Miss Southlake Westlake Program Book

Letter from Executive Director

Welcome to the Miss Southlake Organization

I am a beneficiary of the outstanding legacy of the Miss Texas and Miss America Organizations. As a local titleholder, I competed four times with four different organizations before I was selected to serve as Miss Texas 2012. Each of my local directors and boards gave countless time, energy, talents, and resources to help shape me into who I am today.

Although several years have passed since I served as Miss Texas, my heart has never left this organization. The life skills that you learn through competing and serving as a titleholder aid you in every area of your life. That is ultimately why I decided to come back as a local director. I am excited to hit the ground running with innovative ideas to enrich the legacy of this program.

Preparing Women for the Stage and Beyond

A major component of Miss Texas and Miss America is the competition. I have spent a majority of my life in different types of competitions. I began my competitive years in twirling, transitioned to the Miss America local, state, and national stage, and now compete in the courtroom. I know about the persistence and drive that it takes to train like a champion. We have assembled an exciting team of talented people who also know what it takes to reach the next level.

Preparing Great Women for the World

As the largest scholarship provider for women, Miss America funds the academic dreams of its participants. Thanks in part to my scholarships from local competitions, Miss Texas, and Miss America, I graduated debt-free. As Malala Yousafzai said, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” We are striving to increase the amount of scholarship assistance we can provide to our representatives and all of our candidates.

Preparing the World for Great Women

Women’s voices are being heard like never before. We want to build on that movement by developing our representative’s advocacy skills and providing opportunities for her to advocate for her causes. By partnering with the Southlake local government and other local organizations, we can show our community the power of our program and our women.

We are so excited that you have chosen to participate in our organization! We are going to have a phenomenal year.

the reign

Stye. Service. Success. Scholarship. Southlake. Miss Southlake, Miss Westlake, Miss Southlake’s Teen, and Miss Westlake’s Teen (The Lakers) are the celebrity representatives of the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization (MSSO) to the public.

As a member of the MSSO team, she is responsible for positively advancing the goals and objectives of MSSO as well as her own Community Service Initiative (CSI). The Lakers will work with the MSSO team to develop goals to advance her chosen CSI while serving as a role model in the Southlake-Westlake communities.

In addition, the Lakers will serve as advocates for the Miss America Scholarship Foundation and the MSSO, raising funds to create educational opportunities for young women a reality. Locally, the titleholders support the Lone Star Scholarship Foundation and Texas Cares for Children.

As such, public speaking and performance are essential skills for our representatives. She will speak to and perform for audiences of all sizes. She is a representative of MSSO with sponsors, students, and the communities of Southlake and Westlake.

A first step to continuing her education and career, joining the Lakers is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that carries with it service above self. We look forward to welcoming you to the Sisterhood!

PHASES OF COMPETITION

PRIVATE INTERVIEW

Comprising 30% of a delegate's score, the ten-minute interview provides insight into the delegate's ability to fulfill the responsibilities of a local titleholder. You will submit a one-page Fact Sheet and Community Service Essay that will guide the interview. It gives the judges the opportunity to learn about your unique qualities, commitment to advance your community service initiative, accomplishments beyond your fact sheet, and your personal beliefs.

ON-STAGE CONVERSATION

Comprising 10% of a delegate's score, the On-Stage Conversation question is a single question asked on stage regarding the delegate's community service initiative. A delegate will have thirty seconds to respond to the question.

EVENING GOWN

Comprising 20% of a delegates score, each delegate will compete in Eveing Gown in the evening wear of her selection. This phase of competition highlights each delegate's unique sense of style while wearing an evening gown in a fashion suitable for an appearance as Miss Texas/Miss Texas' Teen.

Part of a titleholder's role is to attend galas, fundraisers, awards shows, and other formal events. This often involves walking a red carpet, posing for press photographers, modeling in fashion shows, and promoting various national fashion designers who partner with the Miss America/Miss America's Teen programs.

Note: Neither the attire itself nor the estimated cost of the wardrobe will be considered in scoring.

