Throwback to Miss Miller County 2012

In honor of Miller County Fair Week (the first I've missed in a loooooong time!), I'd like to fill you all in on my experience as Miss Miller County Teen in 2012 and offer words of advice to this year's contestants.Going into the Miss Miller County pageant back in 2012....I had just graduated 8th grade, was named "Student of the Year", and was awkward and entirely not confident. (Haha, how could this be!). I did not really want to participate, but I had looked up to the girls who had been Miss Miller County Teen and Miss Miller County before and I wanted to join them and be more involved in my community.Trying to dance at rehearsals was rough (this year's contestants can testify, I shouldn't dance), finding a talent and a song that I liked was even more challenging. But, I went into it with an open mind and prepared to what I thought was the best shot I could give. Not thinking I would win, I had the time of my LIFE. It was so much fun! I met some really sweet girls (my year was one of the larger ones in terms of contestant numbers) and had a blast competing. At the end of the night, I WON. I won Best Interview, Best Evening Gown, Best Talent, the overall title....but my favorite award was Miss Congeniality. I mean, Miss Congeniality IS one of my favorite movies, so that was pretty cool, but it meant a lot that in my "having fun" throughout rehearsals and the week, the other contestants got to know and appreciate me for who I was. People always talk of how catty pageants are, but I had nothing but a great experience through the local pageant.

Contestants are oftentimes nervous or don't really want to do it...and I have some advice to share with them:

• Just do it. The girls are fun. You may feel silly standing on a stage and dancing, but so does every other contestant.
• Learn to laugh at yourself. I can't dance, I can't sing...the girls would laugh when I tried to replicate their talents, but it was so much fun and the experience was 10x better because I was carefree and wanted to have fun.
• You live in Miller County, you might as well be active in it. Truth be told, a lot of what you do as the titleholder is up to you. You can be as busy or as nonexistent as you like and there will be little judgement from those who put together the Miss Miller County Scholarship Program. For me, I was already attending the events -- I just got to add a crown and sash and call it "volunteer hours" whenever I helped at the Testicle Festival or Christmas Parade, instead of just tagging along with my parents.
• Get to know the girls! Destiny, my sister queen, was such a joy to work with, but I guarantee we would have never met without the pageant bringing us together. Alexis, one of the contestants my year, is someone who I love following on social media and seeing where life takes her. Christina, Anne, Bri...there's a sisterhood in being a Miller County Queen and I love every second of it.
• At the end of the day, it's just a pageant. Keep it in perspective and go sing your song or dance your dance or play your instrument or rock that monologue without a care in the world as to what others will think of you. It's your pageant and your time to shine onstage.

I'm happy to say that I did a lot during my year, especially when compared to some of the recent titleholders. I knew that I was likely to be the only face of the Miss Miller County Scholarship Pageant that the community would see and I wanted to make sure that that was a positive impression. Whether it was volunteering, walking in city 5ks (Holly...running...yeah, I know) riding in parades, helping with the Little Mr/Miss pageants, or trying to recruit new contestants and sponsors, I had just as much fun during my year as the queen as I did when I was competing. I grew a lot in that year...maybe because of high school, maybe because of the pageant...and I have been involved ever since trying to get more girls to participate. Through backstage work, assisting with contestant rehearsals, sharing my dresses and expertise, or just talking about my experience as the queen realistically -- I have loved every second I have spent with the years of contestants, parents, and friends at the Miss Miller County program each year.Miss Miller County got me interested in pageants and now I'm a participant in the Miss America Organization. The scholarship I won helped for college. The friends I made helped for life. Being a "celebrity" for a year was so much fun and I will never forget that year that helped me come out of my shell.Best of luck to my sweet friends who are competing this evening and throughout the week for the titles of Miss Miller County and Miss Teen Miller County 2016. It breaks my heart to not be backstage, knowing the results before they are announced, and giving the girls the extra boost of confidence before they go onstage. Be you, shine on, and don't worry about what anyone thinks. You've all already made me so proud to call you my friend and I cannot wait to see what you do with your real (or invisible) crowns throughout the year.Still da queen,Holly