PA People’s Choice vies for Miss National U.S. Agriculture Queen Title, Responsibilities
by Christopher MillerIf you were to ask Carly Walizer of Mill Hall why she would like to win the title of Miss National United States Agriculture, she would tell you that it is all about empowering young women to go after their dreams and to be themselves.
Carly, who participated in the State Pageant, was awarded the title of Pennsylvania People’s Choice before focusing her efforts on the National title in Florida later this month.
“You do not need an agricultural background to compete,” she explained to me during a phone interview. “I want to show others that you do not need to be a certain type of person to win the title of Miss U.S. Agriculture; you just need to have a basic understanding of agriculture and where our food comes from.”
“The agricultural background helps,” Carly states. Since she was a little girl, she has helped her Pap plant and tend to his gardens. Carly has also been involved in the local 4-H scene and has been riding horses since she was 16.
“I don’t live on a farm,” Carly further explains, “I have not been in 4H of FFA for a few years (while studying and completing her Recreation Management degree at Lock Haven University), but I want to promote local agriculture and show people how to use it in their every day lives.” “It is my goal to explain to younger kids where our food comes from, the process for planting and growing, and to be an advocate of agriculture for younger kids.”
Carly, who just recently graduated from Lock Haven University, was the 2016 Clinton County Fair Queen. Speaking of her future career endeavors, Carly is pursuing a certification to be a Personal Trainer and is desiring to go back to school for a degree in Nutrition. Speaking of where she see’s herself in the next 5 years, Carly states, “hopefully working as a personal trainer or a strength and conditioning coach for a gym or university…I really aspire to help others work on their own self confidence and accomplishing goals they set for themselves.”
The words “role model” easily come to mind when thinking about the work that Carly wishes to accomplish as Miss National U.S. Agriculture. “I have been told that I have been a role model to others; I am not the kind of person who will tell you that you’re doing things wrong, instead I will show you how to do things the right way and I learned a lot about myself and this aspect of “me” from when I was a competition cheerleader,” Carly explained. “I know good teamwork, I enjoy helping others grow.”
Of course, much takes place behind the scenes to prepare for a pageant and the possibility of this national honor being bestowed on somebody deserving of it. In an effort to prepare for the pageant, Carly worked with a director in the pageant world via Zoom meetings where she learned a great deal about tips for the personal interview, on-stage presence, confidence boosting, and the like. To prepare, Carly has practiced over and over again standing in front of the mirror, preparing to answer “on the spot” questions…”even this interview was good preparation for the real thing,” she laughed.
The 2020 National Pageant is taking place on June 20 in Orlando, Florida. Pageant “queen title” categories consist of: Tiny (age 0-3), Future Little Miss (age 4-6), Little (age 7-9), Junior Miss (age 10-12), Teen Miss (age 13-16), Miss (age 17-21), Ms. (age 22-25 – unmarried), Mrs. (age 22-35 – married), and Elite Ms. (age 36+).
Required areas of competition are an Introduction (to be well-spoken, feel comfortable speaking in front of a crowd), Formal Wear, On Stage Question/Answer, with optional competition areas being an Interview, Photogenic, and State Fun Fashion.
All contestants are required to sell at least a 1 page sponsorship in the National Program book. Sponsors for Carly Walizer are M&R Contracting, Inc., and the Central Pennsylvania Auto Auction.
Winners will receive a National Miss United States Agriculture sash and rhinestone pin, crown, $2,000 in scholarships and a prize package from pageant sponsors.
