Miss Teen Idaho wins Miss Teen USA 1st Runner Up [photos]

Eagle High School Graduate Miss Idaho Teen USA Jenna Beckstrom has won the first runner-up in the Miss Teen USA contest held over the weekend in Reno, Nevada. The Miss Teen USA Pageant is associated with the Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants. Contestants have to win state contests between the ages of 14-19. The pageant featured fifty-one contestants from all over the country.

2022 marked the fortieth year of the competition. The contest is judged in three areas; interview, swimsuit, and evening gown. The judges evaluate character, poise, confidence, and personality.  Miss Beckstrom impressed the audience at home and the judges with her presentation Saturday night. 

Judge Keylee Sanders Hemlich asked Miss Beckstorm her question for the night. "What are you doing to manage your own digital wellness?" The Eagle High School graduate shared her thoughts with the nation. "First, I like to live in the moment and not always have my phone in my hand." She continued, "And second, I like to turn something on called screen time, and it manages how much time you're spending on your phone. And I look back at it and say, I'm spending nine hours a day on my phone. I spend nine hours of my day at school!"

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Miss Beckstrom revealed, "It was a wake-up call for me; I need to live in the moment and appreciate what's going on around me instead of always scrolling on Instagram." According to Wikipedia, the Gem State has not been one of the Miss Teen USA powers. In the last twenty-five years, Idaho has only three contestants placed in the pageant.

Jenna Beckstrom's background from Miss Idaho Teen USA:

 Jenna’s passion for dance keeps her training over 20 hours per week, traveling to competitions, modeling for a dancewear company, and it has given her the opportunity to dance in a music video! For the past four years, Jenna has helped support kids in the Foster Care System by volunteering and fundraising through ‘Together We Rise’, and hopes to continue as Miss Idaho Teen USA! 

The winner of the competition was Miss Nebraska Teen USA Faron Medhi.