Q. What is it about Plant City that you cherish?
A. I’d like to say the community. It feels like a family whether you’re at the festival, at a vendor, or whether you’re in Historic Downtown Plant City. Anywhere really in Plant City, you always see a friendly face. You feel so loved by everybody in the community because you always see people you know and you know that they support you, especially the youth in our community.
Q. When you saw past
contestants make it to the Top 5, did you think that could be you?
A. The first time I saw the queen, I was like ‘Wow, imagine being the queen.’ As a little girl, that’s what I wanted to be. In elementary school and middle school, I really didn’t have much confidence in myself. I honestly could never see myself in the position I’m in now. When I got to high school, my confidence really grew.
Q. What are great hang-out spots in Plant City?
A. Honestly, anywhere in Plant City. After church on Sundays, you always go to Outback or Chilis. That’s a great place to hang out. Definitely anywhere in downtown. I always go to Krazy Kup if I have to study.
Q. What was your favorite
segment from the queen
pageant?
A. My favorite part was the commercial because that was the first segment out on my own. It was right after the opening number and it was the first time where it was just me. I remember walking out and I was a little bit nervous. Looking down at the judges and they’re all smiling at me, just that first experience alone on stage was my favorite part.
Q. What were you thinking when your name was called out for the Top 5?
A. When I was called out for Top 10 and Top 5, I remember the excitement going through my body. My whole year is about to change. When I was called for Top 5, I was thinking to myself, ‘This is going to be an exciting year. I’m going to experience plenty of new things.’ I couldn’t fully comprehend what the future held for me.
Q. How did the support system from your loved ones motivate you?
A. Whenever I walked out for the second time, they cheered, and I saw my family and all of my friends right there supporting me. My friends are not pageant people, so I was very surprised to see them, and it made me feel so loved and supported.
Q. If you could incorporate anything into Plant City, what would it be?
A. If you would have asked me a couple months ago, it would have been Chick-fil-A, but we just got one. I’m so excited.