In the Miss America Organization, the crown stands as a symbol of four major values that represent the title holder. The four values, or “pillars of the crown” are: Style, Service, Scholarship, and Success.
All of the contestants had a different idea of what “Style” represented, depending on personality. My style has been growing. Style is one of the pillars of the crown that I was not so confident with but through the experience of Miss Utah’s Teen, I think I have found my voice.
Service, in my honest opinion, is one of the most important of the crown. It is what shows the heart of the contestants, and that they are willing to roll up their sleeves and put on their “big girl pants.” The Judges see how the contestants are doing with their service part of the crown by looking at a paper, our Community Service Initiative (CSI) statement. In this paper we cram our ideas and dreams of the service we have chosen to put our hands into. I focused on Music Education Awareness.
The Miss America Organization wants a queen who is intelligent and isn’t just a pretty face—a girl who can communicate and express ideas clearly. For me, education has been practicing and performing music, it has helped me learn new ways to express and create.
Going into the competition I considered Success as walking away as the Title Holder of Miss Utah Teen, or at least getting into the “Top Ten.” Since then I’ve changed my mind—part of success is trying again even after you’ve failed. Success is overcoming our fear of failure.
Overall this is an experience I would not replace. I met so many amazing girls who I was not expecting to meet at a pageant in heels. On paper my experience might not look good, but I walked away with rewards not measured by a crown or even a plaque.
I have to point out (I know this sounds cheesy) the fact that I walked out of one of the hardest experiences of my life—three days in heels—without a single blister! Instead I walked out with a new confidence, new friends, and a new beginning.
– by Clara Peterson (16) Escalante, Miss Garfield’s Teen
Feature image caption: Clara Peterson performs her own “Know You” on the ukulele at Provo’s Covey Center on February 16. Courtesy of Robbin Peterson.
Read more about the year’s royalty in Meet the 2024 Miss Garfield.