Moving forward from Miss Teen

Sumter County Times - October 11, 2001

Elizabeth Everett headed off to the University of South Florida this year, working towards her future and her career.

She has an avid interest in law, broadcasting, interior design, politics and religion.

As a matter of fact, she has such an interest, the 19-year-old says she watches C-SPAN constantly.

Originally from Webster, she notes that her interest is in “Issues that are relative to what’s going on in the world, not just right here.”

The former Miss Teen Sumter County notes the importance of advocating things like tolerance.

“People have a lack of that sometimes,” she said, adding that, “As a rule, leading by example is something I can do to change that.”

She strives to be a role model and mentor . She spent her high school years reading in classrooms to younger children and doing other volunteer work.

She’s happy to have the opportunities she’s had in her life and notes the advantages to living in a small, rural community.

She also plans to pursue pageant titles, including Miss Florida and notes that she was raised to believe.

“You believe it, you’re going to achieve it,” she said.

She sees her relationship with her mother Molly as a plus.

“My Mom and I are very, very close. I’ll always have my mom to count on.”

She notes that her mother is always there, as she goes forward and always working to help her fill her needs.

She cites her father Fred as “an amazing person.” She says he’s the kind of person who talks to a stranger just to see what they’re about.

And she notes that from her parents, she’s learned “to pursue my dreams and to not be afraid to pursue them.”

Everett says she hopes others see, “That I’m trying to do something with myself that will make a difference in the world.”

She is someone with faith in the community, herself and her parents and sees advantages in both the small town and the big city. She loves the tight-knit community of small towns but thrives on museums, plays and other aspects of big city life.

Her love for various cultural experiences was fostered by her mother who took her on annual visits to Virginia where she attended performing arts and cultural exhibitions throughout her life.

She cites those experiences as having an amazing influence on her, leaving her to feel “as though the world was waiting on me.”

Her year as Miss Teen Sumter was “very, very profound.”

She said people in a small community are very proud of their queens and she’s very grateful for the opportunity she had to serve. She also notes that those involved behind the scenes with the pageants -Debbie Goodwin Moffett, Cheryl Cole, Peggy Woods and Donna Wells, are close to her heart. With warm emotion, she refers to them as the “pageant mommy society,” noting that they are always there for the girls.

Her own experience in pageants has been finding encouragement to stretch further and additional confidence to promote self and “who you are,” she said.

She has learned more about herself and her own limitations. One of the key reasons she has pursued pageant titles is scholarship money.

“I want my parents to have as little burden as possible,” she said of funding her education.

Her interest in law is incited by the theatrics in the courtroom, strategy and the planning, as well as the tactics used to get information needed.

With humor she cited a list of courtroom dramas and comedies that she enjoyed watching.

And while she’s ready for the books, she also has a love for dance. She spent different years teaching and has been dancing since age 2. She also sings and loves show tunes, as well as Tina Turner.

She cites her respect for Turner because she is vibrant and electric and because “she is at peace with herself.”