It was her fifth try, but it was worth it. Julia Crane, a 22-year-old University of Vermont graduate and perennial Miss Vermont contender finally grabbed the crown and became Miss Vermont 2018 on May 26, at the pageant held at the Chandler Center in Randolph.
“It’s very surreal,” Crane said. “I have been doing this for five years, and have loved every second of it, but I was ready to be Miss Vermont 2018.”
Crane said she focused on herself, after coming close to the crown in the past, and that seemed to have made the difference.
“I really thought about what I was, and who I was,” said the Colchester native. “I realized that the only way I could be the best Miss Vermont was to be Julia Crane. I was just trying to be the best version of myself possible.”
Strength, she said, also made trying again possible.
“It takes perseverance, and it takes someone who is strong, but this organization, and Miss America as a whole, makes strong women. They empower women to be themselves,” she said.
Despite a small class, Crane said the other contestants brought serious competition.
“We had a class of quality,” she said. “All of these women have been competing for years, [except] we had one newcomer, who was fantastic and knew what she was doing. I was lucky to be beside them on stage.”
Her platform is Be A Hero, Be An Organ Donor, and she hopes to spread that across the Green Mountain State. She also wants to attract more women to the program.
“I really want to grow the program. One of my main goals is recruitment, and to empower women
to join this organization. I also want to work with my platform and raise the number of organ donors in the state of Vermont,” Crane said.
About competing for the title of Miss America, Crane said that was also “surreal.”
“I’ve been able to go down and watch it for two years now,” she said. “
I kind of know what I’m doing, but I can’t believe I finally get to be on that stage. That, to me, is incredible.”
“Sheer shock,” said Shannon Adams, who was crowned Miss Vermont’s Outstanding Teen at the same pageant. Adams, a 16-year-old Harwood Union High School student from Warren, had never been in a pageant before, but is used to performing with her harp on stage.
“I had no idea what was about to happen, but when I heard my name, I was just really excited,” Adams said. “I was nervous at first, but once I got out on the stage, I was so excited to be out there performing.”
Adams said she hopes to promote her platform, Creative Minds – The Importance of Arts Education.
“I’d like to do what’s called an ‘instrument petting zoo’ in some local schools,” Adams said. “You bring in a bunch of instruments that kids get to try. They’ll want to be more engaged, and want to take lessons.”
Adams said it hasn’t sunk in yet that she’ll be competing for the title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen in July.
“It’s going to be ten o’clock tonight, and I’ll be lying in bed, and then just go, ‘Whoa!’” she said.
For more information, visit www.missvermont.org.
New England Pageant News 