Shayla's heading back to Mansfield - as Miss Mansfield's Teen!

Much to my surprise and delight, Shayla won her local pageant and therefore earned the right to compete for the state title again this summer!  

She is now Miss Mansfield's Outstanding Teen 2014  

Shayla with Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2013.

The teen program of Miss America is now in its ten year!  Miss America is the world's largest provider of scholarships to woman. (That's how 100% of my Master's degree was funded!)  Shayla won a small scholarship and other prizes, but she's really pleased about just winning this local - the one many believe to be the most coveted because the state pageant is held in Mansfield and you're really treated like the "hometown girl" as the citizens of Mansfield roll out the red carpet for you during Miss Ohio week. 










In her press conference, the morning following the pageant, Shayla said many things including:  I'm grateful for this opportunity and look forward to serving the Mansfield community during my year as their teen titleholder.  The main reason I enjoy being a titleholder is because it offers me the opportunity to serve even more in communities with my platform of pediatric cancer awareness and research.  I will soon be 15 and during this year I want to raise an additional $5,000 for Alex's Lemonade Stand.
Our thanks to the Mansfield News Journal for putting in the front page news article.  

As Shayla recently wrote:  This local is truly amazing; it's often referred to as a "little" Miss Ohio because of its excellence in production, competition, and assemblance to the state pageant. The other teens were all wonderful and very sweet! I enjoyed getting to know them.  The titleholders from this local are fortunate to have many speaking opportunities and involvement in the community, which is my favorite part of being a title holder. My thanks to the director and all of the wonderful volunteers who make it all happen!

Opening Number Dance Routine!  (Shayla loved this!  Shayne and I thought we saw too much hip shaking!
Picture:  Second from the right, front row.)

Evening gown and onstage question about platform (Pediatric Cancer Research) 20% of the competition.  Asking the questions is Hannah,  Miss Mansfield's Teen, 2013.

Fitness Competition (10% of score)
*Here is Shayla smiling after doing the routine with kicks, push-ups, runs and dancing in it.  

Talent Competition (35% of the total score)

Waiting with some of the other teens before private interviews with the panel of judges.
(This is Shayla's favorite part of the competition and it's worth 25%.)

Ready to leave the hotel room for her first press conference as Miss Mansfield's Teen!

We packed our ski clothes and planned to overnight in Mansfield so we could downhill ski there in the morning at "Snow Trails".  Little did we know she'd win and she'd have a press conference instead!   What a tremendous surprise!

Congrats, Shayla!  We are so proud of you!  We wish you fun at the state competition this summer and who knows?  Maybe you'll be competing for the national title in Orlando late this summer and performing on the Miss America stage in Atlantic City in September!  (OK, I can dream, right?!)