Miss Virgin Islands, Aniska Tonge shone brightly in Vegas… literally.  Anyone who was there saw her amazing gold evening gown – The Junkies even saw her after the pageant was over and complimented her on it in person!

Like many of the other contestants, Aniska regularly updated a blog about her year.  We particularly loved an entry she made in September, reminding us how important it is to have a strong ‘support system’ in the life of a pageant girl…

          “I can’t begin to express how amazing and rare this experience is. Today I took my official head and competition shots. What a feeling! I brought my mom along as well and although I love how proud I have made others, her being proud of me is truly the most fulfilling. She said last night that her little girls were all grown up and soon we wouldn’t need her anymore. But how wrong she is. She has taught me every value of a true queen; resilience in the time of struggle, faith when the dark times seem more powerful, and above all love and compassion. I feel as though I am most prepared for this journey because of what she has taught me, so today I took my official pictures for Miss America, and that meant such a great deal to me…But today my mom used her phone and took a million unofficial pictures of her “princess” and that meant the world to me.”

         
For all the ‘pageant moms’ out there who have taught your daughters well, the Junkies say, “Thank You” 🙂

And now – here are the 4 contestants vying for the title of Miss Virgin Islands, 2013!

Naydyeyah Acoy-Thomas – 2nd runner up Miss St. Croix
Ashley Massiah – competed in ’12
Cahtriellah Shabazz – competed in ’12
Jessica Willock – 1st runner up VI OT ’11

Good Luck, Ladies!  Junkies Wish you the Best!!! 🙂

MAJ

The Junkies were “Uber-Proud” of Whitney Wood, Miss Idaho 2012!  She was precisely the kind of contestant who ‘grows’ within the Miss America system and was willing to put in the work to showcase her strengths.  Allow me to list the awards Whitney received at Miss America:

– Quality of Life Finalist – Handbags of Hope – $2000
– Non-Finalist Talent Award – $1000
– Louanna Gamba Instrumentalist Award – $1000
– Miss America State Finalist – $3000
– Total = $7000

Of the 53 girls at Miss America, Whitney won more scholarships than 41 ladies on stage!  In fact, she won just as much scholarship money as the Top 10 finalists won!  The Junkies thoroughly appreciate how Miss America rewards ladies like Whitney for their collective efforts – and not just those who ‘make the finals’.  Idaho should be proud!!!

And when it comes to Miss Idaho 2013, this a bit of a head-scratcher for us… It doesn’t seem like our choices are as “obvious”… Plenty of deserving ladies could win this year!

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Kacie Bitzenburg – 2nd runner up ’12
Kaitlin Anderson – 4th runner up ’12
Kalie Wright – SS and interview winner at her local
Meg Rowe – 4th runner up ’10, 3rd runner up ’11 
Dani Beckstrom – ID OT ’08
Lauren Parkhurst – Cinderella Scholarship Pageant Winner, AL USA contestant
Sierra Sandison – was just diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes a year ago, beautiful girl

GOOD LUCK ALL!!!  JUNKIES LOVE IDAHO!!! 🙂

MAJ

Everyone Sing!  

“I belong with you… You belong with me… You’re my Sweet – heart…”

First and foremost, The Junkies LOVE Sweetheart!!!  In case you’re not familiar with Miss Sweetheart, here’s a bit of background.  Near the Indiana/Illinois border, the National Sweetcorn Festival takes place every year in Hoopeston, IL.  It’s a “county fair” type of atmosphere filled with tractors, amusement park rides and of course, sweetcorn!  Contestants who finish as the 1st runner up to the winner of their state pageant receive an invitation to attend Miss Sweetheart.  If the 1st runner up has a conflict, the 2nd runner up is invited and so-on down the line.  Ladies across the county, who were within a heartbeat of heading to Miss America (and might still be disappointed in their loss), now get the chance to participate in a mini-version of Miss America in the middle of Hoopeston, IL (population 5300).  LOL – You really have to see it to believe it! 🙂

Because these girls were oh-so-close to winning their own state title, you can bet the women competing are usually quite polished – and the talent is exquisite.  Miss Sweetheart is truly an unexpected little gem in the middle of acres and acres of crazy corn fields.

