Miss Wisconsin 2013, Paula Mae Kuipper wins the first annual, Miss America Junkies “Most Outstanding Personality” Award!!!  Whoooo Hooooo!!! And after much discussion, Founding Junkie made the executive decision to simply SHOW you why we’ve given her this honor of distinction, rather than try to explain it to you… Enjoy just a few of our favorite photos of the lovely Paula Mae…

In fact, Paula’s state crowning photos were our favorite of the whole year!  With that genuine of a reaction, we should’ve known she would shine in interview, rock her talent and ultimately earn a spot as a Top 12 finalist at Miss America (in fact, we’re still kicking ourselves for missing that one!).

In addition to having a fabulous personality, Paula Mae is multi-faceted to the core.  She’s a collegiate athlete (UM-Milwaukee runner), she’s a musician (playing the piano, clarinet and saxophone), she’s super smart (has one of the highest GPA’s of any student athlete at UM-Milwaukee) and she wants to become a pediatric oncology doctor one day. 

Bravo Paula Mae!  Without a doubt, we know you’ll be one of our favorite Miss Wisconsin’s from here forward!

Now – regarding this year’s competition — This one was not easy to research – let me tell you!  Only 1 of the Top 5 is back this year – and the floor is wide open for anyone who wants to take it!

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Raeanna Johnson – 1st runner up ’12 to Laura Kaeppeler, took over as Miss WI ’12 when Laura won Miss America, multiple Prelim Talent winner at WI
Madeline Anderson – 3rd runner up ’13, Prelim SS
Karlee Nimmer – Miss WI Jr. Teen 10 1st runner up WI DYW ’11
Tara Pizer – Top 10 in ’13, Miss Teen WI International ’10
Malainey Myrin – Miss WI US  International ’13
Chelsey Wasielewski – beautiful and well spoken

Also Keep an eye out for…
Tori Bogren – Beat 16 other girls in her first pageant ever, same local Laura Kaeppeler won (Miss Kenosha)
Elizabeth Butler – Top 10 in ’12
Audra Fuchsel – Music Performance major, lovely voice
Chelsea Dubczak -1st runner up WI OT ’10
And a big shout-out to the Vanderhei sisters — Tianna and Morgan, who could both do well also!

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  JUNKIES LOVE WIS – CON – SIN!!!! 🙂

MAJ

Lots of people think girls get into pageantry because they want to be seen on a stage… And initially, that might be the motivation for a few.  But sooner or later, most women who participate start to realize there’s more to pageants than ‘showing off’.  In fact, sometimes, it actually takes a few years of being involved in pageants before you begin to realize why you’re doing what you’re doing!  It’s that maturation process that causes so many of us to stand behind the Miss America Organization – because of how many girls we see develop life-long skills that will take them well beyond the pageant stage.

Heather Wells, Miss Ohio 2013, agrees…

“When I started back then, I had no idea what I was getting into,” Heather said.  She participated in the program for seven years, and made 6 trips to the Miss Ohio stage. “It’s a job. It’s about being true to yourself, and it’s about developing this platform where you can share with other people, and you can influence them and inspire them in a positive way. That’s what pageantry is about.”

We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves.

This year’s Miss Ohio race is an interesting one… it runs the gamut!  You’ve got tons of experience vs. a little experience vs. MAOTeen experience vs. very little experience at all.  On paper, each of these ladies has the goods to win the title – but who will bring it home?

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Cecili Weber – 1st runner up ’13, 1st RU OH Teen USA ’12, 2nd RU OH Teen USA ’13, OH OT ’10, Top 10 Nationals
Alissa Brumbaugh – 1st runner up ’11 and ’12, 4th runner up ’13
Kara Mitchell – Top 10 ’13, would be the first open lesbian to compete at Miss America
Mackenzie Bart – Miss PA Top 10 ’11, 4th runner up PA Teen USA ’08 and ’10, 3rd runner up ’11, competed 2 years in OH (we think)
Lindsay Hanson – Miss Clayland, Top 10 ’12
Veronica Wende – OH OT ’09
Elise Budowanec – Top 15 OH USA ’13

These Miss OH rookies are also ones to watch:

Camille Dyquiangco – strong tapper,
Hannah Jo Weisberg – musical theater major, talent and interview winner at her local

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE IN THE BUCKEYE STATE!!!  JUNKIES LOVE YA!!! 🙂

MAJ

JUNKIES LOVE SOUTH DAKOTA!!!

On a bit of a last-minute whim, The Junkies decided to travel to the Black Hills of South Dakota to see Miss SD live and in person.  Without question, we were BLOWN AWAY by the production and we were utterly charmed by the town of Hot Springs!  We couldn’t have received a more open and honest welcome – and made SO MANY friends during our time there. 🙂

If you’re looking for “quality” over “quantity” in pageantry, make time to visit Hot Springs, South Dakota.  When numerous former queens continue to give back to the program and remain involved, you know you’ve got something special.  Big Shout-Outs to Sally Isburg, Ray Peterson, Najla Ghazi, Kristi Bauer, Shawntel Swedlund, Sara Frankestein, Callee Bauman, Calista and September Kirby, Erin Brubakken and Glenda Mostek, for showing us a FABULOUS TIME in Hot Springs!  We’ll never, ever forget it!!! 🙂

And speaking of special – it was our pleasure to see Tessa Dee be crowned Miss South Dakota 2013!  After ‘liking’ our page in 2011, Tessa was one of the first girls to reach out to us prior to competing in her state pageant in 2012 where she finished as the 3rd runner up. 🙂  We instantly knew we liked her moxie and she would be a force on stage in 2013.  She absolutely radiated during the competition and thoroughly earned the crown over several other accomplished young women.

