Bree Boyce
Miss South Carolina 2011 (top 13 & Duke of Edinburgh winner @ Miss America 2012)
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss Capital City pageant?
I competed in Miss South Carolina the previous summer for the first time as Miss Florence. I was so lucky and excited to make the top ten on my first try. As Miss Florence, I was able to see the impact I had locally. I knew then that I wanted to represent the state as Miss South Carolina and make a difference on a bigger scale. Many people had doubts about me competing. My first year at Miss South Carolina a lot of people said I wouldn't make the top ten and would never be Miss South Carolina unless I had plastic surgery. It was said that I didn't have the "ideal body" of a Miss South Carolina or Miss America. These words definitely hurt me, but I didn't let it stop me from how far I had come. These comments put fuel in my fire and made me even more determined to win a local and compete again and win Miss South Carolina WITHOUT plastic surgery. I won Miss Capital City in January and won the Lifestyle and Physical Fitness preliminary award and title of Miss South Carolina that July.
Tell us about your platform, "Eating Healthy and Fighting Obesity".
I was approached by a family friend to compete in a local for Miss South Carolina. I had lost about 75 lbs at this point and the thought of walking on stage in a swimsuit scared me to death. I remembered from when my sister competed, how big of an impact she was able to have on our community by promoting her personal platform as Miss Florence. The thought of being able to help others going through what I went through with weight issues helped me make the decision to compete for the first time. I created "Eating Healthy and Fighting Obesity" as my platform. It allowed me to share my own story as an obese teen, to educate others on becoming healthier individuals, and the importance of setting goals. From the moment I won my first local, I was so busy promoting my platform in schools, organizations, churches, and individuals. Being able to make a difference by sharing my struggles and triumphs made me realize that I could actually help millions who suffer with weight related issues everyday.
Why did you decide to major in theatre at Francis Marion University?
I have always been extremely passionate about Theatre Arts. As a young girl, I was always wanting to be on stage. Being able to act as a different character in each play allowed me to escape from the person who was suffering with self esteem issues. I was able to be someone else and I always committed fully to that character. As years went by, it became more than just an escape. I loved and respected this art and wanted to continue learning and developing my skills as a performer. When deciding on my major, I knew immediately it would be Theatre. I love being a performer and I will eventually be returning to school to receive my doctorate in Theatre History and become a college professor.
What was going through your head when you were called into the top 15 at Miss America?
It seriously is the most amazing feeling ever. Although I can't remember exactly what I was thinking, I do know I kept saying to myself "DON'T FALL and I hope my mom didn't pass out!" Ha! I was so lucky just to be on stage with 52 other amazing women and to have the opportunity to compete further in the competition was a dream come true.
What would be your most memorable moment as Miss South Carolina?
My year as Miss South Carolina was packed with amazing moments. One of them being my trip to Camp Pocono Trails. I was invited to the camp of over 500 kids dealing with weight issues. When I arrived in Pennsylvania, the kids were outside with signs and screaming with excitement as I pulled up. Being able to share such a personal bond with each of them was amazing. They don't realize how much of an impact they made on my life.
On a lighter note, another memorable moment was running into the guy who stood me up to prom in high school two days after winning Miss South Carolina. I hadn't seen or spoken to him since high school. It was like a scene from a movie!
Lastly, what have you been up to after your reign as Miss South Carolina ended?
I have been working in LA and Nashville since giving up my crown in July. I'm currently working on TV and book projects, as well as a DVD series specifically geared towards obese people. When going into these meetings in LA I made it clear that there are no workout videos for people who are extremely overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. This series will be a package of DVD's that allow the person to start from week one and guide them through the following weeks. Giving the tools to learn and adapt to their new lifestyle. As of September 4th, the book, "Believable Hope" by Michael Cartwright was released in all book stores and features part of my story as well as others who have dealt with all addictions from drugs, alcohol, food, etc. I'm currently working on my book that will be released next year. I'm traveling and doing motivational speaking all over the country starting with the Lifestyle Intervention Conference in Las Vegas. I'm also excited to have my first red carpet event September 15th in California for an event called "Sing for Self Esteem" powered by ULTA and Bellaboo skin products. The event is hosted by High School Musical's Monique Coleman and will feature several other artists. I am lucky to have the opportunity to be a guest speaker and performer at this event. I'm also working closely with the Obesity Action Coalition and received my personal trainer and nutrition certifications. I'm also grateful to have the opportunity to be signed with World Vision Artist, an organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. At each event I am apart of, I am able to give hope for a child looking for a sponsor. If you want to help sponsor a child, please visit www.worldvision.org for more information. I'm also thrilled to announce the ONE STEP CAMPAIGN with Bree. This is a campaign is an online community that can help everyone reach their full potential by taking one step each day to becoming their personal best. I am enjoying my time traveling and living each day to the fullest.