Some girls attend just for the experience.  Some girls are still fully engaged in “competition mode” and are serious about proving they could’ve/should’ve won their own state title.  Some girls take one look around and realize in order to be ‘on par’ for Miss America, they’re going to have to take it up a notch.  Overall – we’ve never met anyone who attended Miss Sweetheart, say that she regretted her decision.  Of course, some girls do go back and win their own state title, making Miss Sweetheart a significant part of their journey to the Miss America stage.  But for some girls – Miss Sweetheart is as close as they will ever come to Miss America.  That’s why Sweetheart is so special.

Now – Our Miss Contestants have a few “Sweethearts” among them… Here they are…

Miss Arkansas Amy Crain – AR Sweetheart ’10 (4th runner up)
Miss Connecticut Kaitlyn Tarpey – CT Sweetheart ’12 (prelim SS award)
Miss Georgia Carly Mathis – GA Sweetheart ’12
Miss Kentucky Jenna Day – KY Sweetheart ’11 (Top 10)
Miss Massachusetts Amanda Narciso – MA Sweetheart ’11 (Prelim Talent 2nd runner up)
Miss Nevada Diana Sweeney – NV Sweetheart ’12
Miss North Dakota Lara Harmon – ND Sweetheart ’11
Miss Virginia Desiree Williams – VA Sweetheart ’12 (Prelim SS Sweetheart Winner)
Miss Washington Reina Almon – WA Sweetheart ’12
Miss Wyoming Rebecca Podio – WY Sweetheart ’12

Since Miss Sweetheart began, there have been 9 ladies who attended Miss Sweetheart that went on to win the Miss America crown = Pam Eldred, Rebecca King, Elizabeth Ward, Debbye Turner, Carolyn Sapp, Leanza Cornett, Tara Holland, Katie Harmon and Caressa Cameron.  And while Miss Sweetheart performance is no guarantee of Miss America performance, there have been plenty of Miss Sweetheart contestants who perform quite well at Miss America (too many to name in this post!).

So – who’s attending Miss Sweetheart this year?  Glad you asked!  Take a peek at these 43 girls – because you might just be getting a glimpse of a few Miss Contestants for the title of Miss America 2015! 🙂

AL – Hayley Barber
AK – Sarah Cvancara
AZ – Katelyn Niemiec
AR – Tracy Neal
CA – Jordan Krinke
CO – Kristin Schubert
CT – Liz Wong
DE – Alix Gardner
DC – Azah Awasum
FL – Janae Deleon
GA – Courtney Walker
HI – Lei Ui Kaholokula
ID – Katelyn Anderson
IL – Savannah Teegarden
IN – Hannah Clingan
KS – Ashley Ulmer
KY – Kiley Shuffett
LA – Julianne Tippen
ME – Marisa Butler
MD – Sam Hawkins
MA – Meagan Fuller
MN – Emily Kallis
MO – Mary Bauer
NE – Megan Dimmitt
NH – Kendall Wipff
NJ – Brenna Weick
NM – Gabby Torres
ND – Meagan McDougall
OH – Cayla Hellwarth
OR – Kayla Gordon
PR – Allison Ortiz
RI – Ivy DePew
SC – Lauren Cabaniss
SD – Morgan Black
TN – Sarah Stokely
TX – Michelle Hanson
UT – Aly Johnson
VT – Nina Merriam
VA – Victoria Maiden
WA – Hannah Faith Price
WV – Ashley McGlaughlin
WI – Madeline Anderson
WY – Mikaela Shaw

(The photograph of each contestant corresponds with the alphabetical order listing from left to right… Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, etc) 🙂

These ladies arrive at Miss Sweetheart this very weekend – with the final night of Miss Sweetheart on Sunday, September 1st!  ALL THE BEST TO THE MISS SWEETHEART DELEGATES!!! Good Luck Ladies!!! 🙂

MAJ

Do an impromptu  “google search” on Laura McKeeman & nearly every listing has 3 things: First, she’s a sports reporter (most of us knew that). Second, she’s dating (now engaged) to a professional baseball player (Wow!)  Finally, she’s “Miss Florida” (duh).  Add those 3 things together… and Laura McKeeman seems a little like the Kate Middleton of America!  But dig a little deeper and you’ll learn how close she came to having none of it!

