Miss Murray Hopes to Pay it Forward- Murray Journal

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There’s a new Miss Murray in town and she’s on a mission to stop crime through awareness and kindness. Murray High School graduate Stacey Marie Hansen won the title for 2010 and feels passionately about her platform, crime prevention.

Hansen’s grandfather, Norman Nielsen, was on the city council in his day, and Hansen said she shares his zeal to help make the city a better place.

“Murray is such a community based city,” she said.

Hansen hopes to set up Neighborhood Watches in every district in the city. She plans to go door to door to rally neighbors to create a safer city through community involvement.

Since winning the title, Hansen had been busy attending school functions during Red Ribbon Week, and a Refugee Exhibition at the high school.

She is the youngest of four siblings, grew up in Murray and attended Murray High and McMillian Elementary, where she recently spoke to all the classrooms telling them how important it is to choose good friends.

“I loved it because so many of them couldn’t actually read my sash, but they knew who I was as soon as I walked in--that’s what growing up in Murray does to you,” Hansen said. “You know everyone.”

Pageant director Leesa Lloyd said no one deserved to win more than Hansen. “We’re all so happy for her.”

Hansen won $2,400 for the Miss Murray title, which will help with her tuition at the University of Utah where she is majoring in business/entrepreneurship.

She believes crime and hatred can be fought with the “pay it forward” idealism. She plans to start a paper chain of random acts of kindness. Then her idea is to join all of these chains from the schools and city hall together for the Arts Festival in early May. She also plays to pass out kindness cards, where when you do a kind act for someone you give them the card.

“Kindness has a ripple effect,” Hansen said. “I know it seems like an impossible task to get rid of it all [crime], but if we can change one person’s life for the better then this has all been worth it.”

Murray Journal October

Stacey-Marie Hansen Crowned Miss Murray!
Erin McShay





http://murrayjournal.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Stacey+Hansen+crowned+new+Miss+Murray-%20&id=3901123

On Sept. 12, 12 talented young women competed in the city’s annual Miss Murray pageant, though only one lucky individual got to take home the crown. Murray High School graduate Stacey Marie Hansen won the title for 2010. Hansen competed in the pageant the previous two years.

“It’s been her third year in the program and she really deserved to win,” said Leesa Lloyd, pageant director. “We are all so happy for her.”

The contest was open to young women living in Murray between the ages of 17 to 24 years old. The contestants were judged 30 percent on their talent, 35 percent on their interview skills, 15 percent on evening wear, 15 percent on swim suit wear, and 5 percent for their on stage question. After totallingall of their scores, the judges rank their top five in order.

Lloyd, a dance teacher at Murray High School, has directed the pageant for the past 14 years. She said the judges looked for service-oriented young women who hope to pursue an education after high school.

Murray City gave the pageant $4,100 for scholarship winners. Hansen won $2,400 for Miss Murray. The first runner, Kaitlin Pollei, was awarded $800; second runner up Shannon Ma won $600, third runner up Marion Stobell won $400, and fourth runner up Mallory Rogers won $200.

The pageant included a Little Miss Murray contest with girls between the ages of 7-9. The winner, Mykenzy Ford, drew a picture of why Murray is the greatest city in America.

Also on the night of the event, the pageant director announced a surprise Woman of Achievement award winner in Murray. This year’s award went to Rhea Kiisel, a previous Murray pageant director. Kiisel was responsible for starting up the pageant in the 1970’s. Kiisel went on to direct the state’s Miss Utah pageant.

Miss Murray’s duties are to ride in all the parades, get involved with the Murray Chamber, and implement a platform she feels passionate about.

The former Miss Murray, Cari Southwick, worked for organ and tissue donor awareness. Southwick highly recommends other young women get involved with pageants.

“It’s definitely changed my life,” Southwick said. “I’ve learned so much; it’s made me the woman I am today.”

Southwick now plans to continue working towards her social work degree at the Salt Lake Community College and to marry her fiancée in February.

Murray Journal August

Contestants Gearing up for Miss Murray Pageant
Erin McShay
August 2009





All summer long, 13 young women have been hard at work rehearsing for the Miss Murray Pageant, which will take place on Sept. 12 in the Murray High School auditorium. The ladies have been practicing their acts for the talent competition, the main number and brushing up on current events as they will be interviewed by judges and asked an on stage question on current affairs.

“It’s been really fun,” said contestant Amanda Airment. “I really wanted to do this because Murray is such a great community, and I want to be a part of it as much as possible.”

The contest is open to women between the ages of 17 to 24 and the only condition is that participants must reside in Murray.

The Miss Murray Pageant is part of the Miss America organization, which pageant director Leesa Lloyd has been involved with for over 35 years. Lloyd, a dance and sociology teacher at the Murray High School, got involved with the pageant scene because her mother Sandra Lloyd was the pageant director for the Miss Riverton contest for over 17 years. Leesa Lloyd choreographed the pageant in Riverton and then moved over to Murray’s in 1995.

