Style, scholarship, services, success. These are the four points of the crown that every contestant running for the title of Miss New Hampshire must embody.
New London’s own Brooke Ross knows a thing or two about all of these things. This year’s competition will be held on May 1 through 3 and will be Brooke’s first time competing in the Miss New Hampshire America program; however, this is not Brooke’s first rodeo. She has been competing in pageants since her early college days. She started out competing for Miss New Hampshire USA, which is a different program from Miss New Hampshire America.
Brooke has been interning at Andover Elementary/Middle School for the 2013/2014 school year throughout the elementary and middle school grades. She hopes to gain a better understanding of teacher/student interaction and better learn about students’ varying learning differences, while understanding special education law and becoming an effective communicator.
“It’s been a wonderful year, and everyone has been supportive and willing to let me in as a part of their classrooms. It has been a great experience. AE/MS has taught me about the strong collaboration and support that comes from within a small school environment. I am sad that my time there is almost done,” states Brooke.
Her work with pageants has enlightened her on how important it can be to instill a sense of confidence in young minds and to mold them into confident, successful young adults. She has always worked well with young minds, starting in high school when she was a student assistant at Jenkins School of Dance and Gymnastics. Her talent in this area is easily seen, as her talent for the pageant is a mix of dance, gymnastics, and various entertainment techniques.
Most people are familiar with the Miss America program, consisting of talent, question, gown, and bathing suit competitions. While the bathing suit competition is more than likely what people will walk away with a memory of, there is much more to the story than that.
Thousands of dollars in scholarships are awarded to many, many girls competing in smaller regional programs. Brooke has gotten over $2,000 of scholarships towards her student expenses. The Miss America program has exponentially helped Brooke in achieving her goals for graduate studies as well as making her dream of getting a doctorate in Mind, Brain, and Education studies a much more reachable task.
I talked to Brooke a little about what the four points of the crown meant to her, as I’m sure they mean something a little different to every contestant.
“Style and Success are how you perceive them, for example, I see style as how I carry myself, throughout how I act, to the clothes I wear, and how I want others to see me. Success is about reaching my goals and dreams and reminding myself that anything is possible. Services are more laid out in what Miss America believes, but also you as an individual, how do you help your community and support those around you?” Can you find a better contestant?
If you want to help Brooke into the top ten, go to Facebook.com/MissNH and vote her in! The competition will be held at the Stockbridge Theater in Derry, New Hampshire, and the first two nights are only $10. You can call 437-9027 to order tickets.
The final show will be aired on WMUR on Saturday, May 3, so be sure to tune in and cheer on your favorite local contestant!