Crowns Magazine April 2019 by Crowns Magazine

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Celebrati ng Pageantry & Fashi on Wi th You Crowns Magazine April 2019 Inside In The Spotlight Grace Brown pg 4 Fashion/Style Mac Duggal Spring 2019 pg 6 Beyond The Beauty Alyssa Hernandez pg 12 Miss Teen USA Interview pg 14 Miss April Lee Pettyjohn pg 25

SPOTLIGHT

Th e Road t o M iss Oh io Gr ace Br ow n

Photo by Studio 187

Heath Ohio native Grace Brown will grace the Renaissance Theater stage June 13-15, 2019 to compete for the title of Miss Ohio and the opportunity to represent Ohio at Miss America. Last year as an 18-year-old recent high school graduate, Grace placed in the Top 10. The prior year, she placed first runner-up at Miss Ohio?s Outstanding Teen. Could this be her year? Grace grew up the daughter of a former Miss Ohio (1991) and surrounded by pageantry. That being said, she was never interested in competing. She thought pageantry encouraged the already widespread issue of pitting women against women. She felt that choosing ?the best? out of a group of accomplished women was, in her words, ?silly.? However, as she grew older and witnessed first-hand the growth of the ladies participating, she realized it wasn?t about choosing ?the best? but rather ?the best RIGHT NOW? in this moment. She saw the journey as the prize not just the title. Young women were becoming their best selves, paying for college with their scholarship earnings, impacting their communities and much more ? and this was hard to ignore. So in 2016 upon the urging of her brother, on the night of her mother ?s 25th anniversary of her crowning, Grace made her decision. It was her time to jump in the race. Her journey to this point has been nothing short of amazing. While preparing for her first trip to Mansfield for Miss Ohio?s Outstanding Teen, Grace was in her junior year of high school and struggling with depression. She gained weight and cared little for anything, including how she was (or wasn?t) preparing for the big day. She was fortunate to place first runner-up and earn a $750 scholarship. Following the pageant, Grace came forward about her depression and sought the help she needed. Although her mental health was uncertain, her mind wasn?t ? she wanted back in the race! At this point she had aged out of the Miss Teen program, so it was time to run with the big dogs. Subsequently, Grace entered a Miss Ohio local preliminary and won her way to the Miss Ohio stage. Knowing she had to get control of her life including her weight, she made the decision to join her high school track team. After losing 25 pounds, Grace was now ready both physically and mentally to take on the challenge. Her hard worked earned her a Top 10 finish and a $1,000 scholarship. Fast forward to now, she is back for her second attempt at the title. She is working hard and is more prepared than ever. Her days are filled with cardio workouts, circuit training, dance rehearsals, podcasts, and lots of mental preparation with the goal of being ?the best right now? for the job of Miss Ohio. Grace recently took her social impact initiative Girl2Girl- Inspiring Future STEM Leaders- to new heights when she partnered with the Girl Scouts of Ohio?s Heartland. They have pledged to impact 2.5 million girls with STEM education by the year 2025. Grace serves on their speaker ?s bureau, speaking to troops across Ohio and spreading her personal message and her love for STEM. She is excited to share her social impact initiative with the Miss Ohio judges as well as her 3-part business plan for her year as Miss Ohio. Regardless of the outcome in June, the journey is rich, full, and continuous. Grace will be a sophomore this fall at The Ohio State University, where she is a pre-med honors student. She?s also a working model with NV Models & Talent, a National Champion tap dancer, and forever a STEM Advocate. Stay tuned...the journey has just begun. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceebrown18 and @missshawnee2019. Photos by David Beckham Photography and Studio 187

Spr in g 2019

Beyond t he Beaut y

Photos by Lynn Henley Photography

USA NATIONAL MISS GRAND CANYON STATE PRETEEN

Alyssa is cu r r en t ly a 6t h gr ade, st r aigh t A, m iddle sch ool st u den t . Sh e is a m em ber of t h e Nat ion al Ju n ior Hon or Societ y (NJHS) an d in t h e Hon or s Pr ogr am . Her sch ool clu bs in clu de bein g on t h e Ch eer Team an d a m em ber of t h e Kin dn ess Clu b. Sh e is passion at e abou t r epr esen t in g h er cu r r en t USA Nat ion al M iss (UNM ), Gr an d Can yon St at e Pr et een 2019 t it le. Th is su m m er Alyssa w ill com pet e f or t h e n at ion al pr et een t it le. Th e UNM plat f or m is Th e Cr ow n C.A.R.E.S Cr eat in g a Respect f u l En vir on m en t , w h ich is an an t i-bu llyin g pr even t ion pr ogr am . Com m u n it y Ser vice/ In volvem en t an d Ch ar it y Wor k in clu des: 1) Ar izon a M ilit ar y Fam ily Su ppor t Gr ou p (AZM FSG), 2) St . M ar y ?s Food Ban k , 3) St . Vin cen t de Pau l, 4) Feed M y St ar vin g Ch ildr en , 5) Dr ess A Gir l Ar ou n d t h e Wor ld, 6) Par en t Teach er Or gan izat ion (PTO) an d a h ost of UNM appear an ces. Im m ediat e goals: Su ppor t in g ou r n at ion?s m ilit ar y t r oops by pr epar in g car e pack ages w it h t h e AZM FSG. Th is is h er per son al plat f or m . M ain t ain h igh gr ades in sch ool Becom e a pr of ession al m odel dan cer by secu r in g an agen t

