Reading Teen Garners Honor at Miss Teen Massachusetts Pageant

When the judges at the Miss Teen Massachusetts pageant announced that contestant No. 13 had won the title of Miss Photogenic, Reading contestant Emily Earle stood and applauded for the winner. Then after a few seconds, she realized something.

“I was standing on stage when they said that it went to contestant No. 13,” said Earle, a Reading Memorial High School student. “Then I looked at my pin and said ‘Oh my gosh, that’s me.’ It was the best feeling of my life. It was shocking.”

Earle entered her first ever pageant over the weekend as she participated in the Miss Teem competition with hopes of spreading her anti-bullying message.

Though she didn’t win the contest, Earle did take home Miss Photogenic out of the 67 contestants who graced the stage.

Just as she anticipated, Earle had plenty of nerves as she prepared for her first ever pageant. But those went away she said, as soon as the spotlights were on.

“It was butterflies to the extreme,” said Earle. “But as soon as my foot hit the stage, I was comfortable.”

Earle added that participating in the pageant, representing the town of Reading, and helping spread her message of anti-bullying made the entire weekend a worthwhile experience.

“It was totally an honor,” said Earle. “The stage boosts your confidence in seconds. Winning the big title or not, it was the experience of a lifetime.”