Leigh-Taylor Savannah Smith Interview
Miss New York 2008, preliminary swimsuit winner & 3rd runner up @ Miss America 2009
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss Brooklyn pageant?
I had grown up watchinWg Miss Virginia and absolutely admired those women. So, I competed in Miss Virginia twice and was 3rd RU both times. After the second time competing, I had just graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in theater. Therefore NYC was the obvious destination for me. I wasn’t completely sure I wanted to compete again but my mother made the comment, “well, I guess you don’t/didn’t want it badly enough, did you?”. ZING! I signed up for Miss Brooklyn the next day as it was the first open I was eligible.
When did you start getting into theatre?
My first theater endeavor was the Hurrah Players 1993 production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”. I played Ollie Herdmann, a child in a family of hoodlums. I think my mother was incredibly grateful that I found an outlet to let my energy and random, and perhaps absurd personality quirks out. I accredit my involvement with the Hurrah Players, and theater in general, for teaching me time-management. I spent hours, upon hours in rehearsals, often times arriving home around 11pm, even at the age of 7.
What would be your first thought when you realized you took the preliminary swimsuit award?
Ironically I was talking with Amanda Watson, Miss North Carolina, when they announced that I had won. So, when I heard York I went through a very quick process of elimination ultimately deciding my state was the only one that ended in “York” and by that time people were looking at me. I definitely went through a state of disbelief, specifically in regards to whether or not they realized I was only inches from official midget status. But when I stepped up to the front of that stage with my trophy in hand I just took it all in. I thought, my gosh, I’m here on the Miss America stage. And I just soaked it up.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
Every time our opening number groups were about to hit the stage, mine (the hats),would chit chat for a bit and find our assigned hats, etc. It came to be that I had to make a “funny” before we went out on stage each night. On final night Emily Cox, Miss Kentucky, asked me to say something funny and to be honest, at that point I felt like the funny well had run dry. But apparently I said something and she started laughing so hard, and when she inhaled her mint went down her windpipe. She laughed … coughed it up … and out we went on stage to compete in Miss America 2009.
What was going through your head when you were called into the top 15, and not being eliminated throughout the competition and finally when your name was called as the 3rd runner up?
When I was called into the 15 I said, here we go! When I was preparing for Miss America a wise woman told me, don’t let your goal be to make the Top 15 because there will be 15 other girls there that are fighting for the job of Miss America and will knock you out of the race. So, I kept that in my front pocket the entire competition. But, I must say, when I was called 12th for Top 12 I was freaking out. TLC documented my flip-kick freakout. (Also, I’m sure you may see the theme of 3rd RU , eh? haha)
Tell us about your platform “Voices for Change: Empowerment through Service”.
My goal has been to figure out exactly how I can empower those living in at-risk environments to give back and volunteer within their communities. Whenever they are asked why they don’t volunteer they say it’s because no one asks them. And statistically proven, that’s true. If we simply ask them to volunteer they will happily do so, and thus they begin to start feeling like the solution and not the problem by changing the landscape of their communities. In order to do this I’ve been speaking with schools, youth in juvenile detention centers, and prison, as well as national and local community service organizations.
Lastly, do you think you’ve made a difference since you’ve been crowned Miss New York?
There is no doubt in my mind I have made a difference. I’ve helped break stereotypes, I have given love, given joy, and encouragement to those around the state of New York. But my life work doesn’t stop when my crown is placed on another gal’s head June 28th. I will forever be working towards change. This was just an extra cool chapter on the way.
I had grown up watchinWg Miss Virginia and absolutely admired those women. So, I competed in Miss Virginia twice and was 3rd RU both times. After the second time competing, I had just graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in theater. Therefore NYC was the obvious destination for me. I wasn’t completely sure I wanted to compete again but my mother made the comment, “well, I guess you don’t/didn’t want it badly enough, did you?”. ZING! I signed up for Miss Brooklyn the next day as it was the first open I was eligible.
When did you start getting into theatre?
My first theater endeavor was the Hurrah Players 1993 production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”. I played Ollie Herdmann, a child in a family of hoodlums. I think my mother was incredibly grateful that I found an outlet to let my energy and random, and perhaps absurd personality quirks out. I accredit my involvement with the Hurrah Players, and theater in general, for teaching me time-management. I spent hours, upon hours in rehearsals, often times arriving home around 11pm, even at the age of 7.
What would be your first thought when you realized you took the preliminary swimsuit award?
Ironically I was talking with Amanda Watson, Miss North Carolina, when they announced that I had won. So, when I heard York I went through a very quick process of elimination ultimately deciding my state was the only one that ended in “York” and by that time people were looking at me. I definitely went through a state of disbelief, specifically in regards to whether or not they realized I was only inches from official midget status. But when I stepped up to the front of that stage with my trophy in hand I just took it all in. I thought, my gosh, I’m here on the Miss America stage. And I just soaked it up.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss America?
Every time our opening number groups were about to hit the stage, mine (the hats),would chit chat for a bit and find our assigned hats, etc. It came to be that I had to make a “funny” before we went out on stage each night. On final night Emily Cox, Miss Kentucky, asked me to say something funny and to be honest, at that point I felt like the funny well had run dry. But apparently I said something and she started laughing so hard, and when she inhaled her mint went down her windpipe. She laughed … coughed it up … and out we went on stage to compete in Miss America 2009.
What was going through your head when you were called into the top 15, and not being eliminated throughout the competition and finally when your name was called as the 3rd runner up?
When I was called into the 15 I said, here we go! When I was preparing for Miss America a wise woman told me, don’t let your goal be to make the Top 15 because there will be 15 other girls there that are fighting for the job of Miss America and will knock you out of the race. So, I kept that in my front pocket the entire competition. But, I must say, when I was called 12th for Top 12 I was freaking out. TLC documented my flip-kick freakout. (Also, I’m sure you may see the theme of 3rd RU , eh? haha)
Tell us about your platform “Voices for Change: Empowerment through Service”.
My goal has been to figure out exactly how I can empower those living in at-risk environments to give back and volunteer within their communities. Whenever they are asked why they don’t volunteer they say it’s because no one asks them. And statistically proven, that’s true. If we simply ask them to volunteer they will happily do so, and thus they begin to start feeling like the solution and not the problem by changing the landscape of their communities. In order to do this I’ve been speaking with schools, youth in juvenile detention centers, and prison, as well as national and local community service organizations.
Lastly, do you think you’ve made a difference since you’ve been crowned Miss New York?
There is no doubt in my mind I have made a difference. I’ve helped break stereotypes, I have given love, given joy, and encouragement to those around the state of New York. But my life work doesn’t stop when my crown is placed on another gal’s head June 28th. I will forever be working towards change. This was just an extra cool chapter on the way.