TALENT OR HERSTORY

Comprising 20% of a delegate's score, the 90-second talent or HERstory competition allows insight into the candidate’s preparatory and performance skills. Talent may be either (1) a performance talent or (2) a HERStory presentation. Performance talents include vocal, dance, instrumental, gymnastics, twirling, speed-painting, monologues or spoken words, etc. HERstory presentations are an opportunity for a delegate to share a 90-second story that provides insight into the delegate's background.

The talent presentation, overall performance, and technical ability and skill are taken into consideration. For information regarding approved performance talents or HERstory parameters, please reach out to DaNae Couch Lowe at DaNae@MissSouthlake.Org.

HEALTH & FITNESS

The Miss America and Miss America's Teen Organizations are partnered with the American Heart Association to promote the importance of women's heart health. Comprising 20% of a delegate's score, the Health & Fitness Competition is where the delegate showcases her commitment to these health and fitness initiatives.

Here, a delegate will model aerobic or active-wear clothing, NOT a swimsuit on stage for 20-30 seconds. Judges will consider the first impression of a dynamic presence, high energy, engaging vitality and a sense of confidence.

The Miss America Organization launched a collection with Rebel Athletic for Health & Fitness wardrobe, with a percentage benefiting the scholarship organization. Scan the QR Code to show your support!

MISS 2024 PANELISTS

Donna Barrera Guajardo is a Director at Deloitte in the Global practice. She graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a Bachelors’ degree in Business Management and is fluent in Spanish.

Donna volunteers at Operation Care which provides basic living needs to the homeless and families in need. She served in the TV Ministry at First Baptist Dallas which broadcasts their church services across the world. She currently serves in the choir at First Baptist Dallas where they have performed at Carnegie Hall, Brooklyn Tabernacle and John F. Kennedy Center.

She loves to travel, meeting people in all walks of life, boating, motorcycle riding, mentoring young women, yoga and spoiling her two granddaughters!

Michael Hannah has been involved with the Miss America Organization in some capacity since 1989. He is a former member of the Miss America and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Organizations’ Boards of Directors. He is also a former Chairman of the Board of the Miss Texas Organization and the Miss Texas Scholarship Foundation. Most recently, Michael was a member of the Miss USA Organization Board of Directors.

In 2019, Michael founded the Michael Hannah Family Foundation, an IRS-approved 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. The overall mission and vision of the MHFF are to “Nurture and Support Positive Accomplishments and Foster the Opportunity for Academic Scholarships for our Youth, Promote Community Awareness Through Outreach Programs, and Provide Supplies to Underfunded School Classrooms.”

Michael has served in managerial roles with British Petroleum, Enron, and IBM Corporations

throughout his career. He earned a Top Secret National Security Clearance while engaged on a three-year project with the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, DC. He is currently a Project Manager/Senior Management Consultant for an International industry-focused advisory services and I/T management consulting firm.

Jack Newsom is a native of Ore City, Texas, a small community in Northeast Texas in Upshur County, but Jack has resided in Dallas since 1993.

Jack was the 1974 Texas Class A Boy’s Informative Speaking State Champion. Jack holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington. In March 2020, Jack retired, having a career as a fixed asset accountant since 1981.

Jack has been a long-standing volunteer for the Miss Texas Organization. Jack was a CoExecutive Director of the Miss Lake O’ The Pines Scholarship Organization, an official preliminary to the Miss Texas Scholarship Pageant from 1981 to 2003. A historic organization, the Miss Lake O’ The Pines Scholarship pageant produced five Miss Texas winners. Jack also served as a Field Director for the Miss Texas Scholarship Pageant and as a board member of the Miss Texas Local Pageant Association. For his dedicated service, Jack was inducted into the Miss Texas Scholarship Pageant Hall of Honor in 1997.

Morgan Parker graduated summa cum laude from Texas Tech University, earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science. She earned her law degree, cum laude, from Texas A&M University School of Law. During law school, she served on

DONNA GUAJARDO MICHAEL HANNAH

the Executive Board of Editors for the Texas A&M Law Review as the Senior Online Content Editor, and was involved in the Global Law Study Abroad Program, completing programs in both Accra, Ghana, and Aberdeen, Scotland.

Morgan represents businesses and individuals in a wide array of business concerns, estate planning, probate, and real estate matters. Morgan’s corporate practice is primarily focused on assisting business clients in entity formation, mergers and acquisitions, and contract review.

