Pageant offers Hays High grad opportunity for college, travel
By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN
There are a variety of ways to earn money for college.
Randi Pfannenstiel has found a fun, challenging avenue of working for scholarships.
Pfannenstiel, a 2007 graduate of Hays High School, this week will be competing in the America's U.S. Miss National Pageant on Thursday through Sunday in St. Louis.
Pfannenstiel cheered all four years of high school, then earned a cheerleading scholarship to Fort Hays State University, where she has cheered for the Tiger football and basketball teams the past two years.
But she decided to take a chance on another means of putting herself through school.
The America's U.S. Miss program provides thousands of dollars in college scholarships as well as the chance to network with people from other parts of the country.
The top five contestants overall at nationals will receive scholarship money.
The overall prize package also includes an appearance on the cover of Supermodels magazine and a cruise to the Bahamas.
Pfannenstiel hopes to bring home some of those prizes while competing against contestants from each of the 49 other states.
She earned the right to compete at nationals after faring exceptionally well last year in Kansas City at a regional event that included about 30 participants from each of four different states -- Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri.
It was her first pageant since Pfannenstiel was a preschooler, and she decided to give it a try again when her aunt in the Kansas City area told her about the opportunities it provided.
It was a good move for Pfannenstiel, who won gold medals for super model, most photogenic overall, best personality and prettiest in four categories: dress, smile, hair and eyes. She also earned two awards, a first runner-up and a fourth, in photogenic, and the Spirit of America trophy.
And she even was crowned Miss Midwest Victory Co-ed in her age division for 19- through 24-year-olds. There also are age divisions for 16- to 18-year-olds, as well as for those 13 to 15 years and 9 to 12.
Each state also had a top winner, and Pfannenstiel finished as first runner-up in the Miss Kansas portion of the event.
"I was really surprised," she said of her collection of awards. "They'd call my name, and I'd look at my mom in the crowd like, 'Really?' "
Pfannenstiel already was settled into her routine in her second year of college last fall and was planning her schedule for community service as Miss Midwest when she received a call from America's U.S. Miss in September.
Miss Kansas 2009, she was told, actually was too old to compete for the national title. Would Pfannenstiel like to assume the duties of Miss Kansas as well as those of Miss Midwest?
It didn't take her long to answer yes.
"I was so excited, ecstatic," she said. "Another chance at winning scholarships."
"And," added Pfannenstiel, who said she hasn't traveled much in her life, "another chance to meet more people."
Contestants at nationals will be judged in several categories -- personal interview, evening gown, casual wear, academics, community service, and resume and accomplishments.
Pfannenstiel said her experience of being in front of people as a cheerleader has helped in the pageants.
"I'm pretty comfortable with it," she admitted.
Pfannenstiel has no coaches like many of the other contestants, which she has used to her advantage.
"I don't think I'm as nervous as some of them," she said. "I'm not worried about having everything so perfect."
"Some of them are so stressed out," she added. "You can tell they are so worried about doing well. I just go and do my thing."
Consequently, Pfannenstiel isn't nervous about nationals -- yet.
"More excited than anything," said Pfannenstiel, who will be accompanied to St. Louis by her mother, Andrea Hoss, and her grandmother, Mary Schoenberger.
No matter what the outcome this week, Pfannenstiel believes she has benefitted from the total experience.
Following nationals, she will continue her duties as Miss Kansas 2009 through the end of the year.
"Basically," she said, "it's a door to many opportunities."