Lessons I've Learned by Hannah Roque

Hello Section 36!! My name is Hannah Roque, and I currently hold the title of Miss Addison County in Vermont - I’m so excited to be back with another guest blog. The Miss Vermont 2024 competition is less than two weeks away, so I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting over my 5 years of experience competing. While this is only my 4th time competing for the title of Miss Vermont, my first time competing was in 2019; If you want to read more about my competition journey, you can take a look at my guest blog series here! 

In honor of my fourth time competing, I wanted to share the four main lessons that I’ve learned while competing in the Miss America Opportunity. 

1. Stay grateful, always.

Since I started competing, I’ve been so lucky to have incredible opportunities presented to me: I’ve attended Miss America, touched hundreds of stroke survivors’ lives through publishing my book of resources, been invited to dozens of impactful events, and many many more. Sometimes it can be hard to believe that this is my life! To keep myself grounded when I feel like I’m living my dream life, I’ve learned that it’s important to be grateful for every opportunity that comes my way. Being grateful helps me stay humble and present in every moment. I frequently think about the fact that I’m living the life I dreamed of when I was younger, so I want to treasure every moment, and being grateful helps me to do that.

2. Be your own advocate and cheerleader.

It is SO exciting to compete for a state title, but it can also be an incredibly stressful process. In my first year, I had so many questions: Where should I buy my evening gown? How should I develop my CSI? How should I do my makeup for competition, and how does that differ from my makeup for events? And so many more. It was through my experience leading up to the 2019 competition that I learned that there are resources and people who are excited and willing to help you, if you ask. It can be incredibly overwhelming to start out, but if you advocate for yourself and the things you need to succeed, you will be in amazing shape! In a similar vein, while scheduling and traveling to events across Addison County this year, I’ve learned that being your own advocate is incredibly important when reaching out to community organizations and event organizers. There are many people, especially in Vermont, who don’t understand what the Miss America Opportunity is, or what being a titleholder means. When communicating with these community members and while attending the events, it’s my job to be my own advocate and share the messages of my values, my community service initiative, and the message of the Miss America Organization. In a recent mock interview, I was told that if I’m not going to toot my own horn, then who will? This is something that I’m still working on, but I try to be my own cheerleader by sharing my accomplishments, my passions, and the qualities that I have that make me a successful titleholder. 

3. Always, ALWAYS, take the leap.

I’ve talked very candidly about the fact that I’ve struggled with anxiety my whole life, especially in unknown situations. Deciding to compete was the ultimate leap, especially because I was making myself vulnerable in a way I never had before. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I am endlessly thankful that I took that first leap and decided to compete. I gained confidence and an acute sense of self that I didn’t have prior to the competition. Since then, I’ve taken many leaps in my life: moving out, making major life decisions, changing careers, just to name a few. Competing has taught me that you should always take the leap when you have the opportunity. I think about all the things that I would’ve missed if I hadn’t taken that first leap, and I have absolutely no regrets. Trust yourself, and do the thing that scares you. I promise that you won’t regret it! 

4. The girls you’re competing with are not actually your competition. 

Of course every year that you compete, you’re competing against other women who have the same dream as you. Even though that is true, I’ve learned that your biggest competition is not the other delegates, but rather yourself. It’s so easy to get caught up in what the other girls are doing, but that can only hurt you onstage. The most rewarding part of competing has been meeting women from Vermont that have become my very best friends. I can’t imagine what my life would look like without these women, and our friendships were born out of supporting each other rather than being competitive. Preparing for competition is a mind game. In order to succeed, you need to focus solely on yourself and your performance. If you are confident and secure in your performance, you will do well on stage. The Miss Vermont 2023 class was the most supportive competition class that I’ve ever been part of, and it’s because no one brought a truly competitive mindset. I’m truly thankful for that experience because it was so eye opening - it showed me that I’m the only person that I needed to worry about. I’m bringing this mindset into the 2024 competition weekend, and am so excited to show my best self onstage while also supporting my sisters backstage! 

I’ve had such a wonderful time reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned in my time in the Miss America Opportunity. Each year, I leave the competition knowing more about myself. I cannot WAIT for Miss Vermont 2024, and to see what I will learn through that process. If you want to follow me on my journey, and see all my competition weekend updates, follow me at @missaddisoncountyvt on Instagram! It’s so surreal that we’re so close!

