Miss North Royalton 2016 bids farewell to the crown
Simonek shares how title meant much more than a crown
Erin Simonek, 19, said she has enjoyed her time as Miss North Royalton 2016 representing her hometown. Photo by JAIME ANTON
NORTH ROYALTON — When Erin Simonek was just 9 years old, an episode of “Suite Life of Zack and Cody” sparked an interest in pageants that would become the stepping stone into one-of-a-kind experiences, even the career she is pursuing today.
In this particular episode, Zack and Cody put on a pageant for little girls and Erin, now 19, was instantly intrigued.
“I entered Little Miss North Royalton 2007. I really wanted to join after seeing how cool it was to dress up like a princess and I loved showing off on stage,” she said.
She ended up winning that title and was hooked.
Every Little Misses’ dream is to earn Miss North Royalton when they are all grown up.
That hometown dream became a reality last year when Erin was crowned the 2016 Miss North Royalton. But now she must say goodbye to her crown and passed it on to the next Miss North Royalton 2017, crowned Aug. 10 after The North Royalton Post deadline.
Erin earned this coveted title last year but it’s not all roses and crowns. Sometimes the taste of defeat must be swallowed first on the road to sweet victory, true with both pageants and life in general.
“During my pre-teens, I competed for Sweetheart North Royalton, and the highest I scored was second runner-up. That was a learning lesson for me, as I figured out quickly winning does not come easily,” she said.
She competed for Princess North Royalton 2012, earning the title as an incoming freshman. That passion for the Miss North Royalton Community Festival Pageant only deepened and she wanted more.
The late Sylvia Jensen, former director of the North Royalton pageants and the now Miss Greater Cleveland pageant, introduced Erin to the Miss Cuyahoga County’s Outstanding Teen pageant through the Miss America Scholarship Program.
“I was all about it,” Erin said.
But again, it didn’t come easy but she learned perseverance, placing second runner-up and later first runner-up at that pageant. After Jensen retired, the pageant was changed to the Miss Greater Cleveland’s Outstanding Teen. In her third and final attempt before aging out of the program, Erin finally earned that title in 2015.
“This win, like any other win, was so much more than a crown. I took home scholarship money that helped pay for my freshman year of college and opened so many new doors for me,” she said.
She delved headfirst into the Miss Ohio Program as a senior, winning Miss Ohio River 2016 and a spot at the Miss Ohio pageant last year as the youngest contestant. Through that experience, she earned more scholarship money, gained connections and proved to herself she is capable of making a mark on the world.
But, something was missing.
The Miss North Royalton title was the only title she hadn’t won or competed for in the North Royalton pageant.
“I decided to put my Miss Ohio dream on hold and get a title that was too close to my heart to pass up. Last summer I earned the title of Miss North Royalton 2016, and it was one of the proudest moments of my life,” Erin said. “This year has been one of the best in my life. In my freshman year of college, I was still able to come home to represent the title with my court through parades, fundraisers and multiple public appearances.”
Erin said the one thing she wants others to take from her story is that pageants are so much more than a sash and crown.
“If it was not for pageants, I would not have declared my major as a broadcast journalism student, I wouldn’t have the proper speaking skills I have today, and most importantly I would not have the drive, confidence and passion I have today if it was not for the Miss North Royalton system or the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program.”
Erin is a sophomore at Kent State University where she is TV2 Kent State’s weather anchor and a FlashCast producer. She’s also a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. Her career goal is to become a news anchor and reporter for a Cleveland news station.
But ask her and she’ll admit she wouldn’t have gotten this far without the support of her parents and Jensen.
“I want to thank my parents, who endlessly supported me throughout the years. I owe my biggest ‘pageant’ success to my former director, Sylvia Jensen, who lit any room up she was in. It was because of her I came this far in my pageant career, and I owe my success to her. She has blessed my life in ways some people never receive, and I truly do love her.”
Erin’s advice to other young girls is to know their worth and never lose sight of their dreams.
“It is amazing how true the statement, ‘anything is possible,’ really is if you set your heart, mind and soul to it,” she said.
