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 News sat down with both 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 Huntley, Montana so 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 it was her older sister that first 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, "I have my black belt in Judo certified Krav Maga instructor," Forseth said.
For 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.
"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," she added."
It was also keeping a positive mindset the has kept her going.
"I pictured myself 10-years with my nursing degree with the perfect house, 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.
When it comes to being on national television, "so far, I have just felt really blessed as well as very enthusiastic and just so ready to go on that stage, especially the year and a half I have been prepping."
The pageant will air on streaming services for all Americans to see, and whoever wins Miss USA will enjoy a six-figure salary, live in a luxury condo. The pageant will air on Nov. 29, and Miss Teen USA will air on Nov. 27.
