An Indian American beauty was crowned Miss Vermont 2014 at the first of the Miss America 2015 state beauty pageants, held April 26 at the Barre Opera House here.
Lucy Marion Edwards, 19, chosen the 70th Miss Vermont, is a sophomore in neuroscience at the University of Vermont, and is from Round Hill, Virginia, according to an article in beautypageantnews.com. She lives in Burlington, Vermont.
Edwards’ platform is the B+ Foundation, children helping children fight cancer.
“I’m a little in shock right now,” Edwards said, just after her crowning, adding that the Miss Vermont competition is the first pageant she has taken part in. “I just feel very blessed, and it’s about to be an amazing year. I can’t wait.”
Edwards told the Web site she felt “very Zen” during the day-long competition, in which she performed a contemporary musical theatre vocal of “I Am Changing.”
“I was really trying to breathe and just know that if it was my time, if I was to be Miss Vermont 2014, that I would be Miss Vermont 2014. I think that helped me, because I’m normally a little anxious, and I chilled out, so it seemed to work.”
The newly-crowned beauty queen said she has big plans when she heads to Atlantic City for the Miss America competition in September.
“I really want to shake the Miss Vermont top 15 curse at nationals, so I’m going to start working tomorrow,” she said, adding that she may first devour a pizza to cap the evening of her crowning.
When asked what she hopes to accomplish in her year of service, Edwards said, “So much.” Referring to the B+ Foundation, she said, “I can’t wait to work with the hospitals in the area, and with the children, and really get cracking on that.”
Edwards, who is of Indian American descent, said she plans to follow in the footsteps of Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri, and continue to break ground.
“Nina has been an amazing role model for me,” she told beautypageantnews.com. “I’m also studying neuroscience and want to be a physician. So, to have someone like that to look up to, and to know that girls like me can go up there and win is really inspirational.