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Christiaan Prince of Grayson has barely had a chance to catch her breath since being crowned Miss Kentucky Teen USA as she juggles the duties that come with the crown.
“I've just been on the road 24/7. Nothing more, nothing less,” Prince, 15, said Saturday after she and her mother, Marialana Prince, returned from a USO event in Connecticut.
“We are a little bit shy of 8,000 miles in 5 weeks,” her mother said, explaining they decided to drive to the event in order to spend time together. “I live with her, but I miss her,” she added.
The mother-daughter road trip included a journey to New York, where Prince said she was terrified by traffic, complete with a Fifth Avenue shopping experience and a street-vendor hot dog.
Prince says she is gaining a great deal of perspective from her involvement with different charity organizations with missions ranging from cystic-fibrosis to gowns for military cadets and children with special needs.
The Huntington High School student also balances the demands of a job at Tres Hermanos Nunez and chores at home, with a schedule that calls for a 5 a.m. wake-up to work with a personal trainer.
Prince says her work family is quite proud of her, often teasing her and asking if she has a boyfriend, and pointing out any cute guy who comes in.
The teenager giggles as she describes her experiences with social media, something she had only dabbled in before becoming Miss Kentucky Teen USA.
“Social media has been overwhelming but it is fun to do,” she said, describing the online world as “a double edged sword” that allows instant communication and notification while also opening opportunities for digital “bullies.”
To date, Prince says she hasn't had to deal with much Internet weirdness.
“My weird guy friends are the only troublemakers so far,” she said with a laugh.
Prince said she relies on her friends and family to prevent her from letting her pageant crown go to her head.
“The biggest lesson – you have to stay grounded, and giving back is the best thing you can do,” she said, smiling as she recalls the words of her history teacher, “Now princess, you need to stay grounded and don't become snobby.”
Prince says she surely feels the pressure as she awaits the date and location for what will be only her second pageant.
“I'm most worried about the interview part. That's the scariest thing for me,” she said.
Despite her lack of pageant experience, Prince has a plan for her appearance in the upcoming Miss USA Teen competition.
“I'm going to smile and act the way I act on a daily basis,” she said. “I am confident that I can win. But, if I don't win, I've lost nothing honestly.”
Christiaan Prince
15 years old
5'9
140 pounds
Dress size - “Either a 6 or a 4 – it depends on the dress.”
5 meals per day
7 am - 4 eggs, one-half cup oatmeal, one-half grapefruit (alternate with spinach every two days)
9 am - protein shake
11 am – 4 oz. Meat, one cup vegetables, one serving almonds
1 pm – protein shake
3 pm almond snack
5 pm salmon or lean meat, one cup vegetables
100 ounces of water per day
http://www.journal-times.com/news/local_news/miss-kentucky-teen-usa-juggles-life-work-and-school/article_137caba4-11fe-11e6-aa41-9bcbc23ede32.html