Chesterfield Woman Gains Confidence, Friends at Miss Missouri Pageant

What little girl hasn’t dreamed it? She floats across the stage dressed in a glamorous evening gown, the highest of high-heeled shoes and jewels for a touch of sparkle. The audience greets her appearance with oohs and aahs, and the dream ends as she is crowned Miss America. 

“I grew up watching the Miss America pageant,” said Madison Burke, a 19-year-old mass communications major at . She recently competed in the Miss Missouri pageant, which was held in June at the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, MO. 

While she didn’t win the competition, Burke did live part of her dream. Burke has competed twice in the Miss Missouri Teen pageant. She was chosen 2010 Miss Spirit of St. Louis, which entitled her to enter the Miss Missouri event. The pageant included evening gown and talent competitions, as well as a question for each contestant.

“It was a great experience, very glamorous and fun. And I made some new friends,” Burke said. “I was awarded the Miss America Quality of Life title,” Burke said. “It is given to honor community service, and I received a $1,000 scholarship.”    

The community service award is well deserved. Burke is an active volunteer and ambassador for a number of organizations. She serves as an ambassador for the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign that encourages young women to be aware of heart health. “Lifestyle choices they make now affect their future,” Burke said.

She also takes the fight against childhood obesity to area schools as an Alliance for a Healthier Generation volunteer. Burke traveled the country as a member of the alliance's National Youth Advisory Board, an organization which encourages healthy eating  habits and physical activity. She also visits patients at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and is a fundraising volunteer for Children’s Miracle Network. 

“I gained a great deal of confidence from my pageant experience, confidence in who I am. It helped my ability to speak in front of a crowd,” Burke said.   

She plans to continue her studies at Lindenwood, where she works at the campus news station, LUTV. She hopes to land a career in television. In her spare time, Burke takes lessons in ballet and jazz dancing. 

Madison is the daughter of Tim and Michelle Burke of Chesterfield.

Correction: This article has been updated to better explain what the National Youth Advisory Board's association was with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. It was last updated at 1:00 p.m. on July 13.