miss Ohio).

Not bad for a 1st generation college student at THE Ohio State University, majoring in Atmospheric Sciences… Those dollars will also come in handy when she continues her education by getting her Masters in Broadcast Meteorology.

In the meantime, Mackenzie was BUSY being Miss Ohio appearing on the Today Show, GMA – and who knows where else she might perform after year year is through!?!  One thing’s for sure – We’ve not heard the last from Mackenzie Bart… And that, is a very, very good thing. 🙂

And now – who do Junkies think will be named Miss Ohio 2015? That information was released on Sunday in the Junkies Newsletter! Click here to sign up for the Junkies Newsletter and we’ll send you our latest predictions!  The latest newsletter is sent by 5pm EST every day – So have patience!  It’s worth the wait!

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  JUNKIES LOVE OHIO!!!

#BigJunkieLove

Remember the coach’s daughter in the movie “Remember The Titans”… the young Hayden Panettiere???  That’s who Hayley Lewis says she was growing up.

On the Pageant Junkies Podcast with Miss TN 2014, Hayley Lewis describes how she grew up as the football coach’s daughter (and never had a date) – and that she attended several different schools because of his job.  Obviously, she was much more into sports than pageants – and the need for scholarships drove her to the Miss America competition (check out Hayley’s entire podcast at this link).

And even though she had no pageant background, she entered a Miss Tennessee local, and made her way to the state competition.  Then, after only two years of competing, Hayley was named Miss Tennessee 2014 – and then she went on to place in the Top 10 at Miss America!  Not too shabby for a little girl who used to yell out plays on the sidelines. 🙂

Hayley has spent her year promoting her platform, the Children’s Miracle Network, as well as traveling the state and speaking in schools.  As the Governor’s official spokesperson on character education, she reminds students they don’t need a crown in order to be a role model – and to respect themselves as they continue on their own journey.

Hayley plans to continue her education at Belmont University in Nashville once her year as Miss TN is through… We can only imagine what’s in store for this amazing young woman – and can’t wait to see where “The Mighty Mighty Hayley…” goes from here (Remember The Titans mashed-up quote). 🙂

And now – who do we think has the best chance at becoming Miss Tennessee 2015? That information was released on Sunday in the Junkies Newsletter! Click here to sign up for the Junkies Newsletter and we’ll send you our latest predictions!  The latest newsletter is sent by 5pm EST every day – So have patience!  It’s worth the wait!

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!! JUNKIES LOVE TENNESSEE!!!

#BIGJunkieLove

Teresa Davis is all kinds of interesting…

She was born in Seoul, South Korea, and lived in California, Georgia, and DC before being named Miss DC last summer.  She’s been to the London Summer Olympics in 2012, studied at Oxford, and currently works on Capitol Hill as a staff assistant to Representative Tom Cole from Oklahoma.

You might think a girl like Teresa would get pounded with political topics during her Miss America interview – but that wasn’t the case…

In an interview with the Washington Post after Miss America was over, Teresa said…

“I love the interview part of the whole experience. I love talking to people–obviously because I work in politics. During my prelim interview, I wasn’t asked any sort of political questions at all. I guess they knew, that I knew, what I was talking about.”

Just goes to prove, you need to be a well-rounded contestant who is fully prepared for ANY topic during your Miss America interview… Sometimes, the judges are more interested in hearing you talk about what’s on THEIR minds… not necessarily what’s on your mind.  #JunkieTip

Teresa will not doubt be someone who continues to be a mover and a shaker in the DC area – Her ultimate goal is to become the Press Secretary one day… And based on her current background and qualifications – that may not be too far out of reach.  All the Best Teresa!!!

Now – who do we think has a chance at becoming the next Miss DC?  Tough Question!  There are 12 brand new contestants this year!  Research has been tough! That information was released on Sunday in the Junkies Newsletter!  Click here to sign up for the Junkies Newsletter and we’ll send you our latest predictions!  The latest newsletter is sent by 3pm EST every day – So have patience!  It’s worth the wait!

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  JUNKIES LOVE OUR NATION’S CAPITAL!!!

#BigJunkieLove