Susan Misur
LEWISBURG — When Casey Bryant’s baton twirling coach was diagnosed with breast and colon cancers more than eight years ago, she wanted to do more than send cards and flowers.
Bryant, 20, began speaking and fundraising for the American Cancer Society at Relay for Life events at home in Linthicum, Md., and then as a student at Bucknell University.
Now, she’s taking to the stage to spread awareness — the pageant stage.
The Bucknell senior entered the 2009 Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Pageant with a platform of promoting the American Cancer Society and Relay events to compete against 10 other participants.
Though a pageant newcomer, Bryant won and was crowned with the title of Miss Greater Juniata Valley.
She will move on to the Miss Pennsylvania Pageant in June to compete against about 25 other contestants; that winner proceeds to the Miss America Pageant.
“I never saw myself doing this,” said Bryant, who performed a twirling routine to the song “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.”
“Then I thought, ‘what a great way to get out in the community and show that students are doing good things and the ways to get involved.’ ”
As a member of the American Cancer Society’s national board, Bryant coordinates monthly conference calls for college chapters of Relay for Life across the country and publishes an online newsletter.
For the past three years, she has organized the Relay event at Bucknell where she is a political science, Latin American studies and Spanish triple major.
Bryant, who performs twirling routines at Bucknell sporting events and is a national champion twirler, first considered the pageant when her twirling partner joked she should participate. Though she is not from Pennsylvania, attending college here qualified her to enter.
She said she was hesitant at first, “but once you start, you want to do a good job.”
Bryant headed to Lewistown for a weekend in early November for the pageant, which consisted of a panel interview and evening gown, swim suit, talent and Q & A portions of the actual pageant.
To Bryant’s surprise, the process was heavily interview-focused, rather than solely emphasizing contestants’ looks as pageants often seem to do, she said.
“They asked a lot about the election and whether states voted the way I thought they’d go,” she said of her initial 10-minute-long interview in front of a panel of judges.
Judges also quizzed her on insurance legislation involving the American Cancer Society during the interview, and asked about her work with the organization during the pageant Q & A portion.
John R. Metzger, executive director of the pageant, said Bryant stood out not just for her twirling talent.
“Probably the biggest differential there was her interview was so good,” he said.
Though Bryant felt prepared for the pageant after competing in twirling competitions also requiring performing and interviewing, she was surprised when she won.
“It happens but it’s not really common,” Metzger said of Bryant winning the first pageant she entered.
Bryant quipped about how new she was to pageants, saying, “I even went on wrong side of stage and tripped in my dress when I was getting my crown.”
As a title holder, Bryant will make appearances at local parades, ribbon cuttings, schools and Relay for Life events. She advances to the Miss Pennsylvania Pageant in Pittsburgh in June, keeping in mind the influence her twirling coach had on her efforts to spread awareness of the American Cancer Society.
“She thinks it’s the coolest thing,” Bryant said. “She’s excited to come to the state pageant.”
