From Pageantry to Advocacy: Meet Miss North Carolina Teen USA Kaylee Stavlas

Join us in this compelling episode as we sit down with Kaylee Stavlas, the reigning Miss North Carolina Teen USA. At just 17, Kaylee has made remarkable strides as a pageant queen, a budding lawyer, CEO of a nonprofit, and a high school graduate. Listen as she shares her inspiring journey from her first pageant loss, through overcoming devastating injuries, to founding her nonprofit, NEX GEN CEO. Kaylee opens up about her aspirations, challenges, and the impactful work she is doing in her community. Discover how she balances her diverse achievements and gain insight into her future goals, including a dream of attending Harvard Law School.

00:00 Introduction to Kaylee Stavlas
02:14 Kaylee's Pageant Journey Begins
03:41 Overcoming Setbacks and Injuries
04:34 Transition to Singing and Continued Struggles
06:28 Breakthrough and Winning Miss North Carolina Teen USA
13:41 Reflections on Winning and Pageant Culture
16:08 The Role of Judges in Pageants
17:35 Winning Pageants and Community Involvement
18:06 Founding NEX GEN CEO
20:06 Children's Book Author Journey
20:27 Early Business Ventures and Impact
23:00 NEX GEN CEO and Business Education
27:40 Teen Court and Legal Aspirations
30:15 Future Plans and Aspirations
32:21 Lightning Round Questions

Creators and Guests

Host

Melissa

Host of What's Up, Wake + social media manager + writer + travel editor

Producer

Joe "Buttons" Woolworth

Owner of Podcast Cary and pusher of buttons.

Guest

Kaylee Stavlas

Founder of NEX GEN CEO, she teaches business, financial literacy, and servant leadership to young entrepreneurs. Homeschooled and dually enrolled at Liberty University, she's earning an associate degree in business.

What is What’s Up, Wake?

What’s Up, Wake covers the people, places, restaurants, and events of Wake County, North Carolina. Through conversations with local personalities from business owners to town staff and influencers to volunteers, we’ll take a closer look at what makes Wake County an outstanding place to live. Presented by Cherokee Media Group, the publishers of local lifestyle magazines Cary Magazine, Wake Living, and Main & Broad, What’s Up, Wake covers news and happenings in Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Wake Forest.

019 What Up Wake - Kaylee Stavlas
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[00:00:00]

Melissa: Today's guest takes the stage in the pageant world, the courtroom for prep as a future lawyer, the boardroom as CEO of the nonprofit she founded, and the classroom as a recent high school and associate's degree graduate all by the age of 17.

For all my fellow Legally Blonde fans, I feel like I'm sitting across from a modern day Elle Woods because what you see on the outside is a [00:01:00] beautiful young lady, but don't underestimate her brains and determination. I'm sure there are times that she preferred to blend in, but she was clearly born to stand out.

Please welcome reigning Miss North Carolina, teen USA, Kayleigh Stavos.

Kaylee Stavlas: Hi everyone. Hi. Thank you so much for coming. I thought was so funny. You said Elwood. I just watched the movie, like binge watched it like Oh yeah. Three

Melissa: times in a row. I feel like I have to binge watch that once a year. At least. It's, I mean, it's a classic.

Kaylee Stavlas: It is. And do, do you see yourself in Al Woods? Oh, absolutely. Mm-hmm. I think she's a very inspiring role model, and just the idea of someone, you know, so determined. She went and got that degree, she became that lawyer and everyone, she prove herself. Yeah, she, everyone doubted her, but she was able to push through and persevere and became the hero.

I love it. I think that's, that's great.

Melissa: Yeah, I do too. I'm, I'm a mom of a teenage girl and, you can see a lot of. Superficial stuff in that movie, but there, it's, it is [00:02:00] really deep. It's a beautiful girl that people underestimate. here you are proven everybody possibly wrong. I don't know.

So we, we do have a lot to get to because as I mentioned, you're highly accomplished at a young age and have so many exciting things on your horizon. But I would like to first start with your road to pageant life. When and how pageants came into into your life?

Kaylee Stavlas: Yes. So it actually started with my piano teacher.

I grew up taking piano lessons and my piano teacher was a former Miss North Carolina. Oh. And I saw her beautiful crown displayed in a hutch. Oh, that'll do it. And I know, I was like, whoa, what is that? Mm-hmm. And she's like, you know, Kaylee, I am on the local board for a local pageant committee. You should actually try it.

