Story posted Thursday, July 2, 2009
'Miss Outstanding Teen' Crowned
Arlington Hts. teen Andrea Novak, a senior at Wheeling High School this August, beat out 17 other contestants to be crowned "Miss Illinois' Outstanding Teen 2009".
Novak won the overall talent award for her dance-twirl toutine and won two academic achievement awards at the recent competition. Andrea was awarded $1,300 in savings bonds to go toward her education as well as a $2,500 scholarship to participate in an "L.A. Experience" workshop where she will learn about the entertainment business.
Andrea is in the top 10% of her class and consistently carries a 5.0 GPA at Wheeling. She is a member of the Silver Knights Baton Twirling Corps and has won numerous awards for baton twirling. Andrea is a member of the National Honor Society and her school's Orchesis dance group, poms squad, and she plays flute in a school band. She is also a downhill ski racer.
Her platform is "Strengthening Teen Values: The Key to Adult Success" in which she focuses on helping teens and pre-teens make good valued-based decisions with their lives in order to become strong and successful adults. During her year of service, she will also be supporting the Miss America organization's national platform, Children's Miracle Network, to raise funds for children's hospitals.
In August, Andrea will compete along with 51 other state titleholders from across the nation at the 2009 Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant in Orlando, Florida.
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