MALVERN, PA — Ksenya Wong, daughter of Tashelle Darby-Wong and Kevin Wong of Malvern, PA, will head to Orlando, Florida in November to represent Pennsylvania pre-teens at the National American Miss (NAM) Pre-Teen Competition. She was crowned the 2023 National American Miss Pennsylvania Pre-Teen on August 6 at the state pageant held at the Hyatt Regency Princeton in New Jersey, where she was also honored for Best Resume, and named winner of Dream Model, Top Model, and Actress competitions. She earned a Talent Runner-up award for an acapella performance of “Diamonds” by Rihanna.
“At first, I was nervous, but I was excited to meet the other girls, and it was even more exciting when I was crowned!” says Ksenya. “I really love what NAM stands for, empowering girls and instilling confidence through community service and public speaking. These are life skills that I’ll be able to use now and in my future, especially when it comes time to interview for jobs.” Twelve-year-old Ksenya lives with her parents and younger brother and is entering eighth grade in Great Valley School District, where her favorite subject is science. She hopes to pursue acting and also become a best-selling author.
As an advocate for involvement in athletics and the arts, Ksenya enjoys fencing, musical theatre, and writing. She is the author of a contemporary environmental poetry book, The World We Thought We Knew, and the host of iSpy Storytime, a program she designed to promote literacy and reading comprehension skills for children by making reading a more enjoyable and interactive experience.
In 2022, Ksenya was nominated for the Society for Science’s Broadcom MASTERS competition, now called the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC). Only the top 10% of middle schoolers who participate at Society for Science-affiliated science fairs are eligible to apply for the JIC, the nation’s premier STEM research competition for middle school students that focuses on math, applied science, technology, and engineering.
Ksenya’s achievements mirror the core values upheld by the National American Miss Pageants, emphasizing self-confidence, skill development, positive competition attitudes, and goal setting. Her dedication to personal growth and community betterment embodies the essence of “Today’s Girl” and “Tomorrow’s Leader.” Each year, the pageant awards $1.5 million in cash, scholarships, and prizes to recognize and assist the development of young women nationwide.
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