You should try it. And I'm like. Oh my gosh. Could I be like Miss Amanda? Could I be a, you know, pageant queen? And the journey began then and there. I How old were you? I was probably 14 years old. Okay. [00:03:00] Starting off my first project, because I just,

Melissa: some girls start super young.

Kaylee Stavlas: Oh yeah. No, it was not like when I was.

You know, a toddler growing up. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think my mom competed in one toddlers and tiaras. Yeah. Nope, not like that. So my mom competed in a pageant when she was really young, but that never, you know, took off. So I was like, okay, you know what? This is an opportunity for me to just try something new.

Get out there, I'm homeschooled you know, connect with other peers. So I did, and I lost. So you lost your first, first go around's? Always. That's always, you know, disappointing. You're preparing for something you take so long to, you know, get there. And then when you lose and your name isn't called, it's like heartbreaking.

Melissa: Yeah, I'm sure.

Kaylee Stavlas: So after that disappointment, I was also a pre-professional ballerina, dancing seven days a week. That was my talent. Wow. And I was heartbroken to be found that I could never dance again. I got injured. I tore my IT band in my left leg. Ouch. And I had to get cortisone shots and dry [00:04:00] needling and everything and they, the doctors looked at me in the eyes and they were like, you, you can't dance again.

We're sorry. Ugh. And that was the most heartbreaking thing. 'cause not only was I a loser, but I was also injured. Oh yeah. So you're kind of, you're having to really pivot at this point. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. But I actually pivoted back on stage with a black evening, like under my evening gown, a black brace holding, you know, my knee together.

Oh yes. So I pivoted right back on stage. And you need another talent for the Miss Miracle organization. So. I went and pursued singing. My mom also does opera on the side, and I thought that was really cool. And for kicks and giggles, I was like, oh, I should try opera. And then I got voice lessons and that kind of took off.

So I went to my next pageant, you know, ready and prepared, and I lost. Okay. But I will, let me just pause

Melissa: because. No matter how many voice lessons I take, I am never going to be an opera singer. [00:05:00] So kudos to you for trying something new and succeeding in it. Kind of. Yeah. Kind of a little bit. You a little bit, yeah.

Yeah. You know my, you again, teacher says

Kaylee Stavlas: you can always, like, she thinks everyone can be a singer, so she's amazing, but she is wrong. I am sorry to tell her that You just need voice lessons of her. She has not met me. So I went and competed my second time and I lost, and then the third time I felt so prepared, I lost again.

I actually lost a total of eight times. Oh wow. I was just known as the loser. Like everyone was like, oh yeah, like she's the underdog. She's not gonna win. So I kind of, you know, gained that rep, but I felt like I was. Born to, you know, be on a stage and advocate.

We'll get into my nonprofit work in a minute, but that's that. That was my calling and. If that's my calling, how come I'm not winning? Yeah. Yeah. So I lost eight times and then on my, but it was eight platforms. Yeah, that's true. That set you up eight times. You know, I'm on stage [00:06:00] like choking back hot tears, like, oh, please don't cry.

Please don't cry. 'cause you know, it, it really is disappointing, you know? I'm sure getting the, the door slammed shut right in front of your face. Mm-hmm. It's like ouch.

Melissa: But you're certainly not alone because everybody else on the stage except for that one winner, is also in the same boat as you. Yeah, but you're not looking at it like that when you're Nope.

When you're, when you're losing eight times, you're No, it's just me. Yeah.

Kaylee Stavlas: Why isn't me? Why, what am I doing wrong? But God had a plan. Mm-hmm. And I ended up winning miss Smithfield's team in 2023. So I was able to do that. I went on stage at the statewide pageant and I was performing my opera talent.

And funny enough, I had a lavalier, which is a handheld, like not a handheld mic, it's like wireless. Okay. So it's basically like attached to your face and your ears, like Broadway? Yeah. Actors use. So I can go and use, you know, my hand gestures and everything. But as I was doing that, it actually was breaking.

They didn't like screw it in tight enough. Oh. So in [00:07:00] the. Big booming speakers. It's just this clicking noise the entire minute and 30 seconds I'm performing. But I was taught, you know, as a dancer, you just keep on going. The show must go on. Yeah. You just gotta, you know, go, go, go. Don't pick anything up.

Just, you know, do it. So I went and did it and I got off stage. I was crying and, you know, heartbroken. This was my one shot. Yeah. I blew it. Well, technically I didn't blow it, blow it, but the technology data, so, basically, I went back on stage. They handed me a handheld mic and sent me right back on stage.

