By Audrey Sellers
Holly Morgan distinctlybrremembers the moment she knew she wanted to be a beauty queen. She was sixbryears old and folding clothes with her mom while they watched a pageant on TV. Asbrcontestants strutted across the stage in their bejeweled gowns, she looked upbrand said: “I want to be that.”
She’s certainly well onbrher way. Last October, Morgan was crowned Miss Southlake, and this summer she’llbrcompete to win the title of Miss Texas at the 81st Miss TexasbrScholarship Competition. The winner will go on to represent our state in thebrMiss America pageant, which is exactly where the 18-year-old Carroll senior hopesbrto be one day. “I don’t know if it will be next year or years from now, but Ibrwant to be Miss America,” she says.
Morgan is one of thebrapproximately 2.5 million girls who compete in more than 100,000 beautybrpageants each year in the United States, according to Statistic Brain. Shebrbegan competing in pageants about five years ago, and last year she was thebrfirst runner-up for Miss Texas Outstanding Teen. It’s not the glitzy dresses orbrthe glamour of the crown that she loves about pageant life; it’s the people shebrmeets along the way.
“My favorite part of thebrjob is seeing all of the smiles,” she says. “I love talking to anyone, nobrmatter their age, and I could not be more humbled to represent such anbrincredible community.”
Life as Miss Southlake
Morgan’s platform as MissbrSouthlake is titled “Beautiful You: Shining From the Inside Out.” She visitsbrschools, clubs and organizations locally and throughout the state, discussingbrthe importance of embracing one’s individuality. You may have seen her aroundbrtown, adorned in her sash and crown, at school and city events such as thebrhomecoming parade and Breakfast with Santa.
Morgan also connects withbrthe community outside the public forum. She offers appearances at little girls’brbirthday parties, bringing a bit of the Miss Southlake magic to the day.brWearing a full ball gown, she’ll celebrate with the birthday girl and friendsbrwith activities ranging from tea parties to princess games.
“I strive to help peoplebrof all ages love themselves for who they are,” she says. “We were not meant tobrbe the same, and we should love the things that make us unique.”
Morgan is so passionatebrabout helping people feel confident in their own skin that she wrote a book onbrit. Called Beautiful You, her bookbrexplores topics ranging from how to get into a healthy mindset to recipes forbrhealthy living. For now, she hands out copies at her community appearances, butbrshe’s hopeful the book will be offered on Amazon soon.
Not many high-schoolbrstudents (or adults for that matter) have a published book to their name. Itbrwasn’t anything Morgan set out to do; it just sort of happened. “I was neverbrmuch of a writing type,” she admits. “But when I was thinking of all the thingsbrI wanted to present in class, I started typing and then kept going. It’sbractually been a great way for me to share with people without having to talkbrfor hours.”
For someone who has a lotbrto say on the topic of uniqueness, it’s not surprising that Morgan models herbrown message. Not only is she a beauty queen who wrote a book, but she’s also a drummer,brice skater, surfer and runner. She’s not trying to conform to any particular mold—she’sbrproudly (and quite successfully) doing her own thing.
“I never want to leavebrthis world thinking I could have done more,” she says. “I do most of the thingsbrI do because I listen to my heart.”
More Than Just a Pretty Face
At an age when mostbrchildren are doodling with crayons, Morgan was learning to make music on thebrdrums. She picked up her first set of drumsticks at age two and has beenbrfeeling the beat ever since. Her father, Roger, who’s also a drum enthusiast,brtaught her to play. And when Morgan began thinking of an uncommon talent shebrcould showcase at pageants, she knew it had to be drumming.
“I wanted to do somethingbrthat stood out and not everybody was doing,” she says. “I decided I could comebrup with something on the drums. My dad is helping me. He’s the best coach Ibrcould ask for.”
