Mary Katherine Fechtel

Last updated

Mary Katherine Fechtel
Education University of Florida
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title Miss Orlando's Outstanding Teen 2010
Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen 2010
Miss University of Florida 2015
Miss Florida 2015
Major
competition(s)		 Miss America 2016

Mary Katherine Fechtel is an American titleholder from Leesburg, Florida, who was crowned Miss Florida 2015. She competed for the Miss America 2016 title in September 2015 live on ABC and placed in the top 10.

Contents

Pageant career

Miss Florida 2015

On February 16, 2015, Fechtel won the Miss University of Florida 2015 title over 20 other contestants for the crown. [1] [2] She was crowned by the Miss University of Florida 2014 titleholder, her older sister Elizabeth Fechtel. [2]

Entering the state pageant of behalf of her university in June 2015 as one of 47 finalists, Fechtel's Miss Florida 2015 pageant competition talent was a lyrical dance to the song "Listen" by Beyoncé. [3] [4] [5] Her platform was human trafficking and online safety in prevention. She adopted various topics for speeches, most notably women empowerment and faith. [6]

Fechtel won the competition on Saturday, June 20, 2015, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Florida titleholder Victoria Cowen. She earned more than $18,000 in scholarship money and other prizes from the state pageant. As Miss Florida, her activities included public appearances across the state of Florida. She is best known for her dedication to human trafficking awareness and internet exploitation. During her travels she supported state nonprofits, spoke to over 20,000 students in Florida K-12 schools, and trained law enforcement officers and prosecutors in anti-human trafficking efforts. She was a spokesperson for the Everglades Foundation and lobbied for the Florida Legacy Act.

In February 2016 the Florida House of Representatives passed a Personal Resolution Bill in her honor (HB9069) for exceptional dedication to her various platform issues.

Vying for Miss America

Fechtel was Florida's representative at the Miss America 2016 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 2015. [6] [7] [8] She won a preliminary swimsuit competition, earning a $1,000 "lifestyle and fitness" scholarship award. [9] [10] In the televised finale on September 13, 2015, she danced to "Bridge Over Troubled Water" during the talent portion of the competition. [11] Fechtel placed in the Top 10 finalists and earned a $7,000 scholarship award. [10]

Sisterly parallels

Mary Katherine's older sister, Elizabeth Fechtel, succeeded her as Miss Orlando's Outstanding Teen 2011 and Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen 2011. [12] [13] (Elizabeth went on to win the Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2012 crown.) [2] [14] She was crowned Miss University of Florida 2014 and was succeeded by Mary Katherine in 2015. [1] [2] Elizabeth was crowned Miss Florida in 2014, [15] just as Mary Katherine would be in 2015, [16] but Elizabeth was demoted to first runner-up after just six days when an error tabulating judges' scores was discovered. [3] [2] [17]

Personal life and education

Fechtel is a native of Leesburg, Florida, and a 2012 graduate of First Academy High School in Leesburg. [18] [19] Her father is Vince Fechtel and her mother is Dixie Fechtel. [18] [2] [4]

Fechtel is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida where she studies family, youth, and community sciences. [3] [1] [7] While a student at Florida, Fechtel became a member of the Kappa Delta sorority. [11] [20] She was elected Vice President of Standards. She represented the University of Florida in athletics as a Florida Dazzler and became a cheerleader uniform model for Varsity Fashions. As a leader in Dance Marathon at UF she worked with children at Shands Hospital and became a public proponent of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. She withdrew from classes for the duration of her reign to fulfill her duties as Miss Florida but completed her degree in December 2016. [11]

Related Research Articles

Miss America's Teen is an American scholarship pageant. It is the sister program to the Miss America Organization, and it aims to "promote scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community involvement for America's teens." In order to be eligible to compete, participants must first compete and win at the local level and then win the state title. The competition consists of several parts of competition which consists of an eight-minute interview in front of a panel of judges, talent, lifestyle and wellness, evening wear, and an on-stage question. All competitors must be girls between the ages of 13 and 18 years of age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss Ohio</span> Beauty pageant competition

The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program selects the representative for the U.S. state of Ohio to compete for the title of Miss America. The pageant is held annually, during the "Miss Ohio Festival" week, at the historic 1,600 seat Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield.

The Miss Kentucky competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss America pageant.

The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s. Four Miss Virginia winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America, including former national titleholder Caressa Cameron.

The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.

For the state competition affiliated with Miss Florida, see Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen

The Miss Texas' Teen competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Texas in the Miss America's Teen pageant.

The Miss Washington's Teen competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Washington in the Miss America's Teen pageant. The competition is held each June in Olympia, Washington and consists of five categories; private interview, health and fitness, talent, evening gown and on stage conversation.

Miss Orlando's Outstanding Teen is part of the Miss America Organization and a preliminary to the Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen and Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageants. Here you will find the history of the titleholders as well how they placed at Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen.

Myrrhanda Jones is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Gainesville, Florida who was named Miss Florida 2013.

Maria Christina Maldonado Smith is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Lexington, Kentucky. She was named Miss Kentucky Teen 1999 and crowned Miss Kentucky 2004. She competed for the Miss America 2005 title.

The Miss Louisiana's Teen competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Louisiana in the Miss America's Teen pageant. The pageant is held each April at the Brown Auditorium at the University of Louisiana at Monroe in Monroe, Louisiana.