I competed in Miss South Carolina the previous summer for the first time as Miss Florence. I was so lucky and excited to make the top ten on my first try. As Miss Florence, I was able to see the impact I had locally. I knew then that I wanted to represent the state as Miss South Carolina and make a difference on a bigger scale. Many people had doubts about me competing. My first year at Miss South Carolina a lot of people said I wouldn't make the top ten and would never be Miss South Carolina unless I had plastic surgery. It was said that I didn't have the "ideal body" of a Miss South Carolina or Miss America. These words definitely hurt me, but I didn't let it stop me from how far I had come. These comments put fuel in my fire and made me even more determined to win a local and compete again and win Miss South Carolina WITHOUT plastic surgery. I won Miss Capital City in January and won the Lifestyle and Physical Fitness preliminary award and title of Miss South Carolina that July.
Tell us about your platform, "Eating Healthy and Fighting Obesity".
I was approached by a family friend to compete in a local for Miss South Carolina. I had lost about 75 lbs at this point and the thought of walking on stage in a swimsuit scared me to death. I remembered from when my sister competed, how big of an impact she was able to have on our community by promoting her personal platform as Miss Florence. The thought of being able to help others going through what I went through with weight issues helped me make the decision to compete for the first time. I created "Eating Healthy and Fighting Obesity" as my platform. It allowed me to share my own story as an obese teen, to educate others on becoming healthier individuals, and the importance of setting goals. From the moment I won my first local, I was so busy promoting my platform in schools, organizations, churches, and individuals. Being able to make a difference by sharing my struggles and triumphs made me realize that I could actually help millions who suffer with weight related issues everyday.
Why did you decide to major in theatre at Francis Marion University?
I have always been extremely passionate about Theatre Arts. As a young girl, I was always wanting to be on stage. Being able to act as a different character in each play allowed me to escape from the person who was suffering with self esteem issues. I was able to be someone else and I always committed fully to that character. As years went by, it became more than just an escape. I loved and respected this art and wanted to continue learning and developing my skills as a performer. When deciding on my major, I knew immediately it would be Theatre. I love being a performer and I will eventually be returning to school to receive my doctorate in Theatre History and become a college professor.
What was going through your head when you were called into the top 15 at Miss America?
It seriously is the most amazing feeling ever. Although I can't remember exactly what I was thinking, I do know I kept saying to myself "DON'T FALL and I hope my mom didn't pass out!" Ha! I was so lucky just to be on stage with 52 other amazing women and to have the opportunity to compete further in the competition was a dream come true.
What would be your most memorable moment as Miss South Carolina?
My year as Miss South Carolina was packed with amazing moments. One of them being my trip to Camp Pocono Trails. I was invited to the camp of over 500 kids dealing with weight issues. When I arrived in Pennsylvania, the kids were outside with signs and screaming with excitement as I pulled up. Being able to share such a personal bond with each of them was amazing. They don't realize how much of an impact they made on my life.
On a lighter note, another memorable moment was running into the guy who stood me up to prom in high school two days after winning Miss South Carolina. I hadn't seen or spoken to him since high school. It was like a scene from a movie!
Lastly, what have you been up to after your reign as Miss South Carolina ended?
I have been working in LA and Nashville since giving up my crown in July. I'm currently working on TV and book projects, as well as a DVD series specifically geared towards obese people. When going into these meetings in LA I made it clear that there are no workout videos for people who are extremely overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. This series will be a package of DVD's that allow the person to start from week one and guide them through the following weeks. Giving the tools to learn and adapt to their new lifestyle. As of September 4th, the book, "Believable Hope" by Michael Cartwright was released in all book stores and features part of my story as well as others who have dealt with all addictions from drugs, alcohol, food, etc. I'm currently working on my book that will be released next year. I'm traveling and doing motivational speaking all over the country starting with the Lifestyle Intervention Conference in Las Vegas. I'm also excited to have my first red carpet event September 15th in California for an event called "Sing for Self Esteem" powered by ULTA and Bellaboo skin products. The event is hosted by High School Musical's Monique Coleman and will feature several other artists. I am lucky to have the opportunity to be a guest speaker and performer at this event. I'm also working closely with the Obesity Action Coalition and received my personal trainer and nutrition certifications. I'm also grateful to have the opportunity to be signed with World Vision Artist, an organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. At each event I am apart of, I am able to give hope for a child looking for a sponsor. If you want to help sponsor a child, please visit www.worldvision.org for more information. I'm also thrilled to announce the ONE STEP CAMPAIGN with Bree. This is a campaign is an online community that can help everyone reach their full potential by taking one step each day to becoming their personal best. I am enjoying my time traveling and living each day to the fullest.