Drumming is Morgan’sbrofficial pageant talent, but it’s definitely not the only skill she rocks. Beforebrshe entered the world of beauty pageants, Morgan was a talented ice skater. Shebrtook to the ice at eight years old, eventually skating competitively and accruingbra dozen gold medals. But after five years of fine-tuning her moves on the ice,brMorgan decided to hang up her skates—competitively, at least.
“I wanted to ice skatebrmore as a hobby,” she says. “It was fun, and I learned hard work at a youngbrage.”
Where there’s ice,brthere’s water. And for Morgan, the best kind of water is the kind with crashing
waves. She’s a Texan who surfs, and although Southlake is hundreds of milesbrfrom any surf-worthy beach, Morgan immerses herself in the sport whenever shebrgets the chance. She and her dad travel to California a few times each year tobrride the waves. It took her about a week to get up on the board, and then shebrwas hooked. She even has dreams of becoming a professional surfer one day.
“I love surfing so much. Ibrfeel like I’m half mermaid,” she gushes. “It’s a stress reliever for me.”
Looking Ahead
With the Miss Texasbrpageant only a couple months away, Morgan is sticking to dry land. These days,brshe shops when she feels stressed, and she recently started baking whenever shebrhas spare time. “That’s a new hobby I’m trying to prepare myself for college,”brshe says.
Morgan commits to exercisingbrregularly (maybe to balance all the baking she’s been doing) and hits thebrpavement almost daily. “It’s crazy, but I love to run,” she says. She alsobrreads and watches the news to stay educated on current events. Oh, and don’tbrforget Morgan is a senior set to graduate in June. When asked how she managesbrit all, she credits her organizational skills, which interestingly, are ratherbrold-school. “I have to write stuff in my calendar or I forget about it,” she admits.
The upcoming pageantbrisn’t just Morgan’s shot at the crown; her younger sister, Katie, is competingbrfor the title of Miss Texas Outstanding Teen. The 14-year-old was crowned MissbrGrapevine’s Outstanding Teen on the same day that Morgan was crowned MissbrSouthlake. And now these sisters are out to conquer Texas … together.
Morgan wouldn’t have itbrany other way. She says, “It has been so fun getting to share this experiencebrwith Katie. I know I have learned and grown tremendously, and I am so excitedbrfor her wonderful journey to come. I am extremely proud of her.”
Some of the wisdom shebrhopes to impart to her sister wasn’t gleaned at a pageant, but at a pop concert.brMorgan remembers Taylor Swift telling the crowd at a concert that she wasbrbullied every day in middle school and high school. “But now look at her. She’sbrone of the most famous singers out there,” Morgan says. “People will try tobrbring you down and tell you you’re not good enough, but don’t let that stopbryou. Reach for your dreams and never give up.”
Whatever unfolds at thebrMiss Texas pageant this summer and at pageants to come, there’s one thing webrknow for sure: Morgan isn’t afraid to dream big. We first acknowledged herbrambition when we spotlighted her as one of our Tastemakers in the April 2014bredition of Southlake Style. Evenbrthen, she knew she wanted to earn an MBA at Harvard Business School and take anbrentrepreneurial path, one day opening her own wedding planning business.
Morgan also has big aspirationsbrfor motherhood down the line, envisioning a bustling family life with abrhouseful of kids. “I want to be a mom of 10 kids. Yes, that’s right—10,” shebrlaughs. “I love kids more than anything in this world, and I hope to be able tobradopt many children, as well as have some of my own.”
Whoever said beauty isbronly skin deep hasn’t met Holly Morgan. This pageant queen has a heart as bigbras her personal ambitions. “I hope to leave a legacy that being yourself is thebrmost beautiful thing one could ever be,” she says. It’s indeed a lovely wishbrfrom a lovely person, inside and out.
Five Things About Holly
I want to travel to …brAustralia
Something that makes mebrsmile … kids
I want to do more … forbrothers
My theme song would be …br“Sweet Serendipity” by Lee DeWyze
I couldn’t live longerbrthan a day without … my Bible