Shortly after moving from Georgia to Johnson City close to five years ago, Leanna May received a letter in the mail concerning the Miss Tennessee pageant. Leanna was unsure of whether she should give the pageant a chance, so she turned to her mother for advice.

“My mom just encouraged me in whatever decision I made,” Leanna said. “It wasn't so much she encouraged me to do it, but she supported me in whatever I chose to do, and did agree it would be a once in a life time experience.”

After a lot of consideration, Leanna decided to be a part of the Miss Tennessee USA pageant. Kim Greenwood, the pageant director, told Leanna that in order to be a part of the pageant she would need to get $1,000 – $800 from sponsors supporting her in the pageant and the remaining $200 out of her own pocket.

At first, Leanna was not sure what to expect from the pageant, though she soon learned that the stereotypes such as “snotty pageant girls” were generally inaccurate. “Every girl I got to spend time with were some of the nicest girls I have ever met in my life,” she said.

Leanna also learned that helping other people is one the most important things about the experience, and in some ways prepared for her experiences in public relations, the career area she plans to pursue. Leanna said she did enjoy the pageant, even though sometimes it made her life hectic.

The month before the pageant was especially crazy. Leanna had to learn to balance her school work, social life, job commitment and pageant life all at the same time. She soon found herself with no time in between her commitments, and eventually the hectic pageant lifestyle of exercising, routines, dresses and speeches caught up with her. With her family’s support, Leanna stepped away from her job with her family’s business until the pageant was over with. Her family, which manages and operates two Zaxby’s restaurants, didn’t hold it against her, she said. They viewed it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and supported her decision.

Even though Leanna didn’t place in the Miss Tennessee pageant, the experience was enough in itself. “I learned how to grow into my own a little bit, to be even more proud of myself and who I am,” she said.

And though she was never a shy person, she said that like everybody else there are some things she wanted to keep hidden. With the pageant, she had to learn to come out of her shell, be comfortable in her own skin. There are many times when the contestants have to come and do certain tasks for the judges. “Walking out in front of a crowd of people in a bikini and ‘strutting my stuff’ isn’t exactly a cakewalk, but you grow out of that,” she said. 

As for the experience overall, definitely one that will stick with her for a lifetime.