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Lon g t er m goals: At t ain in g a degr ee in An im al Biology an d becom in g a Doct or in Vet er in ar y M edicin e. In h er spar e t im e sh e en joys bein g a f r eelan ce m odel f or com m er cial ads an d pr in t cam paign s, dan ce t r ain in g, r u n w ay m odelin g, an d spen din g t im e w it h f r ien ds an d h er br ot h er s. Th r ee w or ds t h at best descr ibe Alyssa ar e: ACHIEVER ~ OUTGOING ~ RESILIENT!

ALYSSA HERNANDEZ

Photos by Alicia Jeva Photography

Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Gar r is

Cover and Photo by Benjamin Askinas

5 Th in gs abou t M iss Teen USA Sh e Cr eat ed a Per son al M ovem en t called ?We Ar e People 1st ? Kaliegh created ?We Are People 1st? in honor of her older sister who has multiple disabilities. She began the movement to educate youth how to respectfully speak to people with a health issue or disability after seeing the need for it throughout my lifetime. Sh e Is Cu r r en t ly Receivin g a Du al Edu cat ion Kaliegh proudly represents ?Lion Pride? as a Senior at Joseph A Foran High School. She is also attending the Educational Center for the Arts, studying theater. Sh e?s Got Som e Killer Dan ce M oves For the last ten years, Kaliegh has trained to become competitive dancer in contemporary, jazz, pointe, hip hop, and tap. Recently she has become interested in more experiential forms of performance, which includes circus arts, aerial silks, hoop, and the trapeze . Sh e is an Exper ien ced Ou t door s Wom an Kaliegh has been employed as a camp counselor for the New Haven Parks and Recreation Eco Camps over the last three years. She guides camper ?s experiences while hiking, canoeing, kayaking, white water rafting, and rock wall climbing. Sh e Hopes t o On e Day Becom e a Tr au m a Nu r se She is currently volunteering at Yale New Haven Hospital on the pediatric floor and also spends time shadowing nurses. After graduating high school she hopes to attend Southern Connecticut State University to work towards her Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing. Photo by Patrick Prather

Th e M i ss Teen USA I nterv i ew

Crowns Magazine: Why was it important for you to win this title? Kaliegh: Everyone was so amazing. Everybody was just so educated in their own right and had something so unique about everyone. So, I feel as though no matter who won, it would have been someone amazing that would have been great for the title. I think uniquely for me just being able to spread a little bit more diversity throughout pageantry. Now I have become this role model for girls that are maybe nervous about wearing their hair naturally or embracing who they truly are. I know growing up myself I didn?t really embrace the fact that I?m biracial and I have a lot of background that I come from. Just being able to represent that, I think is something that is helpful to others that I won this title. Crowns Magazine: What is the one thing that you think gave you the edge over the other contestants? Kaliegh: I wouldn?t necessarily say it gave me an edge but it definitely boosted my confidence is wearing my natural hair. Because the pageant itself is really confidently beautiful- being confident in who you are. I know growing up I wasn?t always confident in myself. But growing up and really embracing my background and my hair definitely gave me the confidence to know that I am who I am. And I?m not trying to cover that up on stage. So just being confident within myself. Crowns Magazine: Was wearing your natural hair a hard decision and were you making a statement? Kaliegh: So, my hair is the topic of a lot of conversations. And really, it?s just figuring out who I am especially all through high school. You know you?re trying to search for who you are. Definitely having friends that have natural hair themselves gave me the confidence to wear it. And I don?t feel as though I was trying to prove anything to anyone. I was really just trying to be myself. Because if I?m trying to pretend to be somebody that I?m not on stage like everybody?s going to see right through it. And I wasn?t going to straighten my hair to fit that stereotype that some people have that you have to have this great big hair that is voluminous and curls. I was just really focused on being myself and putting the best image of myself out there that I could. Crowns Magazine: What is going to be your first project? Kaliegh: It?s the end of my senior year. So, I?m going to really start focusing on projects more during the summer. Because I?m really focused on rounding out my senior year with a bang. So just really focusing on that. Then later on I?m hoping to move forward with my social movement of We Are People First. And this upcoming school year being able to go into more schools and addressing that. Crowns Magazine: What would you say to an African American girl who is thinking about getting into pageantry or even is already in pageantry? Kaliegh: I would just say keep doing what you are doing. Like you?re here for a reason. And if this is what you love doing; and it boosts your confidence; and it makes you you because it?s not something that every girl gets into. So, I just say keep going. You?re already setting a precedent for other girls and you may not even know it yet. I know for me, me competing just in general not even with my natural hair, people have reached out and said like just seeing you on stage has already set a role model for my daughter or myself. So, I just say keep doing what you?re doing because it?s something very special.

