It’s the photo that went ’round the world…

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this year, you likely know that Miss Idaho 2014, Sierra Sandison took a deep breath, and walked on stage wearing her insulin pump.

On her Facebook page, she wrote,

“I would never have dreamt of posting a swimsuit picture on social media, but diabetics from all over the country have been asking to see me and my insulin pump on the #MissIdaho2014 stage. Honestly, it is terrifying walking out on stage in a swimsuit, let alone attached to a medical device. My message to everyone, diabetic or not, is that we all have something that doesn’t ‘measure up’ to the beauty standards set by the media—and that is okay! It does not make you any less beautiful. I have faced my fear of proudly showing my insulin pump! Now I want to see YOURS!”

That’s how #ShowMeYourPump was born.

A crazy barrage of photos came pouring in… Literally thousands of photos from people in dozens of counties used the hashtag #ShowMeYourPump while posting a photo of how they wore their insulin pump.

When something gets that big – it can be a little overwhelming…

In a question posed to Sierra at CommunityTable.com – she says…

“I look at that picture and think, Wow! And I hope that when girls look at me, they don’t feel, Oh, I could never do that.” The reality is, I work at Chick-Fil-A. I go to school. I’m not some supermodel. I’m just a kid who worked really hard and got there. Whatever your dream is, you can have it too.”

We know Sierra’s year has been nearly as busy as Miss America’s year!  She traveled the country telling her story and encouraged people to dream and be accepting of their differences.  Sierra’s crowning seems like another example of a young woman who received an “intervention” in her life when she was named Miss Idaho (in a good way).

Because of this year, everything has changed for Sierra… Which is one of the reasons why we adore the Miss America Program so much… Very few programs have the ability to pluck a contestant out of the middle of Idaho, intervene, and dramatically change their lives for the better.

Welcome to your new life, Sierra!  Enjoy every minute. 🙂

Junkies are still kicking themselves for not making plans to attend Miss Idaho this year (sorry guys – it just didn’t work out!)… That state has a serious competition this year – and we’ve changed our list a billion times!  I have no clue how to choose only 5 of you… Wish me luck!  UGH!

Our final choices regarding Miss Idaho were 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 Idaho!!!

#BigJunkieLove

Miss Colorado 2014 Stacey Cook, has worked her tail off this year.

She’s attended fundraisers, walked in fashion shows, celebrated “Princess Week” and “Girls Night Out” events, not to mention working with her platform, The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and of course, the Children’s Miracle Network.

In addition to everything else, Stacey decided she wanted to complete the final aspect of her Duke of Edinburgh award – which according to Stacey’s Miss CO blog, is “…an adventurous journey, designed to push people outside of their typical comforts and and grow as a person.  The Gold journey requirement is 5 days and 4 nights of doing something that challenges your typical experiences.”

Stacey decided to visit Tokyo, Japan and the Phillipines to fulfill her requirement – and learned A LOT about herself, her own comforts and Eastern culture.  I highly recommend you check out her blog by clicking here…  or check out her photos from her social media accounts.  While Stacey’s year as Miss Colorado no doubt challenged her, I’m guessing this trip is likely going to be one thing that stands out the most, once her year is through.

Stacey – Junkies wish you all the best in her future endeavors – And we can’t wait to see what else the future holds for you!

And now – it’s ANNOUNCEMENT TIME!!!  JUNKIES (three of us, actually) WILL BE AT MISS COLORADO on SATURDAY NIGHT!!!  Can’t Wait to enjoy the show and see who the new winner will be – We’ll do our best to keep you updated on the night as things progress… Follow @PageantJunkies on Twitter and Instagram if you want to stay up-to-date with the happenings of Miss Colorado!

So – who do we think has the best chance at becoming Miss Colorado 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 COLORADO – SEE YOU SATURDAY NIGHT!!!

#BigJunkieLove

As a state titleholder, you get the chance to make a significant, long term impact.

But before she became Miss Michigan 2014, KT Maviglia had already met with congressmen and senators in regards to an issue that means a great deal to her: Hearing Loss.

When KT was 9 years old, she was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss – and now wears 2 hearing aids.

