RICHMOND, Va. — A six-year-old from the greater Richmond area is putting Virginia on the map in the pageant world.
Raegan Watson was recently crowned "Miss Elementary America," representing the Commonwealth among dozens of first-graders eyeing the title.
The national competition, which took place in Arkansas in late June, was something Raegan looked forward to for months on end.
When she heard her name called out as the winner, she said, "It made me feel shocked."
Her mother, Kellie, cried tears of joy, and said those moments were now a blur in her memory.
“I screamed and I’m pretty sure I just fell to the floor, and my director’s picking me up off the floor, telling me to look at my baby get crowned," she said. "It's a lot of emotions."
Watson is no stranger to strutting her stuff on the stage. She's been competing since she was 18 months old, her mother recounting that the early days started with temper tantrums and breakdowns onstage.
Getting to the final moments before her crowning didn't come without several setbacks.
In her first shot at Miss Elementary America last year, she came up short, not even placing in the Top 11.
Her family said COVID-19 also put a hardship on contestants throughout the competition.
“I was kind of nervous because I thought that it would be like last year, but it wasn’t like last year," Raegan said. "I won!"
To Watson, it's not about the crown, the sash, or the medals she's wracked up over the years. It's about what she calls, "living her best life," on the stage, making lifelong friends along the way.
"Living my best life," Raegan said. "It looks like, for me, just having fun, but supporting your friends also.”
“It’s really cool to see her grow and make these friends from all over the United States at these big nationals, and not only that but I have as well," Kellie said.
Through her time competing, Raegan also completed several community service projects. Her involvement counted for about 10% of her overall score in the competition.
The competition's platform is Building Respect and Values for Everyone (B.R.A.V.E.), something Raegan has taken hold of both off and on the stage.
“If you see someone being bullied, you should always stand up for them," she said. "'K' is for Kind and Kind is Cool!"
Now that the pageant is over, Raegan is working on a new project. She and her family are planning to partner with different nonprofits and businesses to bring free art and art classes to seniors around the greater Richmond area.
