The next contestant to be featured as part of our series, "The Road to Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen 2018," is the current Miss Bristol County’s Outstanding Teen 2018, Emma Guillotte. Emma is currently a freshman in high school and eager to show those attending the MAOTeen MA pageant what's she's got up her sleeves. Continue reading to learn more about Emma and her journey to the crown!

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For those who may not be familiar with you, tell our readers a bit about yourself and your background within the pageant world.
I am a 15 year old freshman student at Somerset-Berkley Regional High School, and my platform in Unify Against Bullying. I got involved with the Miss America Organization around the age of 8, when I began being a Little Miss for my cousin, Jillian Zucco. As I followed her to all the pageants she competed in through this organization, I got to watch so many amazing and inspiring women compete on stage and represent something they were passionate about. When I found out there was an Outstanding Teen program and was eligible to compete, I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do.

The four points of the Miss America crown represent: service, scholarship, style, and success. Which one is the most important to you and why?
Service is most important to me, because I believe it’s important to get involved and give back to your community and state.

During Carly’s reign, what is one characteristic you’ve seen her bring forth as Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen, and which do you hope to emulate if you were to win the title?
Throughout Carly’s reign, she has been so friendly and approachable to everyone. When you see her, you just want to talk with her and get to know her. She has been so helpful and welcoming to me throughout this past year we’ve known each other. That’s how I hope to be if I were to win the title. I want to be approachable for people of all ages throughout the state.

What have you learned from our current Miss Massachusetts, Jillian Zucco, that can help you be a better outstanding teen?
I have learned so much from Jillian, but I think the biggest is to persevere and have determination. Go after your dreams, stand up for what you believe in, and ignore to what others have to say. Always believe in yourself and never give up.

Please share with our readers your platform and why you’ve chosen to advocate for it.
My platform, entitled Unify Against Bullying, promotes anti-bullying with kids and teens. I have created a program, which I present to students in schools, camps, and after-school groups. In the program, I educate students about what bullying is, how bullying can affect a person, and how they can help deal with and prevent bullying for themselves and their peers.


If you were to win the title of Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen, how do you hope to better educate your generation about your platform and the importance it holds?
With the title of Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen, I hope to be more visible and approachable to kids and teens who are dealing with bullying. I would be able to spread my program to a greater audience and educate more kids and teens about the effects of bullying, especially with social media and technology making bullying worse now with cyber-bullying.

Tell us about your talent and the decisions you made in proceeding with this talent.
I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember and come from a very musical family, so it was no surprise I decided to sing for my talent. My talent is a vocal performance to Carrie Underwood’s “How Great Thou Art”. I chose this song because it’s the favorite song of my grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s. I’m singing the song in dedication to her, even though she won’t be there to see me compete.

Having been in pageants and after winning a local title, what advice do you have for those who want to start competing in the MAO system?
To those who want to start competing, have confidence. It’s like you’re competing against yourself. None of the other contestants can go out onto the stage and stop you. The experience is what you make of it. And there is no such thing as failure. Whether it’s the crown or not, you always walk away with something. No matter what, you always leave with a new experience, new friendships, and lessons learned.


Because of the way media and certain television networks have portrayed the lifestyle of pageantry, there is a preconceived notion of what a pageant girl is like. How do you think that being a part of the Miss America Organization you are able to break that barrier?
Being a part of the Miss America Organization, have been able to break that barrier by showing girls that they are more than a beautiful face. In the Miss America Organization, we win titles based off our.

Regardless of who wins the title of Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen, what is one goal which you have for them, which you hope they will accomplish during their reign?
I hope that whoever the next Miss Massachusetts’ Outstanding Teen is makes the most of her year. I hope she does as much as she possibly can during her reign to make it a memorable year and everything she hopes it will be.

Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. Tell our readers what makes you “bravura.”
I’m “bravura” because of all the accomplishments I’ve made with my platform in the past year and a half. I’ve been so lucky with all the success my program had made. I’ve presented my anti-bullying program almost 20 times to camps, clubs, programs, and schools throughout Bristol County. I’ve received a grant and donations for bracelets to pass out as a reminder the students make to me when they promise to be kind and report bullying. I have also been invited into my school’s anti-bullying program because of all I’ve done on my own, which we have received awards and recognition for. I also got the opportunity to be featured in a video for the United Way of Greater New Bedford. I’m do thankful for all the opportunities I’ve been given and all the progress I’ve made with my program to help kids deal with and prevent bullying.

Where can fans follow you on social media?
On Instagram at emmabeans03, or on Facebook at Emma Guillotte and/or Miss Bristol County’s Outstanding Teen.

Do you have any final words for the readers of Bravura Magazine?
Don’t be afraid to stand up for something you believe in to help make a difference. Especially in our world today, we are the ones who can make a difference for our future and be the change in our world. Whether it’s big or small, you can make a big difference by standing up for an issue or cause and be heard.