Kristen Mantooth Interview
Miss Montana 2007
Why did you decide to compete in the preliminary to the Miss Montana pageant?
I first saw Miss Montana when I was in grade school and she came to speak to my class. From that moment on I wanted to be Miss Montana someday. That dream stayed with me, even through my terrible dorky days of junior high and high school. My freshman year of college I was fighting wildland fires with the Bureau of Land Management and was in desperate need of something to make me feel like a girl again! It became the perfect opportunity to pursue my dream of Miss Montana. Once I was there I discovered that it was much more than a title, but it was a year long job in service to the state of Montana with the potential to impact lives. I wanted that opportunity and ended up competing three times until I won.
What was going through your head when you were announced as the new Miss Montana?
It felt very familiar, for I had been standing in that position the year before, except that time I was announced as runner-up. I was waiting for that to happen again, but it didn’t! Thinking back on that moment is very blurry in my memory. I remember feeling very overwhelmed with emotions of joy, thankfulness, and a little bit of fear. I looked over to see my dear friend, Christie Hageman (Miss Montana 2006) walking over to place the crown on my head. At first I wouldn’t let her, all I did was hug her and ask her what to do. She patiently told me to kneel down so she could put the crown on and then she whispered for me to go ahead and take my first walk as Miss Montana. It was not very graceful, but instead I took stuttering steps forward, first to gush thank you’s to the judges. I then walked over to the side where my family was seated and blew a flurry of kisses.
Tell us about your platform, “R.E.A.C.H! - Encouraging a Whole-Life Approach of Integrity in Relationships, Emotions, Actions, Character and Habits”.
The focus of “REACH” is on character development. My goal as Miss Montana was to talk to encourage people to make good choices in their lives because life is too precious to waste. The choices we make right now have an effect on the rest of our lives! Making those good choices in every area of our life can have a huge impact on our lives and can help us to live life to the fullest, the life we were meant to lead!
When did you start lyrical dancing?
I started out wanting to be a gymnast; however, in the small town I lived in there was no gymnastics coach. But no fear, I only had to wait a few years and a coach moved to town! I loved gymnastics and competed until jr. high, when I could no longer take the pressure. I quit and pursued school sports. That was not enough; however, and I was soon slipping into the back of dance classes. I was hooked! I was soon on the performance team and trying every form of dance. I was terrible at hip hop and soon found my love in lyrical where I was able to dance out the insides of my soul.
You competed on the reality show "Miss America: Reality Check". Tell us about your experience on the show.
I was terrified going into the reality show! I had never been on a reality show nor had the desire to! We had no idea what to expect going into the show, I am pretty sure that we all checked for hidden cameras in our hotel rooms the first night we were there! There were no hidden cameras, but there was a huge house on an equestrian ranch awaiting us. I will probably never do a reality show again, but I am glad I had this experience. The other titleholders became my friends, not just my competitors. Having to live together gave us the chance to truly get to know each other, have real and true conversations, and make friendships we will all cherish forever.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
I remember standing back stage peaking out into the audience right before my talent. The spotlight glided across the stage and blocked out the audience, leaving only their roaring applause. It was at that moment that I realized I was there; I was really at Miss America! I stepped onto the stage, and I danced my heart out. For those moments I felt like the world stood still and it was just me dancing for my King. Dancing is when I feel close to God, even on the Miss America stage.
What would be your most memorable moment as Miss Montana?
I was asked to help at the state Special Olympics competition. I was asked to help hand out medals to the athletes. I ended up in tears numerous times by the joy, good sportsmanship, and hearts full of love that these athletes had. They could care less what I was wearing, how my hair looked, or any other silly matter. They taught me the valuable lesson of just loving someone for who they are! I was also asked to run with a young man. This athlete was the only one entered in the 3 mile run. I am an active runner who continues to race, so they thought that he would enjoy the experience. He ended up being a much faster runner than I had prepared for. I ended up being very surprised, and left in the dust. That boy didn’t care that he beat me; he still wanted a hug and an autograph afterwards! He was later on the cover of a Special Olympics magazine, and he mailed me a copy of it with his autograph!
Do you think you made a difference during your reign as Miss Montana?
During my year as Miss Montana I was plagued by the question of legacy. Would anyone even remember I was Miss Montana? What kind of a legacy was I leaving? I had decided that if I impacted even one life then I had done my job. In the time since I was Miss Montana I have heard from people about the impact I had on their lives. Those comments are little blessings and always come about when I need encouragement. It is for all of those people that I believe in this program and the ability of these women to change lives.
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Montana ended?
My year as Miss Montana is over, but that does not mean the adventures have stopped! I am currently working on finishing my degree in Public Relations. I will be done in December of 2009, so the end is in sight! After MissMontana I met the most amazing person I have ever met. Jeff Yeley is the man that is the answer to every prayer and every dream I have ever had for the man I would spend the rest of my life with. We are getting married August 8, 2009in my hometown of Lewistown, MT. We are having a sunset wedding on the golf course with a dance to follow. I am busy with wedding plans, which are stressful but wonderful at the same time! Now that Miss Montana is over my real fairy tale is beginning!
