Wales girl wins Utah Teen title
Robert Stevens
Managing editor
10-13-2016
PROVO—A girl chosen as Sanpete County’s Outstanding Teen has won the Utah Outstanding Teen title and now goes on to compete in the national Outstanding Teen pageant.
The winner, Addelyn Brotherson, 14, of Wales is the youngest Utah title holder since 2006, according to Utah Outstanding Teen executive director Amy Rasmussen. She won the crown Oct. 1 at a pageant at the Covey Center for the Performing Arts in Provo.
The Sanpete, Utah and American Outstanding Teen pageants are all affiliated with the Miss Utah and Miss America organizations. Brotherson’s official title is “Miss Utah’s Outstanding Teen” (MUOTeen).
“Winning Miss Utah’s Outstanding Teen is a dream come true,” Addleyn said. “Eight years ago, I accompanied Kayla Barclay to Miss Utah as her “Little Miss.” She won. It was an experience I will never forget.
“As a 6-year-old old girl, I now had new dreams and new goals. I wanted to be Miss Utah some day. It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication but I can say, dreams really do come true.”
MUOTeen is a scholarship pageant open to girls ages 13-17 and is an official state preliminary competition in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen program. According to Rasmussen, the competitions promote academics, creativity, health and community involvement.
On the state level, MUOTeen has a scholarship and in-kind prize package valued at more than $200,000. The money is divided among various contestants.
Addelyn was one of 27 contestants, all of whom won 2016 MUOTeen competitions in their various counties.
She now has the opportunity to compete in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen pageant in July, 2017 in Orlando, Fla., where more than $350,000 in scholarship funds will be awarded to contestants.
“It still hasn’t really sunk in (that) I’m going to walk on the Miss America stage,” Addelyn said
“Addie” as she is called by friends and family, competed with a platform entitled “Miss Addie’s Team.” In her platform, “MISS” is an acronym for Mental Illness Silently Suffering.
Addelyn says she hopes to help end the stigma associated with mental illness and spread awareness about the resources available to people who want to get help for mental illness.
Besides winning the state title, Addelyn was nominated for the Teens In Action award, a special award based on contestants’ service platforms.
“Addie was also a talent preliminary winner, which is important to carry on the strong talent that is expected from Utah,” Rasmussen said.
For her talent portion, Addleyn performed a lyrical dance routine to “Keep Me” by Lucy Schwartz.
She also won preliminary awards for evening gown and for on-stage question. Both awards come with a $150 cash scholarship.
“Her maturity and personality was a light on stage as she caught the attention of our judges early on in the competition,” Rasmussen said. “She is a great communicator and exudes kindness and warmth.”
Addelyn is the daughter of Jared and Liz Brotherson and attends North Sanpete High School.
