Tiare Keeno
Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen 2011 (top 10 @ Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2012)
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss Spanish Forks' Outstanding Teen (Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen) pageant?
I actually never did Miss Spanish Fork's Outstanding Teen because no
pageant was held. I entered Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen as a
contestant-at-large. I decided to compete in Miss Utah's OT because I
knew it would give me an opportunity to expand and improve myself and to
really try to make a difference in my community by working on a platform
that I'm passionate about. It also gave me the chance to become educated
on politics and find what I believe in. MUOT has taught me so many
important values and has truly helped shaped me into the person I am
today.
Tell us about your platform, "S.T.O.P & Show Respect".
My platform was used to teach children, teens, and even adults how to incorporate respect into their every day lives. I used the letters S,T,O, and P in the STOP sign as acronyms to represent who we need to remember to show respect to. The S stood for Self, T stood for Teachers, O stood for Others, and P stood for Property. I was able to visit and talk to different schools and youth groups about the importance of respect in society. I produced a benefit concert called "Respect Through the Arts" which consisted of young and talented dancers, musicians, and vocalists from around the state of Utah. I wanted to shed light on the fact that these performers, although they had different talents, were able to come together to create an amazing show while still respecting each others strengths. I also wrote a book about respect and created a children's coloring book which I distributed throughout Utah.
What was going through your head when you were called into the top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen?
When they called my name, there was a brief moment where I felt like I was in a dream. It was all sort of blurry to me, but I definitely remember feeling an overwhelming sense of excitement!
What would be your most memorable moment as Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen?
My favorite moments were any appearances I made where I was able to mingle with people, especially children. I loved talking to kids and telling them about my platform. Another one of my favorite memories was during the whole week at Miss America's Outstanding Teen. Although it was an extremely long and tiring week, the friendships I made and the fun I had with the girls didn't even compare to how rigorous our schedule was! I had an amazing time there and I'm so grateful to have had that experience!
Will we see you compete in another pageant in the future?
Well, since I've just begun my freshman year in college, I'm primarily focusing on school and dance, so as of now, I'm not planning on competing in another pageant.
Why did you decide to study Dance at Juilliard?
Attending Juilliard has always been a lifelong dream of mine. But besides that, I noticed that Juilliard focused on so much more than just dance. They further your knowledge and experience in choreography, dance history, anatomy, and music. One of my goals after I graduated high school was to become an articulate and well-rounded artist so I'm able to have a long and well- versed career as a dancer, and I believe that Juilliard will help me achieve this.
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen ended?
After I gave up my title last October, I've been pretty busy with dance and deciding what to do after graduation. In March, I took a trip to New York to audition for The Juilliard School. In April, I auditioned for Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas and was fortunate enough to get a contract with the company during May and June. Once I found out that I got accepted into Juilliard, I knew that I had to make a very big decision to either attend Juilliard or take the contract offer for Nevada Ballet Theatre's next season. After much deliberation, I made the choice to go to college. Now, I'm spending my days getting situated in my new home and school in New York and loving every second of it!
I actually never did Miss Spanish Fork's Outstanding Teen because no
pageant was held. I entered Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen as a
contestant-at-large. I decided to compete in Miss Utah's OT because I
knew it would give me an opportunity to expand and improve myself and to
really try to make a difference in my community by working on a platform
that I'm passionate about. It also gave me the chance to become educated
on politics and find what I believe in. MUOT has taught me so many
important values and has truly helped shaped me into the person I am
today.
Tell us about your platform, "S.T.O.P & Show Respect".
My platform was used to teach children, teens, and even adults how to incorporate respect into their every day lives. I used the letters S,T,O, and P in the STOP sign as acronyms to represent who we need to remember to show respect to. The S stood for Self, T stood for Teachers, O stood for Others, and P stood for Property. I was able to visit and talk to different schools and youth groups about the importance of respect in society. I produced a benefit concert called "Respect Through the Arts" which consisted of young and talented dancers, musicians, and vocalists from around the state of Utah. I wanted to shed light on the fact that these performers, although they had different talents, were able to come together to create an amazing show while still respecting each others strengths. I also wrote a book about respect and created a children's coloring book which I distributed throughout Utah.
What was going through your head when you were called into the top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen?
When they called my name, there was a brief moment where I felt like I was in a dream. It was all sort of blurry to me, but I definitely remember feeling an overwhelming sense of excitement!
What would be your most memorable moment as Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen?
My favorite moments were any appearances I made where I was able to mingle with people, especially children. I loved talking to kids and telling them about my platform. Another one of my favorite memories was during the whole week at Miss America's Outstanding Teen. Although it was an extremely long and tiring week, the friendships I made and the fun I had with the girls didn't even compare to how rigorous our schedule was! I had an amazing time there and I'm so grateful to have had that experience!
Will we see you compete in another pageant in the future?
Well, since I've just begun my freshman year in college, I'm primarily focusing on school and dance, so as of now, I'm not planning on competing in another pageant.
Why did you decide to study Dance at Juilliard?
Attending Juilliard has always been a lifelong dream of mine. But besides that, I noticed that Juilliard focused on so much more than just dance. They further your knowledge and experience in choreography, dance history, anatomy, and music. One of my goals after I graduated high school was to become an articulate and well-rounded artist so I'm able to have a long and well- versed career as a dancer, and I believe that Juilliard will help me achieve this.
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen ended?
After I gave up my title last October, I've been pretty busy with dance and deciding what to do after graduation. In March, I took a trip to New York to audition for The Juilliard School. In April, I auditioned for Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas and was fortunate enough to get a contract with the company during May and June. Once I found out that I got accepted into Juilliard, I knew that I had to make a very big decision to either attend Juilliard or take the contract offer for Nevada Ballet Theatre's next season. After much deliberation, I made the choice to go to college. Now, I'm spending my days getting situated in my new home and school in New York and loving every second of it!