2019 Miss SD Amber Hulse’s Year in Review

Amber’s Years in Review

When I was crowned Miss South Dakota in June of 2019, I had no idea what ride of a lifetime I was in for, let alone that I would be serving the Rushmore state in this once-in-a-lifetime role for not just one, but TWO years. The last 730 days have been everything but ordinary and it is hard to comprise the most amazing days of my life thus far into a few paragraphs.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and rocked everyone’s world, plans, and lives, my year as Miss South Dakota began as any standard Miss South Dakota’s year should: spending the 4th of July at Mt. Rushmore, attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, going to bull-riding and concerts at the State Fair… shaking hands, kissing babies, and even getting to “play guitar” on-stage with the Beach Boys! I celebrated Roselyn, the first-ever Miss South Dakota’s 90th Birthday with several forever Miss South Dakotas, joined some of my Miss South Dakota sisters at the induction of Ray Peterson into the South Dakota Hall of Fame and reveal of the Miss South Dakota exhibit, shot a few pheasants in the name of scholarships, and spent time visiting children in the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals with my Miss America sisters in the area- all in-between my school tour visits, two trips to Florida for Miss America’s Outstanding Teen and Miss America Orientation, an adventure in NYC for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and preparing for Miss America.

After Miss America in December, things slowed down slightly as I started back at school as a full-time student. Before the pandemic hit in March of 2020, several Miss South Dakotas said goodbye to Shawn Cable during his last day on the news in Sioux Falls. I even got to welcome the new Miss

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America, Camille Schrier, to South Dakota for a weekend. Her trip to Sioux Falls was her last flight just before the world shut down travel.

The second year of my reign looked much different, from virtual appearances to serving in another capacity as a White House Intern in Washington, D.C. Luckily, the virtual world COVID-19 created allowed me to speak to students and serve as Miss South Dakota even though I was almost 2,000 miles away in the nation’s capital. Seven hundred thirty days ago, I never could have imagined being here. In January, I was accepted to my dream law school on a full-ride scholarship, and in May, I graduated summa cum laude with my degree from USD. COVID-19 may have made my reign look much different than any other Miss South Dakota’s ever. During my TWO YEARS of service, you could easily say I was wearing many different hats, a graduation cap included. However, despite where I was and what I was up to, I proudly wore the crown and name of my favorite place in the world across my chest while I was at it.

MISS AMERICA

I was a part of the Miss America class who made history, the first ever to compete under the Miss America 2.0 guidelines at both the state and national level… little did we know we could make history again as the only Miss America class to serve for two whole years!

I must remind myself sometimes that I was a candidate at Miss America because looking back, it truly does feel like a dream. Spending my first anniversary of competing at Miss America at the White House was a trip- it is truly incredible how much can happen in only a year.

While my Miss America experience looked and was much different than any Miss South Dakota before me, competing on that stage is an honor that very few women can claim. As someone who aspires to represent this state as my career one day, getting the opportunity to announce myself as the representative from South Dakota is a memory I will never forget.

I even brought home some hardware! During the opening ceremony, I was one of the five women selected for the Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Scholarship! Leading up to Miss America, I did not prepare with hopes to place high or be applauded for personal achievements- I instead focused on my work with Operation Overload. This recognition acknowledged the thousands of hours of work I had put in for the students of South Dakota, driving to rural schools, digging up resources and

scholarships, and planning Super Saturdays in an attempt to ensure that no student was left behind or overloaded when it came to seeking higher education or their careers after high school. This pursuit was the whole reason I wanted to serve as Miss South Dakota, and this award at Miss America only hallmarked my mission.

Competing in the Miss America Organization changed my life forever. I never thought when I started at 13 that I would ever make it to the national level. It does take a village, and I would not be the woman I am today in life or this organization without the guidance, wisdom, advice, mentorship, but most importantly, friendships I have found due to Miss America. Almost every one of my closest friends I met through this organization- whether it was at the local, state, or national level. My Miss South Dakota sisters are my mentors, chosen family, and community. The Miss America Organization changed its mission to “preparing great women for the world and the world for great women” the year I won Miss South Dakota. This organization and the women within it did prepare me for life, so watch out, world, there she is... future lawmaker and aspiring real-life Elle Woods.