A native Texan, Sheri Rhame has a decorated history with the Miss Texas Organization, having served the State of Texas as Miss Texas 1981. Representing as Miss Texas A&M University, Sheri not only earned the job of Miss Texas but walked away with a swimsuit preliminary award. As Miss Texas, Sheri was Fourth Runner-Up to Miss America 1982 and won a talent preliminary with her Gymnastics Routine to the theme of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Through her involvement in the Miss America Organization, Sheri participated in two tours with the Miss America USO Tour. After her reign as Miss Texas, Sheri continued to give back to the Miss Texas Organization, serving as a former member of the Miss Texas Board of Directors, judge, and emcee.

Sheri was able to pay her way through college due to the scholarships earned in the Miss Texas and Miss America Organizations, helping her graduate magna cum laude with her Bachelor of Science and selected as a member of Phi Beta Phi Honor Society. After graduation, Sheri held a career in real estate for twenty-five years.

In her free time, Sheri loves to read, travel and

stay active. She particularly enjoys to kayak, bike, hit the gym, and hopes to obtain scuba certification. A resident of Frisco, Texas, Sheri enjoys spending time with her husband, Bill, two sons, Mason and Landon, her first grandchild, Henry, and her two crazy Labrador Retriervers, Rocky and Smoky.

Megan Wells grew up in the Houston area and started competing in pageants at 19 to gain self-confidence. She competed in many pageant systems including Universal Royalty, Miss Texas Organization, Texas Galaxy pageants, Texas International pageants, Mrs. Texas America, and Regency International pageants. She has held many titles including Miss Great Plains 2010, Miss Tarrant County 2011, Miss Plano 2013, first runner up at Miss Texas Galaxy, top 20 at Mrs. Texas America, Mrs. Texas Regency International, and both first and fourth runner up at Mrs. Regency International. She attended Texas A&M University and has a Bachelors of Arts in English then went on to get a Masters of Education in School Counseling from Sam Houston State University. She has worked in education as a teacher, school counselor, dance, and cheer coach for nine years. She is also a licensed professional counselor treating eating disorders and other comorbid disorders. She is a huge advocate for mental health and self-confidence in all women. Megan is married to her husband, Josh, and has two kids, Cooper and Presley. She enjoys spending time reading, exercising, and playing with her kids.

JACK NEWSOM MORGAN PARKER

SHERI RHAME MEGAN WELLS

TEEN 2023 PANELISTS

Christopher Alello was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, an is a current resident of Tool, Texas. Professionally, Christopher serves as full time Teacher in Kemp, covering Special Education. In total, Christopher has been teaching for ten years. Outside of work, Christopher is that dad to three kids, including two sons and a daughter, ages I 17, 13, and 11 years-old. In his free time, Christopher loves acting and modeling. For five years, Christopher has pursued acting, and Chrisopher jumpstarted his modeling endeavors along with his daughter, Shayla. Together, Christopher and Shayla performed in live Easter plays in Capernaum Village in Poolville, Texas. Beyond this, Christopher has contributed to a video chronicle video on YouTube. Outside these endeavors, Chirstopher has a heart for community service and loves to volunteer.

Thirty-two years of age born and raised in Dallas Texas, Jessica Niccole Barrera has a rich background in Consumer Marketing and Production. Having worked for a variety of corporations in Marketing promoting Television, Healthcare,and Aesthetics. Jessica is also contacted by the Campbell Acting and Modeling Agency where she has completed National Commercials and a TV Series. Jessica has a Master’s degree in Technology & Entrepreneurship at IE Business School and a BS in Television and Communication from The University of Oklahoma. In Jessica’s free time she enjoys traveling, having lived in Europe for 5 years, practicing Yoga, trying new restaurants, and singing as a trained vocalist. Jessica was a top 5 finalist at Miss Texas America

in 2015 having won Overall Fitness and Overall Volunteer Award.

Tonya Johannsen has a robust track record of results as a senior legal advisor and handson attorney handling high volumes of litigation and advisory matters as well as negotiating and documenting complex transactions. She is an accomplished and influential professional with a propensity for negotiating favorable client outcomes.

