Ashlen Batson Interview
Miss Arkansas 2008 + top 12 @ Miss America 2009
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss Spirit of Arkansas pageant?
I had competed in Miss Arkansas for the last two summers. The first year that I did Miss Arkansas as Miss Batesville 2006, I did not receive any awards nor did I make the top ten. I competed in three local pageants before qualifying for Miss Arkansas my second year in 2007 as Miss Red River Valley. That summer I was a top ten finalist.
After feeling encouraged by my top ten placement, I wanted to compete in Miss Arkansas again. I tried for a prestigious local pageant that accepts girls from all over the state, but placed 4th runner up. Then I wanted to win the preliminary pageant for my college, Miss University of Central Arkansas. I was the first runner up.
Miss Spirit of Arkansas was the following weekend, and I was feeling discouraged that I was having trouble qualifying for the Miss Arkansas pageant after being a finalist. Miss Spirit of Arkansas was an open preliminary like the first one that I entered, so there were 14 girls there from all over the state. I was pleasantly surprised to win.
That year at Miss Arkansas I did not dwell on the fact that I had to try a few times to qualify and that I would be facing the girls who had beat me during the preliminary season. I focused on the improvements that I had made over the year. I like to remind girls of my journey through many local pageants, because it proves that each pageant is a new opportunity. Past locals and placements do not matter. In fact, each of the other top 5 finalists in Miss Arkansas had placed above me in a preliminary that year!
What was going through your head when you realized you were the new Miss Arkansas?
There was a big difference in my mindset going into Miss Arkansas 2008, than the previous two years. Before I wanted to win the Miss Arkansas Pageant, but this year I wanted the JOB of Miss Arkansas. I wanted to opportunity and responsibility of making hundreds of appearances across the state of Arkansas, traveling, speaking at schools, working at fundraisers, performing at local pageants, serving as am emcee, and championing for my platform and the Children’s Miracle Network. Miss Arkansas was my dream job.
When my name was called as Miss Arkansas 2008, I suddenly realized that I had the best job in Arkansas! There was a sudden awareness in me of the way my life would change. I was also overwhelmed in disbelief that my seemingly impossible dream had come true. I had come full-circle from a girl who dreamed of being in MissAmerica, to being someone that little girls all over Arkansas would look up to.
Tell us about your platform “Afterschool Alliance: Encouraging Youth Involvement in Extracurricular Activities”
I got involved in my platform in high school volunteering at my schools’ after school program tutoring students with low test scores. I had observed that the students who were actively involved in some activity in school were the ones making good grades, earning scholarships, and staying out of trouble. All of the students that were being helped at the program seemed to be the kids who did not have outside interests. They did not have goals in activities outside of school, and as a result their grades suffered. Those uninvolved students also seemed to find themselves in trouble as a result of falling to peer pressure. Without a healthy self-confidence and an outlet for their time after school, they were constantly being influenced by the “wrong crowd.” The after school program was not just a tutoring center; the program offered classes in martial arts, dance, reading, and art. The students in the program were encouraged by peer tutors like me and teachers to capitalize on their time after school with studying and becoming involved in an activity that they enjoyed. The students who found an activity after school and began setting goals for themselves raised their grades and their self-confidence, making a major turn around.
After seeing what extracurricular activities and after school programs do for students, I wanted to make it my personal mission with my platform to encourage kids to become involved after school. I also wanted to make sure that good activities were available and affordable to students.
The Afterschool Alliance is a non-profit organization with the same mission. The Organization is made up of around 14,000 volunteers who are working to make this mission possible through public awareness and advocacy to legislative members. Interestingly, Miss Montana 2008 is also a member.
When did you start playing the flute?
I began playing the flute at age 12 in my first year of band. I have been playing for over 9 years.
What would be your first thought when your state and name were called into the top 15 and then the top 12 at Miss America?
I immediately thought of all of the years that I spend in front of the television watching to see how Miss Arkansasdid at the Miss America Pageant. I realized that millions of little girls in Arkansas were glued to their sets cheering me on. Hearing my name called was absolutely surreal!
