Catherine McGhee slept with the Miss Michigan Teen USA crown on her head last Saturday night. She was relieved when she woke up Sunday morning to find it still there.
‘I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a dream,? said the 16-year-old Brandon Township resident, who competed against 44 other girls in the pageant Sept. 18 and 19 in Port Huron and came out the winner. ‘I still wake up and see my crown and say, ‘Hey, that’s mine.??
The homeschooled student, motivated by the opportunity for a four-year college scholarship, sent an application and picture earlier this year for selection to the high-profile Miss Michigan Teen USA pageant, which is a Donald Trump and NBC Universal joint venture and also affiliated with the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. She was one of 45 girls from around Michigan to be accepted for the competition.
To prepare for the pageant, McGhee had help from a coach, Miss Michigan USA 2005 Crystal Hayes.
‘I like her because she helped me get comfortable in a swimsuit in front of over 500 people,? laughed McGhee, who met with Hayes two to three times per month. ‘She doesn’t try to change you, she makes you a better you.?
Girls were instructed that their swimsuits had to be pink and have a sarong. McGhee chose a bikini from Victoria’s Secret. Evening gowns could be whatever the girls wanted. McGhee ordered a dress, but it didn’t arrive in time. With just four days before the pageant, Elizabeth McGhee, Catherine’s mother, made her gown? hot pink, with dazzling rhinestones everywhere and hot pink rhinestone flowers on the front and a train in the back. McGhee, a self-proclaimed farm girl and barefooted hooligan, bought a pair of silver pumps, with 3.5 inch heels and walked around in them.
On Sept. 18, the first night of the pageant, Catherine was nervous.
‘I’d never worn a swimsuit on stage before in my life,? she said. ‘It’s weird. I got up there and I could hear my mom and family screaming, and I just felt better.?
Each portion of the competition? interview, swimsuit and evening gown, counted for 33 percent.
The second night of competition, Sept. 19, the top 15 finalists were named and Catherine was among them.
‘I thought I was going to die,? she said. ‘I thought, ‘Don’t trip, don’t fall, just smile.??
They repeated the swimsuit and evening gown portions and she advanced again to the top five, where each girl had to answer another interview question on stage that was drawn randomly. McGhee drew the question? ? Is it difficult for parents to raise teenagers, and why or why not??
McGhee smiled at the judge from whom the question came and then responded, ‘I come from a family of nine kids and I have a Ph.d in different personalities. Each kid is different, so communication is key.?
She thought she bombed the question, even though her answer evoked laughter from the crowd. The other girls answered their questions, then they were whooshed off the stage. A short time later, it was announced that McGhee won Miss Congeniality.
‘All the contestants voted me as the most helpful and nicest person,? she said, smiling. ‘Then I didn’t care if I won. If the girls thought I was nice, that’s all that matters. If I could make friends with this many people in a weekend, that’s cool.?
Still, when the five finalists were back on stage, all of them holding on to each other, sweating and shaking, she knew she wanted the crown. It came down to her and the runner-up from last year. As they called the other girl’s nameas runner-up, McGhee heard her mother screaming. ‘I thought, ‘Either someone’s been shot or I won,?? McGhee said. ‘I was shaking so bad. They put the crown and sash on me and handed me flowers and they told me to take my first walk. I saw my mom and wanted to run and go get her. All the girls rushed me and hugged me.?
As the winner, McGhee was given four college scholarships, including a full four-year scholarship to Baker College. She has been booked for a long list of appearances, including a women’s self-defense seminar. McGhee, who is testing for her black belt in karate in May, is excited about this round of appearances, as well as upcoming charity promotions and parades.
She is looking forward to using her new celebrity to have people listen to what she has to say.
‘I like to talk and am pretty excited,? McGhee said. ‘I want to tell girls to know who they are and not to change for anyone for any reason. Follow your dreams.?
McGhee is following her own. In the future, she wants to be a nurse and to continue to travel and do medical work. In February, she will travel to Africa for a second time with Mercy and Truth Medical Missions, calling it ‘crowns for a cause.? Next July, she will compete in the Miss Teen USA pageant at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, hoping for a second crown.