Today we kick off our new Teen series, The Road to Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen 2018. 30 young women, in the month of June, will be competing for the title of Miss VA OT, and only one will go home with the crown. The first contestant we are introducing you to is Miss Apple Blossom Festival’s Outstanding Teen 2018, Emily Kinsey. Emily is a sophomore in high school and ready to take the Miss VAOT stage by storm! Continue reading to learn more about Emily, 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.
I am a sophomore at Glen Allen High School in the Specialty Center for Education and Human Development. At Glen Allen, I’m a varsity sideline cheerleader and a member of several student clubs. Outside of school, I spend most of my time as a student at the School of Richmond Ballet taking technique classes, rehearsing for our many productions, and being a member of our special performance group, The Ensemble. I was basically born into pageantry! In fact, my 1st birthday was celebrated by sharing cake with contestants at a local pageant in Richmond. My Mom was a longtime volunteer and sponsor of the Miss Virginia Organization, so I would attend local pageants in my stroller while my family sold tickets or helped backstage. As I grew up, I got to know the contestants better and looked up to many of them as role models and big sisters. I started participating in the Miss Virginia Princess Program at age 6, and even got to attend National Princess Camp at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen at age 9. I then competed for Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Preteen and won the title in 2014. I’m now returning four years later to compete for Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen as the Apple Blossom Festival representative.

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 the most important to me. Community service and the difference I am able to make with my platform is the reason I initially got involved in this organization and it’s the reason I have continued to be a part of it. I love seeing each titleholder’s platform that they advocate for and how they work together with other titleholder’s platforms. Even though they may be completely different, they create a bigger and more positive impact in their communities.


During Isabella’s reign, what is one characteristic you’ve seen her bring forth as Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen, and which do you hope to emulate if you were to win the title?
Isabella is very active on social media about what she’s been doing in relation to her title and community service work, which is something I would like to incorporate even more of as a state titleholder.

What have you learned from our current Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen, Isabella, that can help you be a better outstanding teen?
I think it’s very important to not only be actively involved in my platform, but work with other titleholders and their platforms as well to create a bigger overall impact. My marketing plan that I established called Titleholders Teaming Together will continue to take this effort to the next level.

Please share with our readers your platform and why you’ve chosen to advocate for it.
My platform is “Princesses for Pets – Promoting Animal Advocacy.” I started at 5 years old when I participated in the Richmond SPCA Dog Jog as the captain of my own fundraising team. My platform started as a way for me to interact and spend time with pets because at the time, I didn’t have any in my own home. As the years have gone by, it has grown to be more about animal advocacy which includes finding homes and supporting shelter animals, fighting against animal neglect, promoting ethical animal practices, and much more. For the past 11 years, I’ve chosen to advocate for animals because they don’t have a voice to speak up for themselves and create change. I am that voice, and I encourage others to be too.

If you were to win the title of Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen, how do you hope to better educate your generation about your platform and the importance it holds?
I would love to visit schools across Virginia and discuss the importance of animal rights and how easy it is to get involved. In my opinion, the most important message for our generation is that one person can make a difference and start a chain reaction. I feel like my generation has a tendency at times to think that one person won’t change anything when in reality, one person can make a huge impact.


Tell us about your talent and the decisions you made in proceeding with this talent.
I will be performing character ballet en pointe to “Friend Like Me” from Disney’s Aladdin. I predominately practice pointe and ballet at my dance school, but I have a passion for musical theatre as well. This year, I decided to fuse both dance styles and put it to a high energy Disney song because my family and I are Disney fanatics. I’ve been super involved in the choreography, as well as the costume design, because I love seeing my vision come to life. I can’t wait to perform it in June!

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?
My biggest advice is to figure out what truly touches your heart, and then your platform will pick you. The MAO system gives you an opportunity to raise awareness for a cause and it’s most effective if your platform has personal meaning to you. I think it’s also really helpful to go watch some local or even state pageants to get an idea of what the competition is like.

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 think that when the community sees young women who are committed to service and are working towards a change in their field, it makes them realize that the Miss America Organization is much more than a pageant. The crown and title are just symbolic things that open the door to give us even bigger opportunities to make an impact.


Regardless of who wins the title of Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen, what is one goal which you have for them, which you hope they will accomplish during their reign?
I would most like to see the winner get the attention of younger children and encourage them to make a difference in their community. I would also especially like a higher number of young girls to become involved with the Miss Virginia Organization at the Princess level. I think this would create a generation of people who are committed to service.

Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. Tell our readers what make you “bravura.”
My ability to balance so many activities such as ballet, school, cheerleading, pageants, and community service, while being fully committed to all of them, is what makes me “bravura!”

Where can fans follow you on social media?
My personal Instagram is @emmykinsey, and the account associated with my title and community service work is @missappleblossomot18.

Do you have any final words for the readers of Bravura Magazine?
Readers of Bravura, I leave you with my favorite quote to live by – “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”