Before coming to Canterbury, PC, Tonya was Of Counsel with Estes Thorne & Carr PLLC. Because of her expertise, she led the firm in developing and building a new construction and architectural practice focusing on liability and legal strategy. Tonya represented general contractors, subcontractors, and architects. During this time, she received recognition as one of the best lawyers for Commercial and Construction litigation in the Dallas area and was named one of the Best Lawyers in America.

Tonya served as General Counsel for The Beck Group for 11 years. She was involved in mitigating risks and unforeseen obstacles by conducting due diligence, instituting, and modernizing compliance polices and staying abreast of evolving regulations specific to the construction and architectural industries. Tonya also developed litigation strategy and standardized contract templates to be used company wide. She implemented training procedures that included contract summaries of key points and notice letter templates, statespecific indemnification provisions and in-person contract review and training in the field.

JESSICA BARRERA

CHRISTOPHER ALELLO

Prior to her tenure as Beck’s General Counsel, Tonya was a partner at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, LLC, an international law firm and an equity shareholder at Winstead P.C.

By trade Di Kryfko has had a very successful career as an interior designer having the title R.I.D. (Registered Interior Designer) for 30 years now and has been published in DMagazine. She carries the honors of Best Dressed Design Dorm @ Texas Tech for her daughter and roommate’s room. The IHG Best Design of the Year for the Crowne Plaza Dallas, 2010, Best Design of the Year Hotel Indigo, Garden District New Orleans 2011, and to be published in a Thermador publication this coming year of her daughter’s and husband’s residency in Dallas. She was nominated for the Women in Service and Enterprise called the W.I.S.E. Award in 2018. Di serves on many boards and committees some being the Dallas Methodist Hospital Guild, a Board member and Sunday School teacher for Harvest Church and serving as the Food Coordinator for the Miss Texas Organization. Di loves to wait on these girls with such great goals for their lives. She is committed to giving her time to this great scholarship program the Miss Texas and Miss Texas Teen Organization. In her free time she loves spoiling four grandkids.

Laura Lemonade is a community builder with a strong belief in giving back to the community. She is a local Southlake mom of ten year old twin girls and the Founder of “Jet Set Girls,” an inclusive and encouraging community of women who love to discuss all things travel-related. It is in travel that

she has found her passion in helping others to live their best lives.

As a Virtuoso Luxury Travel Advisor, Laura specializes in sending others on dream vacations when she is not busy volunteering in the community. She is excited to help others live their dreams and to use her knowledge of the travel industry to help elevate the experience of families.

Charmain Valentine Rule is an Artist and Interior Decorator who resides in Downtown Dallas, with the love of her life and husband of 18 years, Leo Rule. Charmain’s Art Studio is in Richardson, Texas, where she paints and creates one of a kind large scale art pieces for her clients and host fun creative Paint Party’s. Her unique artwork has been featured on HGTV and The OWN Network. Charmain is the momager of 5 beautiful children and 7 beautiful grand children. She has been involved in pageants for many years. Her daughter, Tatianna, competed in pageants since the age of 5 and was Miss Harris County’s Outstanding Teen as well as Miss Dallas’ Outstanding Teen. As new empty nesters, Charmain loves to travel with her husband and spend time with family.

Thank you so much to our incredible 2024 Miss & Teen Panelists! We are grateful that each of you took the time out of your schedule to select the next Miss Southlake, Miss Westlake, Miss Southlake’s Teen, and Miss Westlake’s Teen!

CHARMAIN V. RULE

LAURA LEMONADE DI KRYFKO

TONYA JOHANNSEN

THE LAKERS 2024

Candidates Listed Alphabetically by Last Name.

Annette Addo-Yobo MISS DELEGATE TEEN DELEGATE

TEEN DELEGATE

TEEN DELEGATE

MISS DELEGATE

TEEN DELEGATE

Sunya Ajani

Ava Bradley

Kamille Brooks Zahmaria Choice

Ashlyn Cohen

Phoebe Collins MISS DELEGATE

McKenzie Connelly MISS DELEGATE

TEEN DELEGATE

Lola Chabot

MAKING THE TEAM

Candidates Listed Alphabetically by Last Name.

