By James Massara
CCN News Director
BUCYRUS — Sarah Clapper was called many things during her visit to Wynford Local Schools on Thursday, everything from a princess to the president of Ohio, but the currently-reigning Miss Ohio helped students of all ages look past the glamour of her sash and crown and hear a message of self-worth and importance.
Clapper, a Louisville, Ohio native, came to Wynford to share a message she learned firsthand after suffering a spinal injury, ending her 13-year competitive gymnastics career. The career was how she identified herself throughout her young life and was lost without that identity.
It was then that she developed the platform, “Athletics Today, a Lifetime of Tomorrows,” a message she has shared with countless schools during her time as Miss Ohio.
“We began the morning with the 7-12 students, and we really focused on where our personal value comes from and understanding that our value doesn’t come from what we do with our lives, but understanding who we are as individuals and base it on something that’s infinite in value, which is our ability to make a difference in this world,” Clapper said.
She said she believes how someone becomes a leader is through the ability to live a life by a set of values and add value to the lives of other people.
Clapper said she wants students to be involved in activities, but hopes they discover their value beyond how they perform on an athletic field, how well they play an instrument or how high their grade point average is.
After a large group discussion, the students broke up into smaller leadership sessions to identify values that would apply to the classroom and how to put those values into motion. She said she challenged the students to be the ones to uplift others and support their classmates, teachers and communities.
She added that the middle school students should use the similar mindset of values as they begin to transition into young adults and can begin to show those values to others at a younger age.
During her meetings with the middle school and elementary age groups, one topic Clapper felt was important was the importance of women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, a subject dear to Clapper personally.
Clapper, who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ohio State University with an architecture degree with honors and research distinction, uses a book to help share the message with the younger students.
The book “Rosie Revere, Engineer,” tells the story of a girl trying to be the best engineer. Clapper said the book tells of the hurdles the character and other women must overcome to be an engineer and work in a STEM career field.
Clapper said speaking to the students early is key.
“Especially in middle school, they are starting to hone in on their passions, and by the time they reach high school, they have to be making sure that they are taking the proper classes to really develop those skills,” Clapper said. “It’s especially important in middle school for young girls to hear it’s OK to be a girl who embraces her femininity, but also isn’t afraid to enter a male-dominated field.
“As someone who has an architecture degree and is Miss Ohio, I’ve faced some interesting challenges along the way, but being able to walk into a classroom and tell girls it’s OK to like to play dress up and like glitter, but like to turn around and construct buildings is a unique opportunity.”
The opportunity to speak to an expected 80-90 schools in northwest and north central Ohio was made with the help of Hempy Water Conditioning Inc. and Hempy President Jeff Knedler.
“Jeff and Hempy Water have been an absolute blessing in my life and in my experience as Miss Ohio,” Clapper said. “Jeff has the heart the size of a normal heart times 10 and Hempy Water is truly about making a difference in the communities. When I told Jeff, I wanted to get into as many schools as possible, he already had those connections because Hempy was already a supporter of just about every school in northwest Ohio.”
She said in all the schools she’s visited, if she can reach just one student, then she’ll feel accomplished in her work.
“If just one student has that moment, then everything, the preparation and the five years it took me to become Miss Ohio would be 100 percent worth it,” Clapper said.
Clapper’s reign as Miss Ohio comes to an end June 16, when she will crown the next Miss Ohio at the Renaissance Theater in Mansfield.
Clapper competed in the Miss America Pageant in September and was awarded the women in business scholarship.
“Although I didn’t walk away with the title of Miss America, I received everything that I needed,” Clapper said. “I was able to finish paying off my (college) loans and made friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Even when she passes on the Miss Ohio title to the next winner, Clapper hopes to continue inspiring youth to find their values as well as continue with her architecture career.