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By Curtis McQuilkin
(Michaela’s proud father)
It was 8:10 pm on October 10, 1992 that I as a man, realized and saw first hand what precious life was about. This was the day my daughter, Michaela was born. With her jet black hair that quickly turned blonde, and her pudgy baby face, I new I had a fighter in my hands. This would turn out to be very true later as we would find that Michaela was diagnosed with craniulsyntosis, which later we would learn had affected her speech. Michaela started going to speech therapy at a very young age, and thus began her fight to succeed!
From the very beginning we knew Michaela was determined to succeed, at her speech and in her life, she was very much a daddy’s girl. Michaela worked long and hard to better her struggles with her speech. When she began school kids would often assume she had an accent, which was ok by her.
While she struggled to perfect her speech she took her frustrations out on the soccer ball. Michaela started playing soccer at a very young age and quickly grasped the idea of the game and succeed at it at an accelerated speed. Michaela often played on teams that where 1 and 2 years her elder just so she would have some competition.
As she grew as a soccer player she also caught the attention of several of the valley’s elite soccer clubs. I’d have coaches coming to me on the side lines trying to recruit Michaela from the age of 6. She didn’t really understand what was going on but quickly learned which motivated her to practice and work even harder at her speech and her soccer skills. Eventually Michaela graduated from speech therapy and elevated herself to one of the highest levels of soccer in the state.
Playing up for an elite traveling and competitive soccer club, Michaela had learned that nothing could stop her if she just stayed determined and worked hard. One of her earliest goals was capture when she was accepted to the states ODP squad (Olympic Development Program) and later attended a week long try out at the University of Idaho, for the Regional tryouts with girls from all over the West and as far as Hawaii.
While playing soccer and traveling, Michaela didn’t have a lot of time for the salons and quickly persuade a fond respect for cosmetology. Reading magazines and using the internet Michaela got aspirations to create her own home remedies. There was many times that I’d go to grab an ingredient like brown sugar only to find it missing and usually sitting in some facial concoction Michaela had created or on her face. Thus began Michaela’s love for Beauty and Fashion.
After several years of living with stinky feet from soccer cleats and our sugar and spices disappearing, Michaela decided it was time for her to pursue other interests. Michaela decided to give up soccer while in middle school to try other activities like Volleyball and Cheerleading. She quickly excelled at both and during her first year of cheer was elected Captain of her squad, all this while pursuing almost a 4.0 GPA in school and attending several functions to support her peers and school.
By the time she reached the 8th grade she was elected Vice President of her student body, which she took very serious and worked hard with her other elected officials pondering great thoughts and ideas to better help their peers attending their school, and to help the more misfortunate people of her community by working with her peers to raise money through several different types of fund raisers to be donated to the ones in need in our community.
Eventually Michaela was invited to take part in the Miss Teen Idaho USA Pageant being held on October 25, 2008, at Nampa’s Columbia Auditorium. Michaela will be representing Meridian and her community as the Greater Meridian Teen USA, as she puts her hard work and determination into her bid for the title of Miss Teen Idaho USA and then onto the Miss Teen USA.
Of course none of this is free to the girls and each Miss Teen has to raise at least $995.00 to be in the competition. These funds are raised by the teens through sponsorships from their community, businesses, family and friends. The money obtained is used for the girl’s room and board during the pageant, prizes for all contestants, and to help send the winner to the National competition and Idaho’s bid for Miss Teen USA. Michaela has a good start so far with some great sponsors from our community however more support is needed, it doesn’t matter the size of the support for all benefits the same, whether $25 or $250.
The supporters will have an opportunity to be listed in the pageant's portfolio and possibly during the live show. Also, if our Michaela is crowned Miss Teen Idaho USA, those supporters may have advertisement, TV, and radio opportunities with our newly crowned Miss Teen. So please help Michaela by showing your support in our community by giving her a great start as she vies for the title and crown and brings it back to our community, contact information for questions in regards to sponsorships and event details will be included at the bottom of this announcement.
Also at this time the pageant is holding their online Miss Photogenic contest, so please go to www.missidahousa.com click on contestants and Miss Teen in order to view the teen contestants and hopefully click on Michaela McQuilkin’s photo to vote her Miss Photogenic, with the winner being announced the night of the pageant.
So please, Michaela has shown us all great determination and that Idaho drive to succeed, as well as her support and love for her community and peers. Let’s all now show our support for this very special Treasure Valley, Meridian, and Idaho local girl by voting and supporting her through sponsorship as she puts all her strengths and talents together to bring the crown to our community.
Little known fact, last years Miss Teen Idaho USA was fourth runner up in the Miss Teen USA pageant, our highest ranking ever. Let’s continue this climb and help our Local girl Michaela, to reach her goal and possibly bring the Titles of Miss Teen Idaho USA, and Miss Teen USA back to us all. Thank you for your support!!
Curtis McQuilkin
(Michaela’s proud father)
Contact Info: Home. 208-898-5948 Cell. 208-571-5059 cmcquilkin@hotmail.com
Pageant Director: David. 425-985-4176 david@pageantsnw.com
Pageant Web site: www.missidahousa.com