Sophia Haddad

Lilly Dale

Austin Douglas

Carissa Rowland

Grace Shoop

Mimi Tafel

MISS DELEGATE MISS DELEGATE TEEN DELEGATE TEEN DELEGATE MISS DELEGATE TEEN DELEGATE

Lana Gillett TEEN DELEGATE

Reese Gordon TEEN DELEGATE

Laila Toubia TEEN DELEGATE

MAKING THE TEAM

COMMENTATOR

CAROLINE CAROTHERS REED MISS TEXAS 2016

Caroline Carothers Reed won the title of Miss Texas in 2016 at the age of 20 and has been giving back to the Miss Texas Organization ever since. After placing in the top seven at Miss America, Caroline juggled her batons at hundreds of school programs across the state talking with students about perseverance, responsibility, and embracing math. She obtained her Bachelors in Management from Baylor and her Masters in Higher Education Leadership from UT Austin, and she currently serves as the Coordinator of the First-Year Housing Experience at TCU.

In addition to her educational career, Caroline is the founder of Twirl U, a small business dedicated to helping high school twirlers achieve their dream of twirling in college.

Caroline is happily married to her Baylor sweetheart, Dr. Grant Reed.

Angela Witzkoski MISS DELEGATE

Deya Williams TEEN DELEGATE

2022-2023

The Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization has been incredibly active since the 2023 Competition. Jenna Oakley, Alexandra Steele, Summer Owens, and Caylei Robertson represented Southlake at 100 in-person and virtual events. We are so thankful for their incredible service to their community!

Southlake

Hope. Jenna’s mission is simple. Hope. After the unexepected loss of her brother, hope was one thing Jenna was missing. Instead, she was confused, sad, and isolated. Activities that once brought her joy felt like a chore.

Inspired by her own personal experience, Landry created her Community Service Inititaive, H.O.P.E. for Healing: A Grief Support Initiative. In doing so, Jenna Helps Other Process Emotions.

As Miss Southlake, Jenna has focused on her community service initiative. Through her program, Jenna shares her own personal story of the loss of her brother. In doing so, Jenna aims to destigmatize the grief process. Together with the Boys

and Girls Club, Jenna serves as a resource for young students, providing them the vocabulary to speak about their emotional journeys, equipping them with outlets to process grief in a healthy manner, and directing students to resources in times of need.

Through her non-profit, Jenna has also sough to address inquitable access to mental healthcare. Specifically, Jenna’s non-profit subsidizes access to grief support programming so that all people, regardless of their socioeconomic background, are able to access the resources in their own time of need.

Outside of these initiatives, Jenna has engaged the City of Southlake as an ambassador of the Miss Southlake Scholarship

Organization. She has been welcomed with open arms at a variety of community events. Outside of this, Jenna has been a proponent of the Miss Texas Organization, launching a preparation series on TikTok.

In addition to her work as Miss Southlake, Jenna is an awardwinning vocalist. In fact, she is the recipient of Female Artist of the Year and Song of the Year at the Inspirational Country Music Awards. Core among her songs is “I’m Gonna Miss Me,” a selfwritten ballad that captures her grief journey.

Currently, Jenna is focused on recording and releasing her second album, set to be realesed in the coming months.

Visibility in literature is being challenged like never before. Studies show that book banning is the most widespread form of censorship in the United States. In fact, between July 2021–June 2022, 2,532 individual books were banned, affecting 32 states, 138 school districts, and 5,049 schools, according to PEN America. The American Library Association 2023 report shows that the number of book challenges nearly doubled between 2021–22 and that the number of unique titles challenged increased 38% between 2021–22. Unfortunately, Texas is the leader, with 801 bans in 22

school districts as of September 2022. Last semester alone, Texas school districts banned an additional 438 titles, according to PEN America.

Alexandra Steele had never been a member of the Miss America Organization until September 2023, called ot advocate for an issue close to her heart. Read Free: Your Story Matters seeks to combat the rise of book censorship in society today. Miss Westlake Alexandra Steele launched this three-part initiative during her year of service with tremendous success. From the launch of her podcast Read Free to the launch of her Banned Book Club to the recent construction of her Little Free

Library, Alex has consistently emphasized the importance of equal representation and intellectual freedom. Through her promotion of the American Library Association resources, Alex has equipped others with the necessary input of industrylevel experts on this critical issue.