“It’s really great to see the girls grow and develop,” said Lloyd. “More often than not the girls come out of the pageant saying what a great experience it was.”

The girls will be judged 30 percent on their talent, 35 percent on their interview skills, 15 percent on evening wear, 15 percent on swim suit wear, and 5 percent for their on stage question. After totalling all their numbers, the judges rank their top five in order.

Most young women are encouraged to enter because of the scholarships awarded to the winners. Miss Murray receives $2,600, first runner up receives $800, second place $600, third place $400, fourth place $200 and Miss Congeniality receives $100. The pageant received $4,100 from Murray City.

“We really have a great relationship with the city,” Lloyd said. “Mayor Dan Snarr has been tremendous and the council has been very supportive.”

The pageant will include a Little Miss Murray contest where girls ages 7-9 compete by drawing a picture of why Murray is the greatest city in America. A woman’s achievement award will also be presented to a woman who has contributed to the Murray community.

Miss Utah Workshop!

Whit Sandwich!
Whitnee Wright (Miss Intermountain) Me, Whitney Merrifield (Miss Utah!)
You ladies are absolutely stunning AND amazing!

My first Miss Utah workshop was Saturday! It was simply amazing! I am so blessed to be able to work with the most amazing girls and women in the state of Utah! The directors, committee members, and queens were all so amazing and I'm so excited for Miss Utah!

I couldn't sleep the night before! It was better than Christmas! I was just so excited to meet everyone!!!


Jessica Hudgins AKA Miss Legacy AKA Most amazing best friend ever!


Marissa, Miss Utah's Outstanding Teen! She is not only a cutie, but so driven and passionate! I love her!


I have the best director in the world! You go Miss Lloyd!

Keys to Success!

I gave a presentation at the Boys and Girls Club on succeeding in school and scholarships and such and figured I'd share it with all of you! Here you are!

Miss Murray’s Guide to
Succeeding in School

• Be There! Set Goals!
o Being there physically will help you loads, but I mean being there both physically and mentally. Figure out why you are there, set goals, and reach those goals. “Whether you fail or whether you succeed, the amount of effort is the same.”
• Take a Balanced Schedule- at School and at Home
o School, work, friends, family, and extracurricular activities are hard to balance! Don’t let one rule out everything else. (Think Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean and Body Building)
• Get a High GPA
o Many scholarships and admittances will be based solely on your GPA and ACT. Don’t mess up your ACT; however, if it’s low and you raise it higher, scholarships committees would eat that up.
• Find the School and Scholarship that fits YOU
o Don’t go to the school someone else wants you to go to. You’ll end up transferring. When looking for scholarships, fastweb and those sites are helpful, but the best scholarships you guys can received are directly from Murray High in the counseling center. There is a scholarship and a school out there for everyone.
• Create a Portfolio
o If you make an in-depth portfolio-with pictures, explanations, the whole works- life will be so much easier for you when you start applying for scholarships. You could split it up into Academic, Service, Leadership, Extra-Curricular activities, or whatever works best for you. Just know how amazing you are and be ready to tell anyone else. Applying for scholarships isn’t bragging, it’s getting what you deserve ;)
• Take Every Opportunity You Hear of
o If you’re at a dance audition in the Salt Lake Valley, chances are you’ll see me there! Don’t just let things happen to you, make them happen!
• Be Loud!
o The squeaky wheel doesn’t only get the grease, it gets the scholarship too! Find those people who can help you and make sure they do. Even if you think you’re being annoying, they will appreciate your persistence.
• Be Involved!
o There are many situations where instead of looking at GPA and ACT, scholarship committees will be looking at your extracurricular activities. There are so many clubs and teams in your school that it should be easy for you to get involved. Bring your friends along too.
• Serve Others!
o Service is an easy way to make your resume stand out, but the best part about it is what it does to you. Remember “Service is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth.” careless

Don Blair Inducted to Murray Mayor's Hall of Fame

This was a fun event! I never knew how amazing Don Blair was! I'm so proud he was in Murray! I also have to give shout out to everyone who helped, including one of my very best friends in the whole world, Celeste! I love all of you who helped out and who help make Murray a better city and this world a better place to live in!

City Council Presentation

I finally got to present my platform to the city council! It was awesome being surrounded by people I love who support me in what I do! Murray City is SO supportive of the Miss Murray program! Thank you so much!
I even got a little teary eyed when I got up there... It's what I've always wanted! It was just amazing!

The best part was having my grandpa there... If you read about it in the Newspaper, he's actually a huge reason of why I wanted to be Miss Murray so badly. He told me I can change the world and I believed him. I still believe him, I'm doing it right now! He's so proud of me. And that means more to me than about anything! My cousins all played sports and were really really good at what they did. He always bragged about them so much! I just want to be someone he can brag about! And now I know he is! It makes me so happy! I LOVE to make my "grumps" proud!