From Lab Coats to Crowns….. Bio student turned beauty queen? - A Blog from Anushree Patel

As a biology student at the University of Texas, I was accustomed to the world of microscopes and scientific inquiry. The allure of the pageant world seemed worlds apart from my daily life. After all, how could I – spending countless hours in research labs, hospitals, and STEM classes – be crowned? 

Initially, I struggled with the seeming incompatibility of these two worlds. One involves poise, glamor, the art of presentation, while the other is grounded in scientific inquiry, complex research, and intellectual challenge. But I realized the differences between these worlds didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. 

One of the most rewarding aspects of Miss America is the opportunity to platform for change. My academic background allowed me to champion causes close to my heart, such as volunteerism, healthcare awareness, and the promotion of STEM education. Conducting a news interview with NBC and supporting funruns for medical research further allowed me to encourage living healthy lifestyles – tying into Miss America’s new fitness initiative. 

The title of Miss East Texas is one that has transformed my life! From schools to libraries to fashion shows and everything in between, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with communities all across Texas. My hope is that people from all walks of life are empowered to volunteer through their own skills and passions.

The journey from a biology student to a pageant queen has been an extraordinary ride filled with valuable life lessons, personal growth, and the opportunity to make a positive impact. It taught me that passion, determination, and a unique perspective can transform what seems unconventional into an inspiring journey. If you've ever had a dream that seems to clash with your current path, remember that it's possible to blend the two into a beautiful, meaningful story. The unexpected intersections between science and glamor can create something truly special, reminding us that we are not defined by a single role, but by the sum of our passions and experiences.

You really can achieve anything you put your mind to – even if it seems like a 360 degree opposite. If that means memorizing chemistry compounds backstage before performing, so be it! 

Anushree Patel,

Miss East Texas 2023

The Time I “Accidentally” Became A Beauty Queen - by Wendy Araujo

Well, an “unrealistic” dream became very much realistic. My name is Wendy Araujo and I am the 100th Miss San Antonio for 2023! To have that title is still incredibly surreal for me, as I and others thought this would never happen to me. If you had asked younger Wendy who would only wear sparkly dresses, plastic tiaras and her mommy’s jewels if she knew she’d become a beauty queen one day, she would cry because she wouldn’t like you lying to her.

I grew up watching pageantry at a very young age. I watched every pageant system ranging from state competitions, to Miss International and even Miss Universe! You would think that I was enamored with all the glitz and glamour, but you’d be wrong. I was in love with the way these women spoke from the heart and how they commanded attention whenever they walked into the room. I dreamt of being exactly like those women. If not completely, I’d take a third of it.

My journey coming into the Miss America Organization was anything but normal, at least to me. I was going through a huge imposter syndrome moment in my life shortly after losing my father unexpectedly in January of 2020 and I wasn’t sure if I needed to be doing anything differently in my life. I didn’t think much of it until the following days after I asked for a sign of change in my life if I needed it, I kept being given signs of pageantry. I had a small local pageant flyer (for 3-10 year olds, not MAO related) sitting on the windshield of my car and no other car around mine had said flyer. The very next day, I kept getting newsletters from all sorts of pageant systems even though I had never enrolled to be a part of them. Then the following week, Miss Texas 2022 Averie Bishop, announced on instagram that she was hosting 4 free informational sessions for those who were interested in the Miss America Organization, and becoming a competitor.

All those consistent signs were trying to tell me this was the change I needed in my life, and I will be very honest that I was extremely hesitant and nervous. I ended up taking a leap of faith and went to Averie’s informational session and came out winning a random draw prize consisting of Averie paying my Miss America registration fee ($35) and my first local fee ($75). I walked out feeling uneasy until I realized that this truly was meant to be, and not an accident. I followed through with my prize and redeemed it at the 2023 Miss Plano/Richardson Organization pageant, my very first pageant. Even though I walked away empty handed, I walked out a whole new person and with an insane amount of interest from other local organizations and support from new-found friends.

I contemplated just calling it quits after the 1st local only because since this sport is very foreign to me, I wasn’t sure where to begin working on to improve, and didn’t have access to coaches, prep, etc. After having many titleholders encouraging me to keep going, and other directors wanting to speak with me, I became more motivated to figure out what my new game plan was going to be, because I was determined to win a title for the 2023 season at that point. It didn’t take me on my 2nd try, and not my 3rd try, nor my 4th. After I competed at my 4th local, I was approached by a man and his husband introducing themselves as the directors of the Miss San Antonio Organization and wanted to extend an invitation for me to compete for them, but I quickly became discouraged because I had all of my support telling me that I was going to walk away with my own title, yet the exact opposite was happening at every local. 