At Miss America, Tessa made a splash between her unconventional “People’s Choice” video, finishing as a STEM finalist, and her awesome T-Shirt that she wore on National TV when she wasn’t selected in the Top 15 (“I’m popular in South Dakota”).  We know everyone on “Team Tessa” believes she is a firecracker!  And we can’t wait to see what she does with the rest of her life. 🙂  All the best, darling!

Regarding the 2014 competition – this one’s gonna be another fight to the finish!  Several capable girls could walk away with the crown – but only one will!  Who will it be??? 

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Autumn Simunek – 2nd runner up ’13 and ’12, 4th runner up ’11, SD OT ’07
Meredith Gould – SD OT ’12, lovely dancer
Jade Possail – Top 8 ’13
Carrie Wintle – Top 8 ’13
Katie Crevier – Prelim Talent ’13 and Miss Congeniality
Jamie McKinney – Rookie with ‘oodles of personality, plays the drums for her talent

JUNKIES WILL ALWAYS LOVE SOUTH DAKOTA!!!  WHOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO!!! 🙂

MAJ

You can tell a lot about a girl from her shoes…

Terrin Thomas, Miss Indiana 2013 was “Miss Indiana University” before wining her state title… Hence, the red and white striped shoes complete with white netting and a tiny basketball on the toe 🙂

In another classic ‘shoe moment’ – we also LOVED this photo of Terrin during the arrival ceremony in Atlantic City.  Her stick-thin stilettos were sinking into the New Jersey Boardwalk so often, she simply decided to take them off.  As someone who ended up ruining a pair of shoes walking the boardwalk in my teeny-tiny-heels – I give props to Terrin for being smarter than I was. 🙂  See?  You CAN tell a lot about a girl from her shoes 🙂

You can also tell a lot about a girl from her reaction when she’s crowned…

Terrin’s reaction is definitely one of our favorites from the whole year!  That look of “shock and awe” is classic!  You can tell she didn’t believe she was a ‘shoo-in’ for the crown, if you know what I mean.

LOVE IT!

Now, before we move to the Junkie Watch List – We need to take a moment and recognize Indiana for their 34 contestants this year – 34 is the largest group of contestants in Indiana history!!!  Fantastic!!!  In fact, it’s their 4th year in a row to have more than 30 contestants!  That’s incredible growth for a state that only had 14-15-16 contestants during a few years back in the 90’s.  CONGRATS!!!  Great Work Team Indiana!!! 🙂

And now – who will take Terrin’s place???

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Courtney Jurick – 3rd runner up ’13, Top 12 in ’12
Morgan Jackson – IN OT ’07, Top 10 Nationals, Mom is former Miss NM
Morgan Grady – Rookie Prelim SS in AR, ’13
Gracie Lyons – 2nd runner up ’13 and Prelim SS
Megan Thwaits – 4th runner up ’12, IN OT ’08
Katelyn Marak – IN OT ’10, Top 10 Nationals, Newcomer award ’12
Audra Casterline – 1st runner up ’12, Top 12 in ’13
Pagie Conrad – Top 12 in ’12
Alyssa Slater – Top 12 in ’13
Taylor Knox – Top 10 in ’13
Emily Mishler – Junkie Dark Horse

BIG PROPS once again to our Junkie Research King for his help with our Miss Indiana post!  It’s a Fabulous thing to have a King in your corner! 🙂

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!!  JUNKIES LOVE YA!!! 🙂  

One of our FAVORITE photos from last year’s state pageant season was this one – featuring Shelby Thompson, Sarah Stokley, Elisabeth Oliphint, Kyndall Covington and Hannah Robinson – also known as, the Top 5 at Miss Tennessee…

Talk about ‘capturing a moment’…   That Top 5 was jam-packed with stunning ladies in a super-competitive fight to the finish, but during this moment… They were all filled with child-like joy and incredibly happy to be one step closer to the title of Miss Tennessee. 🙂

The eventual winner, Shelby Thompson,  did the state of Tennessee proud this year by traveling over 70,000 miles – serving as the Governor’s official spokesperson for Character Education in TN.  Additionally, Shelby did a fabulous job promoting her platform: Big Brothers, Big Sisters and was even featured on WBIR Television out of Knoxville, TN in this video here…

The Junkies were super-impressed with the way Shelby has impacted others through Big Brothers Big Sisters – Lovely interview from a lovely titleholder!  We wish Shelby all the best in whatever path she she chooses!

Now – regarding Miss TN 2014, only 1 of the ladies in that Top 5 photo above is back – which means there’s room for some fresh faces and for some new names to break into the Top 10 this year!

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Sarah Stokley – 1st runner up ’13, Prelim SS, Top 10 at Sweetheart
Kaleigh Bullard – back-up vocalist for “Juliette” on the hit show, Nashville, OK DYW ’08 and Top 10 at Nationals, uber-talented singer, clogger and fiddler
Courtney Walker – recently lost 60 lbs, very conversational interview
Rachael Turner – Top 10 ’13, 3rd runner up TX ’12. lovely voice
Jessica Haas – Top 10 ’13 – speed painter!
Jaclyn Torrento – Top 10 ’13
Haley Lewis – Top 15 ’13

Others not to miss!
Cassidy Shephard – daughter of Kelley Cash, Miss America 1987
Stephanie McKain – Strong interview
Aria Stiles – Killer Talent, studied under same violin teacher as Gretchen Carlson
Anna Leigh Phillips – Top 15 ’12
Dacey Winkleman – MAO academic award ’13, super smart, 2nd time at Miss TN

GONNA BE A TOUGH ONE!  GOOD LUCK LADIES!!! 🙂

MAJ