I first saw Miss Montana when I was in grade school and she came to speak to my class. From that moment on I wanted to be Miss Montana someday. That dream stayed with me, even through my terrible dorky days of junior high and high school. My freshman year of college I was fighting wildland fires with the Bureau of Land Management and was in desperate need of something to make me feel like a girl again! It became the perfect opportunity to pursue my dream of Miss Montana. Once I was there I discovered that it was much more than a title, but it was a year long job in service to the state of Montana with the potential to impact lives. I wanted that opportunity and ended up competing three times until I won.
What was going through your head when you were announced as the new Miss Montana?
It felt very familiar, for I had been standing in that position the year before, except that time I was announced as runner-up. I was waiting for that to happen again, but it didn’t! Thinking back on that moment is very blurry in my memory. I remember feeling very overwhelmed with emotions of joy, thankfulness, and a little bit of fear. I looked over to see my dear friend, Christie Hageman (Miss Montana 2006) walking over to place the crown on my head. At first I wouldn’t let her, all I did was hug her and ask her what to do. She patiently told me to kneel down so she could put the crown on and then she whispered for me to go ahead and take my first walk as Miss Montana. It was not very graceful, but instead I took stuttering steps forward, first to gush thank you’s to the judges. I then walked over to the side where my family was seated and blew a flurry of kisses.
Tell us about your platform, “R.E.A.C.H! - Encouraging a Whole-Life Approach of Integrity in Relationships, Emotions, Actions, Character and Habits”.
The focus of “REACH” is on character development. My goal as Miss Montana was to talk to encourage people to make good choices in their lives because life is too precious to waste. The choices we make right now have an effect on the rest of our lives! Making those good choices in every area of our life can have a huge impact on our lives and can help us to live life to the fullest, the life we were meant to lead!
When did you start lyrical dancing?
I started out wanting to be a gymnast; however, in the small town I lived in there was no gymnastics coach. But no fear, I only had to wait a few years and a coach moved to town! I loved gymnastics and competed until jr. high, when I could no longer take the pressure. I quit and pursued school sports. That was not enough; however, and I was soon slipping into the back of dance classes. I was hooked! I was soon on the performance team and trying every form of dance. I was terrible at hip hop and soon found my love in lyrical where I was able to dance out the insides of my soul.
You competed on the reality show "Miss America: Reality Check". Tell us about your experience on the show.
I was terrified going into the reality show! I had never been on a reality show nor had the desire to! We had no idea what to expect going into the show, I am pretty sure that we all checked for hidden cameras in our hotel rooms the first night we were there! There were no hidden cameras, but there was a huge house on an equestrian ranch awaiting us. I will probably never do a reality show again, but I am glad I had this experience. The other titleholders became my friends, not just my competitors. Having to live together gave us the chance to truly get to know each other, have real and true conversations, and make friendships we will all cherish forever.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
I remember standing back stage peaking out into the audience right before my talent. The spotlight glided across the stage and blocked out the audience, leaving only their roaring applause. It was at that moment that I realized I was there; I was really at Miss America! I stepped onto the stage, and I danced my heart out. For those moments I felt like the world stood still and it was just me dancing for my King. Dancing is when I feel close to God, even on the Miss America stage.
What would be your most memorable moment as Miss Montana?
I was asked to help at the state Special Olympics competition. I was asked to help hand out medals to the athletes. I ended up in tears numerous times by the joy, good sportsmanship, and hearts full of love that these athletes had. They could care less what I was wearing, how my hair looked, or any other silly matter. They taught me the valuable lesson of just loving someone for who they are! I was also asked to run with a young man. This athlete was the only one entered in the 3 mile run. I am an active runner who continues to race, so they thought that he would enjoy the experience. He ended up being a much faster runner than I had prepared for. I ended up being very surprised, and left in the dust. That boy didn’t care that he beat me; he still wanted a hug and an autograph afterwards! He was later on the cover of a Special Olympics magazine, and he mailed me a copy of it with his autograph!
Do you think you made a difference during your reign as Miss Montana?
During my year as Miss Montana I was plagued by the question of legacy. Would anyone even remember I was Miss Montana? What kind of a legacy was I leaving? I had decided that if I impacted even one life then I had done my job. In the time since I was Miss Montana I have heard from people about the impact I had on their lives. Those comments are little blessings and always come about when I need encouragement. It is for all of those people that I believe in this program and the ability of these women to change lives.
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Montana ended?
My year as Miss Montana is over, but that does not mean the adventures have stopped! I am currently working on finishing my degree in Public Relations. I will be done in December of 2009, so the end is in sight! After MissMontana I met the most amazing person I have ever met. Jeff Yeley is the man that is the answer to every prayer and every dream I have ever had for the man I would spend the rest of my life with. We are getting married August 8, 2009in my hometown of Lewistown, MT. We are having a sunset wedding on the golf course with a dance to follow. I am busy with wedding plans, which are stressful but wonderful at the same time! Now that Miss Montana is over my real fairy tale is beginning!