My sister quickly signed me up on my behalf to compete for them, well knowing I was soon moving to San Marcos for school, and it would make the most sense if I became the next San Antonio representative... That’s if I ended up winning that local after every loss I went through.

There was a week break from the 4th local I did until the 5th local (MSAO) and I went into what would unknowingly be my last local of the season with an open mind, an open heart with a grateful attitude. And then it happened, I won. I truly thought it was an accident, just like when Steve Harvey famously named Miss Colombia 2015 the new Miss Universe when in fact Miss Philippines truly won Miss Universe 2015. As realization further sunk in that that was not the case, every feeling hit me all at once. After all the tears, cries, and congratulations wore off, I had a revelation; I was placed here on purpose and not by accident like I made myself believe.

If there is anything I’d like for you and anyone to take away from this story, it is to NEVER BELIEVE you are accidentally placed somewhere where you don't think you belong.

If you weren’t capable, the opportunity would have never come your way. You belong.

-Wendy Araujo

My MAO Journey - A Blog Series By Hannah Roque (Part 4 - Where I am Today, and Looking Forward)

This is the final post in a four-part guest blog series by Hannah Roque discussing her MAO journey. You can find part one here.  I  am honored to be able to present them, and hope you'll read and share them all. -S36F

Keeping my why in mind, I was excited to once again take the stage in 2023. Though I spent a lot of time practicing my talent, doing mock interviews, and running a titleholder Instagram for the first time, the biggest change I made was in my mindset. Instead of focusing on winning or the outcomes, my primary focus was on the impact that I could make with my local title. In the last year, I’ve really internalized that the end goal is not to win the state title - the goal is to make a difference in your community. The title of Miss Vermont will allow me to have a wider reach, make a broader impact for stroke survivors through my Community Service Initiative, and continue to act as an example for plus size women who are interested in competing in the organization - but I know that I can start to do all of those things with my local title. With this mindset, as Miss Route 7, I felt like I gave my best performance onstage and in the interview room. Though I was still dealing with my own anxieties and self imposed pressure, I felt the same joy and excitement that I felt back in 2019. 

I would be remiss to talk about my experience in 2023 withouttalking about the class of women that I competed with. In my three years competing, and my 24 years growing up around the organization, I have never encountered a group of women that are as kind, smart, and incredible as the Miss Vermont 2023 class. It was probably the most competitive class that we’ve seen in Vermont in a very long time, but it was the most loving and supportive environment that I have ever been in. Being surrounded by a group of women that are all smart, successful, and supportive is so inspiring, and the sisterhood that was formed only reaffirmed some of the initial reasons why I started competing in 2019; to make friends and to have fun. 

I will treasure every part of my competition experience in 2023, from the amazing sisterhood to my performance onstage. In the last year I grew into a better person and delegate because of Miss Vermont and the Miss American Opportunity. As I am getting ready for the 2024 season to start, I am so excited to take all that I’ve learned and continue to grow. When I first started this journey, I was 20 years old and still trying to settle into myself. Now, I am a 24 year old college graduate and am much more confident in myself and my abilities. Looking forward to the future, knowing that I can keep competing until I am 28, I am so excited to see how I grow and flourish both in life and as I pursue my dream of being Miss Vermont. Regardless of other people’s thoughts, perceptions, and expectations, I know in my heart that I will be a fantastic Miss Vermont someday. I am forever grateful that I had the courage to take a step back, because it was instrumental in changing my mindset and my competition goals. 

If I were to give delegates any advice, it would be to never lose

sight of why you started competing. Every delegate has a why. Whether it’s to build confidence, make an impact in your community, make friends, or something else, every delegate has a reason why they’re competing. It can be really easy to lose sight of that why, when you’re caught up in expectations and pressures, both from yourself and other people - but I urge you to always keep your why (and having fun) at the forefront of your mind each time you return to the competition. If you lose those things, there is no shame in taking a break. Listen to yourself and trust that the decisions you make are right; if you lose sight of the joy and why you’re competing, take a step back and find those again. I promise that you will not regret that choice. 

If you want to follow along my journey to the 2024 stage, you can follow me at @missroute7vt on Instagram or @han.roque on TikTok - I can’t wait to share my growth and my journey with you all. A very special thank you to Section 36 for letting me take this opportunity to reflect on my entire competition experience; I am so proud of the work that I have done over the last 4 years and I’m so excited to continue to pursue my dream! 

