Current Titleholder

Four years ago, who would have thought I would be where I am today? At thirteen years old, I had always dreamed of being on stage singing in front of thousands of people. When I was introduced to Miss America’s Outstanding Teen ScholarshipProgram, I was very excited to share my talents under the bright lights, yet timid to try something so new to me. 

Although I had grown up performing on a stage, I was unfamiliar with walking in beautiful gowns and being judged just for being myself. So yes, I will admit it. At thirteen I did not know exactly what I was getting into. Throughout the years, there is no doubt that I have met many kind and genuine people and made beautiful memories, but I have also gained a new part of myself that I will be ever grateful for. Of course I am only seventeen, but through this program I have learned that I am good enough by just being who I am. I mess up, and that is completely fine. I am still loved and appreciated by the people who truly matter to me.

I mean honestly, who doesn’t make mistakes? I do believe I am a role model. I try my best, but I have flaws. Yes, role models can have flaws. “Nobody’s perfect”. I believe in setting a high standard for myself and remaining goal-oriented and disciplined in order to achieve my dreams. I also believe that not everything has a good ending and that is okay. It is important that young people everywhere see that accidents happen. If “perfection” is the only thing we see, we will believe that we have to attain it. Well I hate to burst anybody’s bubble, but being perfect is impossible. If you live your life trying to be “perfect”, you will never be content with yourself. “Perfect” does not exist. Every person is extraordinary in their own way.

Most people just have difficulty seeing that in themselves. On average, a person sees up to 3,000 advertisements per day. These advertisements are mostly made up of beautiful, skinny, happy, young, people. This goes to show how damaging the media can be to the youth in today’s society. Too many people are trying to live up to the unrealistic standards portrayed in the media.

As Miss Ohio’s Outstanding Teen, I feel it is my responsibility to instill a high self esteem and positive attitude in the young people struggling to become something that they are not. By being a participant in this program, I have become a better person. Being beautiful is not having the best shoes and the prettiest hair. Being beautiful is being you and loving yourself. No girl should suffer from a negative self esteem. I want every young girl to believe she is good enough to achieve the dreams she holds in her heart. I believe in myself because I can mess up just like anyone else, but I will never stop trying giving up is not what I do. That is why I am who I am.

I could say that it took me four years to finally win a state title, or I could say I was blessed to be a part of this program and to have been a part of the Miss Ohio family for so long. I could say, “Look where I am now.” I would have never been as ready to be a state title holder two years ago as I am now. Because I was involved in this program for so long, I have so much more that I want to say. I know what I want to share with the world and I plan to do it efficiently. Will I be the next Miss America’s Outstanding Teen? Nobody knows. One thing that I do know for certain is that I am, and always will be Kelsey Elisabeth Barrett; and I think that being me is quite enough.