Outside of her community service, Alex has spent her year of service as a frequent emcee of events in the Southlake/Westlake communities, including Home for the Holidays and Celebrate Southlake. In Spring 2023, Alex graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts.

Children deserve to see themselves, to know their story matters, and, especially if they aren’t supported, they deserve to feel that their life matters through a story.

STEELE ALEX

Representation, something that Miss Southlake’s Teen Summer Owens’ hometown severely lacked. Hailing from a small town in west Texas, Wellington, population 1,896, has never welcomed a Miss Texas’ Teen to the city. The last Miss Texas to visit Wellington was ten years ago: Miss Texas 2012 DaNae Couch, Executive Director of the Miss Southlake Scholarship Organization. Summer Owens was in that classroom. Central to Summer Owens’ year of service has been being a representative of her hometown, teaching people that they are not defined by where they came from. Being from a small town does not mean you will have a small future.

As Miss Southlake’s Teen, Summer Owens launched her community service initiative, Be the Beat: The Power Is In Your Hands! Inspired by the loss of her grandfather to heart disease, Summer Owens sought to promote the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and becoming CPR/AED trained. In

conjunction with the American Heart Association and Living for Zachary, Summer Owens educated her audience about heart disease, informed them about simple lifestyle changes that can significantly reduce the risk of being affected by it, and emphasized the importance of learning life-saving emergency response techniques. Uniquely, Summer Owens launched the Be The Beat Playlist on Spotify, includes songs between 100120 BPM that can be used to perform hands-only CPR. Additionally, Summer created a viral series showing popular songs that can be used for CPR, including Taylor Swift, Star Wars, Beyonce, and more.

A first time competitor at the Miss Texas’ Teen Competition, Summer Owens left her mark. At Miss Texas’ Teen, Summer Owens went on not only to place

in the Top 12 but earned herself recognition for Alpha Talent for her rendition of Malagueña on the Piano. For her recognition with the Best of Texas Gold Medal Award, Summer Owens is currently serving as an 20232024 Ambassador for Texas Cares for Children (TCFC). TCFC is a non-proft affiliated with the Miss Texas Organization that provides leadership development programming in underserved communities in the State of Texas.

Having graduated from Wellington High School in May 2023, Summer is now a freshman at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and childhood obesity have some similarities but many differences. Unlike childhood obesity, PWS drastically affects appetite, growth, metabolism, cognitive function and behavior. Sadly, many people are not aware of the prevalence and risk of PWS, a genetic disorder.

Unfortunately, PWS has significantly impacted Miss Westlake’s Teen Caylei Robertosn and her family’s life following the passing of her counsin. Now, it is Caylei’s mission is to educate others on PWS so that people are equipped to help those around them and live a healthy lifesty.e

This tragic los inspired

Caylei’s Community Service Initiative, It’s a Family Affair: Always Hungry for a Cure. With this initiative, Caylei raises awareness about PWS, informing them of the notable differences between PWS and childhood obesity. In doing so, she equips her audience with Caylei’s Three E’s: Exercise, Eating Habits, and Education.

During her year of service, Caylei raised awareness about PWS, spotlighting her own personal experience as well as key information about how to live a healthy lifestyle. In advocating for her initiative, Caylei is a repeat speaker at the annual Prader-Willi Syndrome Association conference.

Beyond her community

service work, Caylei was an active member of the Southlake and Westlake Community events, emceeing Home for the Holidays; embracing cultural diversity Diwali, Juneteenth, and Spring Festival; and enjoying fun opportunities like Oktoberfest and the Westlake Classic Car Show.

On September 3, Caylei Robertson was selected to represent the Miss Texas’ Teen Host City as your new Miss Richardson’s Teen 2024. As Miss Richardson’s Teen, Caylei will promote her community service initiative and compete for Miss Texas’ Teen in June 2024. To follow her year of service, follow @CayleiMeetsTexas on Instagram.

CAYLEI

Proud sponsor of Miss Southlake and Miss Texas Scholarship Organizations

Best Wishes, Austin!