Miss SEO Teen Crowned

Ten local girls took to the stage Sunday afternoon in hopes of taking home the crown.

The young ladies shined in the spotlight during the Miss Southeastern Ohio Teen Pageant. Their scores were made up interview, community service, talent, fitness and evening wear. Family and friends cheered on all the girls, but there could only be one winner.  Rachel Sharkey, 17, from West Muskingum High School was named the 2010 Miss Southeastern Ohio Teen.

"At first it didn’t really hit me, I had that little bit of a lapse in time where my brain was still trying to process it and then when I processed it and Sierra (2009 Miss SEO Teen) came out to crown me she was like ‘it’s you’ and I got so excited, so that is when it hit me," tells Rachel.

Rachel’s platform is "Youth Leading Youth", which stems from an organization she started called Youth Leadership Team.

"Every school in the Muskingum valley area has a Youth Leadership Team and then we meet and we have lock-ins and stuff and we build leadership skills in each other and that way they can take them back to their home school and build those leadership traits in their home schools," says Rachel.

Rachel says the pageant was a great experience and all the girls were nice and supportive of each other. She will receive a prize package valued at $8,000 with scholarship money and prizes from local businesses. Rachel plans to attend Miami University and major in speech pathology and audiology.

Katie Jeffries

KJeffries@whizmediagroup.com