Miss Oshkosh opens doors of self actualization for Wildcat contestants

The Miss Oshkosh Pageant rocked the Alberta Kimball stage on Saturday, March 1, and three contestants from West took this opportunity to build their confidence and skills. The pageant took weeks of preparation and hard work as the girls practiced and perfected a talent, fashioned a community service initiative, and prepared for both on and off stage interviews. 

For freshman Raewyn Polinsky, who won non-finalist evening gown at this year's competition, pageantry continues to help her grow. 

“This is my second year competing, but I've been involved in pageants for a while,” she said. “It started when my sister started competing in 2019 for Miss Oshkosh.” 

Polinsky’s love of camaraderie and community fuels her to continue her Miss Oshkosh journey.

“I have a passion for getting involved in the community and I think Miss Oshkosh is a great way to get involved because of the scholarship money and of course the crown and the sash,” she said.

     Senior Amiyah Thomas embarked on her first year of pageants to gain confidence and make connections within the community.

“Doing this just gets me out of my bubble and helps me interact with people that I never would have before,” she said.

Thomas hasn’t always had a craving for the stage lights; however, this year she decided to take the leap and embrace her moment to shine.

“I have been following Miss Oshkosh for a couple years, and I never thought I would actually do it, but  I thought that it doesn't hurt to try,” she said.

Junior Areanna Williams also wanted to experience the confidence boosting values that the pageant holds.

“It was mainly to get out of my comfort zone and to try something new,” she said.

Each girl is judged on a plethora of categories including interviews, talent, community service, and character, according to Polinsky

“Judges are focused on how you perceive yourself, how honest you can be, your community service initiative, and women empowerment,” she said.

In preparation for the big day, each contestant worked to curate a wardrobe and perfect their talents and community service initiative. 

“It’s busy getting my wardrobe and my makeup and hair stuff set up,” Polinsky said. “I got a spray tan, and I got my nails done too.”

However pageants aren’t just glitz and glam; all contestants create a community service initiative that outlines a plan to engage within their local community. Each  community service initiative (CSI) is unique to the contestant and often very personal. 

Thomas chose to tackle the barriers that people of color face within the American public education system.

“Statistically, people of color are on the lower end of the graphs for reading and math testing scores all together,” she said.  “I really want to focus on this because I was in that space where my grades weren’t the best and I didn’t get the additional help because I felt that people overlooked it.” 

Thomas also desires to inspire those facing similar situations to see that they are not powerless.

“I want to help people of color understand that they can do anything,” she said. “That even though someone's background or where they come from might not be the best, they can always make a difference and that things can change.”

Also in the educational realm, Williams chose to focus on child safety within schools and communities like Oshkosh.

“My community initiative is K.I.S.S., Kids In Safe Spaces. It’s about making sure kids know the importance of being safe and how to speak up and speak out if they hear, see or feel unsafe,” she said.

With school shootings on the rise, Williams’ CSI spreads a powerful message for parents, teachers, and community members alike.

“I wanted to touch on people not feeling safe in schools, let alone being safe at home, and how we can make it so that our community feels safe, welcoming, and open,” she said. 

Polinsky’s CSI centers on a new issue that affects young girls especially.

“I  focused on how social media can impact your opinion of yourself because so many things are incorporated in social media like filters and editing that can really knock down your self esteem,” she said.

Contestants can choose to keep the same CSI each year or create a new one. Polinsky keeps this in mind as she plans for future pageants. 

“Typically I've kept the same CSI, but next year I want to incorporate something that is really personal to me. I am still deciding on a couple different topics,” she said.

In addition to creating a CSI, each contestant performs a unique talent that showcases their creativity and abilities, such as Polinsky’s performance of “Popular” from Wicked.

“Last year I danced and felt like I wasn't as confident, so I think this year is the year I can finally show what I can do because I'm very confident with singing,” she said.

Common talents include musical performances (vocal or instrumental), poetry, dance, or even science experiments. Thomas chose to impress judges with an original poem that speaks to her roots.

“It was a piece that I wrote,” she said. “It showcases Black culture and just a little bit about us.”

Similarly, Williams used her love for creative writing to create a poem about her journey to self love and acceptance.

“I write poems for fun and I thought I would write one and recite it,” she said.

In addition to writing an original piece, Williams tackled the challenge of performing it in front of the audience after much practice.

“I spoke it to myself, I recorded it, and listened to myself,” she said. “I also had to go through certain paragraphs and memorize everything.” 

Though the Miss Oshkosh pageant takes hard work and dedication, the program continues to thrive by offering both tangible and intangible benefits.

“It’s a really good way to make lots of friends, build up your confidence, and learn people skills,” Thomas said. “And everybody gets some sort of scholarship for those looking for additional help for something like dance or college.” 

The thrill of being up on stage and competing with extremely talented girls provides a unique opportunity that Thomas believes has given her new found confidence.

“I keep thinking: ‘I should have joined sooner’ because it's a time to learn so much about yourself,” she said. “I never thought I would go on stage in front of hundreds of people and do this, but now I am!”

Polinsky looks forward to continuing her Miss Oshkosh career, and urges others to take part in the life changing opportunity. 

“People in general should try to get involved with the Miss America organization because it’s a great way to find new friends, get out there in the community, and make a positive impact on people,” she said. “As well as wearing pretty dresses.” 

Overall, the Miss Oshkosh organization strives to create a loving and hardworking community that uplifts girls in the Oshkosh community. Although pageants aren’t easy, the love and comradery of the Miss Oshkosh community made Williams first pageant a positive and memorable experience.

“The cheering and support that all the girls and the audience showed me, made me feel like I was doing okay,” she said. 

by Delaney Smith

Published March 17th, 2025

Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue VI