Pepper Fest experience helps Jennifer Johnson with Teen USA competition

• Hudson High School senior Jennifer Johnson

Hudson High School senior Jennifer Johnson was selected as the Miss Wisconsin Teen USA second runner-up during competition Sept. 17-18 in Fond du Lac. Submitted photo

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In 2010 Jennifer Johnson had no desire to run for the Pepper Fest court. However her friend Makenzie McGraw just came up and asked her to run.

“She said it would be fun,” said Johnson. “My mom was kind of surprised that I wanted to do it.” It turned out both of them were selected as Pepper Fest princesses for the 2010-2011 year. The year went by quickly and just as Johnson was preparing for the final month leading up to Pepper Fest 2011, she received a postcard in the mail. It was advising that she was one of 39 finalists, out 600 applicants, invited to participate in the Miss Wisconsin Teen USA Pageant in mid-September.

“I had had so much fun on the Pepper Fest court I wasn’t ready to give up my crown,” said Johnson. “I think that is what made me apply.”

Putting aside any notion of preparing for the upcoming pageant, Johnson finished up her year on the court and then set her sights on preparing for the Miss Teen USA event.

With only four weeks to get ready, Johnson worked on her bio, learned how to walk and practiced speaking. Johnson received advice from pageant coach Holly Ernst to prepare.

The candidates had to compete in three categories: evening gown, swim suit and an interview. Each area accounted for one-third of their score.

The pageant was held Sept. 17 and 18 and from morning to night it kept the candidates busy.

“I really wanted to do well,” said Johnson. “The whole experience was great, meeting the other girls, being on stage. I just really liked it.”

The interview portion took place the morning of Sept. 17. The rest of the day the candidates practiced and prepared for the evening event which would include the evening gown and swimsuit portions.

Sunday, the event began with 15 finalists being announced. Then came a second round of on-stage evening and swimsuit competition. Johnson was still in the game.

The judges then selected the top five, Johnson cleared that hurdle as well. The top five were asked an on-stage question.

“How has this pageant challenged you?” was Johnson’s question. Based on their answers, the top five were ranked.

Johnson was selected as the second runner-up which came with a choice of scholarships.

“I am so very proud of her to even think about taking up this challenge,” said Laurie Johnson, Jennifer’s mom. “To see how she has done — how she was able to compete with the others who had much more pageant experience. She has changed so much from when she first got on the Pepper Fest court.”

Johnson, the daughter of Laurie and Todd Johnson, has maintained A- honor roll grades throughout high school. She is a member of Raidaires and hopes to become a dentist. Even though she has already been accepted to four colleges, she will travel with her parents this weekend to visit Lindenwood University in Missouri. As second runner-up, Johnson is eligible for a $29,000 scholarship there.

Johnson is eligible to compete one more year in the Miss Wisconsin Teen USA pageant and hopes to do so next fall. This pageant leads to the Miss Wisconsin USA and then to Miss USA. The Miss USA competition began in 1952.

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