Personal Narrative: Outstanding Teen Competition

This ceremony is when everyone is able to find out if they if they are a Top Ten or Top Three Qualifier for their specific competitive event. This process is done by displaying the Top nine thousand people at the conference. Finally, once all the qualifiers are on stage, the Top Three Qualifiers are awarded with their medals and everyone exits. I was feeling nervous at the beginning of the ceremony. This feeling grew stronger but before I knew it, it was time for Medical Photography to be announced. Before my eyes could even reach the bottom of the list my friends were jumping up and down and cheering for me! My name was on the Top Ten Qualifier List! I quickly gave my friends a hug and rushed to the stage. I waited in line with the rest of the qualifiers before we all could enter the stage. While we waited I could feel my heart racing as I thought about how many people I was about to stand in front of. I was so scared I was going to trip! Someone who looked very official came around to each of us to fix our hair and our blazers. As we entered the stage I felt the bright, hot lights flash us as the Top Three Qualifiers were announced. I was not in the top three so I exited the stage where I received a certificate and a

While I was standing in line for check-in, I met another girl vying for the same title I was. Her name tag said ‘#37: Marly Credile’. We exchanged smiles and hello’s and made simple small talk. While holding our academic resumes in hand, she asked, “Is it your first time competing?” I replied “It’s my first time competing in National American Miss, but I’ve competed in many local pageants.” About that time, the pageant director called ‘next’ in a loud tone, which indicated that she was ready for me to check in. Her sudden, booming voice sent chills down my spine, however, I disregarded my uneasiness, told my new friend goodbye, and walked over to the table in my hot pink cocktail dress and nude heels.

Ten forty-six, on a late Saturday night. Instead of sleeping I was once again reading and editing my Teen Advisory Council (TAC) application for the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey. I still remember to this day how nervous I was; the application, the interview, and the phone calls. However, as I further refined each and every component, my nervousness slowly transformed into confidence. Next thing I knew I was sitting there with fifty other individuals, listening to the executive council’s strategy on how we were all going to help improve the council. It was at that point that I knew becoming a part of the TAC would provide the opportunity to help those in need while building my understanding on how such organizations achieve their goals.

I remember not being very confident at all, because I did not know what to expect. We went and bought a dress, shoes, and then got my hair and makeup done. I had practiced walking for weeks before this beauty walk, and so when I got on stage, I wasn’t nervous. I smiled, walked as slowly as possible, and made sure I kept eye contact with the judges. When we were called back out on stage for top 10, which is when I became extremely nervous, I did not think my name would be called, but it was! I had to go on stage and walk again, and this time my nerves took over. I finally got off stage and went backstage to relax for a minute. When we were called back out, it was time to announce the top 5, and the winner. While I stood there waiting, they starting calling 4th. 3rd, 2nd, and 1st runner up and I never heard my name, so I had lost all hope. I will never forget what happened next, the announcer said and the Miss Duncanville for this year is… Kalee Jones! I was shocked I did not move from where I was standing for a

My heart was pounding in my ears and a part of my mind wondered if everyone else could hear it in the dead silence of the ballroom. I stood in the middle of the stage with every light beaming down and every eye in the room was on me as I stood in the top two on the Miss Teen USA stage. I was sure the cameras were catching everything. All of my hard work and dedication were paying off in this moment. I stood there clutching Miss California Teen’s hand as she tightly clutched mine. I had dreamed about this moment, like so many little girls but I never expected it to really happen. Strangely, I had more sense of peace than nervousness or fear. I knew my life was about to change. My heart dropped as the emcees screamed my name as the winner. The beautiful crown was placed on my head, warm tears ran

It was the awards ceremony of the State Championship Gymnastics Competition of 2015. All the gymnasts were sitting in circles on the floor with their teams, listening to the announcer name off the state champions of the floor exercise. Many were crying, happy or sad tears I couldn’t tell, but quite frankly I didn’t care. I knew I didn’t place on floor so I laid back and stared at the ceiling thinking that if Newton Gymnastics did not get first in team placements, I’d probably refuse to move from the spot I was in until they changed the placement. We had worked far too hard for anything less than