I had to run around. You had to stop the tears. I was like, I probably had tear stains. Aw. So I'm outta breath. You know, it takes a lot in you to like perform opera. Mm-hmm. Especially because, you know, it's my first year doing it. I'm out of breath, I'm doing hand gestures and I just ran around stage. So I try to hop back on, you know, the.

The entire audience is like roaring for me, and I felt very, you know, like, yes. Because they see that I got it.

Melissa: You, you've, you're having to do this a second [00:08:00] time, and the judges see that too. So they're seeing perseverance and determination and all the good things. That's

Kaylee Stavlas: true. Mm-hmm. That's, that's the way to look at it.

Mm-hmm. But I ended up losing that year. I made top 16 through Miss America. I was getting bullied in the process by other pageant girls, and I was just like,

Melissa: I'm sure there's a lot of that actually. Yeah. Yeah. I can imagine like, you know, like

Kaylee Stavlas: gowns thrown on the floor and like mean comments right before you're about to walk on stage.

Oh, and. There's this, you know, stigma around pageant girls that, you know, like we're all sisters and we're all tight and we're all close together, but like, it can actually be really cutthroat. No girls

Melissa: know that. No. Mm-hmm.

Kaylee Stavlas: We know. Absolutely not. Yeah. It's like, it's very, you know, the girl that you see on stage, I always try to be, you know, the girl that I'm perceiving myself, like on stage.

Mm-hmm. I try to be backstage. I try to help other girls anyways I can, but that wasn't the case for me that year. And it came to a point where I actually looked at my mom in the eyes and was like, I am never doing another pageant again. Like I told my mom, I was like, not only am I not doing another pageant, I'm never [00:09:00] stepping foot on stage because I hate it.

Melissa: Wow.

Kaylee Stavlas: That's the level of impact that that year had on my life. I was just like. This is not for me. Mm-hmm. You know what? I tried it. Throw it out the trash. Mental health is more important. Oh, exactly. Yeah. I was getting anxiety attacks that night and it's just like, for what? You know? Mm-hmm. So I ended up just taking a little break and then a lot of dms came my way and they were like, Hey, did you think about trying Miss USA?

And you know, two different pageant systems, miss America, miss USA, and I'm like, no. I actually knew nothing about Miss USA. All I knew is that they didn't require a talent. So I was like. Hmm. Okay, so last time a talent sucked. See? Sucked. That's the one I would

Melissa: have to go for.

Kaylee Stavlas: You would win anyways.

Melissa: You got it.

You're a great interviewer. No, yeah. Well, and I'm not a, I'm not a great receiver of questions or and I have no talents.

Kaylee Stavlas: That's okay. That's, you know, they just announced [00:10:00] for Miss America you can actually have a spoken portion of talent. So. I could always, you know, oh, go on stage and speak. I could rap,

Melissa: I could bring my nineties rap game out.

That would

Joe Woolworth: be hilarious.

Melissa: I love that.

Kaylee Stavlas: Through that process, everyone was like, you have the look for it, you have the height for it, you just need to try it out. And I'm like, no, absolutely not. But I ended up getting persuaded into doing a local, and to my surprise, I won my first local and I'm like.

Wait, maybe, you know, I am a USA girl. Maybe this is for me because the last time I had to do eight just to win a local. Mm-hmm. So, you know what, maybe this is my system, so I'm preparing for the state pageant and you know, there's like 40, 50 other girls I'm competing against and the nerves are, you know, through the roof, you're.

Excited and nervous all at the same time. But I really felt like, you know what? This is your time. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. And I totally crushed my interview, which is, you know, the [00:11:00] strongest portion of the competition is like if you kill your interview, like you have a really good chance.

And I went on stage and funny enough, I kind of bombed my onstage question. They asked me something about my culture and I come from a very big, loud Greek family. And instead of tying that in, I'm more. Talked about? Oh, well, yeah, something, something like if you're in the audience, you'll see that my family's sitting over there.

I started off on Good Foot because they're very loud, they're very Greek. And then I started talking about leadership and then Oh yeah. Just didn't go. And that's what I'm gonna bring into Miss America. Mm. And I look at the MCs face and his face is like, pale. And he's like, oh no, you know? Oh no. So I was like, or Miss USA or whatever, pageants, whichever one I'm currently standing

Melissa: in.

