Miss Mississippi

Kathleen Williams

What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
I rode on a zip line through the rain forests of Mexico. The longest distance was a quarter of a mile long and 100 yards high over a river; I also rode on a roller coaster in Las Vegas that is 110-stories high. The crazy part of these two experiences is that I am somewhat frightened of heights, but I am not afraid to try new adventures!

Please list any Honors/Awards you have received in the past 2 years.
University of Mississippi Chancellor's Leadership Class Scholarship (12th)
Hall of Fame - Heritage Academy (12th)
National Honor Society (12th)
Prudential Spirit of Community Award (12th)
"I Dare You" Leadership Award (11th, 12th)
Presidential Award for Academic Excellence (10th, 11th, 12th)
National Honor Roll (11th,12th)
DAR Good Citizens Program Award (12th)
Class President (11th)
Quill and Scroll President (11th - 12th)

List any other Achievements/Accomplishments
1st Runner Up - Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2004
Voted "Cutest" in high school elite contest
Voted "Best Dressed" in high school elite contest
Chosen All-Star Cheerleader
Beta Club
Mu Alpha Theta - Math honor society
Homecoming Court
Class Favorite
Chrysalis worker; Chrysalis is a three-day high school religious retreat.
Academy Honors/Highest Honor Roll (9th-12th)

List any other Achievements/Accomplishments
Charity Medical Clinic Receptionist
Gastroenterology Associates
Babysitting

What are your strongest talents?
My strongest talents are self-motivation and optimism; I am able to keep my composure in potentially tense moments. My mother loves the fact that I am able to laugh at myself, and, I might add, that happens often!

Name one person, family, friend, celebrity, who has had the most influence on your life.
My grandmother - "Grammy." My grandmother is a strong, independent, ambitious woman who still possesses the qualities of a loving, sincere, and generous grandmother. Although she is retired, she's still extremely active in her community doing volunteer work. She is viewed as selfless and thoughtful. She lost a brother and both parents by the age of fourteen, and she lost her son, my mother's only sibling, to cancer at a young age. She accepted the tragedies with poise, dignity, and grace. If these qualities don't describe a beautiful woman, I've never met one. She is the ultimate role model, and her genuineness and kindness portray a type of beauty that is extremely rare.

Describe how you envision yourself in five years?
I see myself as a college graduate, pursuing the career of my dreams in New York.

What else do you want the judges to know about you?
I would like the judges to know that I live in "the now." I don't hold grudges or let the past interfere with my happiness, and I let the past stay in the past. This attitude allows me to live my life to its fullest and not miss any opportunities. I find that living "in the now" keeps me more in harmony with my core values and beliefs, and it allows me to be a better student, friend and daughter.

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