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
Aside from being announced as Miss America, I will always remember a big surprise at the awards ceremony afterwards. Before the awards’ ceremony begins, all of the contestants are lined up in a hallway waiting to enter the room of fans from the pageant. It appeared that we were in reverse order of placement down through the top 15, then there was a random assortment of girls, then the rest were in alphabetical order.
One of my closest friends from Miss America was Miss Arizona, Erin Nurss. After the pageant, she was naturally a little disappointed that she was not a finalist. She is extremely classy, and was reflecting on what a blessing it had been to compete. When we were talking between ourselves, she did share with me that she secretly wished that she just had some award from her Miss America experience, something that would be next to her name in program books and the Miss Arizona website as part of her legacy.
As the line of girls was brought up one by one to receive their Miss America trophy and scholarship of $3,000, we wondered about the girls just before the finalists who were purposely placed out of alphabetical order. The first called was Erin, and they surprised her with one of the prestigious Non-Finalist Talent Awards! She was absolutely thrilled, and I was so pleased to know that she had earned that extra recognition out beside her name forever.
You competed in several preliminary pageants in Michigan and Arkansas before taking the Miss Arkansas title, what motivated you to compete year after year?
I am a little confused about this question. I did not compete in Michigan- only the three years in Arkansas. My desire to have the job of Miss Arkansas always carried me through.
(Charmaine's Note: My apologies! I hit a blimp during my research and thought Ashlen competed in Michigan)
Lastly, Do you think you’ve made a difference since you were crowned Miss Arkansas?
As Miss Arkansas, I ask myself that question each night before I go to sleep. I believe that I have made a difference. When I look out to the audiences full of young students, sometimes I see these “light bulb” moments. They seem to suddenly understand that they matter enough to find an activity to set a goal in and distinguish themselves. Seeing students really listen to what I say is the best part of my job, and I know that what I have said might have changed some young peoples’ course in a positive direction. I also look forward to seeing many of the young girls that I have met this year become Miss Arkansas someday.
I had competed in Miss Arkansas for the last two summers. The first year that I did Miss Arkansas as Miss Batesville 2006, I did not receive any awards nor did I make the top ten. I competed in three local pageants before qualifying for Miss Arkansas my second year in 2007 as Miss Red River Valley. That summer I was a top ten finalist.
After feeling encouraged by my top ten placement, I wanted to compete in Miss Arkansas again. I tried for a prestigious local pageant that accepts girls from all over the state, but placed 4th runner up. Then I wanted to win the preliminary pageant for my college, Miss University of Central Arkansas. I was the first runner up.
Miss Spirit of Arkansas was the following weekend, and I was feeling discouraged that I was having trouble qualifying for the Miss Arkansas pageant after being a finalist. Miss Spirit of Arkansas was an open preliminary like the first one that I entered, so there were 14 girls there from all over the state. I was pleasantly surprised to win.
That year at Miss Arkansas I did not dwell on the fact that I had to try a few times to qualify and that I would be facing the girls who had beat me during the preliminary season. I focused on the improvements that I had made over the year. I like to remind girls of my journey through many local pageants, because it proves that each pageant is a new opportunity. Past locals and placements do not matter. In fact, each of the other top 5 finalists in Miss Arkansas had placed above me in a preliminary that year!
What was going through your head when you realized you were the new Miss Arkansas?
There was a big difference in my mindset going into Miss Arkansas 2008, than the previous two years. Before I wanted to win the Miss Arkansas Pageant, but this year I wanted the JOB of Miss Arkansas. I wanted to opportunity and responsibility of making hundreds of appearances across the state of Arkansas, traveling, speaking at schools, working at fundraisers, performing at local pageants, serving as am emcee, and championing for my platform and the Children’s Miracle Network. Miss Arkansas was my dream job.
