INFOCUS

Pictured from left to right: McKinzie Ostertag, Donna-Marie Fields, Bella Hoehn, Elizabeth Allen

CROWNED FROM KANSAS

WRITTEN BY JULIE BURTON / PHOTOS BY JAMI MARSHALL

Kansas is a beautiful state. The sunrises and sunsets are some of the best in America. The acres upon acres of gently rolling hills of farmland are a sight, and they also feed a good portion of the world. And, well, they don’t call Kansas The Sunflower State for nothing.

The land is beautiful and so are the people. In its first year as a rebranded company, the Nation of States pageant is about redefining beauty and showcasing women of all ages, shapes, and sizes while sharing the motto Embracing, Educating, Empowering and Engaging Women. Women from across the United States, representing their states and heritage, traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, last August to compete for the Nation of States and Nations International crowns. The state of Kansas took home several big titles! These four women from Kansas competed in five categories: personal interview, swimsuit/athletic wear, evening gown, unconventional dress challenge, and social media/community involvement. Their goal was to spread a little more Kansas beauty.

Elizabeth Allen

Mrs. Nations International 2020 Elizabeth Allen is the Mrs. Nations International winner. This married mom of two hopes to be given the opportunity to compete internationally in 2021 and represent the United States. It’s an incredible feat to win the international title, but also Nations International was her very first pageant. You could call it beginner’s luck, but it really comes down to hard work, determination and dedication.

“I have wanted to do a pageant my whole life,” Allen says. “This is a time in my life where it made sense to go for it. My advice is don’t wing it. Plan it out. Keep track of important dates and times. Do it. Every woman has something unique to offer.”

Bella Hoehn

Teen Nation of States First Runner Up “Be yourself.” It’s an important piece of advice from Bella Hoehn not only to women in the pageant, but to all women.

The Nation of States pageant is a group of women supporting women, and Hoehn isn’t shy about embracing the women around her as her sisterhood. At 16 years old, Hoehn is not new to pageants. She has been in “too many pageants to count.”

Hoehn has a love for competing, and it showed in her unconventional dress challenge. Johnathan Kayne, an amazing designer from Project Runway, used hang tags from dresses from around the world and turned them into a dress. Yes, creativity is one of her talents, as she hopes to be a fashion designer one day. But her first goal is to get through nursing school. Her strength lies in lifting up other women while giving back to her community through charity work.

“You don’t have to act a certain way or walk a certain way. It’s not about tiaras,” Hoehn explains. “The best people are the ones who act like themselves.”

McKinzie Ostertag

Junior Teen Nation of States 2020 McKinzie Ostertag will hopefully have the opportunity to travel internationally along with Allen in 2021 to represent the U.S. in the junior teen division. She will be able to show the world her love for pageants, but also her heart for community service.

Ostertag opened Kinzie’s Critters, a place for the community to bring stray animals, and she helps to find homes for the animals. “We found a vet that will spay, neuter, and give shots,” Ostertag says, “then we try to give them homes.” She got the idea on her birthday when she asked for money for the Humane Society. Ths ignited an idea to find animals homes on her own.

Donna-Marie Fields

Mrs. Nation of States 2020 “It’s not your typical beauty pageant. It’s about women empowerment,” Mrs. Nation of States winner Donna-Marie Fields explains. The Nation of States pageant operates under the motto Embrace, Engage, Educate and Empower. Fields found self-confidence in pageantry. “I’m a stronger person and more outspoken because of pageantry, and I have grown in so many ways,” she explains. “I have found friends who are like sisters from competing in pageants. The swimsuit competition is my favorite area to compete. Women empowerment never looked more beautiful.

For more information about Nation of States or Nations International pageants, you can reach out to the director Kristi Wischnack at nationofstatespageant@gmail.com or visit their websites at nationofstatespageant.com or nations-international.com