Many of us grow up watching the Miss America pageant, whether on a local level or on TV every September for the crowning of a new Miss America! And it was the same for Alexis Houser, the current Miss Montgomery County's Outstanding Teen 2018. Since she was little, she was watching the local pageant in the Miss New York system. So, it came as no surprise when she decided that the MAO was something she was interested in being a part of. Continue reading to learn more about Alexis 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.
As a young girl, my mom always used to bring me to the Miss Fulton County pageant every January. Every year we would go, I became more inspired to be like the talented women I would watch compete. In 2010, I watched Alexis Swatt be crowned Miss Fulton County’s Outstanding Teen and I knew I wanted to be just like her. I looked over to my mom and said ” Mom, someday I am going to be just like that girl.” Flash forward six years later, I was that girl on stage being crowned and my “big sister” for the year was Alexis Swatt. The Outstanding Teen program has not only given me confidence but it has also allowed me to gain a group of sisters that I can always count on. Just a few weeks ago, I was crowned Miss Montgomery County’s Outstanding Teen and I couldn’t be more happy to be apart of this sisterhood once again.

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 feel that the most important point of the Miss America crown is success because the other three points embody what it means to be successful. Service, style, and scholarship all play an important role in your personal success. It is important to volunteer in your community, have your own style, and do well in school. These three points define what success really means.

During Asia’s reign, what is one characteristic you’ve seen her bring forth as Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen, and which do you hope to emulate if you were to win the title?
Throughout Asia’s reign as Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen, she has shown what it means to have a passion in everything she does. She is passionate about her platform, her musical career, and everything she does. If I were to become Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen, I hope to be as passionate as she has been during her reign.

What have you learned from our current Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen, Asia, that can help you be a better outstanding teen?
I have learned many lessons from Asia that have helped me be a better outstanding teen. However, I feel that the most important lesson she has taught me is that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Asia has achieved so many goals because she is  determined and I think we could all take something from her.

Please share with our readers your platform and why you’ve chosen to advocate for it.
My platform I am advocating is called When Life Throws You a Curve: Living with Scoliosis. At a young age I was diagnosed with scoliosis which occurs when the human spine is abnormally curved. In the summer of 2016, things took a turn for the worse and I would be required to wear a back brace every night. I was absolutely humiliated and refused to sleep over anywhere. Two years of wearing my brace faithfully has paid off. I no longer have to wear my brace and the curve of my spine has improved. My goal is to inform the youth about the importance of regularly being checked for scoliosis because it is a life changing disease. My other goal is to teach them that it is okay to be different than everyone else because you are your own person. You are unique and it is something that should be accepted.

If you were to win the title of Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen, how do you hope to better educate your generation about your platform and the importance it holds?
I hope to better educate my generation about my platform by showing them what scoliosis does to you. I want to show them the brace I had to wear every night and teach them ways that you can prevent the curve from getting worse. Living through through these experiences will make it easier for me to explain why my platform is important.

Tell us about your talent and the decisions you made in proceeding with this talent.
My talent is a lyrical dance to the song ” Young and Beautiful” by Lana del Rey. It was choreographed by Miss Caitlin Clark from High Performance Dance Center. I have been dancing with this studio since I was three years old and I cannot picture myself doing anything else. I am happiest when I am dancing and it allows me to show my true colors. Over the years, I have grown a passion for dancing and that is why I have selected it as my 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?
Always be yourself! If you stay true to who you are as a person, nothing will hold you back from achieving all of your goals. Be confident in who you are when competing and don’t let anyone tell you different.

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 has allowed me to show my community that I am not the typical pageant girl. I compete in pageants to make an impact on everyone I meet and show them how they can make a difference too. I want them to walk away with a different perspective on what it truly means to be a pageant girl.

Regardless of who wins the title of Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen, what is one goal which you have for them, which you hope they will accomplish during their reign?
I hope that whoever wins the title of Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen represents what it truly means to be an “Outstanding Teen.” I wish her nothing but luck and success throughout her reign and that she will make us all proud. I also want her to know that she has 18 sisters that will have her back in everything she accomplishes.

Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. Tell our readers what make you “bravura.”
Being a 17 year old teenager is hard at times but I never let anything stop me. I have a job, I go to school full time, I dance 18 hours a week, I am Miss Montgomery County’s Outstanding Teen and  manage to have a social life. My time management skills are a big part of why I am “bravura.”

Where can fans follow you on social media?
You can follow me on my Instagram page at mmcoteen2018 and my Facebook page at Alexis Houser – Miss Montgomery County’s Outstanding Teen 2018.

Do you have any final words for the readers of Bravura Magazine?
I would like to thank bravura Magazine for allowing me the chance to share my story with its’ readers. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support I receive on a daily basis and I am honored to be able to compete for the title of Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen this year. It is going to be an exciting journey and I can’t wait to meet my 18 new sisters in a few short weeks.

Join Bravura Magazine, as we will be at the Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen 2018 pageant, taking place on April 7^th! It will be at Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, NY! For tickets to the event, you can visit this link. Be sure to check back so you can read more about the other amazing ladies vying for the title of MAOTeen NY 2018!