The gym is filled with the sound of heavy lifters grunting, the smell of sweat lingering in the air and the constant whirring of protein shakes being blended. Amidst the gym rats and spin class moms, senior Talya Weinstein does her cardio by walking on the treadmill — in high heels. This unconventional workout is a regular occurrence for the beauty pageant contestant, who is preparing for a new level of competition: the National American Miss Pageant.

Getting Involved

Talya Weinstein had a strong start to her pageant career, placing in the top 10 in the Miss Teen Missouri USA competition, winning first runner-up at National American Miss Missouri, first place in athletic wear and winning Miss Congeniality at the Missouri USA pageant. She has since participated in several other pageant competitions, with her greatest achievement being qualifying for the Miss National Beauty Pageant in November 2023.

During the summer after her sophomore year, Talya worked at a camp for children and adults with disabilities in Rhinebeck, New York. Interacting with the kids, she found herself connecting with young boys in particular and listening to their difficulties in making new friends. Inspired by her experience, she joined organizations such as Best Buddies, Special Olympics and Ladue Night Lights, which were aligned with her efforts in helping children.

“This is when I decided to make it my mission to make sure all kids, regardless of their abilities, have the opportunity to make friends,” Talya said. “In September, I heard about the power of pageant platforms. I enrolled in Miss Teen Missouri USA to gain a platform to advocate for children and adults with disabilities and also to expand inclusion programs across the state.”

Showtime

Talya is familiar with all the chaos behind the pageant stage. A day at the pageant is not for the weak, beginning at 4 a.m. with an elaborate hair and makeup routine, followed by a flurry of pageant-related activities with her fellow contestants. The day is packed with dress rehearsals, a grand opening number, a sumptuous lunch and dinner and intense practice sessions. While these festivities are some of the best parts of the pageant experience, they are also both physically and mentally draining.

“Pageants are very tiring and exhausting because each day I’m up, on average, 19 hours,” Talya said. “I woke up around 4:30 a.m. and went to bed around midnight. This was a big challenge for me competing in my last pageant.”

These long hours and tireless practicing are sometimes overlooked in the pageant arena. When thinking of beauty pageants, the image that comes to mind is little girls in sparkling dresses prancing around on a stage, similar to what Talya pictured when she watched pageant shows as a little girl. People think of the elaborate costumes, big hair, makeup and spray tans. While this is a fun part of the pageant experience, it is far more meaningful to Talya.

“One of the biggest misconceptions in the pageant industry is that you’re all considered by your looks,” Talya said. “However, every pageant girl has a platform or a community involvement project. For example, I’m currently working with the Missouri Best Buddies Board on expanding their inclusivity programs and creating a student advisory board. The judges are not looking for the most beautiful contestant, they are looking for who qualifies the most for this title.”

Bonding

Participating in pageants can often be accompanied by intense pressure and cutthroat competition. However, what makes this competition truly difficult is not the rivalries between other contestants, but the pressure that contestants place on themselves to perform at their absolute best. From perfecting their talent to mastering the runway walk, pageant competitors push themselves to their limits to succeed.

“The hardest thing for me at first is realizing your biggest competition is yourself and not the other girls,” Talya said. “Pageants are not all up in the air, and the judges don’t just pick their favorites.”

Boyd Weinstein, Talya’s father, accompanies her to all of her pageants and is her biggest supporter throughout the entire process. Apart from spending quality family time together, watching Talya compete and explore her interests through pageants has strengthened their bond like no other.

“Pageants have enhanced an already close relationship with Talya,” Boyd said. “Seeing her so happy during the process has been wonderful for me.”

Pageant passion

From family to friends, everyone can see the love that Talya has for pageants, including her friend senior Kingsley Eastman.

“Talya talks to me about how she always knew she wanted to do pageants at a young age,” Eastman said. “She was always watching pageant videos and looking at all the dresses.”

In addition to practicing for mock interviews with her pageant coach, Talya also dedicates six days a week to working out at the gym to maintain her physique. While hard work and dedication are key aspects of her performance, what Talya thinks is her biggest asset in every competition is her passion and love for pageants.

“She works so hard and doesn’t care what anybody thinks about it,” Eastman said. “That’s so inspirational to me because you don’t find something you love so much that often.”

When it comes to pageant contestants, several factors contribute to what makes a good one. For Talya, it’s prioritizing exemplifying leadership and showing her personality through the interviews, helping her stand out from the competition and also making her a positive role model. By doing so, Talya can inspire younger participants to develop these same traits and become leaders themselves.

“Pageant contestants should always exhibit leadership skills and confidence,” Talya said. “Especially being one of the older age groups, it’s always a good idea to be a role model for the younger contestants.”

Mindset

Talya’s dedication to her winning mindset has been the driving force behind her success in the pageant industry, despite being a relatively new contestant.

“Talya only entered the pageant world this year at 17,” Boyd said. “Her journey has not only brought her joy, but also helped her develop strong interpersonal skills.”

This unwavering passion has only grown since she has seen firsthand the differences she can make for young kids which is the main reason she started, by using her powerful pageant platform to spread awareness.

“I always remind myself of all the progress I have made in just half a year of competing, which keeps me motivated to do better,” Talya said.