Kaylee Stavlas: So to my surprise, I like got off stage, you know, I'm kind of heartbroken. I'm like, wow, I really bombed that. The good news is it wasn't judged. They didn't judge that. They already had the winner in mind. And I went on stage and you know, [00:12:00] there's the top five. All the names are getting called except for mine, and that's what you wanna hear.

Except for when it comes to, you know, the. And your new miss North Carolina is, then you're like, oh, well I hope it's me because, you know, if not, I'm not in top five and I'm not the winner. If not, I'm, you know, first runner up. So it's like, you know the Oh, first runner up. That's right. Yeah.

Melissa: Because they'll name the first, the, the winner and not first runner up.

Kaylee Stavlas: Yeah. Okay. So it's like, it's kind of like the top 16, top 10, top five. Mm-hmm. And then the winner, and I'm going up against national title holders, statewide title holders, like previous years and. I'm just, I'm hoping, I'm like, God, please. Like I would, I would love to have this opportunity. And funny enough, I wrote Esther four 14 on the bottom of my shoes, which is, you were born for such a time as this.

So I started seeing, I believe, you know, God can speak to you in anyways, but I started seeing a lot of fours. So I was like, Hmm, is that like my little wink from God? Like, oh, it's, it's my [00:13:00] sign. So I go on stage and. To my surprise, they're like, your new Miss North Carolina teen USA 2024 is Kaylee Stavos.

And I'm like bawling my eyes out and I'm shaking. I completely black out. And that moment was so surreal because I actually met a really good friend through the pageant system, a really sweet person that, you know, the year before I was getting bullied. Mm-hmm. And then I had the opportunity now to meet, you know, one of my best friends 'cause she has such a kind heart and we really connected so.

It was an amazing opportunity you'd experienced. And then I went to Nationals in Hollywood, which was incredible, and I didn't take home the Crown, but I am excited just to continue serving North Carolina.

Melissa: So you mentioned that you kind of blacked out in the moment that they said your name. What is the first.

Clear thought that came to mind. Do you remember?

Kaylee Stavlas: Probably like, oh my gosh, I did it. Yeah, like it's just

Melissa: like, just pride in yourself. It was just

Kaylee Stavlas: a dr. Like, it felt like a dream because you spend so long, you know, [00:14:00] dreaming about a goal and working towards it, and then you actually. Accomplish the goal or the dream, and it was just insane.

I just, I still can't describe the feeling I had when I won in that, that very moment of, you know, city of Oaks, Kayleigh STAs. It was just like surreal.

Melissa: Yeah. So I remember when I was a young girl watching Miss America and Miss USA, it was a huge deal. Back in the day, at least for me, it was what, what we call appointment television.

You children these days do not understand appointment television because everything is right at your fingertips. But it would, it would be like something that we would write on our handwritten wall calendars that Miss North Carolina or Miss USA is tonight. I would practice my wave. Oh, yep. The pageant wave.

The pageant wave. Love that. Yes. Have to practice it. You nailed that. Thank you very much. So nowadays pageants seem to be more about social [00:15:00] activism being a volunteer, what you do off the stage, whereas it used to be really based on beauty. Yes. So I'm wondering, do the judges take. Do they know you before you walk on the stage?

They know what you're doing off, off the stage in your real life. Do they know all the things that you had going on and therefore they already had this opinion of you when you walk on? And it, and it kind of like goes into their, their weighing of their. Who they want to represent Miss North Carolina. Yes.

If that

Kaylee Stavlas: very long question makes any sense. No, it does. So I was always told like your, your journey to the crown starts before you even go into the interview or before you even meet the judges. 'cause people are always watching. So they watch and nowadays is Google, all you have to do is.

Melissa: Pick up your phone

Kaylee Stavlas: Exactly.

Or seeing how you interact with others online or see if you're a kind person, like, you know. Mm-hmm. People can kind of tell. But also we had essays due. We had resumes due, [00:16:00] and the judges get those beforehand.

Melissa: Oh. So they have a, a binder. Oh, absolute. And they have everybody's information. Very, very,

Kaylee Stavlas: very thick binder of like 50 50 girls.

Interesting. I've

Melissa: always wondered that. Yes. So, so it's a kind of a cheat sheet that they have on all the girls? Oh

Kaylee Stavlas: yeah, absolutely. Okay. And then they're sitting there and they're like, okay, so tell me about. Next gen, CEO or tell me about X, Y, and Z. And then you're able to go and, you know, advocate or show them what type of title holder you would be, because, you know, they kind of have your, your name in front of them.