My MAO Journey - A Blog Series By Hannah Roque (Part 3 - My Why)

This is the third in a four-part guest blog series by Hannah Roque discussing her MAO journey. You can find part one here. I  am honored to be able to present them, and hope you'll read and share them all. -S36F

So what is my why? Well, I can break it down into 3 pieces. In a lot of ways, I've built many sections of my life around making an impact; I got my degree from Saint Michael's College, which is dedicated to socially impacting our world through their students. I work as an Admission Counselor, helping students through their college journey and help them access higher education. I am a delegate in the Miss America Opportunity, which allows me to be an advocate for Stroke Awareness, body positivity, and for the organization itself on a much larger scale. I've wanted to make an impact on my world around me for my whole life, and from a young age I knew that competing in the Miss America Opportunity would give me the chance to do so. As far as I know, I am the only delegate in the country advocating for stroke awareness, and I have been able to reach stroke survivors all across my state, and spread awareness about the signs of a stroke. As Miss Vermont, I know my reach will be even larger, and I will be able to advocate for stroke awareness at a regional and national level. I have already been able to create resources that my family would have used when we were going through a crisis and spread awareness throughout Vermont using my local title. I am excited to continue to be an advocate and utilize the platform that Miss Vermont and Miss America gives me to reach a wider audience. The second part of my why, is being a plus sized delegate. Growing up, watching Miss America and various state competitions, I always wished there was someone onstage that looked like me. I had a deep love for Miss America, and the dream to become Miss Vermont, but I felt like there wasn’t space for someone with my body type on the Miss America stage. Now, as a plus sized delegate, I am setting the example for young girls that they can become a local titleholder (and a state titleholder!) by being hardworking, passionate, confident, and healthy. The fact that I have the opportunity to be the role model that I needed when I was younger, alongside all the other plus size titleholders across the country, is an incredible honor. Knowing that I have an opportunity to show little girls that they can compete and be successful is such a valuable piece of motivation that keeps me coming back year after year. The final part of my why, is probably the most simple; competing makes me happy. By competing, I’ve met my best friends, grown closer to my mom, started advocating for a cause that I’m passionate about, become a more confident person, and so much more. I keep competing because, despite moments of anxiety or frustration, it brings a lot of joy into my life. 

My MAO Journey - A Blog Series By Hannah Roque (Part 2 - Continuing My Journey)

This is the second in a four-part guest blog series by Hannah Roque discussing her MAO journey. You can find part one here and part three here. I  am honored to be able to present them, and hope you'll read and share them all. -S36F

After Miss Vermont 2019 was crowned, I started preparing for the 2020 competition almost immediately. We all know what happened that year. When the 2020 competition was canceled because of COVID, I was devastated. Through all the uncertainty of the pandemic, I was dedicated to the competition, but I was attempting to make a lot of changes; I tried to change my Community Service Initiative, and after receiving some negative feedback on my talent, I struggled with my confidence in that phase of competition. I was very, very lost. When I received the title of Miss Champlain Valley 2021, I was so excited and proud to wear a Miss America sash across my chest for the first time in my life - but with that excitement came more pressure. Because I now held a local title, I felt the pressure of people’s expectations so much more; I always felt like I wasn’t doing enough. During this time, I was also starting

my senior year of college - facing COVID protocols, writing my senior thesis for my English Major, and preparing to student teach in a middle school classroom. As I was dealing with all of this stress, the added weight of competing again brought even more anxiety. Overall, I had lost the joy that competing had brought me. Then, in December 2021, I made the difficult decision to withdraw from the 2021 competition. With this decision, I took a HUGE step back from the Miss America world. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but I cannot help but feel grateful for the fact that I made the decision that was right for me in the moment. My time away gave me the opportunity to re-fall in love with Miss America, and rediscover why I wanted to compete in the first place. 

