Ashley Layfield Interview
Miss Hawaii 2007
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss Kahala pageant?
I was first introduced to the Miss Hawaii Pageant as a performer with the dance company 247 Danceforce, which has performed for the Miss Hawaii Pageant for the past 15 or so years. I actually danced for the pageant for 3 years prior to competing, and I became truly inspired by the contestants and what they were able to accomplish year after year. So I decided to research the Miss America Organization and realized it was a scholarship program. My mother, as a single parent, has always instilled in me the importance of education and obtaining a college degree, and I wanted to be able to help pay for my higher education. I first competed in the Miss Island Oahu Pageant and went on to compete for Miss Hawaii 2006. I placed as 3rd runner up that year and decided the night of pageant that it was my goal to become Miss Hawaii. The Miss Kahala 2007 pageant was the first preliminary pageant of the year and I wanted to have as much time as possible to prepare for Miss Hawaii 2007.
What was going through your head when you realized you were the new Miss Hawaii?
I was ecstatic when my named was called as Miss Hawaii. It had been my goal for the past two years and it felt amazing to have my dream realized. I have to say, I don't remember much about the night except that I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude.
You participated in “Miss America: Reality Check”, tell us about your experience.
What an experience! Not very many people have the opportunity to participate in a reality show. The series was taped within 10 consecutive days in a mansion in Los Angeles, California. All the 52 contestants were stuffed into 4 large rooms and each day we had to compete in different team challenges. I was on the Green Team, along with Miss Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, Illinois, Florida, Alabama, and Oklahoma. We were all from states who had Miss America winners within the past decade. This was a time when I was able to get to know my fellow contestants and bond with them. I learned so much about each girl and I truly had a blast.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
The most memorable moment for me was the night that we all went out to see the show "Stomp!" I danced tap growing up and I fell in love with the show when it came to Hawaii YEARS ago, so I was ecstatic when we were able to meet the cast after the performance. All of us girls were standing on stage, starstruck, when a production member called out, "Where is Miss Hawaii? We need a picture with just Miss Hawaii and the cast." Apparently there were 5 dancers who were from the islands, one of whom was my childhood friend! I felt like a celebrity being picked out of the crowd like that :)
Tell us about your platform “Promoting a Well-Rounded Education Through Performing Arts”.
Growing up in a single parent home had its challenges and as I child, dance and drama were outlets for me to escape reality. I have witnessed so many of my peers fall victim to drugs and crime, and I have always been grateful to have a medium with which I was able to positively express my emotions. When schools need to cut funding, the arts are usually the first to take a hit. Yet in addition to emotional benefits, involvement in a performing arts program has proven to improve the overall education of a child. Subjects such as math and science exercise the left side of the brain, while the arts exercise the right side. When a student is exercising both sides of his/her brain, the student is receiving a "whole-brained education," allowing him/her to look at problems from different angles and come up with creative solutions. I wanted to bring awareness to the importance of the performing arts and share my passion through community involvement. During my year I worked with several local performing arts groups across the islands and in 2007 I teamed up with the Special Olympics and 247 Danceforce to create Heartbeat, a dance program open to students with all levels of physical and mental abilities.
When did you start Jazz Dancing?
I began dancing jazz when I was 7 years old but didn't become involved in a dance company until I was 12. Since then I have trained in a variety of styles, including hula, tap, hip hop, ballet, modern, and most recently Butoh (a Japanese style of movement).
What would be your most memorable moment as Miss Hawaii?
There were so many memorable moments! I can't say this moment is the MOST memorable, but it is one of them. A few weeks after I won the title of Miss Hawaii 2007, my director called me to say that the Lieutenant Governor was holding a proclamation ceremony at the state capital to proclaim July 5, 2007 as "Ashley Layfield Day" in the state of Hawaii. It was an incredible honor and I was asked to give a speech. This was going to be my first experience with public speaking and I was so nervous that I wrote out the entire speech, memorized it like a monologue, and asked my sister Jonelle to hold the paper while I was at the podium just in case I forgot my "lines." Well, of course I forgot them!!! Thankfully I locked eyes with Jonelle and she mouthed the words to me, saving me from completely embarrassing myself. Afterwards, I met with the Lieutenant Governor and Mayor of Honolulu. I felt proud to meet and chat with the people who make incredible impacts in our lives here in Hawaii.
Do you think you made a difference during your reign as Miss Hawaii?
I like to think so :). I remember my mother telling me that it is not so much what you do during your year of service that makes you a memorable Miss Hawaii, but rather what you continue to do. I was fortunate enough to work with programs such as the Special Olympics, providing me with the tools to create and direct the Heartbeat program with 247 Danceforce. I am also still very active in the performing arts community here in Hawaii as a dance instructor for several dance studios with which I work with over 100 students total per week. It is easy to grab the attention of organizations as Miss Hawaii, but it is hard to maintain it. It is my goal to continue to serve my community and make a significant impact in local performing arts programs.