They're like, oh, she does this, this, and this.

Melissa: Because I can imagine if I'm a judge, which I'll, I'll put this out in the universe, I will be a judge for a, a pageant. I would love that. But I can see that if I, if I were a judge, I would. I would look at your resume and think, well, if she's a shoe in, she's a must, you know, to represent our state.

Why wouldn't we want somebody with all these accomplishments being our representative? So anyway, [00:17:00] that's just a very long-winded compliment for to, for all your accomplishments. So a big part of winning pageants is they, they expect you to give back to your community, be the face of North Carolina tour the state.

I kind of liken it to politicians where you've gotta go out and hug a lot of babies and take a lot of selfies but you also get to see the state that you're representing. So how have you spent your time since winning and what [00:18:00] has been your favorite moment? Oh, that's so good. In the last year.

Kaylee Stavlas: Good.

Okay. So. I started my, this is gonna be a very long answer, okay. But I started my nonprofit with my mom called NextGen, CEO, four years ago. And the idea is to teach students about business education, financial literacy, and how to leverage profit and give back. And this is my why. This has been what I've been advocating for for the past, you know, four years of my life.

And there is the stigma around, you know, pageants that is just for beauty. But I think this day and age, it's become so much more than that. It's. Become like a platform where you get to have all these doors that are open for you to, you know, meet with senators I'm meeting with in dc national SE Senators in a few months.

And it's like this exciting opportunity that most people don't get that, you know, the pageant pageantry has opened the doors for. Mm-hmm. All that to say, that was my reason why I, I wanted to go in [00:19:00] into schools and teach and I have a student curriculum and read and inspire others and start business fairs.

That was my purpose and that has been my favorite part so far. But I think, you know, one of my favorite parts is seeing all the kids' faces light up when they see a crown and they think that you're in literal Disney princess, and they're like, this is. So cool. But it's, you know, the opportunity to just show them that, hey, like, yeah, a crown is cool, but I'm Kaylee with or without a crown and being kind and, you know, advocating for business is what I'm gonna do with or with the Crown.

Or without the crown. And that's what I was gonna do as Miss North Carolina, or even not being Miss North Carolina. One day I'm gonna have to give up my title, which is gonna be sad. We don't have a certain date on the calendar yet, but I'm dreading the day that it comes. Yeah. Because I wish I could just be Miss North Carolina forever.

But you know, seeing kids' faces light up and getting to inspire others, and here I wanna be just like you when I grow up, or you should be the [00:20:00] president. It's just like, you know, an amazing opportunity.

Melissa: You mentioned NextGen, CEO, and I'm gonna get to that in just a minute. But one thing that I found fascinating is that you're a Children's book author.

Kaylee Stavlas: Yes.

Melissa: You Can Change the World. Miracles can be Made Out of Mud is the title of your book, and it's about a girl who decides to start her own cookie business to earn money to send to Children in Haiti. So is this based on a true story?

Kaylee Stavlas: Yes. So my journey to business and entrepreneurship started when I was eight.

I was watching with my mom on a couch, a video of Haitian children that were so malnourished, they were eating mud, and they were dying due to malnutrition, like mm-hmm. They did not have the nutri nutrients and things that they needed to, you know, properly survive. You're eating mud, it has parasites, and it's, it's terrible.

So. I'm sitting there watching this heartbreaking video and I look at my mom and I'm like, I want to, I wanna change this. And she's like, well, what are you gonna do about it? Mm-hmm. [00:21:00] And I was like, okay, I'm gonna start a business. My parents are business owners, my aunts and uncles are, they're immigrants from Greece.

And seeing them come to America, America's this big opportunity to start fresh, they all started businesses. And I was like, okay. I'm going to start a business and I'm gonna make my own quote unquote, mud cookies where I sell cookies, a dollar each, and just. Give all the money back to Haiti. So my parents were generous enough to give me all the ingredients that I needed for those cookies.

And after a few months of student business fairs and selling literally everywhere, rallying up all my friends, I was able to give back a thousand dollars to an orphanage in Haiti, which was a year's worth of food, water, and education. Yeah. People don't

Melissa: realize how much. Money can, can really go in, in a place like Haiti,

Kaylee Stavlas: it, it goes two teacher salaries is absolutely insane.

Just from a thousand dollars and an entire year's worth of food, water, yeah. And [00:22:00] education. That's like insane. So, so, so you made a big difference.

Melissa: You made a true difference.

