NORMAN TRANSCRIPT - ARTICLE

The Norman Transcript
December 11, 2010

Smith nabs Miss Oklahoma USA title

By Aaron Wright Gray

The Norman Transcript

Photo by Todd Ballje - Makeup by Jennifer McLaughlin

NORMAN — When University of Oklahoma upperclassman Kaitlyn Smith decided to look into the Miss Oklahoma USA pageant, she thought it sounded like an opportunity to meet and reach out to a wide variety of people.

So it came as a surprise to Smith when she swept the contest — her first pageant ever — taking awards for best interview, most photogenic and people’s choice, along with the crown.

Smith, a Norman resident, won the title of Miss Oklahoma USA 2011 over Thanksgiving weekend.

Now she has her sights set on the Miss USA pageant in May.

Smith said she would have had a positive first pageant experience, even if she hadn’t won. She enjoyed meeting the women she competed with and became particularly close to the other top winners.

“The three of us just got along really well,” Smith said.

She said preparing for the pageant also allowed her to grow as a person as she researched politics and news items and formed opinions on her stance on these situations.

“It was very mental. I learned a lot about myself,” Smith said.

For her platform, Smith chose domestic violence against women, saying that she developed passionate feelings for preventing abuse after seeing her friend involved in a verbally abusive relationship.

Smith has taken a semester off her pre-medical studies at OU to prepare for May and the national Miss USA pageant.

“There’s so much that goes into it, I didn’t want to do either one halfway,” she said about her decision to delay school.

Meanwhile, Smith plans on staying busy with public appearances.

The California-native has no pressure-filled expectations for the national contest.

“I’m just kind of excited to see where it takes me,” she said.

Despite her big win coming early on, Smith has decided to cut her pageantry career short.

“I think this will be it for me,” she said.

Although she’s excited to prepare for and be a part of Miss USA, she is thrilled to have won the title of Miss Oklahoma and is content with her accomplishments.

Aaron Wright Gray 366-3533 pop@normantranscript.com

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OU DAILY - ARTICLE

OU student crowned Miss Oklahoma USA winner

Photo by Quinton Myers

Thursday, December 9, 2010

(Left to right) Senior Kelsie Guthrie, sophmore Kristen Berlin, sophmore Ashley Merritt and sophmore Amanda Hurney compete in the Miss Oklahoma pagent. (Emily Lagan/The Daily)

Spotlights illuminated the results of weeks and weeks of tanning, toning, dieting and studying. Donning evening gowns or swimwear, the Miss Oklahoma USA 2011 contestants walked the stage before an audience of devoted family and others in attendance.

Eight OU students participated in the pageant Nov. 26-28 in Guthrie, including the overall winner of the event.

Kaitlyn Smith, multi-disciplinary senior, took home the crown and title this year and won the interview and photogenic categories.

Although this year’s Miss Oklahoma USA was her first pageant, Smith saw it as an opportunity to challenge herself and make a difference.

“I just took it on as a new challenge,” Smith said. “I thought it would be a great way to make an impact and to push myself to do something new.”

Her platform for the competition was awareness of domestic violence against women, an issue she took seriously after seeing her friend go through an abusive relationship the summer before.

Smith said she really didn’t know what to expect of the competition but rather just “said a lot of prayers” and tried to stay optimistic.

“As cheesy as it sounds, just being yourself is important,” Smith said. “And if you don’t win, it’s not that they didn’t like you, but that they were just looking for something different that year.”

Public relations senior Kelsie Guthrie placed in the top 15 and won the swimsuit category. She had participated in Miss Texas Teen senior year of high school and made top 12 in last year’s Miss Oklahoma USA.

“For me it’s a hobby, but it’s also about personal skills, skills that will translate into the workplace,” Guthrie said.

Since philanthropy is an important aspect of a contestant’s resume, Guthrie has been heavily involved in volunteering for the Make-A-Wish foundation and acting as community service chair for her sorority Chi Omega.

To prepare physically and mentally, she underwent electrolysis with Body Trends, exercised with a personal trainer, worked on walking in her outfit selection with a pageant coach and studied with an interview coach.

“It’s a lot more time consuming than people think,” Guthrie said. “I was at Body Trends for two hours a day, five days a week, five weeks before the pageant. I was doing cardio two times a day in addition to all of that.”

With one winner, the odds of being chosen are slim.

“I was disappointed because it was kind of my goal [to win],” Guthrie said. “Honestly, I did my best and wouldn’t change one thing about what I did.”

The pageant spans three days and consists of several different stages.

Pageant contestants met for the first time Friday for orientation and a banquet where they get to meet the other competitors and learn the weekend’s agenda.

The actual competition took place Sunday night. After the opening dance number, the top 15 participated in swimsuit, evening wear and on-stage interview competitions.

“It’s an intense weekend, and you don’t get a lot of sleep,” Guthrie said. “But there’s nothing in the world like it.”

Ashley Merritt, journalism sophomore, said she’s loved performing on the stage and Miss Oklahoma USA was another opportunity for her to do what she loves.

“My favorite place in the world is to be in front of an audience,” Merritt said. “My goal was to be able to perform and feel confident and feel good. And I got that.”

In addition to a cash prize package, Smith will participate in the Miss USA pageant in May in Las Vegas.

Smith said she is taking next semester off to prepare for the pageant and is remaining optimistic about her chances.

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MISS OK USA PHOTO SHOOT

Thank you to BRC Photography, Lindsey Don for hair & makeup and Ruth Myers for providing my wardrobe.

MISS OKLAHOMA USA 2011 PAGEANT

"Have the courage to live the life you were meant to live."