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As we continue our “Road to Miss New Jersey” series, our next contestant is Miss Cape Shores, Kelcie Klaus.

Please tell us why you chose to compete for your local county’s title?
I have been competing in this organization for three years and have had the opportunity to serve my home county as Miss Gloucester County and the South Jersey region as Miss South Jersey. In preparing for this year, I chose to compete for the title of Miss Cape Shores in hopes to represent one of my favorite parts of our state, the Jersey Shore! Having been lucky enough to win the title, I have had a great year pairing my love for our Military and the gracious hearts of the shore community.

What do you plan to accomplish if you were to win the title of Miss NJ 2016?
As Miss New Jersey 2016, I hope to encourage Americans of all ages to understand the importance of treating our American Soldiers as the heroes they truly are. It will be my mission to lend support to our deployed troops, do all that I can to ensure the families awaiting their loved ones returns are comforted, and represent the great state of New Jersey with great passion.

Share with our readers a bit more about you platform and why you picked this particular one.
My personal platform, United We Stand, United We Serve, has been inspired by my younger brother Christian; he is currently serving our country as an Airborne Infantry Solider with the United States Army. My brother and I were always very close so it was difficult not being able to see him or speak with him during his basic training. My family would desperately search his company’s Facebook page for any image of him and we would be excited to find a letter he had written us in the mailbox. I was overcome with emotion when my brother’s company marched in chanting their cadence for the families during his basic training. I felt such pride when vowed to serve our country as an Airborne Infantry Soldier with the United States Army. I cried when my 19 year old brother told us his unit was being deployed three months after finishing his training. We lived in fear for every minute he was in Iraq. It was such a difficult time for me and my family. I was comforted by the support and understanding I received from other people I would meet who had family members serving in the military. I wanted to do more to support our troops. It became evident to me that there was so much more we can do is honor their sacrifice. I began my platform as a model for all Americans to cohesively work together to support those who we could otherwise never repay.

“Bravura” is an artistic word for exceptional; in your own words, tell us what makes you ‘bravura’!
I think what is so great about this group of girls is that though there are 30 of us, we are all uniquely exceptional. I have not always found my success in a crown and heels. I grew up the oldest of six kids, on a horse farm, and greatly immersed myself within the Gloucester 4-H program. I was a 4-Her from the young age of 8 and took part in hosting a Japanese exchange student, raising a seeing-eye puppy and even held the state champion halter title. I have had a passion for community involvement and living life to the fullest from a very young age. I was recruited to participate in a Miss NJ local by a director while I was working my full time job at 18 years old, and since have never looked back. I have grown immensely through this organization and have such a unique foundation while allows me to live with an exceptional outlook on life.

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To purchase tickets for the upcoming Miss New Jersey pageant, please visit THIS LINK.