That next year, I got to watch my best friend, Danielle Morse, be crowned Miss Vermont 2021. I was (and still am) Danielle’s #1 fan, and watching her live her dreams reignited my own. Watching my best friend have once in a lifetime experiences, make lifelong friendships, raise thousands of dollars for the Vermont Children’s Hospital, and compete on the Miss America stage was everything I needed to remember why I loved the organization and rediscover the joy. I used that energy and excitement to finally convince myself to return to the competition stage, nearly 3 years after my first appearance. Leading up to the 2022 competition, I struggled significantly with self doubt. After being the 2nd runner up in 2019, I was holding myself to incredibly high standards. Rather than focusing on myself and my own preparation, I was focusing on the expectations of everyone else. It didn’t help that, in the years between 2019 and 2022, I had gained some weight and was very conscious of the fact that I was the biggest girl onstage. Ultimately, my self consciousness and self doubt hurt my performance. When I look back at photos and videos of the competition, I see a version of myself that is nervous and afraid to command space on the stage. Truthfully, it makes me so sad. It’s an age old saying in the pageant world, that you will win when it’s your time; I’ve been told this time and time again, but it is abundantly clear that I did not win or place because I was not my best self. I knew that there were people that expected me to never come back if I didn’t win that year, but my experience actually achieved the opposite. Because I didn’t win or place, I felt free of external expectations and my own doubts. Even after not placing at the 2022 competition, my time off allowed me to rediscover my why. 

My MAO Journey - A Blog Series By Hannah Roque (Part 1 - Taking the Leap)

This is the first in a four-part guest blog series by Hannah Roque discussing her MAO journey. You can find part two here. I  am honored to be able to present them, and hope you'll read and share them all. -S36F

Hello everyone! My name is Hannah Roque, and I’m back at Section 36! I’m currently in the competition off-season, but I’ve been reflecting a lot on my experience on the Miss Vermont 2023 stage, and my overall journey as a delegate competing in the Miss America Opportunity. While my journey to the Miss Vermont stage may look very standard from the outside, it’s been a long and complicated ride. Yes, I watched the Miss America competition on TV religiously each year, but my journey has been slightly more unconventional than most. When I first competed in 2019, I absolutely fell in love and knew I would come back to the Miss Vermont stage. That being said, after a global pandemic and many big shifts in my life, I returned to compete nearly three years later, in 2022. 

Those of you who know me know that my mom was Miss Vermont 1996. Because of her, I grew up loving and adoring Miss America - I went to my first Miss America state competition when I was 3 weeks old! Growing up, my mom and I went to as many Miss Vermont state competitions as we could, so I have dreamed of competing since I was little. Each year as a teenager, I toyed with the idea of competing for Miss Vermont’s Teen, and when I turned 18, I considered competing for Miss Vermont. It wasn’t until I watched the 2018 competition, that I made a promise to myself that I would compete the next year. The idea of competing in swimsuit had always held me back; I felt uncomfortable walking onstage in a swimsuit and facing the pressure to make my body conform to the “standard” swimsuit body type. That being said, despite my anxieties about the swimsuit phase of competition, I knew that I would always regret it if I didn’t take the jump and compete. 

I jumped into my first year competing wholeheartedly. My sophomore year of college brought a lot of challenges; I was struggling to find friends that I connected with on campus, I didn’t really know what I wanted to pursue academically, and my stepdad had his first major stroke. There were so many changes happening that my life felt very up in the air, so I utilized my goal of competing as something to ground me. I dedicated myself to preparing and taking every opportunity to grow; I went to every workshop, tried to make friends with the other girls competing, and focused on having fun above all else. Though I wanted to win, I went in wanting to learn as much as I could and enjoy the process; having this mindset helped me because I never felt any external pressure to perform well onstage. I’ve done a lot of reflection since this first year, and I see how much I’ve grown as a person, as a change maker, and as a delegate in the Miss America Opportunity. I am so proud of my 20 year old self for taking the leap, but I also see that I was not my most authentic self, because I was caught up in who I thought Miss Vermont should be, rather than who I would be as Miss Vermont. I learned so many valuable lessons, and was so excited to continue my journey.

My MAO Journey with the Bandana Project - A Guest Blog by Chloee Kline

Hello all! It is truly an honor to be able to write this post for Section 36 and its fans.

My name is Chloee Kline. I hold the title of Miss Hoosier Hills 2022 within the Miss America Organization. I’m here to share my MAO journey and my social impact initiative!

The first Miss Indiana local of the season is a closed pageant which takes place at my high school. My hometown has recently been dubbed “Crown Town” as we are home to numerous former Miss Indiana and Miss Indiana’s Outstanding Teens. I grew up watching many friends and family member compete and win this local pageant. I followed their journey to the Miss Indiana stage in Zionsville on social media for years. I secretly yearned to make it to that stage someday. I never wanted to be Miss Indiana, necessarily, I just wanted the chance to be a part of the experience. At the age of 15, I competed for the teen title as two of my show choir friends talked me into it. It wasn’t really my thing but I still admired the organization and dreamed of getting involved once I got older.

