Get to Know National American Miss Pre-Teen Shayla Montgomery!

NAM:  Tell us about yourself:

Shayla: I’m Shayla Montgomery your 2015-2016 National American Miss Pre-Teen.  I turn 14 next month.  I LOVE pancakes and NAM.  If you brought me a pancake in the shape of NAM I’d be your best friend forever :D

NAM:  What activities are you involved in?

Shayla: Volunteering in my community, volleyball, a representative of an amazing organization called Continue to Find Kindness and my church group

NAM:  What are your plans for the future?

Shayla: I’d like to major in psychology and have my own business in NYC.  One of my dreams is also to be Miss America.

NAM:  How would your friends describe you?

Shayla: My friend, Alvina recently said that I am super nice, funny and huggable.

NAM:  What moto or quote best describes you?

Shayla: Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless

NAM:  What is the best advice you have ever received?

Shayla: Keep God 1^st, love myself and to stand up for what is right even if I stand alone

NAM:  How did you prepare for the NAM National pageant?

Shayla: I worked HARD to achieve my goals.  I spent countless hours practicing with my daddy over the past few months, 5 sessions with Andrea Walters, and about 12 sessions with Greg Solomon.  The key is to have passion and never stop being yourself!

NAM:  Where is your favorite place to shop?

Shayla: I love shopping at Forever 21 because they have preppy clothes and I feel glamourous wearing them.

NAM:  How have pageants shaped your life?

Shayla: My confidence has really changed.  I use to be shy and now I am outgoing.  My mom always has said you can do anything you put your mind to and I believe it now.

NAM:  What is your most prized possession?

Shayla: My dog Ginger!  She always makes me smile and loves to cuddle with me

NAM:  What is your favorite movie?

Shayla: I don’t have a favorite.  However, if I had to choose one it would be the Little Mermaid.  I have loved it since I was a little girl.  I use to think that I was a mermaid.  My Papa would always say I was a fish out of water.

NAM:  What is your favorite TV show?

Shayla: Glee - I love the story and the voices are beautiful

NAM:  What is your favorite book?

Shayla: Wander – It’s about a boy who was bullied due to his “differences” he had a “face deformation” that he overcame and people accepted him for who he was

NAM:  What advice do you have for future NAM girls?

Shayla: Always be yourself.  If you don’t win the 1^st time try again. Work hard throughout the year so you can go into your state competition being the best you can be while having fun and making friends

NAM:  If you could be famous for anything what would it be?

Shayla: Inventing a tool to make humans fly

NAM:  What is your dream job?

Shayla: My goal is to be a psychologist so I can help children and teens.  I believe we can change our world one young person at a time.

NAM:  How do you plan to use your title?

Shayla: I plan to spread my platform of anti-bullying with Continue to Find Kindness by traveling to schools and teaching kids how to recognize and resolve conflicts and to revolutionize kindness

NAM:  How do you volunteer in your community?

Shayla: My mom instilled in me since I was 4 to give back to our community.  I volunteer with Continue to Find Kindness, feed the homeless, visit elderly, and basically anywhere we find an opportunity.  I believe that helping others not only benefits them it benefits yourself. 

NAM:  What is your most embarrassing moment?

Shayla: When I was about 10 me and my friend Olivia raced and I tried to one up her and we were running down the street without shoes on and I fell and scarped my whole face.  I cried at first and then we laughed because I was being silly.

NAM:  If you had three wishes what would you wish for?

1.     Shayla:  To keep my National title forever w/ my sister queens,   End bullying across the world, and Live forever with my family with an endless supply of pancakes

NAM:  What is your favorite subject in school?

Shayla: Acting because it gives me a chance to be silly and do a variety of characters

NAM:  What is your biggest fear?

Shayla: Spiders & Tsunamis

NAM:  What is the biggest misconception about your generation?

Shayla: We are amazing people yet many cover it up with a mask

NAM:  Who is your role model?

Shayla: My daddy.  He pushes me to do amazing things in life and we have lots of fun together.  I am the biggest daddy’s girl ever! 

NAM:  If you could go back in time to any historical event what would it be?

I would go back to Martin Luther King Jr’s I have a dream speech.       

NAM:  Who is the most influential person in the world?

Shayla: I feel Camila Cabello because she dreamed of singing since she was little and decided to pursue her dream when she was 16 and now she has a gold, platinum and silver album with Fifth Harmony

NAM:  If you could have dinner with anyone who would it be?

Shayla: Fifth Harmony.  It’s my dream to meet them.  I’ve been a fan since X Factor and one of Camila since she was on YouTube.

NAM:  What is your favorite part about National American Miss?

Shayla: The amazing staff and the contestants. 

NAM:  How did you get started with NAM?  How long have you been involved in pageants?

Shayla: I received a postcard in the mail in 2014 and decided to try NAM.  May 2014 was my first pageant ever and I am so glad it was with National American Miss!

NAM:  What is your definition of a NAM girl?

Shayla: A person whose kind to everybody, a person who believes beauty isn’t just on the outside, someone who is confident in herself and who believes in service to others

NAM:  What do you like to do to have fun?

Shayla: Volleyball, modeling, art, photography, music and of course what girl doesn’t love to shop

NAM:  What makes your state unique?

Shayla: My state is green.  We care about the environment and are big on recycling and bicycling.

NAM:  What is your favorite food?

IShayla:  love pancakes and Caesar salad

NAM:  What makes you laugh?

Shayla: One of my really good friends, Shyrel.  Even hearing her name makes me smile.

NAM:  What was your first thought you had when you captured your national title?

Shayla: I did it!  All my hard work paid off!

NAM:  People would be surprised to know what about you?

IShayla:  can type with my toes