Har-Ber sophomore is Miss Arkansas Teen USA

Allie Shanks was crowned April 10 as Miss Arkansas Teen USA at the Fort Smith Convention Center.

“Winning Miss Arkansas Teen USA has been a goal of mine since I was very young,” Shanks said. “When my name was called, my initial feeling was true shock. However, it was quickly overtaken with joy and love.”

Shanks, a 16-year-old Har-Ber High School sophomore from Springdale, began competing in pageants when she was 12, noting the events shouldn’t be confused with “beauty pageants.”

“For me, pageants are not just about getting dressed up, but the service, community and friendship that you gain,” Shanks said. “My parents have instilled the true meaning of philanthropy in my siblings and I. Getting to go out and work with different groups in our community is something I love most about being a title holder.”

Shanks said competing in pageants has helped her become a better person.

“Prepping for a pageant, you are taught life skills that prepare you for the future,” she said. “The friendships and bonds that are created during a pageant are lifelong.”

Community service is a fundamental part of pageantry and something Shanks genuinely takes to heart, said Kayley Baxendale, American Heart Association corporate market director. Baxendale has known Shanks for about five years and works with the high schooler as her pageant mentor and as the director of the American Heart Association Sweetheart Program.

Shanks serves as a voluntary Sweetheart with the program, which Baxendale said includes 38 high school sophomore girls from Northwest Arkansas who are learning about heart health and how women must to be mindful about their personal heart health.

“They're also reaching their peers, and so they are setting the example of, not only just being more healthy in general, but also being health advocates in their community to talk about heart health,” she said.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer among all Americans, Baxendale said.

“It kills more women than all forms of cancer combined,” she said. “One in three women are impacted by heart disease.”

Shanks also serves as an ambassador for the United Network for Organ Sharing, with Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery and her family's nonprofit, Give Organs, Give Life, she said.

“I have always loved getting out in our community and helping others. I have found that competing in pageants allows me to continue my passion even more,” Shanks said. “I want my community to see me as someone who left their town a better place than it was when I arrived.”

Charles Nokes, Har-Ber High School science and Medical Education Services teacher, said Shanks stands out at school.

“Allie is an exceptional student with a ‘can-do’ attitude and a winning personality,” Nokes said.

Her tenacity and work ethic were evident as she competed for the Miss Arkansas Teen USA title, Baxendale said.

Shanks said she competed in fitness and evening gown competitions, as well as a private interview and an on-stage question as part of the pageant. She received a scholarship to Central Methodist University in, Fayette, Mo., and a large sponsorship package as Miss Arkansas Teen USA.

Shanks will advance to compete for Miss Teen USA in the fall, she said, the location and date for which have yet to be announced.

“Winning Miss Arkansas Teen USA is such an honor, and I can’t wait to represent Arkansas at Miss Teen USA,” she said. “This has been a whirlwind of an experience, and I am excited to see what my year holds. I have grown and learned so much from this organization and am ready to give back to the organization and community that has already poured so much into me.”

Baxendale said she has little doubt about how Shanks will fare in the future and at Miss Teen USA.

“I think she'll make such a big impact while she's wearing this title across her chest and this crown on her head,” Baxendale said. “I am excited to see what's next for Allie, and I think that Miss USA and Miss Teen USA should be on the lookout for her, because I think she's gonna make a really big splash.”