I was first introduced to the Miss Hawaii Pageant as a performer with the dance company 247 Danceforce, which has performed for the Miss Hawaii Pageant for the past 15 or so years. I actually danced for the pageant for 3 years prior to competing, and I became truly inspired by the contestants and what they were able to accomplish year after year. So I decided to research the Miss America Organization and realized it was a scholarship program. My mother, as a single parent, has always instilled in me the importance of education and obtaining a college degree, and I wanted to be able to help pay for my higher education. I first competed in the Miss Island Oahu Pageant and went on to compete for Miss Hawaii 2006. I placed as 3rd runner up that year and decided the night of pageant that it was my goal to become Miss Hawaii. The Miss Kahala 2007 pageant was the first preliminary pageant of the year and I wanted to have as much time as possible to prepare for Miss Hawaii 2007.
What was going through your head when you realized you were the new Miss Hawaii?
I was ecstatic when my named was called as Miss Hawaii. It had been my goal for the past two years and it felt amazing to have my dream realized. I have to say, I don't remember much about the night except that I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude.
You participated in “Miss America: Reality Check”, tell us about your experience.
What an experience! Not very many people have the opportunity to participate in a reality show. The series was taped within 10 consecutive days in a mansion in Los Angeles, California. All the 52 contestants were stuffed into 4 large rooms and each day we had to compete in different team challenges. I was on the Green Team, along with Miss Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, Illinois, Florida, Alabama, and Oklahoma. We were all from states who had Miss America winners within the past decade. This was a time when I was able to get to know my fellow contestants and bond with them. I learned so much about each girl and I truly had a blast.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
The most memorable moment for me was the night that we all went out to see the show "Stomp!" I danced tap growing up and I fell in love with the show when it came to Hawaii YEARS ago, so I was ecstatic when we were able to meet the cast after the performance. All of us girls were standing on stage, starstruck, when a production member called out, "Where is Miss Hawaii? We need a picture with just Miss Hawaii and the cast." Apparently there were 5 dancers who were from the islands, one of whom was my childhood friend! I felt like a celebrity being picked out of the crowd like that :)
Tell us about your platform “Promoting a Well-Rounded Education Through Performing Arts”.
Growing up in a single parent home had its challenges and as I child, dance and drama were outlets for me to escape reality. I have witnessed so many of my peers fall victim to drugs and crime, and I have always been grateful to have a medium with which I was able to positively express my emotions. When schools need to cut funding, the arts are usually the first to take a hit. Yet in addition to emotional benefits, involvement in a performing arts program has proven to improve the overall education of a child. Subjects such as math and science exercise the left side of the brain, while the arts exercise the right side. When a student is exercising both sides of his/her brain, the student is receiving a "whole-brained education," allowing him/her to look at problems from different angles and come up with creative solutions. I wanted to bring awareness to the importance of the performing arts and share my passion through community involvement. During my year I worked with several local performing arts groups across the islands and in 2007 I teamed up with the Special Olympics and 247 Danceforce to create Heartbeat, a dance program open to students with all levels of physical and mental abilities.
When did you start Jazz Dancing?
I began dancing jazz when I was 7 years old but didn't become involved in a dance company until I was 12. Since then I have trained in a variety of styles, including hula, tap, hip hop, ballet, modern, and most recently Butoh (a Japanese style of movement).
What would be your most memorable moment as Miss Hawaii?
There were so many memorable moments! I can't say this moment is the MOST memorable, but it is one of them. A few weeks after I won the title of Miss Hawaii 2007, my director called me to say that the Lieutenant Governor was holding a proclamation ceremony at the state capital to proclaim July 5, 2007 as "Ashley Layfield Day" in the state of Hawaii. It was an incredible honor and I was asked to give a speech. This was going to be my first experience with public speaking and I was so nervous that I wrote out the entire speech, memorized it like a monologue, and asked my sister Jonelle to hold the paper while I was at the podium just in case I forgot my "lines." Well, of course I forgot them!!! Thankfully I locked eyes with Jonelle and she mouthed the words to me, saving me from completely embarrassing myself. Afterwards, I met with the Lieutenant Governor and Mayor of Honolulu. I felt proud to meet and chat with the people who make incredible impacts in our lives here in Hawaii.
Do you think you made a difference during your reign as Miss Hawaii?
I like to think so :). I remember my mother telling me that it is not so much what you do during your year of service that makes you a memorable Miss Hawaii, but rather what you continue to do. I was fortunate enough to work with programs such as the Special Olympics, providing me with the tools to create and direct the Heartbeat program with 247 Danceforce. I am also still very active in the performing arts community here in Hawaii as a dance instructor for several dance studios with which I work with over 100 students total per week. It is easy to grab the attention of organizations as Miss Hawaii, but it is hard to maintain it. It is my goal to continue to serve my community and make a significant impact in local performing arts programs.