When my name was called as Miss Arkansas 2008, I suddenly realized that I had the best job in Arkansas! There was a sudden awareness in me of the way my life would change. I was also overwhelmed in disbelief that my seemingly impossible dream had come true. I had come full-circle from a girl who dreamed of being in MissAmerica, to being someone that little girls all over Arkansas would look up to.
Tell us about your platform “Afterschool Alliance: Encouraging Youth Involvement in Extracurricular Activities”
I got involved in my platform in high school volunteering at my schools’ after school program tutoring students with low test scores. I had observed that the students who were actively involved in some activity in school were the ones making good grades, earning scholarships, and staying out of trouble. All of the students that were being helped at the program seemed to be the kids who did not have outside interests. They did not have goals in activities outside of school, and as a result their grades suffered. Those uninvolved students also seemed to find themselves in trouble as a result of falling to peer pressure. Without a healthy self-confidence and an outlet for their time after school, they were constantly being influenced by the “wrong crowd.” The after school program was not just a tutoring center; the program offered classes in martial arts, dance, reading, and art. The students in the program were encouraged by peer tutors like me and teachers to capitalize on their time after school with studying and becoming involved in an activity that they enjoyed. The students who found an activity after school and began setting goals for themselves raised their grades and their self-confidence, making a major turn around.
After seeing what extracurricular activities and after school programs do for students, I wanted to make it my personal mission with my platform to encourage kids to become involved after school. I also wanted to make sure that good activities were available and affordable to students.
The Afterschool Alliance is a non-profit organization with the same mission. The Organization is made up of around 14,000 volunteers who are working to make this mission possible through public awareness and advocacy to legislative members. Interestingly, Miss Montana 2008 is also a member.
When did you start playing the flute?
I began playing the flute at age 12 in my first year of band. I have been playing for over 9 years.
What would be your first thought when your state and name were called into the top 15 and then the top 12 at Miss America?
I immediately thought of all of the years that I spend in front of the television watching to see how Miss Arkansasdid at the Miss America Pageant. I realized that millions of little girls in Arkansas were glued to their sets cheering me on. Hearing my name called was absolutely surreal!
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
Aside from being announced as Miss America, I will always remember a big surprise at the awards ceremony afterwards. Before the awards’ ceremony begins, all of the contestants are lined up in a hallway waiting to enter the room of fans from the pageant. It appeared that we were in reverse order of placement down through the top 15, then there was a random assortment of girls, then the rest were in alphabetical order.
One of my closest friends from Miss America was Miss Arizona, Erin Nurss. After the pageant, she was naturally a little disappointed that she was not a finalist. She is extremely classy, and was reflecting on what a blessing it had been to compete. When we were talking between ourselves, she did share with me that she secretly wished that she just had some award from her Miss America experience, something that would be next to her name in program books and the Miss Arizona website as part of her legacy.
As the line of girls was brought up one by one to receive their Miss America trophy and scholarship of $3,000, we wondered about the girls just before the finalists who were purposely placed out of alphabetical order. The first called was Erin, and they surprised her with one of the prestigious Non-Finalist Talent Awards! She was absolutely thrilled, and I was so pleased to know that she had earned that extra recognition out beside her name forever.
You competed in several preliminary pageants in Michigan and Arkansas before taking the Miss Arkansas title, what motivated you to compete year after year?
I am a little confused about this question. I did not compete in Michigan- only the three years in Arkansas. My desire to have the job of Miss Arkansas always carried me through.
(Charmaine's Note: My apologies! I hit a blimp during my research and thought Ashlen competed in Michigan)
Lastly, Do you think you’ve made a difference since you were crowned Miss Arkansas?
As Miss Arkansas, I ask myself that question each night before I go to sleep. I believe that I have made a difference. When I look out to the audiences full of young students, sometimes I see these “light bulb” moments. They seem to suddenly understand that they matter enough to find an activity to set a goal in and distinguish themselves. Seeing students really listen to what I say is the best part of my job, and I know that what I have said might have changed some young peoples’ course in a positive direction. I also look forward to seeing many of the young girls that I have met this year become Miss Arkansas someday.