2019 Miss South Dakota Amber Hulse

Dear South Dakota, Thank you. Never in a million years would the quirky, 13-year-old band-geek that took a leap and competed for Miss Hot Springs’ Outstanding Teen on a whim back in 2013 believe the woman she has become today. Shortly after being crowned Miss Badlands’ Outstanding Teen and being taken under the wing of one of my idols to this day, Sara Frankenstein, Miss South Dakota 1998, becoming Miss South Dakota grew into a dream of mine. I saw Sara, a lawyer, a mother, and a powerhouse of a woman- and wanted to be just like her one day. This organization gave me women to emulate, and from 2013 on, I walked in their footsteps. Now, I stand on the shoulders of giants. I would not be here writing this letter as Miss South Dakota… wow, it still feels weird (even after two years!) if it was not for hundreds of other mentors and people in my life, like Sara, who all had their part in the making of this incredible journey I am on. Miss America does prepare great women for the world and the world for great women. So, let me take a minute and thank the world that made me who I am. Thank you to my parents- even George Washington said, “All that I am I owe to my mother,” and that could not be truer. You sacrificed so much to raise me and give me anything I needed to succeed. Words will never be able to do justice for how thankful I am to have you as my mom. And Dad, well, you sure made things interesting this year for mom and me. I left the hospital, not knowing if I would ever get to talk to you again- to chase this dream because I knew it was what you would want me to do. So, I did it, and by the grace of God, you woke up the morning after. I know you were not always a fan of me competing but judging by the number of nurses you told that I was Miss South Dakota, I think we can finally say I made you proud. Thanks for making me work for it. I would be remiss if I did not thank the Hot Springs community: my teachers, coaches, mentors, family friends, community members, and anyone who supported this small-town girl with big dreams. You kept my feet on the ground when my eyes were on the stars. I always joke that it is a good thing my parents only had one- I still do not know how my mom juggled all the activities and events. It would never have been possible without people like you all. You do not have to have the same blood to be family, and I am grateful for all my “adopted” family- you are my village. I did not grow up with any siblings, but before we even won, I adopted a little sister, who became my “official” little sister through these crazy two years. Payton, I am forever thankful we were riding this rollercoaster together. Who knew we would both be chasing our dreams, moving across the country, and living the big city life now. Our lives have paralleled in so many ways, and I don’t know if I could’ve done it without you… and car karaoke, of course. Thank you to my Miss South Dakota family- the board, my Miss South Dakota sisters, generous sponsors, and all of you “pageant people” out there who saw my potential at 13 and convinced me to go for it, supported “it,” and never doubted my ability to actually reach “it.” I’ll never forget when Shantel Krebs grabbed me by the shoulders and literally shook me, saying, “You are going to be Miss South Dakota someday” after my first year competing as a Miss, fresh out of high school. Shantel became another idol of mine, in both pageants and politics… little did we both know she would be taking on larger roles one day too. One of my favorite quotes is, “if you see a turtle on a fence post, you know it had some help.” Well, I sure feel like that turtle and know I would not be Miss South Dakota today without the support of HUNDREDS of people over the last decade. Because of you, I am here, and it is because of the Miss South Dakota and Miss America Organizations that a west river girl made it all the way to the west wing and got into her dream law school. If that is not enough, because of this organization and the professional development I gained from participating, I will be graduating debt-free! Miss South Dakota is a launching board, and while this journey and time serving South Dakota have been incredible, I am so excited for the next chapter. I will never stop pursuing ways to give back and serve this breathtaking place I get to call my home. So, South Dakota, here’s to the next fence posts: law school, public office, and whatever else God has in store for me on this crazy ride.

Forever Yours, Amber Hulse, COVID Queen, Miss South Dakota 2019 & 2020

GO THE DACOTAH WAY.