AHS senior reigns as Miss Ohio Teen 2009

by Brent Hovey

Reporter

Portsmouth -- Just about everybody knows by now Aurora High School's football team won the Division III state championship.

But it wasn't the only title associated with Aurora. Kelsey Stevens, a senior at Aurora High School, was crowned Miss Ohio Teen USA 2009 on Nov. 22.

Stevens was selected over 50 statewide contestants who represented various counties and cities. The 17-year-old will represent Ohio in the 2009 Miss Teen USA pageant next summer.

The Miss Ohio Teen competition took place at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on the Campus of Shawnee State University.

"This is truly one of the best feelings in the world because I proved to myself that hard work and commitment pay off," said Stevens. "I worked so hard to be there and I really wanted the title, but pageants are unpredictable.

"There were so many beautiful girls there and I was nervous that I may not make the top five, and then when I was announced the winner I went into shock."

The competition came down to Stevens and Miss Columbus Grove. As the two stood in the center of the stage, Stevens already had tears in eyes because she had just won Miss Congeniality, an award the other contestants pick.

"I was honored these amazing girls chose me," she said. "Then I was standing on the stage and the only thought going through my head was 'I must be in a dream.'"

But a dream it wasn't, and Stevens was announced as the winner. "I couldn't believe I did it," she said.

As excited as Stevens was for winning, there was something else on her mind.

"I WANTED to see my mom and hold my new baby brother, who was three days old at the time because I had to leave the pageant right before he was born," she said.

Stevens has been competing in pageants for two years, and has found immediate success.

In her first pageant, Stevens was named second runnerup. In her second, it was first runnerup. And now she is Miss Teen Ohio.

Although Stevens is relatively new to the pageant world, her family is not. Her older sister, Amanda, was named Miss Ohio Teen 2003.

It was Amanda, through being Miss Ohio Teen, who inspired Kelsey to get into pageants.

"By watching all of the amazing things she did with her title, and seeing how she impacted other people's lives, she inspired me to go after the crown," said Stevens.

"I know the crown won't define who I am, but it is a venue to show the students of Ohio that you can make good choices and still have fun."

As Miss Teen Ohio, Stevens said she'll work with organizations associated with the pageant system such as Teen Talk, as well as other charities close to her heart.

She also will participate in the Miss Teen USA pageant, the location and date of which will be announced later.

Stevens' dream started when she was a little girl and would sit around with her family, order pizza and watch pageants on TV.

"I remember always thinking the contestants were so glamorous and confident, and that one day I wanted to be just like them."

And now she is.

http://www.auroraadvocate.com/news/article/4477469