HollywoodOn Productions: Janet Donovan & Brendan Kownacki
“I’m Paige Madden from West Virginia. My platform is kind of a heavy topic,” Madden told a behind the scenes group of fellow participants in the 2015 Miss America Pageant taking place Sunday, September 14, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
“When I speak to a lot of people, I talk more about not letting your past or an unfortunate situation that you’ve been dealt define you. No matter what your situation is, because you got through it, you’re now a better person.”
Paige Madden
In 1989, the Miss America Organization founded the platform concept, which requires each contestant to choose an issue about which she cares deeply and that is of relevance to our country, according to the Miss America platform statement. Once chosen, Miss America and the state titleholders use their stature to address community service organizations, business and civic leaders, the media and others about their platform issues.
For Miss West Virginia, her platform is based on personal experiences which you will be hearing about. Until 8 years old she lived in a house “with no water, no electricity, on welfare, all that great stuff.” She then moved into her dad’s house where he stressed education and community service which lead to college scholarships.
Believing that coming out of a situation like that and being able to tell your story can make a difference in other people’s lives, this will be Madden’s platform emphasizing that: “You can come from any situation and make whatever you want of it and do something wonderful.”
Other contestants have adopted homelessness as their platform, some anorexia; but all stress the importance of education.
Miss America 2015 contestants
Hollywood on the Potomac sat down with Sam Haskell, Chairman – Miss America Organization; Maggie Bridges – Miss Georgia; Jessica Burson – Miss New Mexico; and Nina Davuluri – Miss America 2014.
The Road to Miss America.
