Maryvale junior crowned Miss Maryland Teen America

Brandon MacPherson teases his younger sister, Erin, that she won the title of Miss Maryland Teen America in January because he was her onstage escort as she competed in the evening wear segment in a lavender and cream colored gown.

Joking aside, one meeting with the Maryvale Preparatory School, Brooklandville, junior explains how she won the pageant on her own merit. Well-spoken, poised and self-assured of the direction in which she is moving, the teen’s pleasant disposition and optimistic mind-set clearly earned her the shimmering rhinestone tiara.

In spite of her “extreme nervousness” while singing a Disney song for the talent segment, the blue-eyed St. Stephen, Bradshaw, parishioner won four categories: best interview, best costume, best evening wear and director’s choice award.

“I could see my family (in the audience) and that was reassuring,” said the long chestnut-haired 16-year-old who is now preparing outfits, songs and speeches to represent the state in the Miss Teen America Scholarship Pageant in Nashville, Tenn., in July.

Contestants will be required to embody and speak about an issue they stand for – Erin’s “platform” is teen involvement.

“I want to try to influence young teens,” she said. “I feel that all teens should be involved in something to feel they are important and to stay out of bad or negative things.”

Interested in acting, one of Erin’s pageant prizes was a five-year contract with a Baltimore talent agency, who is working with the student to create a portfolio; she then would like to audition for commercials.

With a bio boasting a long and impressive list of activities via school and her parish, the teen maintains a 3.6 G.P.A. Erin is currently rehearsing for Maryvale’s production of “The King and I.” She is a junior officer in student government, a volunteer in the school’s Sister Circle program to help young inner city girls in need, and recently completed winning championship seasons as an indoor and outdoor varsity soccer star.

Erin lectors, teaches Vacation Bible School and recently finished Micah 6:8, a retreat sponsored by the archdiocese to learn about social justice. As a St. Stephen alumna, Erin will speak at her parish’s confirmation ceremony about her pageant experience. She is the daughter of Mike and Beth MacPherson of Fallston.

Catholic Review

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.