They came, they saw, they walked in ginormous heels, and finally, there is a champion of the Miss America 2017 competition. The former Miss Arkansas, Savvy Shields, is Miss America 2017! She fought it out with grace, humor, and talent, and her hard work and efforts have finally paid off. She nailed her talent portion (she danced jazz to a song from Smash), she wore a black velvet dress, and she answered her interview portion of the show cleanly and elegantly. But who is 2017 Miss America Savvy Shields?
Hailing from Fayetteville, Arkansas, Shields is a student at the University of Arkansas, and she was crowned Miss Arkansas mere weeks ago! She told 5 News in Arkansas that her goal for the competition was just to be the "best version of yourself." Every Miss America has a platform, and Shields' is a good one — like our current First Lady Michelle Obama, Shields is an advocate for healthy eating, and her motto is, "Eat better, live better." Shields told the network that her once-healthy eating habits declined in college and led to all kinds of health problems. She wants to educate and inspire the people of Arkansas (and all of America) to eat better.
A look at Shields' Instagram shows that she seems like a regular college student — at least one that does pageants. She has a boyfriend, she likes to hang out with her friends, and she gets to wear a crown sometimes. That sounds like my college experience, too. I love Shields' bubbly personality and platform of healthy eating (good health starts at home, I always say), and I would ask her if I could borrow that evening gown if we were friends (can we be friends, Savvy?). Congratulations to Savvy Shields on winning Miss America 2017 — you earned it!
Image: Giphy