First – Laura’s friends entered her in her first pageant as a joke (btw – she finished as the 1st runner up)!  In her 3 years at Miss Florida, she won the interview competition every year.  WOW!

Second – She wasn’t actually looking to become a sports reporter when she applied for a job at her campus radio station – but that’s what they had available, so she took it!  Then, a big-wig at Fox heard her voice and liked it – and offered her a job on the spot (without ever seeing her).  DANG!

Third – Laura’s fiancee played shortstop for the Alabama Crimson Tide before being drafted by the Colorado Rockies, where he’s now playing 2nd base (he was only supposed to be ‘filling in’ – but made the most of his opportunity and earned a spot on the team).  Wish we knew how they met… It’s like an SEC fairy-tale waiting to be told… (lol).
 
WE CAN’T WAIT to see everything Laura McKeeman becomes over the next 10 years… She now works for Fox Sports San Diego as their primary sideline reporter and it’s just a matter of time before she’s a household name.  Not because she married a big-leaguer, but because SHE IS a big-leaguer! 🙂   

And now – who should you keep an eye on for Miss FL 2013??? Hmmmm….

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Kalen Dennis – 2nd runner up ’12, 1st runner up ’11, Prelim Talent
Myrrhanda Jones – 4th runner up ’11, Prelim SS, FL OT ’09 2nd runner up MAOT
Jillian Tapper – 3rd runner up ’12
Chloe Lupo – 4th runner up ’12, Prelim SS
Janae DeLeon – Top 11 in ’12, beautiful voice
Katherine Pena – Miss FL USA ’11
Sydney Keister – FL OT ’06, Top 10 ’08
Victoria Cowen – 1st runner up FL OT ’10
Ashley Ramsey – Top 15 ’11, Top 10 ’12

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE AT MISS FLORIDA!!!

MAJ  

Miss South Carolina Ali Rogers was certainly a ‘person of interest’ all week during Miss America 2013.  As a prelim swimsuit winner and flat-out gorgeous on stage, Ali truly shined.  And – ask anyone who was in Vegas that night – I swear there was an audible gasp in the room when Mallory Hagan was named the winner… After all, Ali was featured in the ABC special that ran prior tot he pageant and according to Vegas odds-makers, Ali was an 8-1 favorite to win the crown (stronger than any other contestant).  Plenty of people thought Ali would be named Miss America 2013 and ‘oh so close’ she came!

Because of her finish, Ali received plenty of attention and lots of press.  And, it’s always interesting to see how the 1st runner up reacts after gaining some perspective a couple of months post-Miss America.  From the Clemson University online paper,

          “Her roots in her faith and her kindhearted disposition help her manage the responsibility of having thousands of eyes on her. On top of that, her humble perspective helps her keep a level head about the burst of popularity.
          “Next year I’ll be a ‘has-been’ and nobody will care to follow Miss SC 2012,” she laughs.
           She shed no tears of disappointment when she came in second.
          “I wasn’t let down at all; I didn’t grow up wanting to be Miss America. I thought if I made Top 15, great. So being first-runner-up was far enough for me.”

The Junkies wish Ali all the best on her return to Clemson University and her continued work with special needs children.  The state of South Carolina has plenty to be proud of between Ali Rogers and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Rachel Wyatt.  And – no doubt, there’s an amazing list of girls at Miss South Carolina this year too… this one could go any which way!

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Lauren Cabaniss – 1st runner up 12, 3rd runner up 12
Lindley Mayer – 2nd runner up ’10, 2nd runner up ’11, SC OT 05
Brooke Mosteller – 3rd runner up ’12
Leighann Bagwell – 4th runner up ’12
Lara Scott – 4th runner up ’11
Clarka Wickliffe – Top 11 in ’12
Maegan Garner – Top 11 in’ ’12
Analouisa Valencia – gained lots of press because she’s bilingual, biracial, and the first open lesbian competing at Miss SC

GOOD LUCK TO ALL AT MISS SOUTH CAROLINA!!! 🙂

MAJ