Local Girl Vying For Miss Boston Title

This weekend, Marblehead resident and Patriots Cheerleader Michelle Nigro will compete in the Miss Boston pageant at the Omni Parker House in Boston. The contest is the local round in the 90-year-old Miss America pageant system. The woman chosen to be Miss Boston, will compete in the Miss Massachusetts contest in June.

A graduate of Swampscott High School and a junior at Emerson College, Nigro is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism with minors in Marketing Communications, Public Relations, and Advertising. She hopes to one day become a news anchor.

During the competition, Nigro said she hopes to build awareness about the Young Survival Coalition, an international organization that addresses issues unique to young women and breast cancer. 

As Nigro got ready for this weekend, she answered Marblehead Patch's questions: 

Marblehead Patch: How did you get involved in pageants? 

Michelle Nigro: I wanted to do this pageant because I've always enjoyed competing in pageants and I'm living in Boston for school right now, so this seemed like the perfect local pageant to get involved in. 

MP: What do you have planned for the pageant events? 

MN: For evening gown I'm wearing a red dress with pretty gold beading that I really love and feel comfortable in. For the swimsuit portion I'll be wearing a fun, pink bikini. For the talent portion I'll be doing a jazz dance in a sparkly gold dress which I'm really excited for!

MP: What will your platform be?

MN: My platform for the pageant is the Young Survival Coalition a premier international organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to young women and breast cancer. The YSC works with survivors, caregivers and the medical, research, advocacy and legislative communities to increase the quality and quantity of life for women diagnosed with breast cancer ages 40 and under. I've been working with the organization since January of 2010 and have put on 6 fundraising and awareness events in the Boston community since then. 

MP: What will you do if you win?

MN: If I win I will continue to try to raise awareness about the organization in the Boston area. Right now they don't have a Boston branch and I am working with the Manchester, NH branch, so eventually I'd really like to have enough support in the community to open a Boston branch. I would also like to take on their 'Adopt-a-College' and 'Adopt-a-Hospital' programs and bring them to every school and hospital in Boston (because we have many!) Basically you bring educational materials from the Young Survival Coalition to the school or hospital to raise awareness about breast cancer and the organization. I'd also like to continue to put on fundraisers and collaborate with as many businesses in Boston as I can.

MP: How did you get involved with YSC?

MN: I was in a Service Learning Class last spring semester and we had to team-up and sort of intern with a non-profit organization. My friend introduced me to the Young Survival Coalition and we decided to work with them all semester for the class. Then, I continued to work with them after the semester ended. Very sadly and ironically about a week after I decided to work with the YSC, I found out my 36 year old Aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. It definitely gave me extra incentive to work hard and do all I could for the organization.

MP: How do you balance school, work, volunteer dance, sports and pageants? 

MN: I've always liked to keep very busy. In high school I danced and played field hockey. I also volunteered, worked and did a few pageants. In college I wanted to do the same. I got involved with as many extra activities as I could while managing school work. I've always been pretty organized so I think I stay on top of everything by staying organized... even though sometimes my assignment notebook/calendar can look pretty scary!