Outstanding Teen encourages others to ‘be you’

Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen 2015 Gracie Stover, left, congratulates Miss Greater Hot Springs Mady Rottinghaus as third runner-up in the 12th annual Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen pageant.
Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen 2015 Gracie Stover, left, congratulates Miss Greater Hot Springs Mady Rottinghaus as third runner-up in the 12th annual Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen pageant.

Being involved in pageants encourages girls to be themselves and helps boost their confidence. These are two advantages Miss Greater Hot Springs Mady Rottinghaus, 16, said she took away from her experience. The Lakeside High School rising senior was named third runner-up among 33 contestants in the 12th annual Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen pageant in June, when she was also awarded $2,000 in scholarships.

The 16-year-old said she was “honored and humbled” to be named third runner-up. But it was also “very rewarding because I knew how hard I had worked for the title,” she said. “When my name was called, all of my hard work had paid off.”

During the talent portion of the pageant, Rottinghaus played “Stormy Night” on the piano. It was an arrangement from Melody Bober that Rottinghaus made her own.

Although she will soon age out of the Miss Teen system, Rottinghaus, the daughter of Amber and Michael Rottinghaus, is ready for the next step. She aspires to be Miss Arkansas one day and will begin preliminary work on that goal next summer, she said.

“My dream is also to play volleyball in college, which I work for three hours a day in order to make that dream come true,” she said. “I plan on being an orthodontist or oral surgeon.”

She also plans to continue her language platform. As a volunteer with HOPE — Helping Others Practice English, Rottinghaus works with English as a Second Language students and their families to help them become more comfortable with speaking English.

“I love it because after living in a foreign country myself, I can empathize with the students who struggle in the classroom due to a language barrier,” she said. The past two years, I have seen tremendous growth in these students’ confidence and English-speaking skills.”

Rottinghaus also won the pageant’s Overall Interview Award and was a finalist for the Teen in Action Award. Other contestants in the Tri-Lakes Edition coverage area include Miss Sweetheart of Arkansas Presli Pendergrass, 17, of Bryant, who was in the top 15 finalists and earned the Genesis Award and the Spirit of the Pageant title; and Miss South Central Jessica Miller, 17, of Bryant, who earned the Arrival Award and was also among the top 10 finalists.

Rottinghaus became involved in the Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen pageant through her involvement with its Diamond State Princess Program. The mentoring program is part of the Miss Arkansas organization and allows participating girls to spend a week with Miss Arkansas contestants. Rottinghaus participated in the program for five years.

Through her involvement, she said, “I knew when I got older I wanted to get involved and be a part of a wonderful system.”

The friendships she’s established is an advantage Rottinghaus said she otherwise wouldn’t have in her life.

“What I enjoy the most is the friendships I’ve make from the experience,” she said. “I have met girls who have become truly my best friends, and the memories we share will last a lifetime.”

Other organizations and groups that keep Rottinghaus busy include the National Junior Honor Society, the National Spanish Honor Society, Beta Club, the varsity volleyball team and her church youth group.

The smart, sporty and musically inclined teen said she is most inspired by Sadie Robertson, a reality TV star on the A&E show Duck Dynasty.

“As a teenager, I think it is so important, whether in the social-media spotlight or not, to stay true to who you are and who God has made you to be,” Rottinghaus said.

“Sadie does just that with her live original platform, and she inspires me to do the same. She has not changed the way she dresses or acts just to fit in and be popular. Her faith remains a true testament to who she is, and I hope to fulfill that, as well, through my lifetime.”

To aspiring Miss Teen contestants, Rottinghaus said, “Go for it.” Girls can’t go wrong with a learning experience that also boosts confidence, she noted. “The skills you gain are truly skills that will last a lifetime.”

Most important, she said, “Be you.” Whether it’s in an interview, onstage or even casual interaction between the pageantry, “Be you always.”

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