HELENA — Miss Montana USA and Miss Montana Teen USA are about to hit the main stage for the whole nation to see.
As both women prepared for their big day, MTN talked with them to learn more about the queens representing the Treasure State.
This will not be the first time Jamie Forseth will be on the main stage - she won Miss Montana Teen USA in 2016, and she plans to bring her experience this time around to reach the Miss USA crown.
"I grew up in Huntley, so (from) small-town Montana to a national stage with girls from every state in the United States is a really big deal, and it was a bit of a culture shock when I was a teen, so I am really glad I have that under my belt going to Miss USA, I feel a lot more at ease," Forseth said.
Forseth says her older sister that introduced her to pageants: "When I was little, I had no idea this was something that I could achieve, but my older sister Michael actually competed for Miss Montana USA when I was 13 or 14, so that was the first pageant I went to and since then I was hooked."
Her platform is centered around teaching women self-defense and combating sex trafficking.
Katie Tooke, Miss Montana Teen USA, says a near-death experience with health issues gave her the courage to take the stage. She says entering the pageant was on her bucket list.
She explained, "In quarantining, I would cross tasks off, and as I crossed that off, I would go on to the next, and so I signed up for my pageant, I won, and then in December I found out I have to get my throat surgery done."
It was also keeping a positive mindset the has kept her going: "I pictured myself in 10 years with my nursing degree, and that is something that I would look forward to achieving, and I would know that if I don't take this next step continuing to move forward then that life I pictured won't be there," Tooke said.
The Miss USA pageant will air on streaming services on November 29, and Miss Teen USA will air on November 27.