And that is just what she is doing in college and the Miss Ohio program. Erin plans to compete for and win Miss Akron Canton this October to earn a ticket to Miss Ohio 2018.
“I would eventually like to win Miss Greater Cleveland in the next few years as well,” she said. “The sky is the limit, and I want to take any opportunity I can get.”
In this particular episode, Zack and Cody put on a pageant for little girls and Erin, now 19, was instantly intrigued.
“I entered Little Miss North Royalton 2007. I really wanted to join after seeing how cool it was to dress up like a princess and I loved showing off on stage,” she said.
She ended up winning that title and was hooked.
Every Little Misses’ dream is to earn Miss North Royalton when they are all grown up.
That hometown dream became a reality last year when Erin was crowned the 2016 Miss North Royalton. But now she must say goodbye to her crown and passed it on to the next Miss North Royalton 2017, crowned Aug. 10 after The North Royalton Post deadline.
Erin earned this coveted title last year but it’s not all roses and crowns. Sometimes the taste of defeat must be swallowed first on the road to sweet victory, true with both pageants and life in general.
“During my pre-teens, I competed for Sweetheart North Royalton, and the highest I scored was second runner-up. That was a learning lesson for me, as I figured out quickly winning does not come easily,” she said.
She competed for Princess North Royalton 2012, earning the title as an incoming freshman. That passion for the Miss North Royalton Community Festival Pageant only deepened and she wanted more.
The late Sylvia Jensen, former director of the North Royalton pageants and the now Miss Greater Cleveland pageant, introduced Erin to the Miss Cuyahoga County’s Outstanding Teen pageant through the Miss America Scholarship Program.
“I was all about it,” Erin said.
But again, it didn’t come easy but she learned perseverance, placing second runner-up and later first runner-up at that pageant. After Jensen retired, the pageant was changed to the Miss Greater Cleveland’s Outstanding Teen. In her third and final attempt before aging out of the program, Erin finally earned that title in 2015.
“This win, like any other win, was so much more than a crown. I took home scholarship money that helped pay for my freshman year of college and opened so many new doors for me,” she said.
She delved headfirst into the Miss Ohio Program as a senior, winning Miss Ohio River 2016 and a spot at the Miss Ohio pageant last year as the youngest contestant. Through that experience, she earned more scholarship money, gained connections and proved to herself she is capable of making a mark on the world.
But, something was missing.
The Miss North Royalton title was the only title she hadn’t won or competed for in the North Royalton pageant.
“I decided to put my Miss Ohio dream on hold and get a title that was too close to my heart to pass up. Last summer I earned the title of Miss North Royalton 2016, and it was one of the proudest moments of my life,” Erin said. “This year has been one of the best in my life. In my freshman year of college, I was still able to come home to represent the title with my court through parades, fundraisers and multiple public appearances.”
Erin said the one thing she wants others to take from her story is that pageants are so much more than a sash and crown.
“If it was not for pageants, I would not have declared my major as a broadcast journalism student, I wouldn’t have the proper speaking skills I have today, and most importantly I would not have the drive, confidence and passion I have today if it was not for the Miss North Royalton system or the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program.”
Erin is a sophomore at Kent State University where she is TV2 Kent State’s weather anchor and a FlashCast producer. She’s also a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. Her career goal is to become a news anchor and reporter for a Cleveland news station.
But ask her and she’ll admit she wouldn’t have gotten this far without the support of her parents and Jensen.
“I want to thank my parents, who endlessly supported me throughout the years. I owe my biggest ‘pageant’ success to my former director, Sylvia Jensen, who lit any room up she was in. It was because of her I came this far in my pageant career, and I owe my success to her. She has blessed my life in ways some people never receive, and I truly do love her.”
Erin’s advice to other young girls is to know their worth and never lose sight of their dreams.
“It is amazing how true the statement, ‘anything is possible,’ really is if you set your heart, mind and soul to it,” she said.
And that is just what she is doing in college and the Miss Ohio program. Erin plans to compete for and win Miss Akron Canton this October to earn a ticket to Miss Ohio 2018.
“I would eventually like to win Miss Greater Cleveland in the next few years as well,” she said. “The sky is the limit, and I want to take any opportunity I can get.”