Perkasie resident wins Miss Midstate 2013 pageant
Perkasie’s very own brin Price, a Pennridge High School 2010 graduate, won the title of Miss Midstate 2013 at the pageant competition in Harrisburg, Saturday, Jan. 26.
In June, the West Chester music education major will travel to Pittsburgh to compete for the Miss Pennsylvania title. That winner will then go on to the Miss America pageant.
Price first started participating in pageants last year, her sophomore year of college. She won the title of Miss Keystone this past April and spent the year as an ambassador for the Children’s Miracle Network and sH1’s Save the Music Foundation.
“It’s been so rewarding. bveryone’s been really outstanding,” she said.
Price competed against 13 other girls at the Miss Midstate pageant in January, and contrary to what some may think, the girls actually got along, according to Price.
“It’s definitely not catty. We cheer each other on,” she said. “bveryone that’s there is making such an impact in their community, so it’s really a morale booster.”
Price’s talent was her voice; she sang opera, which she has been formally studying since she was 11 years old. She said she hopes to become a music teacher for a public middle school after she graduates.
During her interview section for the pageant, Price was able to talk about her platform, “Save the Music: The Importance of Music in Public bducation.” It’s a topic she feels passionate about, calling the drop in music departments an “epidemic.” She listed some statistics, such as three out of five schools in Philadelphia don’t have a music teacher. What’s worse, she said, is that this problem is not only in the city but moving out to the suburbs.
Recently, Price worked with the rpper Darby School District to try to save the music department. Thanks to a “music marathon,” the school was able to raise $25,000, but unfortunately, the department was still cut, according to Price.
This is what Price focused on in her interview portion at the pageant: finding ways to trim public schools’ budgets in order to keep music departments alive.
Price said she believes music education provides something for every student, regardless of ability. It gives students an activity to excel in if they are not doing well in other areas of their lives. In addition, Price said if students work on their music skills for three hours a week, they are four times more likely to score advanced or proficient on standardized tests.
Ts shows like “Toddlers & Tiaras” may have given a bad name to pageants, but Price said there are a lot of misconceptions about the hobby.
“There are organizations that are exactly the stereotype, but luckily with the Miss America Organiza- tion, there’s so much more behind it,” Price said.
She referenced the four points of the Miss America crown that stand for scholarship, service, success and style.
“Instead of just looking super hot in a bikini, you have the opportunity to look great and feel good about yourself, but also to take that to a whole other level by implementing your platform and having a positive impact on not only girls but also boys in the community,” she said.
To prepare for the pageant, Price said she spent a lot of time with her father selecting outfits for the competition. She needed to find a swimsuit, an interview outfit, an opening number gown, an evening gown and a gown for her talent portion. Price admitted it’s a pretty expensive hobby, though she has sponsors who help defray some of the costs.
Price also practiced her talent and prepared for the interview portion of the pageant where she could be asked about anything having to do with r.S. and world politics or global issues.
What was more nerve-wracking than the interview portion was the on-stage question, in which contestants must put together a wellarticulated answer in 30 seconds before a crowd.
Price was so nervous at the time that she said she can’t even remember what the question was that she had to answer.
From participating in pageants, the Perkasie native said she gained a sense of confidence and a sisterhood.
“I like to say that I belong to the most elite sorority that you could ever belong to,” she said, complimenting her “sister queens.”
Her advice for young girls who may be interested in pageantry is: Be yourself.
“As cliché as it sounds, that’s what makes the judges fall in love with you,” she said.
Price said her family is proud of her, but they are also surprised with her achievements.
“I think every time I win, they can’t believe it,” she said. “My father didn’t even take a photo of the crown going on my head. His camera wasn’t even out. They’re so funny.”
To be fair, her father might not have thought her daughter would win because of Price’s fall — a pageant girl’s nightmare — during the swimsuit portion of the pageant. Still, Price kept her confidence and her head up.
“The judges look for someone who can bounce right back and be fine afterward. Persistence and trying to do your best and not letting anything hold you back is what I think is the most important thing a person can do,” she said.
Price must be right, as she won the crown and prestigious title of Miss Midstate.
The first thing she did after her win?
“I ate lots of bread.”