Kaylee Stavlas: Oh, absolutely. Mm-hmm. It was like, it was surreal to see the impact and then, you know, the feeling you get after doing something like that, it's like, oh my gosh, I wanna do more like that.

Mm-hmm. So after that experience and opportunity, I was like, okay, I wanna write a book about it. So I wrote my little children's book. My grandma illustrated it. Oh, I didn't realize that part.

Melissa: Oh, yeah. She's so, it's very cute book.

Kaylee Stavlas: So my grandma and I actually started a business called Ink and Indigo, and we paint the backs of denim jackets mm-hmm.

And give a portion of the money to tribes in the Amazon that are doing dying due to a lack of safe drinking water. So we fund a missionary that goes there and she Oh, wow. She plants swells and tribes, it's like. The coolest thing. That is amazing. So that has been my little business for the past few years.

But you're just an onion. You keep peeling away

Melissa: the layers and you find something new. I've never gotten that compliment before. Yes, yes. Your new nickname, onion. I love that. [00:23:00] So next gen, CEO that comes you said four years ago. Yes. How, how did you. Create this, this business. So this non-profit. So

Kaylee Stavlas: it all started from my mom's idea when she saw the impact that business had on my life as a young kid and her starting businesses and my dad starting businesses that are, you know, successful, but they're also giving back.

That was an opportunity for her and me to partner together and use both of our experiences and, you know, advocate for this. This is really a life skill that we need to be taught in schools. I just got my associate's degree in business, which was amazing. But before that, you know, growing up I went to a little private school and then I was homeschooled.

And without having the experience of being homeschooled, I would've never learned about finances or learned about business. I think it's, important fundamental life school that we need to be taught in schools.

Melissa: Amen to that. So I, I, that's one thing I always say about my [00:24:00] kids that I, I wish part of their education was balancing a checkbook, which you don't really have to physically balance a checkbook these days, but learning how personal finances, you know.

Kaylee Stavlas: Absolutely

Melissa: play a major role in your life because

Kaylee Stavlas: the moment you turn 18, it's like, okay, well you're on your own. Yeah. Figure it out. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And it's like if we, if we're, you know, I think math is important, but if we're getting taught these important skills instead of focusing so much on, you know, math.

Melissa: Yeah.

Kaylee Stavlas: I'm like, oh God. Yeah. I don't like math personally, so I don't either. Yeah. I kind of have. Beef with it, but there's certain

Melissa: math you, you need to know, and, and personal finance is, is part of that. Very

Kaylee Stavlas: true.

Melissa: So what do you do with next Gen CEO?

Kaylee Stavlas: So we have a student curriculum. We go into schools, we're teaching them about business education, financial literacy, how to give back.

It's from kindergarten all the way through high school. And actually August 23rd, I'm hosting a Next Generation Entrepreneur day. That is gonna [00:25:00] be hopefully sanctioned by Governor Josh Stein, and it's gonna be a statewide event. People can come to UNC Chapel Hill and we're gonna have 50 to a hundred student vendors where it's the student's opportunity to, you know, leverage their business.

And then also we have judges going to judge and give scholarship money and it's gonna be a fun opportunity. So I have opportunities like that. I go and mentor young students. I am in the process kind of a secret of writing another book from Goodwill to God's Will about, you know, my whole experience and the things I've had to walk to as.

Through as a pageant girl.

Joe Woolworth: Mm-hmm.

Kaylee Stavlas: And just, you know, life in general, getting bullied and things that people don't necessarily see on a picture perfect social media,

Melissa: but things that are are real life. It happens. Very true. It happens to really everybody. Everybody has an experience. They might not tie it into pageant life, but they do live it at some point in their lives, especially the dreaded middle school years.

Oh, [00:26:00] yep. Yeah. The teen years. It was the

Kaylee Stavlas: beginning of high school for me.

Melissa: Yeah. Yeah. It's not an easy time, and I think it's even worse than it was when, you know, back in my day, because of social media, because everything is with a phone in your face and can be recorded, I certainly would not have wanted.

Proof of some of my shenanigans when, when I was your age. What would you say is one small thing that teens can be doing right now, whether it's financial or education or whatever, to make a difference in their own future?

Kaylee Stavlas: I think if you have a dream or a goal, say it's, you know, starting a business, the most important thing you can do is just to start.

And break down that goal into smaller little tasks and goals that every single day you can actively, you know, work towards it. And I don't care if you have the busiest schedule ever. Wake up 30 minutes before I. Just like, you know, small steps to actively work towards that dream or goal, that's gonna play [00:27:00] a huge difference by just, you know, starting.

