On Saturday, January 12th, we will learn who will be crowned the next Miss America. In fact, your Miss Vermont, our own Chelsea Ingram is already in Las Vegas!
As you may know, every contestant has a cause, a platform, she runs on. For chelsea, its personal!
When Miss Vermont is crowned, the jewels synonymous with her new title serve as more than an accessory. Every point on that crown, has a meaning.
"Four pillars to the Miss America organization...scholarship, service, style, and success," Chelsea Ingram said.
It's the service part that took Ingram to South Burlington Middle School last month.
"My platform that I've been promoting as Miss Vermont is, entitled heart to heart," she said. She picked it because her Dad was diagnosed with heart disease when Chelsea was 11 years old, that experience influenced her own health habits.
"I've lost over 50 pounds in the past 4 and a half years," Ingram said.
Part of her role as Miss Vermont is educating people about her platform, heart disease.
"It really gives me even more motivation to continue doing what I'm doing just knowing that I'm making a difference and making an impression on someone else's life," she said.
Chelsea joined Lauren Maloney at the Vermont Heart Walk, last September. She sang the National Anthem, before survivors and supporters began the walk.
"Knowing that I want to be there for my kids one day, that's what keeps me motivated, so it's not as hard as you think once you find that spark that just ignites you to continue being healthy," Ingram said.
Similar motivation has kept Chelsea's dad healthy to this day.
"He looked at me and he said I'm going to change my lifestyle because I want to be there to walk you down the aisle," she said.
Lauren Maloney is going to Las Vegas next week, to bring your rehearsal footage and behind the scenes action.
The telecast airs on ABC 22, at 9 p.m. January 12th.
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