Crowns Magazine: Why did you choose nursing for a career goal? Kaliegh: So, growing up I didn?t watch the usual cartoons. I always watched some sort of medical show. When I had some issues from dance and injuries; I would watch the surgeries online. And it?s something that I?ve always been interested in. And since I?m young and I can?t get a medical degree yet, I volunteer at Yale New Haven Hospital which has been so exciting because I love hospitals. And I know it?s weird but I just do. I think it?s so interesting and definitely having family members that are in the medical field and being able to watch surgeries in person is something that I find so interesting- how the body works. And then being able to get into nursing and really getting that hands-on experience; interacting with patients; and caring for them; and making them feel better is something that I find so interesting and amazing. And it?s what I?ve been wanting to get into. Crowns Magazine: Back to your platform, We Are People First, what would you tell everyone about dealing with people with disabilities? Kaliegh: My sister has multiple disabilities. And when I was younger, I didn?t realize that the average person doesn?t have a personal relationship with someone with disabilities. So, I?d get really mad when either they?d give my family a weird look or they would shy away from us. Because I didn?t understand why they didn?t want to interact with my sister because she?s my normal. And so with, We Are People First, I go into schools and I educate young adults and kids how to properly use People First language, which is basically putting the person before their disability. So instead of saying the autistic boy, you?d say the boy with autism. Because it?s about who they are as a person not the fact that they may have a learning disability or may be in a wheelchair. Crowns Magazine: What is that hidden talent that no one knows that you possess? Kaliegh: I have two that I really like. So, one?s more funny. I have trained myself to be able to move one eye at a time. It?s something that I learned growing up because it grossed out my mom. And I thought it looked really funny. And then my other one is theater. So, that?s actually what I sent in as my video when Miss Teen USA asked for us to do talent videos. And I recited a Shakespeare monologue because I actually attend two high schools and one of them is for theater. And it?s a community that I?ve really fallen in love with. Crowns Magazine: What?s your favorite candy bar? Kaliegh: So, I?m big into chocolate. So, I?d definitely have to say Hershey?s milk chocolate bar because it?s simple but it?s like one of the best. Crowns Magazine: What?s your favorite TV show? Kaliegh: Growing up I would have to say MythBusters. It doesn?t run anymore. But I just always thought it was really cool to do different science experiments. Crowns Magazine: What?s your favorite ice cream? Kaliegh: My favorite ice cream is strawberry. And I especially like it if it?s like the natural type that has chunks of strawberries in it. Crowns Magazine: What?s your favorite flavor of cupcake? Kaliegh: My favorite flavor of cupcake would be vanilla with maybe funfetti in it. Crowns Magazine: Who?s your idol? Kaliegh: I?d have to say my mom even though a lot of people say that?s clichĂŠ. But it really is. She is one of the strongest women I know. And growing up I always wanted to be like her and embody the same characteristics that she has. She has always supported me with everything that I do. She gives me a little bit of that tough love by saying like ?I will work hard for you but I?m never going to work harder than you at something that you want to do?. And that?s something that has really pushed me to be the best version of myself and to do that with others as well.

M ISS APRIL Lee Pet t yjoh n

Lee pr ou dly r epr esen t ed Nor t h Car olin a, as M r s. Nor t h Car olin a In t 'l 2014. Sh e is a devot ed w if e an d m ot h er of t w o, Br axt on Elijah an d Jade Im an i. In addit ion t o bein g t h e Nor t h Car olin a In t 'l Pagean t Dir ect or , sh e is an En t r epr en eu r an d Bu sin ess ow n er , an d w or k s as a h om e-based Tr avel Specialist , m an agin g 21 In depen den t Agen t s. Sh e also h om e sch ools h er t w o ch ildr en . Lee r et u r n ed t o t h e In t 'l Pagean t syst em as a Dir ect or t h r ee year s ago. Sh e t h or ou gh ly en joys w or k in g w it h t h e ladies, an d h elpin g t o develop n ot ju st t h eir pagean t sk ills, bu t t h eir lif e sk ills. Her f ocu s is n ot on ou t er beau t y, bu t t h eir beau t y w it h in ! Lee loves t h at t h e In t er n at ion al Pagean t syst em f ocu ses on com m u n it y ser vice an d edu cat ion . 18

We Ar e Beau t ycou n t er

We are leading a movement to a future where all beauty is clean beauty. We are powered by people, and our collective mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Formulate, advocate, & educate? that?s our motto for creating products that truly perform while holding ourselves to unparalleled standards of safety. Why? It?s really this simple: beauty should be good for you. FUN (INTERESTING) FACTS: Over 1,400 chemical ingredients are banned or restricted in personal care products by the European Union due to health & safety concerns. The U.S. bans only 30?

HEALTH & SAFETY CONCERNS IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY: Decades of studies indicate that serious health issues (including but not limited to asthma, cancer, hormone disruption, neurotoxicity and infertility) are on the rise and are due in some part to our ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals in our everyday lives. There are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today. Many don't have any safety data. This is particularly true of those used in the skin care and beauty industry. What's worse is that the Food and Drug Administration (the agency that regulates cosmetics in the United States) does not have the authority to remove harmful ingredients from the products we put on our bodies and on our kids' bodies every day.

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