Web Site for the Official Student Newspaper of Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota NCC student crowned Miss Minnesota Teen America By Larissa Larivee “I loved my evening gown. I looked like a pink cupcake!” said Liz Heikkila, the new Miss Minnesota Teen America. Heikkila, a PSEO student here at NCC, won the title of Miss Minnesota Teen America on Feb. 17. She is a senior at Bloomington Jefferson High, and plans to go on to compete in the national Miss Teen America competition. Her mother, Vanelle Heikkila, said, “She mostly did this for the scholarship money.” Her grandmother, Francine Heikkila, adds, “I am so very proud of her.” If Heikkila wins the national competition, being held in Nashville, Tenn., she could win a free ride to any college of her choice. Although one of her prizes from the state competition was a free ride at a northern Iowa college, she believes she will stay at NCC. Heikkila has very detailed plans concerning her future career goals. She said, “I could be a movie star; everyone wants to be a movie star. But my real ambition is to do philanthropy work around the world. I am working with an organization, ‘Feed My Starving Children,’ to build orphanages in third-world countries, but I would also like to work in Africa some day soon.” According to Heikkila, one of the best things about Miss Minnesota Teen America is that contenders do not need experience in other beauty pageants. She said, “This is my first one, so I guess just the excitement of it all was the best part.” She also said that, “I am so not a girl who would so this. My mom signed me up behind my back because she didn’t tell me until I was accepted, the thought would never have crossed my mind.” Heikkila must now prepare for the Miss Teen America national competition. Lots of time and money go into these beauty pageants, but by winning the contestants represent hard work and service oriented minds. For the national competition, Heikkila will have her entry fee paid for her, $1,000 taken off of her evening gown, make-up, jewelry, coaching and will be provided with room and board in Tennessee. For her talent in the Miss Minnesota Teen America competition, she preformed a jazz number called “Sparkling Diamond,” also known as the Moulin Rouge version of “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend,” Heikkila said. “I had only five lessons to learn it so it was quick and easy, but it didn’t show much skill. For nationals I have to do something that shows way more skill, so I am trying to prepare for that.” According to Denise Wallace, Future Productions, the Miss Minnesota Teen America is not owned or affiliated in anyway with the Miss Universe Organization or the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants, which are owned by Donald Trump and NBC Television. Currently, the Miss Minnesota Teen USA 2007 is Vanessa Vonbehren from Apple Valley and the Miss Minnesota USA 2007 is Alla Ilushka from Eden Prairie.