2008 Woodie Awards
Junior wins Miss Racine, Miss Congeniality title
Tabatha Wethal
Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
A junior communication major won a local pageant title in Racine, along with the chance to compete for the Miss Wisconsin title.
Laura Kuzia, 21, is a junior at UW-Whitewater majoring in speech. She said because of the recommendation of a friend she entered the Miss Racine pageant. She said she spent much time practicing for the talent portion of the competition and working on her platform issue, which was inspired by and linked to an organization aiming to educate women about ovarian cancer that was named for Kuzia's grandmother: the Jane Cremer Foundation. Cremer died of the disease in 1997.
In addition to the overall title, Kuzia's competitors voted her "Miss Congeniality" of the 2007 Miss Racine pageant, an award that goes to one participant each program who is chosen as the most friendly and sociable by the contestants.
"That to me was such a big honor because it's voted on by my peers," she said.
Kuzia's mother, Vicki Kuzia, said her daughter's genuine personality contributed to her title.
Kuzia competed with five other Wisconsin women in categories such as talent, interview and swimsuit competition. But Kuzia said the pageant is less about beauty and more about a contestant's personality, talent and interview. She said the latter two categories made up 60 percent of a contestant's overall score.
"I know a lot of people have stereotypes about pageants," Kuzia said. "People think it's all looks, but it's not called a beauty pageant, it's called a scholarship program."
Kuzia said she enjoyed the pageant experience and believes her year with the title will contribute to her future studies and potentially her career.
According to the Miss Racine Web site, the program helps contestants pay for college with scholarships and provides opportunities for development of "public speaking skills, poise, and other skills that will be essential in [contestants'] professional and personal lives."
Kuzia said because she had never been in a pageant before, the Miss Racine competition taught her a lot about hard work and the pageant process. Kuzia's mother said watching Laura get crowned was moving.
"It was so exciting-I can hardly explain it," Vicki Kuzia said. "I was so happy for Laura because she had worked so hard to get that."
Kuzia plans to graduate in May 2009 and will compete in June 2008 in the Miss Wisconsin pageant.
Laura Kuzia, 21, is a junior at UW-Whitewater majoring in speech. She said because of the recommendation of a friend she entered the Miss Racine pageant. She said she spent much time practicing for the talent portion of the competition and working on her platform issue, which was inspired by and linked to an organization aiming to educate women about ovarian cancer that was named for Kuzia's grandmother: the Jane Cremer Foundation. Cremer died of the disease in 1997.
In addition to the overall title, Kuzia's competitors voted her "Miss Congeniality" of the 2007 Miss Racine pageant, an award that goes to one participant each program who is chosen as the most friendly and sociable by the contestants.
"That to me was such a big honor because it's voted on by my peers," she said.
Kuzia's mother, Vicki Kuzia, said her daughter's genuine personality contributed to her title.
Kuzia competed with five other Wisconsin women in categories such as talent, interview and swimsuit competition. But Kuzia said the pageant is less about beauty and more about a contestant's personality, talent and interview. She said the latter two categories made up 60 percent of a contestant's overall score.
"I know a lot of people have stereotypes about pageants," Kuzia said. "People think it's all looks, but it's not called a beauty pageant, it's called a scholarship program."
Kuzia said she enjoyed the pageant experience and believes her year with the title will contribute to her future studies and potentially her career.
According to the Miss Racine Web site, the program helps contestants pay for college with scholarships and provides opportunities for development of "public speaking skills, poise, and other skills that will be essential in [contestants'] professional and personal lives."
Kuzia said because she had never been in a pageant before, the Miss Racine competition taught her a lot about hard work and the pageant process. Kuzia's mother said watching Laura get crowned was moving.
"It was so exciting-I can hardly explain it," Vicki Kuzia said. "I was so happy for Laura because she had worked so hard to get that."
Kuzia plans to graduate in May 2009 and will compete in June 2008 in the Miss Wisconsin pageant.
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