22 • The Beacon July 14 , 2022
Miller chosen as first runner up at Miss Ohio event
By Jen Jones
“ The me I was in high school would have never been interested in anything like this , but I ’ m loving it . It ’ s been such an amazing experience ,” said Madison Miller , a 2018 Coshocton High School graduate .
She recently competed in the Miss Ohio Scholarship Competition that was held in Mansfield in June . To her excitement and surprise , she was chosen as first runner up to her good friend and roommate Elizabetta Nies , who was crowned Miss Ohio .
“ When it came down to just the two of us , we were holding hands , and I leaned over and said , ‘ Have fun at Miss America .’ She asked why I didn ’ t think it was going to be me , but I just had a feeling in my gut that this wasn ’ t my year ,” Miller said .
Miller said she is so thrilled at the whole experience . “ I never thought about competing in any kind of pageant before . I saw a picture of the 2018 Miss Ohio , and I thought I looked like her . The idea stuck that I should try it . I felt like God was pushing me to do it . When I told my parents , they were like , ‘ Sure , another thing for you to do ,’ and kinda laughed at the idea cause I ’ m so busy with things . But I couldn ’ t let the idea go ,” she said .
Miller decided in July 2019 to compete and only had two months to prepare for her first competition in September . She was named Miss Maple City in Newark in September of that year . “ I was so happy and so surprised ,” she said .
Miller said she began studying preparation videos and talking to anyone who could help her do well in the June 2020 Miss Ohio competition . Due to COVID , it was canceled , so she had a year and a half to prepare for the June 2021 competition .
“ I did everything I could think of to prepare , but at times I felt like I was preparing myself for a show or something . I didn ’ t feel like it was really me I was showing ,” Miller said .
Submitted
Madison Miller was chosen as first runner up to her good friend and roommate Elizabetta Nies , who was crowned Miss Ohio .
Miller didn ’ t place in that competition , but she did win $ 1,250 in scholarships from going to Miss Ohio and from winning Miss Maple City .
“ That kinda got me thinking about trying again . I started this whole thing to be a better leader , a better person and to maybe pay off some college debt ,” she said . “ But I also decided that if I was going to do it again , I was going to forget so much preparation on how I should act and be and just be me . I had so much fun through the whole
thing . It ’ s so much easier to prepare to be a better me than to prepare to be a different person just to impress a few people . If I won , I had to be the person the judges saw all year . I wanted that person to be the real me .”
Miller thought preparing would be difficult , but once she broke the competition down into parts , it wasn ’ t so hard .
“ I already had my social impact pitch , as I ’ ve had a passion for veterans my whole life , and I started a nonprofit called The Veteran ’ s Narrative . Real Heroes . Real Stories . in 2021 . I have been playing piano for 18 years . I couldn ’ t really prepare for the on-stage question , and I love to talk about my passions , so my speech was easy to do ,” she said .
Miller said she was terrified at every competition until this year . She was named Miss Northern Ohio in February 2022 . “ When I chose my outfits , I asked myself if I felt good in it . Did I feel confident and relaxed ?” she said .
Miller said once she decided to just be the best Madison she could be , she enjoyed the competitions even more .
“ In this Miss Ohio competition , you really do learn more from losing than winning . I definitely learned to relax , have fun and just be me ,” she said . “ My goal this year was to be in the top 10 . I left with first runner up and $ 6,000 in scholarships , and now I can sit back and support Elizabetta as she competes in Miss America . I truly feel that she has a chance of winning .”
If Elizabetta does become Miss America , then Miller will have a big decision to make . Because she is the first runner up , she could step up and become Miss Ohio .
“ But if I do , I won ’ t be able to compete for more scholarships , and I won ’ t be able to compete for Miss America . Right now I ’ m thinking I ’ d like to compete again for Miss Ohio , but the truth is I just don ’ t know what I ’ d do . And how I feel now won ’ t be the same in several months . So I ’ m just saying I don ’ t know what I ’ ll do if that happens . I ’ m sure God will let me know the right decision if that time comes ,” Miller said .
Miller graduated from Ohio Wesleyan College in May 2022 with a degree in business administration with a focus on marketing and also a major in psychology . She also is busy with her nonprofit .
“ Veterans have always been an important part of
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