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss Teen USA, see Miss North Carolina Teen USA

The Miss Oregon's Teen competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Oregon in the Miss America's Teen pageant.

McKensie Lane Garber is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Hale, Missouri, who was named Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen 2011 and crowned Miss Missouri 2015. She competed for the Miss America 2016 title in September 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2018</span>

Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2018 was the 12th Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant held at the Linda Chapin Theatre in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on July 29, 2017, the same date as Miss Teen USA 2017. Nicole Jia of Oklahoma crowned her successor Jessica Baeder of Alabama at the end of the event. This was the first time that Miss Alabama's Outstanding Teen captured the title of Miss America's Outstanding Teen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2017</span>

Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2017 was the 11th Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant held at Linda Chapin Theatre in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on August 6, 2016. Allie Nault of New Hampshire crowned her successor Nicole Jia of Oklahoma at the end of the program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2011</span> Beauty pageant edition

Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2011 was the 6th Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant held at the Linda Chapin Theatre in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, on July 29, 2017. Jeanette Morelan of Wisconsin crowned her successor Lacey Russ of Oklahoma at the end of the event. This was the first time that Miss Oklahoma's Outstanding Teen captured the title of Miss America's Outstanding Teen. Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron hosted the pageant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2012</span>

Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2012 is the 7th Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant held at the Linda Chapin Theater in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on August 20, 2011. Lacey Russ of Oklahoma crowned her successor Elizabeth Fecthel of Florida at the end of the event. Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan was an emcee for the pageant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2015</span> Beauty pageant edition

Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2015 was the 9th Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant held at the Linda Chapin Theater in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on August 2, 2014. At the conclusion of the event, Leah Sykes of Florida crowned her successor Olivia McMillan of Georgia. Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri was a host of the event.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Cochrane, Emily (February 17, 2015). "Miss UF 2015 crowned, succeeds her sister in position". The Independent Florida Alligator . Gainesville, FL: Campus Communications. p. 6. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Campbell, Theresa (February 18, 2015). "Back-to-back pageant wins as Miss UF for Fechtel sisters". Daily Commercial . Leesburg, FL: New Media Investment Group . Retrieved June 25, 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. 1 2 3 Campbell, Theresa (June 22, 2015). "UF student wins Miss Florida crown one year after sister loses hers". The Gainesville Sun . Gainesville, FL: New Media Investment Group. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Dowell, Rosemarie (June 19, 2015). "MaryKatherine Fechtel, Arianna Beyer vying for Miss Florida title". Orlando Sentinel . Orlando, FL: Tribune Publishing . Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  5. ↑ Dowell, Rosemarie (June 23, 2015). "MaryKatherine Fechtel, Lake's second Miss Florida, prepares for Miss America pageant". Orlando Sentinel . Orlando, FL: Tribune Publishing . Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  6. 1 2 "State Contestants: Florida – 2015". Miss America. 2015. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "19-year-old UF senior crowned Miss Florida". Jacksonville, FL: WJXT-TV. Associated Press. June 22, 2015. Archived from the original on June 25, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  8. ↑ Holliday, Eileen (June 20, 2015). "Leesburg woman crowned Miss Florida 2015". Orlando Sentinel . Orlando, FL: Tribune Publishing . Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Louisiana, Florida win 2nd night Miss America preliminaries". Shreveport, LA: KTBS-TV. September 10, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Miss America Show Scholarships 2016". Miss America. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 Erickson, Briana (September 16, 2015). "UF student to take off a year to uphold Miss Florida duties". The Independent Florida Alligator . Gainesville, FL: Campus Communications. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Florida Outstanding Teen 2011". Miss Florida. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  13. ↑ Omaye, Jayna (June 27, 2014). "Leesburg woman stripped of Miss Florida crown after counting error". Orlando Sentinel . Orlando, FL: Tribune Publishing . Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2012 Rides In The University of Florida's Homecoming Parade". Tampa, FL: Miss America's Outstanding Teen. November 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  15. ↑ Campbell, Theresa (June 22, 2014). "Leesburg woman claims Miss Florida title". Daily Commercial . Leesburg, FL: New Media Investment Group . Retrieved June 25, 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  16. ↑ Hayes, Christal (August 23, 2015). "Leesburg pageant winner heads to Miss America year after sister faced tabulation error". Orlando Sentinel . Orlando, FL: Tribune Publishing . Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  17. ↑ Pillion, Dennis (June 28, 2014). "Miss Florida pageant crowns wrong winner, takes title from contestant six days later". Press-Register . Mobile, AL: Advance Publications . Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  18. 1 2 "Miss Orlando's Outstanding Teen Crowned Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen 2010". Scholarship Pageant Newsletter. Vol. 1, no. 2. Miami, FL: Miss Florida. May 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  19. ↑ Campbell, Theresa (July 26, 2015). "Leesburg native MaryKatherine Fechtel prepares for Miss America". Daily Commercial . Leesburg, FL: GateHouse Media . Retrieved September 20, 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  20. ↑ Becque, Fran. "Sorority Women on the Road to Miss America 2016 (2015 State Winners)". Focus on Fraternity History. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Miss Florida
2015		Succeeded by
Courtney Sexton
Preceded by Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen
2010		Succeeded by
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