This past weekend was absolutely spectacular and I could not be more pleased with our new queens. I am confident that each contestant took away something very special from the experience.
Our weekend started out with Friday's orientation and check-in. Everyone looked fabulous in their cocktail attire and we all enjoyed meeting and socializing. We had a red carpet to take pictures and the food was delicious. After a quick run down of the Miss United States rules and ethics and distribution fo the adorable opening number dresses, we got underway with rehearsal. Rehearsal can get a bit boring and long, but we all made learning walking patterns a good time! James Netz Photography captured most of the rehearsal on video, which I am sure will produce a few good laughs. Then it was off to bed for early morning interviews!
Interviews went wonderfully! Each contestant walked out smiling and confident about their answers. All the of judges worked very diligently to make good comments and detailed feedback. They seemed very pleased with the ladies. We were able to shoot short interviews with James Netz Photography about our Miss United States experience. After interviews were complete, we packed up our things and headed to The Landmark Center for lunch and rehearsals. After learning opening number, which did not include dancing (I think we were all grateful for that!) we reviewed walking patterns and practiced the all-important on stage question and crowning moment. As soon as we completed rehearsals, everyone rushed off to finish hair and make up.
I was so pleased with the how final production went. Chris Wilmer, our national director, was able to join us as the guest emcee, which was a very special treat. He does an outstanding job as national director and brought great energy to the Midwest pageants! Ashlea, our regional director, honored us all on stage with a sweet and heartfelt farewell. There is no way I will ever be able to thank her enough. As the crowning moment come closer and closer, the realization it was all coming to an end really hit. I would do it all again if I had the chance. I wish I could be going back to nationals in July with Maddy and Madison and experience the thrill of the national stage. I will truly miss it.
That being said, a HUGE congratulations to my successor, Myah! I am so proud of her and I know she will do great things as your new Miss Teen Minnesota United States! She is beautiful, smart and has big plans for the future. Please follow her year of the MN United States Facebook page! Each of our new queens, Mary, Rachel, Sarah, Tarron, Kayla and Meredith, are gorgeous and have exciting years ahead of them! The return of the Miss United States Pageant was a success and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the pageant organization I am proud to call my family.
As for me, I am certainly not going anywhere! I will be changing the name of my blog to "Así es la vida", which is Spanish for "That's Life". I am looking forward to blogging about my life as a student at UW Madison majoring in International Studies and Spanish. I will be keeping everyone updated about my mission trip to Mexico in June and anything else that comes up along the way! In the pageant world, I will be taking at least a year off. I am studying abroad in Seville, Spain in spring of 2014, so I will be gone for about 4 months and believe it would be unfair to whatever organization I would be representing to be absent for nearly a third of my year. But, I am excited to explore new opportunities in pageantry!
Officially a Former Miss Teen Minnesota United States:
xoxo,
Victoria