So it doesn't have to be a business, but even if in understanding the principle about business and finances, that's a life skill that you can take into every aspect, no matter what your career is. You can go in and, you know, knowing, oh, this is how I steward my money. This is how I can, you know, work with this if I come with this challenge, like come across, you know, it's just this amazing opportunity to have these life skills that we're not being taught.

Melissa: Definitely, I. Speaking of life skills, you have a, a dream of being a corporate lawyer one day. Yes. And you also work with something called Durham Teen Court. I'm wondering if you can tell us about Teen Court. I've heard a little bit about it. And also why corporate law?

Kaylee Stavlas: So I'll answer the why Corporate law first.

Okay. It takes my two passions from, you know, business and also law. That's true. I didn't, I [00:28:00] didn't even put that together. Combine them together. However I am open, I'm thinking about, if not corporate law, international law, you know, just different. Areas of law, but I do know for sure I wanna go into law and I do know that I'm, you know, majoring in business at UNC Chapel Hill.

So that's, that's great that it takes my two passions, but also Durham County Teen Court has been the biggest blessing in my life. When I was in eighth grade, I started mock trials and I ended up winning Star Attorney. It was like a big competition and everyone voted. All my peers voted and they were like, Kaylee's the best, you know, star attorney and, you know, watching L Woods illegally lodge.

Yeah. And then also bringing that back full circle, judge Judy, like that was, you know, growing up, that's what I watched. Mm-hmm. And I've developed this passion for law since seventh grade. I've been like. You know what? I do wanna be a lawyer. You and I could see myself doing that. So, teen court is the idea that instead of [00:29:00] taking peers that have committed, you know, less serious offenses, it's this opportunity for them to have a second chance, have a clean record, and they have students from all across the state come and volunteer as attorneys where you have the opportunity to get trained and then you can go and defend or prosecute the student or peer, I should say.

Mm-hmm. And instead of getting, you know, jail time, they have community service hours. But I've had to, you know, defend, it's like, what type of community service are they gonna have? Like the maximum amount of community service hours. Okay. Or like the minimum. So you're just like arguing that. But it's been an amazing opportunity, you know, getting to stand up there and argue they're guilty, they're innocent, but.

Not so much if they're guilty or innocent. Mm-hmm. But if they're truly remorseful.

Melissa: Okay.

Kaylee Stavlas: Because I've had some kids go up there and I'm like, are you remorseful? Do you care? But I'm defending them and they're like, yeah, no. And I'm like, okay, well well that does

Melissa: make

Kaylee Stavlas: it tricky, but, but you know,

Melissa: when you're a lawyer, [00:30:00] sometimes you have to defend.

You gotta do it regardless. Yeah, it does give you a lesson in that. But it also, you being an advocate for someone your own age or even a little bit younger than you, I'm sure is, is quite empowering and and meaningful. You mentioned going to UNC in the fall. Yes. Where do you see yourself after UNC, so maybe five years from now?

Kaylee Stavlas: Okay.

Melissa: I wanna remind our listeners that you're only 17,

Kaylee Stavlas: almost 18 in a few weeks. Yay. I would love, this is gonna be very Elwood of me, but I would love to go to Harvard Law. I really could see myself going there and thriving. I think it would be an amazing, I can see that for you opportunity. And funny enough, I was actually not going to UNC Chapel Hill.

I was committed to High Point. I got scholarship opportunities there and, funny enough, all the years prior winning Miss North Carolina, they gave a full ride scholarship to all the winners. And having that opportunity, [00:31:00] you know, people think, oh, it's just a crown, it's just a title. But like also all the benefits, like it can change your future.

A full ride scholarship to college. Mm-hmm. Like to, like a very, very nice college. Is insane. So I actually got a call from my mom one day and we're just sitting there. UNC was my dream school since I was little, but. I got a scholarship to High Point. I'm not gonna pass up that opportunity. Yeah. You know what I mean?

Absolutely. So I'm sitting there babysitting and my mom calls me. She's like, it's very important. She's like, spam calling me. I'm like, mom, I'm babysitting not right now. And she puts my dad on the phone. And she's like, Kaylee, you totally missed in your admissions letter, there's like a little link that's like special academic op opportunities and she clicks on it and they're like, Keenan Flagler offered you a full ride scholarship.

