Day in the Life: Jessica Andrews
Miss JSU 2007
Toni Merriss
Issue date: 2/15/07 Section: Features
"I think I have won first runner-up around nine times all together. Probably the one that I was most thrilled by was the Miss JSU 2005," said Andrews. "Other than a couple high school pageants, it was my first real one. I only wanted to gain experience and see what it was like, but when I was named first runner-up I was so excited! You would have thought I had just won." Placing first runner-up in Miss JSU for both 2005 and 2006 gave Andrews the right amount of experience to finally take home the crown in 2007.
"Although I competed in other pageants, I am so happy that I won Miss JSU. This is where my heart is. I truly believe the others were my stepping stones to get where I belonged," said Andrews. "I am thankful to have this chance to represent JSU." In June, Andrews will travel to Birmingham to compete in the Miss Alabama pageant against many contestants she has already befriended.
"A big part of the Miss Alabama pageant is establishing and working on a platform. I have already been working on mine, Passion Performance, for quite some time. It is geared toward giving underprivileged kids an opportunity to dance that otherwise would never get to," said Andrews.
Obviously, growing up the daughter of a dance instructor has greatly influenced AndrewsÕ life. Her mother owns her own dance studio in Alabaster called Joy's Dance Company. Beginning her own dancing lessons at the early age of 22 months, she has been instructed in ballet, tap, jazz, Pointe and hip-hop.
Each year for the past two or three years, Andrews and her mother sponsor two children to take classes at her dance company. There is no set criteria for who receives the sponsorship, and any child is eligible. Andrews is very excited to have the experience as Miss JSU to educate her peers about Passion Performance.
The job of Miss JSU makes no promises to be an easy one and even less a boring one. Right after the pageant Andrews was put to work representing JSU.
"Although I competed in other pageants, I am so happy that I won Miss JSU. This is where my heart is. I truly believe the others were my stepping stones to get where I belonged," said Andrews. "I am thankful to have this chance to represent JSU." In June, Andrews will travel to Birmingham to compete in the Miss Alabama pageant against many contestants she has already befriended.
"A big part of the Miss Alabama pageant is establishing and working on a platform. I have already been working on mine, Passion Performance, for quite some time. It is geared toward giving underprivileged kids an opportunity to dance that otherwise would never get to," said Andrews.
Obviously, growing up the daughter of a dance instructor has greatly influenced AndrewsÕ life. Her mother owns her own dance studio in Alabaster called Joy's Dance Company. Beginning her own dancing lessons at the early age of 22 months, she has been instructed in ballet, tap, jazz, Pointe and hip-hop.
Each year for the past two or three years, Andrews and her mother sponsor two children to take classes at her dance company. There is no set criteria for who receives the sponsorship, and any child is eligible. Andrews is very excited to have the experience as Miss JSU to educate her peers about Passion Performance.
The job of Miss JSU makes no promises to be an easy one and even less a boring one. Right after the pageant Andrews was put to work representing JSU.
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jennie1
Jennie Floyd
posted 4/18/07 @ 2:22 AM CST
I am trying to determine if Jessica's aunt is Lori Ellen Andrews, who was a dear friend of mine when I lived in Birmingham back in the 1980s. I sang at one of Joy's dance recitals in 1985, I think it was. (Continued…)
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