By James Massara
When some people hear the title of Miss America, or another title given in a similar contest, they may think of it simply as young women being paraded in the public eye to be looked at, but one Crawford County native is using her platform as Miss Ohio Collegiate America to make a positive impact on Ohio’s youth.
Joanee Church, a 2014 graduate of Wynford High School, recently spoke to the Bucyrus Rotary Club on how she has used her platform to go into Ohio schools and teach students how to better themselves, after being crowned Miss Ohio Collegiate America in November.
While enrolled in Valor Christian College in Canal Winchester, Church has been participating in a program called Building Respect and Values for Everyone (BRAVE), which is an anti-bullying campaign for school-age children.
“I wanted to make a positive impact on lives of children and in my community and surrounding communities,” Church said. “I really wanted a hands-on experience.”
Church said bullying is a terrible thing and she wanted to work on addressing it with young children early to try combat the problem.
She said she wants to be the start of change.
“I believe change begins with one voice, and that’s all it takes to make a difference,” Church said.
Church said she uses a superhero versus villains analogy to help bring to a level of understanding for the students.
“They just get it and it really clicks with them,” Church said. “It’s a pure joy to get to do that and see it resonate with them.”
She added that she always tells the students at each visit that there is no one else in the world like them.
Church is set to make an appearance at her home school and hopes others in the area will invite her to speak as well. She said it’s an opportunity she never thought she’d get from a beauty contest.
“I grew up thinking it was all about the dresses,” Church admitted.
After receiving a random letter in the mail for Miss Teen Ohio USA, Church decided to compete in Miss Ohio USA twice, and finished in the top 15 on one of the tries.
Church then decided to compete in the Miss Ohio Collegiate America competition.
“I really thought it’d be cool to represent Bucyrus and Crawford County and help put it on the map if I won,” Church said.
Church hopes to continue to carry on the Crawford County name as she is set to compete in the national Miss Collegiate America pageant in Little Rock, Arkansas in June.
Regardless of her finish in June, however, Church hopes to use degrees in Christian ministry and business and work in children’s ministry. She also someday would like to utilize a cosmetology license she possesses to own a salon.