By: Shayla Terry

Last Friday night, Emily Sims was crowned Miss Brantley High School 2017. This is Sims second year participating in the pageant.

“When I was in it last year, I just loved being with all of the girls and getting to practice,” she said. “It’s like you get to be a dolled up princess.”

Winning first runner up and most photogenic last year didn’t deter Sims for giving the pageant a second shot.

“Last year I was a little more nervous about it,” she said. “This year I just relaxed and decided whatever happens just happens. I wanted to enjoy myself.”

Sims says her new approach towards the pageant made the experience more enjoyable for her, as well as taught her things about herself that she did not know.

“I realized how much better of a leader I could be when I wasn’t worried about myself,” Sims said. “I could help the others girls if they were struggling. It was a lot of girls first year, just like me last year. I wanted to show them if I could keep calm and collected they could too.”

Sims not only took home the title, but also received most photogenic for the second consecutive year.

With her new title, Sims says she wants to implement community service programs with the youth.

“I want to work especially with young girls trying to go into the classroom and promote good self-esteem,” Sims said. “I think it is so important today with social media and peer pressure to help kids at a young age. You start learning who you want to be between the ages of 12-15. If we start younger learning about ourselves, then our generation will only prosper.”

Sims also participates in school and her community through the Crenshaw County Show Choir, the Belles and Beaus, Student Council, National Honor Society and the  National Technical Honor Society. She is junior class vice president and co-captain of the varsity cheerleading squad.

Though she still has one more year of high school left, Sims has set her sights towards the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Troy University and Auburn University.

“I would like to be pre-med or biomedical sciences,” Sims said. “I want to be involved in patient care to be a part of saving lives.”