Carina Romero, a sophomore at Hammond School, had never entered a pageant until September 2009, when she encouraged her young cousin, Gabby, to enter the Miss Saluda County pageant. Gabby didn’t want to unless cousin Carina entered with her. There were categories for both girls’ age groups, so they both entered. Carina won Teen Miss Saluda County, and then moved on to S.C. Teen USA.

Carina decided to switch to the Miss High School America Pageant because she likes the way they mix pageant tradition with up–and–coming fashion. The categories in the Miss High School America Pageant include “Opening Number,” “Fun Fashion,” “Evening Gown,” and the “Interview.” After competing and winning in the Miss High School South Carolina, Carina went on to win Miss High School America 2010, only her fourth pageant ever.

When asked what she feels she has gained from her pageant experience, Carina said, “It definitely makes you try to be more healthy.” She has become more aware of eating right, making healthy choices, and working out. She enjoys the shopping and since she likes to talk, the interview is also one of her favorites.

“They definitely look at academics when you compete in pageants,” says Carina, “so you become more aware of keeping your grades up.”

Carina won a $10,000 scholarship from the Miss High School America pageant and plans to continue entering pageants at least until she goes to college. “It’s a fun sport,” says Carina.

A sport? “Yes,” Carina says, “you work out and eat right just like you would if you played football. And while you may be friends with your competition and work as a team, just like in football you want to work to be the best you can so you can be the star.”

Carina is using her crown to promote two platforms. She is working alongside South Carolina lawmakers to help pass a law making it illegal to text while driving. She is also promoting Autism Speaks because she feels autism is a growing problem in our country that is being pushed under the carpet.

Carina has lived in Columbia her entire life, attending school in Irmo until this year’s transfer to Hammond. She has an older sister who will graduate from Hammond this spring.

As for her future, Carina plans to go to college instate, the University of South Carolina being her first choice. She has hopes for possibly attending an Ivy League college for graduate school, but if that doesn’t work out, she says she will be content to stay in South Carolina for grad school as well. She plans to become a lawyer, criminal law at first then possibly branching out to business law. She wants to become a South Carolina State representative one day.

Carina’s mother, Flower, believes the pageant system is a way for her daughter to be a good example to others and to pave the way for her future.

Flower says her daughter has the future all mapped out, “Carina is all set up for her future; she just has to wait for it to get here.”