Posted 4:40 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013
UW-La Crosse student Christa Brehm won the Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse pageant Sept. 21. Along with $16,000 in scholarships, she won an opportunity to compete in next year’s Miss Wisconsin pageant.
— By UW-L Student Breanna Levine
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UW-L student Christa Brehm won the Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse pageant Sept. 21. Along with $16,000 in scholarships, she won an opportunity to compete in next year’s Miss Wisconsin pageant.[/caption]
UW-La Crosse junior Christa Brehm can “already feel the magic” after being crowned Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse last month.
“In the past weeks since I’ve been crowned, I’ve met so many wonderful people and have been able to experience Oktoberfest from a very unique perspective,” Brehm says. “I’m so excited for what this year has in store for me.”
The Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse pageant took place Sept. 21 at Viterbo University’s Fine Arts Center. Brehm entered the pageant because she wanted to experience Oktoberfest traditions in a way she never had before.
“I come from a family that doesn’t practice any ancestral traditions, so the heritage and traditions of Oktoberfest were very appealing to me,” she explains.
The Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse pageant isn’t like the beauty pageants in movies. A lot of preparation goes into the competition. Brehm says the key to success is to “manage your time wisely and never wait until the last minute, especially during rehearsal week.” Contestants must prepare a talent to perform during the competition.
“I have been playing the piano since I was in the fourth grade, and it has always been a form of relaxation for me,” she says. “When I found ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ on YouTube, I absolutely fell in love and knew that I needed to challenge myself and learn it for the pageant.”
The participants also had to develop a platform based on issues in the community they are passionate about. Brehm’s platform was “Go Red for You-Keeping a Healthy Heart.”
“Two years ago I found out that I had very high cholesterol for my age,” Brehm says. “That’s when I realized that heart health isn’t something we really pay attention to because it’s not something we can physically see or feel. Our hearts are what keep us going, which is why it’s so important to pay attention to how our daily exercise and diet effect them.”
In addition to the many prizes, including a scholarship valued at $16,000, Brehm won the chance to compete in the Miss Wisconsin pageant in June.
Brehm is studying computer science with a minor in psychology. She says she “hasn’t quite found [her] niche yet,” but her dream job would be to work for BrainGate, a company that creates technology that allows severely disabled individuals, like those with extremely traumatic spinal cord injuries, to communicate and control their everyday functions though thought.
For more information about the other contestants or ways to get involved, check outhttp://www.oktoberfestusa.com/AboutUs/MissLaCrosseOktoberfest.aspx or contact the program directors Lisa Horman and Amy Ryan at misslacrosseoktoberfest@yahoo.com .
UW-L student Christa Brehm won the Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse pageant Sept. 21. Along with $16,000 in scholarships, she won an opportunity to compete in next year’s Miss Wisconsin pageant.[/caption]
UW-La Crosse junior Christa Brehm can “already feel the magic” after being crowned Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse last month.
“In the past weeks since I’ve been crowned, I’ve met so many wonderful people and have been able to experience Oktoberfest from a very unique perspective,” Brehm says. “I’m so excited for what this year has in store for me.”
The Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse pageant took place Sept. 21 at Viterbo University’s Fine Arts Center. Brehm entered the pageant because she wanted to experience Oktoberfest traditions in a way she never had before.
“I come from a family that doesn’t practice any ancestral traditions, so the heritage and traditions of Oktoberfest were very appealing to me,” she explains.
The Miss Oktoberfest/La Crosse pageant isn’t like the beauty pageants in movies. A lot of preparation goes into the competition. Brehm says the key to success is to “manage your time wisely and never wait until the last minute, especially during rehearsal week.” Contestants must prepare a talent to perform during the competition.
“I have been playing the piano since I was in the fourth grade, and it has always been a form of relaxation for me,” she says. “When I found ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ on YouTube, I absolutely fell in love and knew that I needed to challenge myself and learn it for the pageant.”
The participants also had to develop a platform based on issues in the community they are passionate about. Brehm’s platform was “Go Red for You-Keeping a Healthy Heart.”
“Two years ago I found out that I had very high cholesterol for my age,” Brehm says. “That’s when I realized that heart health isn’t something we really pay attention to because it’s not something we can physically see or feel. Our hearts are what keep us going, which is why it’s so important to pay attention to how our daily exercise and diet effect them.”
In addition to the many prizes, including a scholarship valued at $16,000, Brehm won the chance to compete in the Miss Wisconsin pageant in June.
Brehm is studying computer science with a minor in psychology. She says she “hasn’t quite found [her] niche yet,” but her dream job would be to work for BrainGate, a company that creates technology that allows severely disabled individuals, like those with extremely traumatic spinal cord injuries, to communicate and control their everyday functions though thought.
For more information about the other contestants or ways to get involved, check outhttp://www.oktoberfestusa.com/