THEN & NOW
CENTER STAGE Written by Laura Murphy Photo provided by Shealyn Mason
T
he last time we saw Shealyn Mason in Owensboro Parent, she was living it up at Smothers Park on the August 2013 cover. Now she’s ready to take the spotlight in a different way, using the confidence she’s gained through pageants to propel her through college as she works towards her future career. Mason knows the value of hard work. While a student at Daviess County High School, Mason played basketball, soccer and was a cheerleader. A member of the National Honor Society, she completed the early college program, graduating with her associate degree. While her high school resume is impressive, the 2020 DCHS graduate says some of her greatest lessons came from the stage. After holding many pageant titles, including most recently, Miss Daviess County 2020, her greatest trophy of all is the accomplishment of confidence and being prepared for the future. “Being in pageants opened so many doors of opportunities for me. Whether it was community service or my own personal growth, it helped me network. Pageants taught me many life skills -- feeling confident to ace any interview, whether it’s for a job or a pageant,” Mason said. Mason has found success when it comes to pageants and has held numerous titles through the years including Miss Teen Daviess County 2015, Miss Teen McCracken County 2016, Miss Kentucky Teen Festivals 2016, Miss Junior Teen Kentucky United States 2018, Miss Daviess County 2020, and Miss Owensboro Teen USA. “I’ve done pageants since I was a little girl and I always enjoyed them. After winning Miss 34 OWENSBORO PARENT . August // September 2021
