Writing on the Wall: Summer 2022

They’re Amazing!
Top: Shooting Star Winner Laurie
Bottom: Junior Miss Winner Alyssa
Just call them amazing…
Miss Amazing, that is!
Alyssa and Laurie were
among the dozens of
women who competed in
the Virginia Miss Amazing
pageant, an event that
highlights the accomplishments
of women with
disabilities.
The event was held virtually
this year and each
contestant submitted videos
of their talent performance
and participated in
an online interview with
a panel of judges. Both
women chose to sing as
their talent performance,
with Laurie doing a beautiful
rendition of Cyndi
Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna
Have Fun and Alyssa sharing a
gorgeous version of Let It Go
from Frozen. Both loved the talent
portion of the Miss Amazing
experience. Alyssa commented,
“Talent was the most fun!”
During an online awards
ceremony, Alyssa was crowned
Miss Amazing Junior Miss
Queen and Laurie was crowned
Miss Amazing Shooting Star.
The Virginia Miss Amazing
pageant crowns winners
in multiple age categories,
including the two that Laurie
and Alyssa won. Tiaras and
trophies were presented to all
the winners. Some age categories,
including Alyssa’s,
are designated as “Queens”
and can go on to participate as their
state’s representative at the national
Miss Amazing pageant!
The national Miss Amazing website
states, “Miss Amazing Queens are
disability advocates and community
leaders who are dedicated to making
the world a better place. This July,
over 150 Miss Amazing Queens will
meet each other in Nashville, Tennessee
to make connections, share
resources, and celebrate their achievements.”
Alyssa is thrilled to have the
opportunity to travel to Nashville. For
the national pageant, she’s preparing
a spoken introduction of her strengths
and interests, will sing Girl on Fire by
Alicia Keys, and is looking forward
to “meeting new people.”
Alyssa is active in Special Olympics,
helps around the house, and was
considered trustworthy enough to
earn a job working in the restaurant
of the FBI side of the Marine Base in
Quantico, which required a security
clearance. She loves concerts and
is very excited for the upcoming
Big Time Rush reunion tour. Of
The Jonas Brothers, she says, “I’m
their biggest fan!”
For Laurie, the 2022 Virginia Miss
Amazing pageant was the first time
she had ever done anything like the
contest and provided a wonderful
opportunity to sing solo for a public
audience. Asked if it was fun, she
responds with an enthusiastic, “Yes!”
She is hoping to have more chances
to sing for others again in the future
and has a dream of going to a recording
studio.
Congratulations to Virginia Miss
Amazing Shooting Star Laurie and
Virginia Miss Amazing Junior Miss
Queen Alyssa!
~Angie Covington
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