Senior biology major Peyton Christen will compete for the title of Miss Georgia in June after winning the Miss Flint River 2023 title last year.
Christen entered her first pageant for fun in October 2022 and won, which set off a whirlwind of events that led to her competing for the local title of Miss Flint River less than two weeks later. She is now preparing to win the Miss Georgia title while developing a service initiative called Cooper’s Chance to raise awareness about the importance of special needs programs in schools.
The idea behind Cooper’s Chance first bloomed when Christen’s family friends wanted their four-year-old son Cooper to be able to attend Hebron Christian Academy with his older siblings. Unfortunately, the school did not have a special needs program that would accommodate Cooper’s unique needs as a result of his Williams syndrome, Christen said.
Williams syndrome causes delays in cognitive development and narrowed arteries that may lead to heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.
After Cooper’s parents advocated and fundraised for the issue, Hebron Christian Academy instated a special needs program.
If Christen received the title of Miss Georgia, she would use her platform to increase awareness about the importance of special needs education and raise money for the issue, she said.
“I had never considered myself the kind of girl that would compete in pageants, but I’ve quickly learned in the Miss America system it’s not that simple,” Christen said. “The women involved in this system are brave, talented, intellectual people who have enormous goals for themselves, their communities and their educations.”
The importance of community to Christen is one reason why she chose to study at Kennesaw State. Although Christen originally attended Valdosta State University, she disliked being so far from home, which eventually led to her transfer to KSU.
“I had heard nothing but wonderful things about the biology program here, and it just happened to be 45 minutes from home,” Christen said.
Christen encourages other KSU students who want to make a difference in their community to not let a fear of failure hold them back.
“If you will just start and make that initial push for something you believe in, you will be so shocked by the outpouring support that comes from the communities all around Georgia,” Christen said. “Dream big and what is meant for you will come your way.”
Interested individuals can vote for Christen to receive the Miss Georgia 2023 People’s Choice Award. The winner of the award is guaranteed a spot as one of the final 15 women in the competition, according to the ballot form. One vote costs one dollar, and the money contributes to the Miss Georgia Scholarship Competition Fund.
Donations can also be directly made to Miss America’s Scholarship Foundation through Christen’s fundraiser. Christen can be found on Instagram at @missflintriverga, where she posts updates weekly.
