68 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com /CharlestonWomen What is miss lowcountry teen, and why is it a title you aimed to have? Miss Lowcountry Teen is a local preliminary scholarship pageant that’s part of the Miss SC Teen competition and the Miss America organization. To be honest, I entered this pageant on a whim. I’ve always been communityservice driven and had the opportunity to serve the Miss SC Organization as a Palmetto Princess, but I didn’t have an interest in competing. However, a few weeks before the Miss Lowcountry pageant, I decided to give it a try. Fortunately, it’s been a great experience. In fact, the last few months have been a great learning opportunity and a great way for me to spread the word about my love for music through my community service initiative, “What’s Your Jam,” helping youth find a creative outlet so that they can express themselves in a healthy way, connect with others with similar interests, and in return, serve their community. What is your main goal as Miss Lowcountry Teen? I want to help youth find their creative outlets. Throughout my life, I have found that whenever I was doing something I loved, like dancing or singing, I felt good about myself. I was able to express myself and make new friends. Even on my lowest day, dancing, strumming my guitar or even just drawing (even though I’m not very good) make me feel better. I want other kids and teens to feel the same way. Where do you find your confidence? I find my confidence from my relationships with my friends and family. My family is so supportive. I love knowing that my friends are there for me, no matter what. That just makes life a whole lot easier. Just think, a life without friends would be so sad. You’d have no one to share your secrets with, no one who could relate to your insecurities, no one to hold on to when you feel like everyone else has turned their back on you. When I’m performing and see one of my friends in the audience, I immediately become brighter and happier. Where do you go from here? What’s next? The next step is competing at Miss SC’s Teen competition in June. As I prepare for that, I am making appearances and trying to connect with local businesses for support. After the Miss SC Teen competition, I plan to continue pursuing music and hope to someday be a well-known singer and songwriter. I want my music to be known and loved by many people. I hope to have an album out within the next three years. I might need to move to Nashville, but I am most definitely willing to do that. Doing a tour would also be really fun. How does the community benefit from pageants? What should critics know? I’ve never considered myself a pageant girl, but I love how the Miss America organization provided scholarships and opportunities for teens and young adults. A chat with Miss Lowcountry Teen Ely Carroll Charleston Women in Philanthropy Miss Lowcountry Teen Ely Carroll
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