Andrea Tanner was surprised when she found out her mom’s friend submitted her to compete in the 2010 Miss Michigan Teen USA competition in Port Huron last weekend, but she was even more shocked when she made the top 15.
‘I thought I would just give it a try and it would be really fun,? she said. ‘I thought I would be a good role model, but this being my first pageant I didn’t think I really had a chance, so I was really happy when I made the top 15 out of almost 50 girls.?
Tanner said she had no idea what to expect, because she never watched any pageants growing up.
‘I never really knew anything about them. A lot of those girls there grew up doing this,? she said. ‘Their moms put them in pageants when they were little. Some of them have been in eight to nine pageants. I don’t know how people afford them either because they’re expensive?
She said her favorite part of the weekend was the food and meeting all the girls.
‘I love meeting new people,? Tanner said. ‘Everyone seemed like they got along, there was no clicks, we all grew together and became really close over those two days.?
Though it was ‘nerve-racking? she even noted she loved being on stage as well and when asked what magazine cover she would like to be on, she said ‘Outdoor World.?
She has a love for swimming, four wheeling, fishing (both regular and ice), snow boarding, hunting and archery, However she wouldn’t consider herself a ‘tomboy? because her favorite color is pink. She has a pink bow, fishing pole and even her camouflage for hunting is pink.
‘I do all that stuff with dad and with mom we get dressed up and go shopping,? Tanner said. I love my family we all get along really well.?
She said they all have different personalities.
‘Mom is great at cooking, dad is great at everything, my older brother Jimmy is the funny one, and my oldest brother Justin is the one who disciplines me more than my parents do, except he punches me and stuff,? she said jokingly. ‘We live everyday like it’s the last day,? which is also here life motto.
Tanner is a sophomore at Clarkston High School, where she is currently on the JV dance team. She began dancing at the age of nine. When not at dance practice or performing for football games, Tanner is working for Frosty Boy and volunteering at ‘Calling All Angels,? a non-profit organization to help raise money for children who are homeless between the age of 18 and 22.
Though she still has time to think about her future, she said she would like to work with kids, perhaps special education and maybe helping out in the family business ‘Tanner Building and Remodeling.?
As far as beauty pageants go, Tanner said ‘every girl should have a chance to do it.?
It was a really amazing experience because I learned so much from it,? she said.
‘The girl who won (Catherine McGhee, Miss Ortonville) I was best friends with her. Her personality was amazing. Out of everyone there she was the person who absolutely deserved the crown.?