Wow. And you're one out of six people to get it. And there's like 56,000 students. And I just start bawling my eyes out and the kids are looking at me. That's why we gotta read the Find and

Melissa: Print.

Kaylee Stavlas: Oh, [00:32:00] absolutely. So all the little kids were looking at me like, is she okay? Yeah. Like, is she all right? And I had like little kids like, are you okay?

Yeah. I'm like, God, yeah, I'm good. That's quite a phone

Melissa: call.

Kaylee Stavlas: So that was amazing. I'm excited for this opportunity with Kean Flagler to be an ambassador with them and get to advocate for all they represent.

Melissa: That's amazing. It's time for our, what's up Roundup, where I go through a lightning round series of questions before we have to say goodbye.

And I, I was telling you earlier, I had a hard time narrowing down my lightning round questions because I, I have a lot of fun questions for you, but if you were a judge of a pageant, what is one question you would ask the contestants to really get an idea if they're worthy of the crown?

Kaylee Stavlas: Why? Why, why you?

Why should I choose you? Okay. And I think that was one of my winning questions is my why answer. And I was, you know, talking about business and education and this is my why. [00:33:00]

Melissa: Perfect. You sang opera for the talent portion of your pageant. And you also mentioned that you used to be a ballerina, but if you had to choose another talent to showcase, what would it be?

Kaylee Stavlas: Definitely art. I am a very artsy fartsy kind of person, so I would love to, you know, speed paint.

Melissa: Well, that brings me to my next question, which you mentioned that you also have a business called In and Indigo. You paint customized denim and jackets. What is your favorite design you've done so far?

Kaylee Stavlas: Not one that I have painted, but one that my grandma painted.

It was of a ram and it's, I actually saw that one on your social media. Absolute beautiful. I love it so much.

Melissa: I am not a Carolina fan, but I've got to admit that was you gotta girl jacket. We'll fact, all the way. You're always on the go. What is one thing you always have in your bag?

Kaylee Stavlas: Hmm. Definitely like an under eye mask.

My eye bags get so [00:34:00] bad, especially if I'm traveling. I'm like definitely exhausted or chapstick. I love a good chapstick. Yeah. I

Melissa: can't stand my lips to be dry. So I'm with you on that. And you're gonna have to share your eye bag secret with me because I am. I got you. I'm definitely an eye bag territory.

I'm sure you've seen a lot of North Carolina. If you could travel anywhere in the world, what would be your dream trip?

Kaylee Stavlas: I, right after winning Miss North Carolina, when after 24 hours, I was on a plane headed to Greece and I actually was not gonna compete for the pageant because I already had a planned trip to Greece with my family and we couldn't get out of it.

But things ended up happening where there was like, you know. The little back people, they were like, oh, you can do this, you can do that. Mm-hmm. So we ended up getting outta that. And then 24 hours after I went headed on a plane to Greece. So I think I would definitely go back to Greece. I think that's, you know, where my heart is and mm-hmm.

My people, my country as like, you know, that's on first generation list. American's on my. Beautiful. Oh, beautiful. Yeah, I mean, we should go. [00:35:00]

Melissa: I'll show you out, please. I will tag along. I'll be your chaperone. Although you're about to be 18, you don't. You won't need a chaperone. So long. And finally, the most important question for all teen girls.

What are you binging on TV right now other than Legally Blonde, but you know, that's gonna be a series soon. Did you hear that? Oh, I did. Yeah. I'm so excited. So, a young Elle Woods

Kaylee Stavlas: just know that when that, you know, launches, I will be in my room for about a week straight. Yeah, I'm sure. Just binge watching that.

Yeah. But I've been really into designated survivor. It's very. Okay. Have you watched that? I know, but I've heard of that. Oh my gosh. You have to go home and watch it. Okay. It's very intriguing. It's about, you know, the white, the capitol building getting bombed and the president and vice president in Congress, you know, all like getting killed.

And then the sky's the designated survivor, but he's kind of, you know, the underdog of that situation where. He was about to get fired from his job at the White House, and then now he's the president of the United States. So it's a really cool show. So you like a lot of stress and action? Mm-hmm. [00:36:00] I think it's 'cause I wanna go into politics later down the road, so I'm like, Ooh, like maybe I'd be the designated survivor.

Melissa: Thank you so much for being here today and I wish you. All the best with everything in your future. Thank you so much. I have a, I have a feeling it's a bright future.

Kaylee Stavlas: Oh, thank you. And it's been a, it's been an honor.

Melissa: Thank you.

[00:37:00]