In mid-April of 2015, Senator Dale Zorn introduced legislation that require hearing aids be covered in children’s health insurance.  Specifically, the coverage would give children with hearing loss, new hearing aids every 3 years until the age of 21.

As of our writing of this blogpost, the bill has yet to pass… But it has a fighting chance, because KT stepped up and decided to use her “Miss Michigan Microphone” for something greater than herself.  In a recent article at MLive.com, KT says,

“It’s just amazing that this crown on the top of my head has allowed me to make such a difference,” she said. “If this legislation — an insurance mandate to cover hearing aids for individuals 21 and under, passes, it has the potential to affect tens of thousands of individuals.”

Funny enough – KT credits the Miss America program with getting her life ‘back on track’… While she was in high school, she stopped wearing her hearing aids – saying she didn’t want to be different.  But when she started competing, she realized she could be a voice for young children who needed hearing aids, but couldn’t afford them.

KT’s also recently been appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing – and will serve a three-year term as she continues to work though the non-profit organization she founded, called the KT Maviglia Foundation for Hearing Disabilites.

That’s what Junkies call… Making a Difference.

Go make an impact. With or with out the Crown.

It matters.

Before we close – Junkies wanna give a quick shout-out to the current Miss Monroe County – ALANA RAE WILSON, the daughter of Miss America 1988, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko!  It’s always great to have the daughter of a beloved Miss America competing for her state title!  #GoodLuckAlana

And now – Who do Junkies think has the best chance at being named Miss Michigan 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 MICHIGAN!!!

#BigJunkieLove

The reigning Miss New Mexico 2014, Jessica Burson is another example of how fun it is to see a rookie win!

At the age of  20, Jessica was named Miss New Mexico on her first try.  Which means, the Miss America competition was her second pageant ever.  But she didn’t let that intimidate her one single bit.

In a recent interview, Burson said, “Even though I’m new to pageants, I’m not new to being a role model. Through organizations like 4-H and FFA, I’ve become a young woman with strong morals and values that others can look up to. If you want an all-American girl who can talk to Congress, give a motivational speech, or maybe even bale hay — then I’m your Miss America. From praying for rain to beating the sun up to working with youth from across the nation; I’ve prepared for Miss America in a much different way.”

From that quote alone – it’s pretty easy to see how Jessica won… She’s confident, well-rounded and funny.  Add in all her accolades from high school and college – and Jessica has what it takes to have a significant career working in medicine.  And with her additional STEM Scholarship that she earned at Miss America ($5000), she’ll be that much closer to finishing her degree at Eastern New Mexico University.

Junkies have a secret love of farm girls – And we wish Jessica all the best!!!

So – who has the best chance at becoming Miss New Mexico 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 THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT!!!

#BigJunkieLove

Meridith Gould is flat out gorgeous.

It’d be easy to hate her if she wasn’t so stinkin’ sweet!

How do we know?

Well – Junkies traveled to watch Miss South Dakota in person in 2013… Which happened to be the year Meridith gave up her title as Miss South Dakota’s Outstanding Teen (oh – and a fabulous woman by the name of Tessa Dee won Miss SD that year – but I digress).

Junkies knew she was a legitimate contender for the Miss South Dakota title in her first year and Meridith did not disappoint!  Not only did she win over the judges in South Dakota – she DAZZLED in Atlantic City!

This dress certainly had people buzzing when she wore it during the preliminary evening wear competition – The back is open and that color was perfect on her.  Plus, it makes her look seven feet tall! LOL!  There’s also a great story regarding how Meridith chose her evening gown on the Pageant Junkies Podcast released just this week!  Just click here to be connected to her podcast!

When people first see Meridith, it’s natural for them to stop and take a second look… After all, she’s super tall, lean and lovely… But she also has that *special something* that makes you want to grab a cup of coffee and hang out.  And when you combine killer looks with an awesome heart, you get someone very special.

Meridith – Junkies knew you’d be Miss SD one day the first time we saw you.  So we can confidently say – You’re not done making stunning first impressions on people – And your future is bright!

Now – Who will follow in Meridith’s footsteps??? 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 SOUTH DAKOTA!!!

#BIGJunkieLove