Freshman Hailey Germano Crowned Miss New York Teen USA

While most students were purchasing textbooks and beginning papers the second week of the semester, one freshman travelled to Austin, T.X. to pick up her gown for the Miss Teen USA pageant.

Hailey Germano ‘22 was crowned Miss New York Teen USA on Jan. 20. Studying fashion design, Germano juggles schoolwork and pageantry as she prepares for the upcoming national competition.

“[Pageants] offer a lot of great opportunities, including public speaking and interview skills,” Germano said. This passion for the tiara all started at age ten in Smithtown, N.Y., a town in the center of Long Island.

While Long Island hosts its very own competitions, this future Miss New York Teen USA opted for pageants at the state level and went on to nationals as a junior. In addition to living the pageant life, Germano did modelling as a child – even appearing on a crafts box for the company CRA-Z-Art.

By 2015, her little brother was diagnosed with juvenile macular degeneration, an early form of blindness for young people. From this challenging experience, Germano created “Hailey’s Hope for a Cure.” This organization raises awareness about juvenile macular degeneration through the sale of T-shirts designed by the fashion major herself. All proceeds go to the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB).

As high school drew to an end, Germano wanted to pursue a career in fashion, eventually finding her way to the banks of the Hudson at Marist College.

“I love the atmosphere overall…I knew I did not want to be directly in [New York] City, and I wanted to be on a real college campus, and a college campus as beautiful as it is here,” Germano said.

While she is enjoying her first year in college, the young pageant star knew this would be her last time applying as a teen competitor, as after her next birthday she will only be able to apply as a “Miss” contestant. With ambition and a winning smile, Germano applied for Miss New York Teen USA, a competition she had never done before. The competition consisted of an interview, an evening gown competition, and an activewear competition. Out of the 121 contestants, only five were selected to a final round consisting of two questions. Germano proceeded to the final round.

At the end of the evening, Germano stood waiting for the winner to be announced. Seconds later she was crowned Miss New York Teen USA – first and last time applicant, and first time winner.

On Feb. 1, as most Marist Red Foxes were braving the Polar Vortex weather, Germano was taking off for Los Angeles, C.A. to model for the company “Hyfve.” After landing in Austin, T.X., the Long Island native went to Sherri Hill where she picked out the evening gown she will wear at the national competition. Later that night, she was again en route for the Empire State.

Germano has come a long way from Smithtown, N.Y.,  and she now enters the next competition: Miss Teen USA. While she aspires for the national title, Germano is grateful for the title she currently holds.

“I am very blessed and grateful for where I am today,” Germano said.

The Miss Teen USA pageant will be held in Spring of 2019, and a Marist Red Fox will be gracing the stage alongside 50 others teen state titleholders from across the country.