Olive Mortensen, 12, is now Midway’s Swiss Miss.
This year marks Mortensen’s first time participating in the Swiss Miss pageant, which was held on Saturday. Girls ages 9 through 12 have the opportunity to showcase their talents, poise and willingness to serve the Midway community. One Swiss Miss, along with four attendants and one Miss Congeniality, are picked from pageant participants.
Mortensen, as Swiss Miss, is now royalty. Her attendants, also considered Midway royalty, are Sadie Salazar, Kaylee Kohler, Millie Iverson and Lyla Charlesworth. The girls all voted for Miss Congeniality based on whom they felt was most welcoming and kind throughout the competition process. They voted for Summer Curley.
“It was really fun to do the pageant because I got to meet a lot of girls that I didn’t know before and make a lot of new friends,” Mortensen said.
Though Mortensen said she was nervous to perform her talent — the ballet variation of “Esmeralda” — she was excited to get out on stage and do her best.
Swiss Miss Program Director Andrea Scott said the talents displayed at the Swiss Miss pageant were remarkable. One young woman did “quick painting.” Then, there was ballet, musical theater, clogging and jazz dance.
“Then they do poise, and it’s very charming. They all wear a Swiss dirndl and they walk with their dad or an escort across the stage,” Scott said. “So it’s a very detailed thing to get us someone who is capable to be our ambassador.”
Olive Mortensen was selected this year’s Swiss Miss. She will be accompanied by four attendants at various parades and performances throughout the year. Credit: Photo courtesy of Quinn Calder
Now, Mortensen and her attendants will be guided by their mothers and Scott through the remainder of the program. That includes multiple performances, service events, at least five parades and the big show: Swiss Days.
This year, Swiss Days is scheduled for Sept. 4 and 5. The girls will have their own booth and be tasked with performing various songs and dances throughout the course of the festival. They wear traditional Swiss dirndls and sing Swiss tunes at will.
Scott said she is unsure how long there have been Swiss Misses in Midway, but from what she has researched, the tradition has been going on since at least 1953. Swiss Misses are the official ambassadors of Midway.
Directing the program takes work and dedication, but Scott said she is pleased to do it. She works with the girls on interviewing skills, production numbers and poise, for a start.
“I always keep a theme that kind of empowers them with values and skills they want to learn at that age of a girl,” Scott said.
This year’s theme was “You belong.” Scott said it’s about adopting a mindset of belonging and inclusion.
The girls, along with Scott and their mothers, practice for two months before the Swiss Miss pageant. It’s a program that helps build confidence, public speaking skills and teaches the young women how to have a strong voice.
That’s why Scott is passionate about the program — because she has the opportunity to coach young women into being the best versions of themselves.
“My goal is that all of them walk away a better person regardless of whether they get selected,” Scott said.
The selection of the Swiss Miss and her attendants, Scott said, is taken seriously. That is because the girls become the face of the Midway community at Fourth of July and Founders Day events.
Mila Schreyer, Lily McMaster, Leah Beagley, Tessa Riding and Ivie Rener take a last dance as outgoing Swiss Miss royalty. Credit: Photo courtesy of Quinn Calder
Each girl is asked why they want to be involved in the Swiss Miss program, and Scott said their answers change throughout the weeks. At first, free food at Swiss Days and performing are the main draws.
“But usually by the end of the time, the thing they value the very most are the friendships that they’ve gotten with each other and just being able to serve,” Scott said. “So it’s fun to see that transformation as they realize how valuable that is.”
Scott said she loves to see the progress of girls who began trying out for Swiss Miss at 9 years old.
“Some people, this was their third year trying out, and the growth I’ve seen in three years is just inspiring, just to see that the program is doing its job,” Scott said. “They are becoming these capable, confident girls that are going to go out and make the world a better place, whether they’re in this royalty or not.”
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