Published: June 17, 2009 07:43 am      

Miss Oklahoma

Her victory wasn’t something that just happened overnight. Treat, a graduate of Ada High School, has competed in various pageants and performed in dance and school programs throughout her young life, all of which gave her skills necessary to reach out and grab the title of Miss Oklahoma.

Treat is the third Ada woman to earn the title of Miss Oklahoma. According to the official Miss Oklahoma website, records show that Nellie Grant from Ada represented Oklahoma in the 1922 Miss America Pageant. Marjorie Ann Adams from Ada was listed as 1938 Miss Oklahoma.

Although the contestants are all very attractive, it’s ultimately their talent and intellect that give them the edge in winning the Miss Oklahoma title. Treat, a human relations major at the University of Oklahoma, was involved implementing service learning at Ada High School. She is now working with the state board of education to get service learning into the state’s school system.

The Kiwanis Club of Tulsa has sponsored the Miss Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant for 33 years. During that time they have made available more than $40 million in cash and tuition scholarships to the young women of Oklahoma.

According to the Miss Oklahoma website, the Miss America Organization is one of the nation’s leading achievement programs and the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. In 2004, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. This assistance is is available to all young women who compete in the state and local competitions.

In 1926 there was no state pageant, but Norma Smallwood, Miss Tulsa, competed and became the first Oklahoman to win the Miss America Pageant. Since then there have been three other winners from Oklahoma – Jane Ann Jayroe, Miss America 1967, Susan Powell, Miss America 1981, and Shawntel Smith, Miss America 1996.

Miss Oklahoma 2009 is only a stepping stone in what the future holds for Tayor Treat.

—Brenda Tollett