The Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen is not too far away, and the girls are getting ready for their big pageant day! One such contestant who is gearing up for the MAOTeen PA pageant is Cordray Negley, the reigning Miss Moraine State’s Outstanding Teen 2018. She is ready to share with the judges about her platform on Autism. Continue reading to learn more about Cordray and her journey towards 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.
Hello, my name is Cordray Negley and I am from Butler, Pennsylvania. I currently attend Butler Senior High School as a sophomore. A few of my favorite hobbies are photography, traveling, baton twirling, and watching baseball. This is my first year competing in the Miss Pennsylvania Outstanding Teen Organization. I am so thankful for this opportunity to grow as a person and meet so many wonderful people throughout my year. Throughout this year I am so excited to share my platform “The SOFA Project”, which stands for Speak Out For Autism. I hope to be a positive role model to everyone around me and learn from this experience. I hope that you all continue to join me and follow my journey as Miss Moraine State’s Outstanding Teen 2018.

The four points of the Miss America crown represent: service, scholarship, style, and success. Which one is the most important to you and why?
I believe all the four points are important, but the most important to me is service. To me, service shows your success and how you can make a difference through serving others. Also, the way you serve your community, state, or country shows who you are as a person. It also shows your responsibility, drive, and kindness. Volunteering has influenced my personal life, as it has taught me to be a hand when someone needs one and to leave my comfort zone and speak out to others about important issues occurring currently. I encourage everyone to step out and lend a hand to your community and volunteer.

During Madison Domkosky’s reign, what is one characteristic you’ve seen her bring forth as Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen, and which do you hope to emulate if you were to win the title?
Watching Madison throughout the year has influenced me to become a better person. She has been extremely successful with her platform and has been an outstanding role model for all us young girls. She has been extremely hardworking to promote her platform which is a very important quality for Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen to have. If I was to become Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen I hope to display a hard work ethic and drive to be successful with all I do.


What have you learned from our current Miss Pennsylvania, Katie Schreckengast that can help you be a better outstanding teen?
From Katie, I have learned to be strong and passionate for your beliefs. From following her through her journey as Miss Pennsylvania she has always had a smile on her face. For me her personality and passion has helped me to believe in myself and strive for your goals.

Please share with our readers your platform and why you’ve chosen to advocate for it. If you were to win the title of Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen, how do you hope to better educate your generation about your platform and the importance it holds?
My platform is “The SOFA Project”. SOFA stands for Speak Out For Autism. I have chosen this as my platform because I have been influenced by a young boy who has autism. When I was first introduced to him, he greeted me with a big hug and the brightest smile on his face. At that moment I realized he was so special to me. From being a high school student, these kids get bullied often because kids are afraid to help them or be their friends. I believe we need to speak out because they are no different and have unique qualities just like us. They are passionate, sweet, driven, and unique. What is different? Nothing. If I was to become Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen I would go to schools and spend the day in the special educational classes to show them how much they are loved, and for the general public I would teach them how special these children are and how much they can influence their own life. This is so important because everyone wants to be accepted and should be, and this is just the beginning.

Tell us about your talent and the decisions you made in proceeding with this talent. 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?
For my talent, I am preforming a baton twirling routine to the song “Rise Up” by Andra Day. I picked this song because I relate it to my platform. Many kids with Autism get lost in today’s society, but I believe they can rise up and show everyone they are just as unique as anyone else because I would be lost without them. From competing in pageants and winning a local title the best advice I can give is be yourself and do not compare yourself to others because you were made perfect the way you are.

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?
I believe that being a part of the Miss America system shows that you are responsible in your duties and driven to succeed your goals. For me personally this organization shows that you serve not for yourself, but for others. Also, the girls that are involved with this organization are well rounded, respectful, and kind young adults and teens. The outlook I have on pageants has completely changed since I have entered this organization and I hope to continue being a part of it.


Regardless of who wins the title of Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen, what is one goal which you have for them, which you hope they will accomplish during their reign?
For the new Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen, I hope that they have the experience of a lifetime and serve to accomplish their goal. The one goal I wish to see them accomplish is getting involved with as much as they can to make an impact and be a role model to their peers.

Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. Tell our readers what make you “bravura.”
What makes me “bravura” is my personality and kindness to others. With my platform I love to interact with children who have disabilities and share love and my personality with them. I love to make them smile and laugh because it shows me that they enjoy who they are and they are having fun. My kindness shows through when I go out of my way to help someone in need or even just being a friend to someone.

Where can fans follow you on social media?
Instagram.

Do you have any final words for the readers of Bravura Magazine?
I would just like to thank everyone reading this and for taking your time to learn more about me. I am honored to share about how much this organization had impacted many young girls’ lives as well. I hope you all continue to follow my journey through this year as Miss Moraine State’s Outstanding Teen 2018.