Boca Resident Recently Crowned 2013-2014 Miss Teen National

Kelsey Janser, a Boca Raton resident and freshman at Vanderbilt University, was recently crowned 2013-2014 Miss Teen National Winner at their pageant in Orlando, Florida. She competed with 62 young women from across the United States and won on the basis of a personal interview plus poise and stage presence in casual wear and formal wear. Kelsey previously held the title of 2012 Miss Teen West Palm Beach/Fort Lauderdale.

The judges were especially impressed with Kelsey’s strong academic record and her commitment to the community with more than 1,000 hours of volunteer service. Kelsey’s major community service projects include Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida where she started volunteering after her own stay in the hospital. “I love going to visit the children; I bring tiaras for all the little girls and stuffed toys for the boys,” said Kelsey. She also established a chapter at her high school for Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital’s Conine Clubhouse where since 2010, she’s been raising funds and collecting items for the home away from home for families whose children are being treated at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. In addition, she taught children each weekend at Spanish River Church and spent her summers volunteering in the Boca Raton Public Library. She also started an organization called “Feral Friends,” in which feral cats are trapped to be spayed or neutered. She has worked with local vet clinics to assure that these wild cats are healthy before returning them to their colony.

“I am incredibly blessed to represent an organization that is truly a ‘pageant with a purpose’,” says Kelsey. “Until my senior year in high school, I had never even thought of participating in a pageant. I hope to inspire others to try new things, challenge themselves, be passionate about doing their best and help make our community a better place.”

A Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, Kelsey is majoring in Cognitive Studies and is the host for Vandy TV’s “Battle Bands.” As the Miss Teen National Winner, Kelsey will be making appearances as she continues her community service in Florida and around the country. Kelsey is a Cum Laude graduate of St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton where she completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Her prize package includes a Caribbean cruise for two and a $10,000 cash scholarship.