I was ecstatic, and I couldn’t wait to finally tell everyone! Everyone was glad to see that I made it that far, except the people I wanted to be there for me. My friends, who didn’t make it, gave me the cold shoulder. They started to tell people I didn’t deserve my spot, and I only got there out of pity. It hurt to hear that, but later I realized that a real friend wouldn’t say that. It fueled me to make it into the final five and show Rose Wagner what I had to offer. I did just that; I practiced every moment I had. I didn’t get a wink of sleep that week until I knew I would make it to the final five, which happily I did, but not just to the final five, but the last one

A few hugs and kisses later, I’m in the limo. Ever since they announced “Grace Lowell, Angeles,” my life has been one good dream. Being an actress is great and all, but since then, I’ve been treated like I already am queen. I had doubts about entering the first Selection, but my mom assured me the “lottery” was a joke. I wasn’t shocked when I won, though, although I did think if all the Selected were handpicked, they would be lower castes to please five through eights. I guess since this is the first try, they actually picked a few decent girls.

I live in a suburban town whose families are well-off, each home has hedges trimmed to the needle and the downtown streets are lined with colorful-flags and flowerbeds in the springtime. It is a moderate-sized town but a quiet and simple place to live. Not a lot happens; it is quaintly bustling during the daytime, yet at night not even a car can be spotted parked on main street. The town appears to be an ideal, utopian establishment-- an embodiment of civilization. However, the only high school is bursting at the seams, the students are rowdy, and there is a surplus of rules but apathetic punishment. Troubled kids would wait through a tolerable one hour detention, then go out and reinstate their poor behavior. This evokes many questions about

Breathe. Your name has to be coming up soon. You made it last year. Oh, no, the tenth name. I don’t believe it. I feel sick. These are just excerpts of the thoughts racing through my mind as I stood amongt 27 other girls during the announcement of the Top Eleven finalists at the 2015 Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen Pageant. It was my second year competing, and I had made the Top Eleven cut the year before. I never expected NOT to make it the following year. Admittedly, I was expecting to make the Top Five! Instead, I watched the rest of the competition from the audience in devastation. I was not accustomed to failure, and losing hit me hard.

When the coach blew his whistle, the other girls effortlessly flew by me. By the conclusion of my fourth lap, the coach heeded no awareness of me - the ultimate person to pass the finish line. Back compressed against the wall, heaving and sore, I bemoaned even considering myself competent for tryouts and for embarrassing myself.

The car came screeching to a stop. Nervously, I glanced over my shoulder to gaze at the school that would shape the final three years of my high school experience. Transferring from one high school to another took a toll on me both mentally and physically. During these monumental years, I knew that I wanted to focus on my grades, participate in clubs, and potentially play sports. Sure, I researched, watched various movies and read about how to prepare myself for the upcoming years, but everyone has their own unique experience. Being excessively introverted in the ninth grade immediately put me in the position of being a target. I often felt ostracized by my peers each day at school. As I walked down the halls, I was anxious and quite despondent.

As the performance ended, the reality of what I was losing became very clear to me. I said my last line, stood in my last position, and bowed together with the wonderful cast I got to share my journey with. The lights dimmed, the music played in conclusion, and the curtains closed slowly, signifying the end of a star performance. Once the black curtains hit each other, in a final round of applause, the cast scattered in joy towards the meet and greet. All the while, hugs and congratulations were dealt out like a hand of cards.

Last September at Murphy High School during homecoming week I ran for homecoming queen. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. All I knew, is that I wanted to win and experience something I’ve never experienced before. I always thought it was so amazing how the queens dressed up with their crowns and sash, walk across the filed during half time of the homecoming game with their dads. Not only but walk in front of the entire football stadium filled with fans. Taking the pictures would’ve been my favorite part. While Papering for the voting day is was a lot of hard work while working a part time job and going to school a full 8 hours a day. From posters, flyers, candy, and t shirts homecoming week was much occupied.

My heart was pounding, the ballroom was silent and there I was standing in the top two on the Miss Teen USA stage. All of my hard work and dedication had paid off in that moment. As I was standing there hand in hand with Miss California Teen, I felt like I had been there before. I had dreamed about this moment but never expected it to really happen. Strangely, I had a sense of peace – I knew something big was about to happen, and that my life was about to change. The crown was placed on my head, tears ran down my face, and I took my first walk as Miss Teen USA.