Sophia Abbott says being Miss Yucca Valley helps her gain confidence and find community
This year’s Miss Yucca Valley says the experience has helped her grow in confidence, leadership, and public speaking. Reporter Hilary Sloane spoke with Sophia Abbott about representing her hometown and encouraging younger girls to get involved.
The Miss Yucca Valley program, sponsored by the Yucca Valley Sunset Rotary Club, combines scholarship opportunities with community service, leadership training, and public speaking.
This year’s Miss Yucca Valley, Sophia Abbott, says growing up in the community made the experience especially meaningful.
“It just means home. It just means somewhere I can always come to and know where I’m at. The people here are so amazing. I don’t think there’s anywhere else like it, really.”
Abbott says she first became interested in the program after watching her older sister participate years earlier.
Since August, contestants attended weekly meetings, volunteered at community events, practiced public speaking, and studied leadership principles through the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens.
Abbott says the experience challenged her in unexpected ways.
“This opportunity with Miss Yucca really gave me the chance to become the full person I am. It’s helped me grow as a public speaker. It’s made me feel more like a woman. I feel like I’ve grown not only in maturity, but also in my personality.”
As Miss Yucca Valley, Abbott helps coordinate appearances and works closely with the other members of the court at local events and fundraisers throughout the year.
She says the program is about much more than appearances.
“It’s all about selflessness because Rotary — it’s a Rotary-hosted pageant — and Rotary’s whole motto is service above self.”
Abbott is currently a high school junior and plans to attend college after graduation. She’s considering studying either nursing or fashion marketing, combining her creative side with her love of helping people.
Now, she says she’s excited to encourage younger girls to join the program themselves.
“I’ve already got at least five girls to do it next year, so I’m so excited to teach them.”
