UCF senior Kristina Janolo will now go by the name “Miss Florida” for the next year after winning the Miss Florida Pageant in St. Petersburg this past Saturday.
Janolo is now the third consecutive UCF student to become Miss Florida.
“I was overwhelmed with happiness,” said Janolo when asked about her initial reaction to winning the pageant.
“This was my fifth time and final time competing at Miss Florida because I was to age out of the system. I was also overcome with excitement because the first runner up is a very good friend of mine and I was so proud of her.”
Janolo entered her first pageant when she was 15 years old, winning the Miss Florida Junior Teen title for the National American Miss System while competing in the Miss America system for 6 years.
Even before competing in the pageant last Saturday, Janolo prepared herself for what was expected of the new Miss Florida.
“More than anything else, I looked beyond competition week, into the job of Miss Florida which is a full time one,” said Janolo.
“From the moment I was crowned Miss Winter Park, an official preliminary to Miss Florida, I practiced all of the tasks and responsibilities that are expected of a state titleholder. I believed that if I could master those skills, the judges would see that I was ready for the job of Miss Florida.”
Janolo is currently a senior studying in the marketing department at UCF. Once her reign as Miss Florida is over, she looks forward to continuing school and possibly working for the Children’s Miracle network in her future.
“I was a weekly volunteer at the Greater Orlando CMN offices and I fell in love with the entire organization,” said Janolo.
As Miss Florida, Janolo will be promoting the Everglades Foundations, Children’s Miracle Network and her own personal nonprofit: C.A.R.E. – Commitment to Always Remember the Elderly Inc.
UCF Alumni Rachael Todd was crowned Miss Florida in 2009 and witnessed Janolo’s special moment on Saturday. Todd believes that winning the pageant in 2009 enhanced how she looks at the world.
“I now see such opportunity in every thing that I do,” said Todd. “I am very grateful for the experience that the Miss America and Miss Florida Organizations were able to give me. I know that I will be successful in life and I owe that to those organizations.”
“I have already told Kristina this, ‘You only get 365 days to accomplish all that you can as Miss Florida. Work hard each and every day, do something every day that brings you closer to your goals.’ I am so proud of Kristina, and I am so excited for what this year is going to bring her,” Todd said.
Janolo will get the exciting opportunity to compete in the Miss America pageant, which is set to take place on January 14, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I believe that the best way to prepare for Miss America is to give 110% of myself to the job of Miss Florida,” said Janolo. “If Miss America is in the stars for me, I believe that God will send me the tools and challenges that I need to be as prepared as I can possibly be.”
