Miss Kansas 2022 Experience
Let's talk Miss Kansas.
It is a state preliminary to get the title and job of Miss Kansas to go on to compete for the title and job of Miss America. It is a group of elite young women who uplift each other.
Now you may be wondering how I got involved with this organization. It was all thanks to my teammates who were either still in or have been a part of the organization when I was on the Wichita Force Dance Team. I won't go into much detail about the Wichita Force, due to their reputation not being the best, but at that time being on that team really pulled me out of a rut I was in.
I went through a rough break up with my first love in January of 2021. It was horrific to experience. I felt used, disgusted, and I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror due to what had transpired. This was one of my experiences that led me down some dark thoughts. Long story short, all the blame was placed on me due to his family taking his side because I am a woman and in his religion, women are shamed. My mother showed me a Facebook post (since my mother is a huge Facebook mom) about a call for auditions and it got the wheels in my brain turning. While I am not a classically trained dancer, I thought to myself to give it a shot. The worst I was going to be told was no. Luckily, I made the team and met some amazing women. From there, the Miss Kansas and Miss America organizations were placed onto my radar.
November of 2021 was a fun time for me. This is when I really decided to go for a local title in January. My mentor (a good friend of mine who I happen to share a name with) and her husband gave me that final nudge to go for it. I at first wanted to be a part of this organization due to the crown, or the shiny hat as we pageant girls like to call it. After seeing all the work that goes into pageantry, I realized that this is a niche sport for elite women and I became excited.
For those who were like me, the Miss America Organization is what I like to call a professional development program. There are four main phases of competition.
1. Private Interview- A 9:30-10 minute interview with a panel of judges that will ask you about your paperwork that you turn in (resume, social impact initiative, etc.) current events, or political questions.
2. Talent- A 90 second performance of anything of your choice. There have been several different talents I have seen. I know that people hear talent and think things in the fine arts, but this isn't the case. There was a candidate in my class who did an educational STEAM presentation.
3. Social Impact Pitch/Onstage-Interview- This is a 30 second TED Talk or elevator pitch of your social impact and why it's important and what you plan to do with the title if crowned.
4. Red Carpet- Originally called Evening Gown. This is to see if you can command a room when you walk. This is also a way to showcase your personal style.
It is a lot of work, but man was it fun! I am already gearing up to compete for locals for the Miss Kansas 2023 competition.
As for this past year, I competed in January and was unsuccessful. Then March rolled around and there was a digital pageant that I entered and won the title of Miss Emerald City. I was going to Miss Kansas! I met 21 amazing women and experienced a growth that was incredible. While I did not get top 10, I was ecstatic for my sisters who were top 10, 5, runners up, and Miss Kansas herself. There's a cute photo of Miss Kansas 2022, Ayanna Hensley, being crowned and you can see how excited I am for her.
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