Our series, “The Road to Miss Massachusetts,” continues with the next contestant, Aubrie Przybysz, who is the current Miss Lakeville 2017! Continue reading to learn more about Aubrie and her journey towards the crown!

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Aubrie Przybysz, Miss Lakeville 2017
Social Media: Putting Your Best Foot Forward

How long have you competed in pageants? How do you think you’ve personally grown with all your prior pageant experience?
I’ve been competing in the Miss America Organization for 6 years. This year is my last year of eligibility. There’s a saying that people often use, “win out or age out.” So much has changed in myself since the first time I stepped foot on stage. It’s not easy to sum up into words. I choose to put myself in front of a group of people who I know are judging my every move and word to make sure I’m right for the job. That takes a lot of courage and strength for any woman. I started out a self-conscious and unprepared 18-year-old girl and through my time in this organization I’ve bloomed into a confident, poised and passionate young woman.

In regards to your platform, why did you choose to go with this particular one?
Social Media has become such a powerful force in our society today. I created my Facebook account in 2008 and at the time it was still so new to the world. It was really up to us to figure out how to use it. I will never forget when some of my fellow classmates were suspended over Facebook posts my junior year of high school. It was definitely a reality check and sent a strong message. Facebook was a public profile. It wasn’t our private world to just post whatever we wanted without consequences. Even now, there isn’t an official rule book. I started my platform to help people navigate the world of social media. I’ve even created a website, https://www.socialmediahandbook.com , to lay out guidelines for parents, young professionals, and anyone who wants to know more about the world of social media.

How has working alongside your platform made you into a stronger person?
It’s showed me how powerful my voice can be. I spend so much of my time now researching everything I can, so I can be a wealth of knowledge for parents and peers. It’s become this incredible project that I am so passionate about and proud of.

What have you learned from your current Miss Massachusetts, Alissa Musto, which you hope to carry with you if you were to win the title of Miss Massachusetts?
There really is no better person to be than yourself. Alissa exudes that. It’s easy to get caught up trying to be the person you think Miss Massachusetts should be when the most important thing is to just be yourself. Alissa, more than any state titleholder I’ve met, has really stayed true to that and it’s incredibly refreshing.

As a title-holder, what is one of the single-most important messages, which you think you convey to your followers?
My pure passion for this organization and all of the opportunities it brings me. What we get to do as titleholders is so special and I’m so grateful for that.

If you were to win the title of Miss Massachusetts, what is the one thing which you would strive the hardest to accomplish?
I would love to translate my platform into a statewide school program. I would work to help develop a program that’s all inclusive for students and parents, offering the right education for each group.

Imagine you’re competing for Miss America, and your roommate has never visited Massachusetts; how would you describe your state to your roommate?
Imagine the best part of all four seasons and put them together. That’s Massachusetts. We are lucky enough to get the best part of Spring, Summer, Fall and even Winter. And you can travel the entire length of the state in just a few hours. You can see every inch of our state without worrying about taking a flight!

If you could place three items in a time capsule, which represent the women of today, what would they be and why?
Red lipstick, because women of today are bold and red lipstick is timeless. A set of weights, because women of today are strong. A copy of Hillary Clinton’s campaign poster, to show that women of today are just getting started.

Because of media, many people tend to look at pageant with a very scrutinizing opinion; For you. personally, what have been some of the biggest benefits of being a part of the Miss America Organization. And how would you share the positive nature of pageants with others who may not be Familiar?
The Miss America Organization was just voted the number one scholarship provider in the world. Our current Miss America, Savvy Shields, has earned over $90k in scholarship funds from this organization. That’s huge! Competing in this organization is not just making me a better person, it’s helping me pay off my student debt. And that is just one part of this program. It also encourages us to bring awareness to the causes closest to our heart.

“Bravura” is an artistic word for exceptional; in your opinion, what makes you “bravura”?
The one thing I am most proud of, is being a hardworker. It’s something I learned from watching my parents and my grandparents. It’s become a pillar of who I am. I don’t give anything 90%, I give everything 110%. Beauty will fade and youth doesn’t last, but defining myself by my work and the quality of that work is what is most important to me.

Where can fans follow you on social media?
Facebook: Miss Lakeville – Aubrie Przybysz, and Instagram: @misslakeville.

What advice do you have for those who want to take part in pageants?
It’s not easy and it’s ok if you don’t win your first one. Most girls don’t. It took me a few tries before I won my first pageant. So be persistent, take critiques, learn, improve and be the best version of yourself. When you do win, it feels that much better because you fought for it and you earned it.

What words of thanks do you have for those who have helped to bring you to where you are today in the Miss Massachusetts Class of 2017?
Thank you will never be enough. I didn’t get this far on my own. I have been lucky enough to come across people through this organization that have believed in me and helped me find see the best parts of who I am. Today, I consider some of these people family. I want to say thank you and I love you and you are the most important part of my journey.

What final words do you have for the readers of Bravura Magazine?
Miss America girls are more than just “pageant girls.” We are a group of dynamic women. The road to Miss Massachusetts is about more than finding the perfect gown and practicing your talent day in and day out. A big part of the journey as a contestant is a very personal one. You go through ups and downs because of how bad you want this job and how important this organization is to you. And you also spend a bulk of your free time volunteering for causes and becoming a thought leader for your personal platform. I am so proud to be part of an organization that continues to empower women and encourage them to continue to go above and beyond every expectation.