OCEAN PINES– The next Miss USA could come from Worcester County.
Ocean Pines resident Jessica Keith, 21, recently became a finalist in the Miss Maryland USA state contest leading up to next year’s national pageant.
“I got out of a relationship and I made a bucket list, and one of the things that I wanted to do was be in a pageant,” she said. “I went to the Miss America organization, I did one pageant with them, and I got a call from Miss Maryland USA saying, ‘congratulations, you’re a state finalist. The pageant is Oct.31.’”
Keith, who grew up in Calvert County, moved to Ocean Pines in March to spend the summer.
“My grandparents have always lived up here and I’ve always been up here with friends and family,” she said. “And I like to come to Berlin to embrace my inner Julia Roberts.”
The contestant had to pass through a phone interview in May with Bobbi Coffman, founder of nonprofit Happy Helpers for the Homeless, before officially becoming a finalist in the state.
“She invited me down to kind of help out with that and we bagged lunches and gave them out to the homeless,” Keith said. “It was a really cool experience. And after that we went dress shopping and did all the pageant stuff.”
Keith has been involved in nonprofit work for a number of years, including with the Cricket Center in Berlin.
“I love charity work,” she said. “I worked for a nonprofit for three years and that’s something I actually want to do – open up a nonprofit for autistic children. I’m also planning a kid’s carnival fundraiser where all the proceeds go to the Cricket Center. I can’t even imagine what these kids go through, so I want to give whatever I can.”
In the fall, Keith will return to the College of Southern Maryland, where she is working on her master’s degree in special education. She plans to transfer to the University of Maryland in the spring to finish her degree.
“I just love children,” she said. “I’ll never forget when I first became involved with autistic children. I was working in a day care and there was this little boy who wouldn’t listen to anybody. Finally, one day when it was my turn to run the classroom I said, ‘no – we’re going to eat breakfast. I understand that you’re playing with blocks, but everybody else has to clean up and you’re no different.’ I don’t know what it was, but he just listened to me. He was nearly nonverbal so he couldn’t really hold a conversation, but he just looked at me and got right up and sat down on a chair. It was a really great experience.”
Her work at the daycare center led to a position with the Autism Project in Calvert County, where she worked for three years.
Keith will take part in the Miss Maryland USA Pageant Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Bethesda.
“I just took my dress to get altered and I’m really nervous about it because it was not a very cheap dress,” she said. “I’m just getting things together – I’ve been practicing a few questions and taking it one day at a time. I just have to keep reminding myself to be myself.
“Of course I’d like to win, but as long as I do my best I’ll have no regrets,” Keith continued. “The experience alone is an amazing opportunity, and I’m looking forward to finishing my master’s and becoming a teacher.”
Keith is sponsored by Headlines Hair Salon in Ocean Pines.
For more information vwww.missmarylandusa.com.
Ocean Pines resident Jessica Keith, 21, recently became a finalist in the Miss Maryland USA state contest leading up to next year’s national pageant.
“I got out of a relationship and I made a bucket list, and one of the things that I wanted to do was be in a pageant,” she said. “I went to the Miss America organization, I did one pageant with them, and I got a call from Miss Maryland USA saying, ‘congratulations, you’re a state finalist. The pageant is Oct.31.’”
Keith, who grew up in Calvert County, moved to Ocean Pines in March to spend the summer.
“My grandparents have always lived up here and I’ve always been up here with friends and family,” she said. “And I like to come to Berlin to embrace my inner Julia Roberts.”
The contestant had to pass through a phone interview in May with Bobbi Coffman, founder of nonprofit Happy Helpers for the Homeless, before officially becoming a finalist in the state.
“She invited me down to kind of help out with that and we bagged lunches and gave them out to the homeless,” Keith said. “It was a really cool experience. And after that we went dress shopping and did all the pageant stuff.”
Keith has been involved in nonprofit work for a number of years, including with the Cricket Center in Berlin.
“I love charity work,” she said. “I worked for a nonprofit for three years and that’s something I actually want to do – open up a nonprofit for autistic children. I’m also planning a kid’s carnival fundraiser where all the proceeds go to the Cricket Center. I can’t even imagine what these kids go through, so I want to give whatever I can.”
In the fall, Keith will return to the College of Southern Maryland, where she is working on her master’s degree in special education. She plans to transfer to the University of Maryland in the spring to finish her degree.
“I just love children,” she said. “I’ll never forget when I first became involved with autistic children. I was working in a day care and there was this little boy who wouldn’t listen to anybody. Finally, one day when it was my turn to run the classroom I said, ‘no – we’re going to eat breakfast. I understand that you’re playing with blocks, but everybody else has to clean up and you’re no different.’ I don’t know what it was, but he just listened to me. He was nearly nonverbal so he couldn’t really hold a conversation, but he just looked at me and got right up and sat down on a chair. It was a really great experience.”
Her work at the daycare center led to a position with the Autism Project in Calvert County, where she worked for three years.
Keith will take part in the Miss Maryland USA Pageant Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Bethesda.
“I just took my dress to get altered and I’m really nervous about it because it was not a very cheap dress,” she said. “I’m just getting things together – I’ve been practicing a few questions and taking it one day at a time. I just have to keep reminding myself to be myself.
“Of course I’d like to win, but as long as I do my best I’ll have no regrets,” Keith continued. “The experience alone is an amazing opportunity, and I’m looking forward to finishing my master’s and becoming a teacher.”
Keith is sponsored by Headlines Hair Salon in Ocean Pines.
For more information vwww.missmarylandusa.com.