HURON When Huron native Jamee Kattner won the Miss South Dakota crown in May, she began a feverish fundraising campaign to garner funds to travel and compete in the Miss America competition.
With a new Miss America crowned (Cassie Donegan of New York), one might assume that the busy time in Kattners year representing the state is done. Far from it, she says.
It was calm for two days, Kattner laughed. Then, its just right back into the crazy. Thats just how my life works – I think Im free for something, and then, Im not.
Ive been back for a few weeks, and I thought itd slow down, she continued. Time just flies. It continues to fly by. I thought maybe after Miss America it might feel like things are slowing down, but it really hasnt.
Im grateful for that.
Kattners window was shortened notably for her Miss America fundraising when the national competition was moved up from late December/early January, as it had been for the last few years, to the first week of September. That cut roughly four months of fundraising time away, meaning her appearances during that time were highly focused on her Miss America expenses.
So, how was Kattners experience in Orlando as part of the competition?
One of the very first videos that Miss Americas social media posted after all of the state representatives had arrived in Florida was a dance routine learned by the participants after the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders met with them. Featured front and center behind the reigning Miss America and Miss Americas Teen? Jamee Kattner.
That kind of happened on a whim. They taught us this dance in, like, five seconds, she recalled. Then they asked around, Who would like to be up front?
She continued, I raised my hand, and they said, Okay, South Dakota, come up here! I just said okay!
I think thats where growing up in Huron did me a lot of favors, Kattner reflected. I was able to be involved in all of the things – sports, music, dance, art, all of it, so Im used to someone throwing something at me and having to learn it really fast.
Regardless of whether or not she won the title, Kattner stated that moments like that from the weekend equated to her winning the experience of her time at the Miss America competition.
She related that she, and many of her fellow competitors, did not feel like they were at Miss America for much of the first weekend until things got more serious.
Before the competition each night, we do a dance number, so we get to Wednesday for the first preliminary competition, and the music starts and all of us are backstage saying, It doesnt feel like were here yet. It doesnt feel like were the class competing for Miss America. It makes it a bit hard to soak it all in, because it doesnt even feel real, Kattner remembered. Then, we walked out that first night to start doing the dance number, and I remember realizing part-way through that I was smiling so big, not a show smile, but because I was genuinely having fun being at Miss America.
It took from arriving Friday (August 29) to Wednesday (September 3) to really feel like, Im here!
Kattner recalled that she was also excited that night, knowing that her family was in the audience and getting to see all of the preparation that she had been going through the past few days for the first time.
Another big takeaway for Jamee was the friendships that she made with the other representatives.
I really connected with Miss Minnesota (Emma Vrieze). We flew to the competition together from Minneapolis, Kattner stated. I was kind of nervous meeting the girls because I dont have a normal story for how I got into pageants, and a lot of these girls have been doing pageants for ten-plus years to get to this point. It was completely the opposite, though. It was so positive!
One thing that Kattner experienced that was contrary to what she expected was the access to the judges.
Usually at pagaents, the judges are not with you, completely in separate rooms, Kattner explained. They were at the events, and they dont know whos in the top 11, but they do get a chance to get to know you outside the competition.
Asked if she was surprised by who made the finalist group, Kattner said the makeup of the group wasnt really surprising, and neither was the winner, in her eyes.
Even with an idea, this really did feel like a year where it could be anyone, and Cassie Donegan is a great example of that, Kattner pointed out.
Donegan came to Orlando as the first runner-up in the Miss New York competition. The winner, Mina Liang, resigned her title, so Donegan was bumped up to the title holder – until she was selected as Miss America. Now, the second runner-up in New York, Lauren Norris, is the acting Miss New York until next years state competition.
So, when they announced the top eleven, a lot of us thought Cassie had a really good chance of being the winner, Kattner said. She has an infectious personality and her talent (she sang A Darker Shade of Blue from the musical Some Like It Hot) was so, so good.
Her story was so cool, continued Kattner. She wasnt supposed to be there, and then she won the whole thing!
The state delegates will celebrate with Donegan in New York in November, as Kattner said that Donegan was whisked away immediately after the competition and didnt get to celebrate with her fellow delegates.
One hilarious observation made by multiple national viewers (including in many Huron households) was that Cassie was the only blonde in the finalist group.
As we were walking off the stage, one of the other contestants made the comment, This is not the year for blondes, Kattner laughed. I hadnt really noticed it until then, but she was right. It was so funny because you just never know if theres a bias – not saying that happened, but it can happen in judging. We just all had a good laugh about that.
One of the highlights of the week in Orlando for Jamee was how many of her friends and family from Huron came to support her.
I was able to see my parents and my siblings and their husbands, Kattner relayed. Then Georgia Wachter was my little sister for the Miss America tea party. She even got to go walk the stage that night as well during the Miss America Teen competition.
Now that shes back from the competition, Kattner has a very full schedule. She has been substitute teaching when she has an available day, but she also makes appearances across the state.
As Miss South Dakota, I dont get paid, she mentioned. The teaching is good because it allows me to make some money. I am still booking appearances, but Im also doing school visits, among other appearances.
Kattner stated that she has a goal of reaching all 66 counties in the state at least once during her year as Miss South Dakota.
I have always felt loved and appreciated by South Dakotans since I won Miss South Dakota, Kattner shared. However, after I didnt win at Miss America, I was curious how people would respond, but I still have lots of places that want me to come visit their community.
She did note that when booking appearances, Kattner has to be sure of the purpose of the event.
I cant do anything that would make the Miss South Dakota organization appear political, Jamee explained. Even if Im just there to sing the national anthem, if its a politically-based meeting, I shouldnt make that appearance.
Right now, Kattner does have some items scheduled, but she has plenty of open space in her appearance schedule. She did explain that the sooner shes asked, the better, because she had to turn down a few appearances because of another appearance that was previously booked.
I was asked to be involved in the Spirit of Dakota Awards, and Id never been to the awards, so I thought itd be great, Kattner stated. But then I realized that theres a local competition (to crown a potential Miss South Dakota candidate for next years competition) on that same day in Martin, and theres no way I can do both.
The more events I do, the more people realize that Miss South Dakota can be at their events, explained Kattner. For me, I can have my foot in the door well through singing the national anthem.
Being able to go into spaces that arent typically exposed to Miss South Dakota and the Miss America program in general is something fun for me, Jamee said, laughing about inviting herself to a Sioux Falls Stampede hockey game in the future when the Stampede team was at a Sioux Falls Canaries game where she sang this summer.
Kattner laughed that while she is busy, now that shes back from Miss America, she is able to do one of her favorite things – sleep.
I am getting some sleep finally, she giggled. I do have to remember to eat sometimes because I just get so busy that I forget, but Im definitely enjoying more sleep.
That only means that she might be a bit more rested to tackle her busy schedule!
Leave a Reply