After aging out of the teen category, I attended Purdue University where the Miss Purdue University Scholarship Competition was huge! One of my high school friends won the title in 2018. Her sister actually won the title of Miss Indiana 2018 and I took the 12 hour road trip to watch her compete in Atlantic City.

To dip my foot back in the pageant water, I competed at the 2019 Miss Purdue competition as a junior.

I was hooked! I only competed at three other local that season, taking home a few spirit (congeniality) awards. My senior year of college, I competed at five locals before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. One year without pageants felt like an eternity. I was itching to get back on stage with a new social impact initiative and goal of making it to the Miss Indiana stage. 

Just prior to the pandemic, I was a part of a selective committee within Purdue Student Government that organized a campus-wide Mental Health Awareness Week. On top of numerous free events daily, we organized The Bandana Project which spread rapidly on campus. This initiative is a silent solidarity movement where student sport a green bandana on their backpack, purse or totebag signifying that they are a safe space and open to talk about mental health. With this movement comes resource education. We worked with the on campus student health center and Purdue faculty to education Boilermakers of the free on campus resources available. This project started at the Univertsity of Wisconsin in 2016 and has made its way across multiple Big Ten campuses. After the impact I saw this project have on my college campus, with a population of about 30,000 students, I felt that this needed to be shared across the state. I aspire to implement The Bandana Project at Indiana college campuses, high school and even within communities. 

2021 brought us a COVID vaccine and the chance to compete again! I’m bad with numbers, but I believe I competed in about eight pageant this past season before winning a title. The pageant I won was my 15th competition. 15! I have never won a title before Miss Hoosier Hills and only placed one time before winning. I have truly been an unofficial poster child for perseverance. 

The last competition of the season is called our “Sweeps” pageant (as it is called in most states in the MAO). Out of 15 girls, I got fourth runner-up. I was so excited that I finally placed!
I thought I would have to wait yet another season to head to Zionsville, until I heard about a new development from MAO. Many states were participating in a virtual competition, and Indiana had organized one at the very last minute. The following weekend after Sweeps, all of our paperwork was due. The next weekend would host live Zoom interviews and a virtual crowning. I was signed up to take the LSAT for the third time and thought I would not be able to participate. I am so thankful that the competition is spread out over two weekends!
To enter this virtual competition, you had to submit a 30-second introduction video and a 90-second talent video. All of the typical paperwork was submitted as well, like resume, platform statement, headshot, etc.

A few days before the pageant interviews, two titles were added on the the Miss Hoosier Hills virial competition due to the amount of candidates. I started to sike myself out. Thankfully, I had an afternoon Zoom interview on “pageant day” and gave myself plenty of time to prepare.
I found out right before the virtual crowning that there were 19 Miss candidates and I had interviewed last. I didn’t think I would even place, let alone win! 

At the crowning Zoom meeting, they quickly announced a first runner-up and winner for the teen category. Just Miss Hoosier Hill’s OT was crowned as only five teen candidates had entered. 

Then Miss first runner-up was announced, and I saw all of the girls who had competed that day on my screen. Unlike a typical pageant day, I had no idea who had competed. I saw some girls who had placed at numerous locals that season. I was sure that I didn’t place since they had only called a first runner-up prior to announcing three winners. The last title to be called was Miss Hoosier Hills. I heard Miss Indiana 2021, Braxton Hiser say my name. I was shocked!

I didn’t really believe she actually said it, until I saw three friends in the zoom meeting start to silently cry (since they were on mute). The meeting quickly ended and my phone was flooded with calls and text messages, truly sealing the deal that I had won. 

This is was all at the end of March and Miss Indiana is always the second week of June. I knew I had a quick turn around and was in for a wild ride. Since Miss Indiana has come and gone, I feel like I can finally be Miss Hoosier Hills and start to get more involved in my community. I had little time to complete service, let alone actually prepare for state in two and a half months. 

The 2023 local season has already started here in Indiana, but I’m not diving in just yet. I am soaking in my time as Miss Hoosier Hills after three years and 15 competitions later. I’ve connected with former Miss Hoosier Hills’ who have go on to become Miss Indiana, primarily in the 1980’s before this title was archived. I’ve meet so many incredible volunteers within the Miss Indiana Organization, and I got the best teen ever! We have been on quite a ride thus far and we still have eight months left on the job!

You can support my pageant journey, follow my social media and find mental health resources here https://linktr.ee/chloeekline. 

All my love,

Chloee Kline

Miss Hoosier Hills 2022