Miss Beloit 2006, Sara Siekierski

Follow Sara on her journey as Miss Beloit 2006!

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Miss Beloit encourages girls to ‘go for it'
By Debra Jensen-De Hart
Features Editor, Beloit Daily News



Sometimes it takes more than one try to be successful.

But when a person truly believes she can achieve her goal, it is well worth the effort.

Such were the sentiments of Sara Siekierski as she spoke about being the current Miss Beloit.

Siekierski won the crown in March and will continue her reign until March of 2007. A Turner High School graduate and junior at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater majoring in both print and broadcast journalism, she is the daughter of Mark and Sue Siekierski.

Her first try at becoming Miss Beloit won her the runner-up title in 2005, she told the Kiwanis members.

Far from feeling defeated, Siekierski said she gained confidence after being involved in the first contest and was determined to try again.

“For a year, I trained like an Olympic trainer,” she said.

Her efforts paid off and as a result she has traveled all over the state as an ambassador for Beloit.

“It's been the most wonderful year of my life,” Siekierski said.

When asked how she describes Beloit when she's out in public speaking, she had this to say:

“Beloit is a small, close-knit community. It has exceptional people who help each other. When I went to Whitewater, I realized there's no place like home.”

Miss Beloit also said she has learned many things over the past year.

“I've grown in my confidence and as a person. I've grown up so much and learned so much about myself and that I can do anything I want to put my heart into,” she said.

To other young women pondering whether to enter pageants, Siekierski said they should not be afraid, especially if they want to make a difference.

Also, “It provides so many opportunities and you gain valuable information and experiences.”

As part of Siekierski's experiences, she has expanded her platform which originally was to speak out about the consequences of underage drinking. That has expanded to include speaking on decisions made related to alcohol, drugs and personal relationships.