Sophomore Kerry Koranteng won Miss Windy City’s Teen, a pageant competition for girls across Chicago, on January 18. Following her win, she will compete for Miss Illinois Teen in Marion, Ill.
The pageant consisted of five stages: an interview with the judges, an evening gown walk, a fitness walk, a performance highlighting a particular talent, and onstage questions. Kerry excelled in all five facets of the pageant.
The onstage questions offered her the opportunity to discuss her several initiatives that contributed to earning the crown.
"For the interview, I spoke about my initiative called Menstrual Equity, where I donate menstrual products to schools around Chicago areas so girls can use them when the need arises,” she said. “Also, I spoke about my foundation, Kerry K, and how I've been helping children in Ghana by giving them shoes."
The Kerry K Foundation’s mission is to “make kids enjoy being kids.”
Kerry previously appeared on the Drew Barrymore Show to spread awareness about her start-ups and share some goals for the nonprofit. “My first goal is to get scholarships for these kids,” she said. “Some of their families can’t afford tuition, so a scholarship would help and also to keep them busy and get them off the streets.”
Kerry’s philanthropic work and resume impressed the pageant judges, and after a strong show of charisma, Kerry glided across the pageant stage bejeweled. For the talent portion of the pageant, she performed a contemporary ballet piece.
Kerry has been dancing and competing in pageants since she was 10 years old. Despite her experience and success, the process is still rigorous.
“It can be a lot of work trying to nail your interview questions, find the best gown, and perfect your talent,” she said. “It can get overwhelming sometimes. But at the end of the day, seeing my progress makes me happy, seeing how much I've grown from being on stage at 10 years old and now."
Kerry competes in the Miss American Teen pageant system, which allows her to leverage her success in her college applications. The Miss Illinois Teen title she is striving for next includes a $5,000 scholarship prize.
"You get scholarships for colleges and a lot of opportunities to help you in the future. So that's why I chose this pageant system, as I'm about to be a junior," she said.
In addition to offering scholarships and other opportunities, pageants teach Kerry life skills.
"It helps you with interviews, which can help you find a job,” she said. “Pageants make you get more comfortable with people you meet across the country, which helps with communication skills. I see pageants as something that prepares you for adulthood.”
