The Road to Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen – Miss Laurel Highlands’ Outstanding Teen 2018 Cecilia Petrush
The Road to MAOTeen PA is not an easy one; but as you will see from the responses of the contestants who are vying for this title...they are determined to make it happen. The next contestant we are featuring is Miss Laurel Highlands’ Outstanding Teen 2018, Cecilia Petrush. She is currently a junior at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, PA, and is excited for the the journey she has embarked on for MAOTeen PA. Continue reading to learn more about Cecilia and the path she's paved towards the crown!
For those who may not be familiar with you, tell our readers a bit about yourself and your background within the pageant world.
Hi! My name is Cecilia Petrush. I’m a Junior at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, PA. I also study voice, acting and dance and perform in a lot of musical theatre productions. I want to major in Musical Theatre in college. This year is my second year as a Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen local titleholder. Last year, I competed in the Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen pageant as Miss Laurelwood’s Outstanding Teen and was awarded 3rd Runner-Up, Teens in Action and Overall Talent.
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. As Marian Wright Edelman said, “Service is the rent we pay for being.” I believe that this means that we owe a debt to our families and community where we must work to make our world a better place.
During Madison Dompkosky’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?
Maddy has been extremely supportive of local Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen pageants and their local titleholders. By promoting the organization at the local and statewide level, Maddy is helping the organization grow and assisting the local titleholders in promoting their platforms. I would love to embrace the organization with the passion and commitment that Maddy has!
What have you learned from our current Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen Madison Dompkosky that can help you be a better outstanding teen?
Maddy demonstrates dedication and devotion to every endeavor that she undertakes. I think that making such a focused effort pays off ultimately. You will be rewarded with the satisfaction that you did your best!
This photo of me, pictured with a lot of bags, is a photo taken after a weekend clothing drive I held in February 2018 at the Lamp Theatre in Irwin, PA. (Fun fact: I portrayed Peter Pan in a production of Peter Pan, Jr. at the theater that weekend).
Please share with our readers your platform and why you’ve chosen to advocate for it.
My platform is “Refashioning Lives.” I enjoy fashion for fun and to demonstrate style and artistic flare. But I have learned that many people struggle to meet their necessary clothing needs such as obtaining outerwear, job interview attire, court appropriate clothing, back-to-school clothes, etc. I work to advocate for the donation of new and gently-used clothing. What you can spare, they can wear! But I also work to educate about the importance of researching charities and donating to the organization that best fits your charitable goals.
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?
Public appearances and speaking engagements are a fantastic means to raise public awareness. An active social media presence also greatly assists in the promotion of a platform. However, I think that one of the best ways to educate my generation is to actually volunteer for organizations that serve my platform’s mission and to encourage my peers to join me in being “hands-on” volunteers. I cannot think of a better way to help establish a connection between my peers and my platform!
Tell us about your talent and the decisions you made in proceeding with this talent.
My talent is vocal performance. Someone like me who performs in musicals and wants to major in musical theater needs to be a triple threat, meaning that you need to be strong in singing, acting and dance. Of the three, vocals are my strongest talent and greatest love! In addition to singing on the Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen stage, I sing with my rock band “Out of Orbit,” with my high school chorus and also with a community outreach group, the Stage Right Sensations. I also cantor at my church and have been asked to perform the National Anthem. Some part of each day finds me singing!
This is a photo of me in front of Mother of Sorrows School, Murrysville PA. The photo was taken in February 2018 after I spoke to students and teachers about working together on a clothing drive to support my platform.
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?
Be yourself, pick a platform that you believe in and perform and serve with passion!
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?
Throughout my experience with the Miss America Organization, I have met girls and women who are friendly, well-rounded, intelligent and active in their communities. Each participant, in her own way, shows that she looks outside herself and supports those around her. I hope that when people meet me, my actions prove that I am not self-centered and that I care deeply for my family, friends and the greater good.
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?
My hope for the next Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen is that she is able to be confident in knowing that she did her best, that she feels love and support from the organization, and that she looks back on her experience with fond memories and carries inspiration for the future.
Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. Tell our readers what make you “bravura.”
Performing on stage makes me “bravura.” Nothing else compares to the feeling I get when I perform!
This is a photo of me from March 7, 2018 that was taken when I volunteered as a personal shopper at Project Prom 2018 held at Thriftique in Pittsburgh, sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women.
Where can fans follow you on social media?
My Facebook page is Miss Laurel Highlands’ Outstanding Teen 2018 Cecilia Petrush.
Do you have any final words for the readers of Bravura Magazine?
These questions truly were a lot of fun! I hope that when you have some free time, you will organize your closets and donate your gently-used items that you don’t wear anymore. With a little research, you will find an organization that could distribute your donations to those in need!I am so excited for the Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen Pageant this June and I hope that your readers will be following! Thank you for providing me an opportunity to promote my platform “Refashioning Lives” and the Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen Organization!
For tickets to the pageant, click here. To learn more about the MAOTeen PA pageant and current title-holder click here. You can also learn more about the Miss Laurel Highland’s organization here.
