Your Uniqueness Is Never A Weakness

by Diane M. Ciarloni

photos of Haleigh by Sheldon Smith and photo of Haleigh with Christian Liberty School cheerleader courtesy of the Hurst Family

Haleigh Ryan Hurst, a 17-year-old senior at Liberty Christian School in Denton, is familiar with challenges. She lives in a small town between Denton and Decatur. Actually, it’s a very small town. But its geographical limitations do nothing to restrict Haleigh’s dreams, which are big. Actually, they are VERY big.

Haleigh is beautiful, talented, smart, “I was different, and kids don’t know how crowned the winner of multiple beauty to deal with different,” says Haleigh. “But I pageants, and out-going with a full circle was really different! I was 5’10” in the sixth of friends. Life sounds idyllic for her, but grade and wore a size 10 sneaker in the that wasn’t always the case. fourth grade. My hair was curly, and I was She was bullied and taunted in school about her teeth that “bucked” over her unbelievably clumsy. And don’t forget the speech impediment.” bottom lip. Braces pulled them back into Haleigh hated her differences. She perfect alignment, but that did nothing was called names, made fun of and, for her severe speech sometimes, things impediment. She could not master the She was called even became physical, such as the instances pronunciation of the letter “r” and, on top of names, made fun when she was shoved into lockers. She that, she suffered a lisp of and, sometimes, couldn’t help but that made her speech sound something like things even became wonder why God made her so different the babble of a physical... and allowed her to pre-schooler. feel so worthless.

Kids are often cruel. It’s not always pre-meditated, but that doesn’t change the pain and the humiliation. The unpleasantness was overwhelming at times. But something inside Haleigh continued dreaming.

Haleigh’s parents bought 90 acres of land along with some horses. This would make most kids think they’d been transported to heaven, but Haleigh and her older brother....well....they just weren’t interested in the horse world. Instead, Haleigh, the tall, clumsy kid with the lisp, had turned her head toward beauty pageants. How? Why?

“I don’t know,” sighs Sara, Haleigh’s mother. “I hate to say this, but I think she may have watched Tots and Tiaras on television. I refer to that as a “bling” pageant, and we weren’t going to allow that. I thought if I let her be in one pageant, it would be enough, and she’d move on to something else. I was wrong.”

Haleigh began competing in what are called “natural” pageants, no make-up allowed until 13. A judge spoke with her after one pageant and said the only thing he found “wrong” with her was her inability to communicate easily because of her speech problem. She told her mom and dad that she wanted to fix it.

The speech therapist they visited told them it would require two years to correct Haleigh’s speech patterns. Haleigh did it in six months. Today, there is no trace of that problem.

Life moved on for Haleigh. Dance and cheerleading became two more passions, eventually becoming captain of her cheering team. Volunteering at Christian charities was another. She also added working with children to the list, along with writing. She’s never forgotten the harsh, hurtful words thrown at her during the days of bullying. There were no books, then or now, that gave her hope, so she sat down and wrote and published her own, titled Shine Your Light. Don’t tell Haleigh “words will never hurt you” because she knows they do hurt – badly. That’s why she decided to use words for good and for healing.

Haleigh is a member of seven clubs at school, is president of her class, and makes straight A’s. She doesn’t date a great deal because, really, there just isn’t time. She believes strongly that pageants, which she began at the age of nine, helped make her a stronger, better, more confident person. The competitions have even deepened her faith in God, teaching her to wait for his timing as to whether or

not she won. Sometimes, she left without a crown.

Haleigh’s most recent pageant accomplishment is the Miss High School America Pageant, a national event she qualified for by winning her state title. She competed against girls from every state and territory in the United States.

Her pageant success allows Haleigh to engage in public speaking at schools and various organizations. In turn, it provides her a pulpit for spreading her antibullying message.

“Do not give someone power over your life,” she says. “Stand up! Use your voice to impact those around you! Use your words to spread encouragement. Your differences should never be a weakness.”