Local Wins Title of Miss Sapphire and People's Choice at Miss America's, Miss Montana's Teen Pageant

Ed: Colleena McEuen and her mother, Amel, wrote up the following article about Colleena's recent pageant experience.

Want to introduce yourself?

Yes, I'm Colleena McEuen, the daughter of Levi and Amel McEuen. A 16 year old junior, I have developed a passion for reading and have a keen appreciation for beauty in our world. I have been blessed to grow up on a ranch under the big Montana skies and to have an older brother, Liam.

You recently competed in Miss America's, Miss Montana's Teen pageant. How did it go?

Smashingly, especially considering I had no prior pageant experience. Held in Billings on July 13th, I won both Miss Sapphire (voted on by the board) and People's Choice (voted online by the public). Having just been named, Miss Treasure State's Teen, I felt that simply not falling down or apart would be a win! Receiving two titles, the 2nd largest scholarship, and seeing and hearing so many family and friends cheering were genuine surprises for which I am humbled.

A Miss America crown has four points, each representing a core commitment: Service, Style, Scholarship, and Success. A hidden fifth point represents Sisterhood. My favorite point is Success, as being successful encompasses accomplishing the others.

Why did you decide to compete in Miss America's Teen pageant?

Having been asked for a few years, family friends finally persuaded me to try. I knew nothing about pageantry, but with Miss Holly's support, we jumped into preparations nearly 24/7.

How did you prepare?

Competing was a tremendous learning experience - there is a learning curve. I conquered fears, improved skills, and met many inspiring individuals, including fellow competitors like Emma McPherson, Miss Richland County's Teen. Emma is beautiful, talented, and kind and is the newly crowned 2024 Miss Montana's Teen. She will well represent our great state in Orlando this January.

As a newcomer, I found it crucial to attend the Spring Forum-a workshop led by our board and other industry leaders. For those returning, Forum is a time to reconnect, brush up, and refine skills. Knowing no one as well as knowing nothing, I found Forum to be a boot camp of sorts.

However, everyone was lovely - supportive and kind. Attending the Forum led to being a guest on Miss Whitefish, Bethany Barnes' podcast. That was a fun hour to be sure.

Leading up to the state competition, I needed to develop a Community Service Initiative (CSI), a talent performance, along with improving my walking and public speaking skills, learn to do my hair and makeup, and build a wardrobe. With guidance from mentors and family, I made significant strides. However, there were some questionable moments. One particularly tough evening, my cousin Chloe and I Face Timed. She'd dressed up as a judge she named, "Interview Jim". The hilarity of it all worked and eased my nerves. I may or may not have envisioned eight pairs of eyes directed at me as Interview Jims.

Pageantry, like sports, has its own community with coaches, camps, rules, equipment, and skills, requiring contestants to hone and excel in appearance, fitness, knowledge, poise, empathy, relatability, public speaking, and more. Mastering one of these facets is a great feat, mastering them all simultaneously is remarkable, and harder than one might think. It is no wonder so many former pageant winners become our big-time newscasters, where one has to present as the whole package.

A means to truly highlight one's weaknesses and strengths, pageantry does so all at once!

Every skill and image one is supposed to possess or reflect, but may not. And every strength one has and can share. If one can get past those possible negatives, pageantry truly can help build oneself into the very best version - probably like nothing else I know, outside of the Holy Spirit's leading. It's that good! Like in other sports, one learns toughness, endurance, resilience, along with other life skills that are highly desirable and marketable.

Would you compete again and encourage others to do so?

Oh, absolutely, highly so! But would advise starting early and tapping into someone that has been there. Attempting to prepare in a few weeks or even a few months is challenging, and not recommended. Most contestants have years of pageant experience across the various pageant systems, including Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Volunteer America. Having adequate time to prep would enhance one's competitiveness and overall skill development. It would also lessen the stress of cramming, as there is a lot to do and prepare for competing in private and on-stage interviews, evening gown, fitness, talent, and having a well-defined, well-developed, and active Community Service Initiative (CSI). Each needing just the right demeanor, outfit, hair, jewelry, and shoes ...

That said, I found Miss Montana's Teen competition to offer friendship, scholarship, unique experiences, and a prestigious title, all of which open doors and promote the development of becoming a well-rounded individual. Plus, one gets to keep the clothes, and can say, "I was a Miss America title holder." That is pretty cool upon knowing what goes into being such.

And like other sports, pageantry isn't exactly inexpensive. Despite the investment costs, I was fortunate to have generous donors and support from friends, family, businesses, and mentors.

This was such a blessing, making it possible for me to compete. It is heartwarming to see how much support one has when they step out.

Overall, participating in the Miss America Scholarship Organization has been an invaluable and rewarding experience. Others, including my parents, have said I have gained confidence.

Having identified areas for personal growth and achieved the personal goals I set for myself has been rather transformative. I have come away inspired to develop the best version of myself.

Looking ahead, I value that the titles open doors to opportunities, many of them in service to others, as well as creating pathways to have meaningful discussions. I'm excited to champion my CSI, Empowering Children to Read for a Better Future. It addresses Montana's literacy challenges, advocating for early childhood reading proficiency and mental health. America is facing a 60-70% adult illiteracy rate in the not-too-distant future. Only 36% of Montana's fourth-graders read at grade level. And yet, the simple act of regularly reading books to a young child is the number one predictor of them realizing later successes in life. Supporting this cause means a lot to me. I hope to establish funding soon as I want to share this message across the state, visiting all 56 counties. This endeavor will take outside support, but I believe it is a worthy cause – for not every reader will be a leader, but every leader will be a reader. Thank you!