“I encouraged the girls to go into pageants,” said DeAnna. “You really meet a lot of people and make new friends. Make as many friends as you can, because true friends can help you through a lot.”
DeAnna should know. After all, she was a Little Miss Trinity.
Last year, DeAnna accepted the Miss Trinity crown with a No. 14 pinned to her evening gown. It was the same number she had on when she was chosen as Little Miss Trinity in 2001.
“I never had a lucky number before, but I guess I do now,” she said.
She cried when her year as Little Miss Trinity ended. She has enjoyed her year as Miss Trinity and she will be a little bit sad when it’s over.
In addition to appearances and parades, DeAnna has spent the past year trying to educate youth about the dangers of childhood obesity, her platform issue.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is a serious health concern for children and adolescents. Severely overweight individuals have a higher risk to develop high blood pressure, heart disease and type II diabetes. Statistics indicate that the prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically in recent years.
DeAnna wanted to do her part to educate children about healthy lifestyle choices such as better nutrition and daily physical activity.
In June she made a visit to the Trinity Elementary School summer camp, where she did a presentation on positive dietary choices.
“She did a great job, the kids loved it,” said Renee Moffitt, Trinity Elementary after-school director. “She came during our snack time, and some of the kids actually hid their snacks because they weren’t so healthy.”
After DeAnna’s visit, healthier snacks began to appear.
“The kids brought in things such as grapes, apples, Fig Newton bars, fruit cups and cheese sticks,” said Moffitt. “They made a point to show us their snacks. They would say that DeAnna would be proud of them.”
Physical activity also is important in the prevention of obesity and DeAnna carried her conviction to the mat. She served as a coach for two youth cheerleading teams — the Hornets during basketball season and the Blue Devils during football season.
It was a natural choice for DeAnna to coach cheerleading. This is the fourth year she has cheered for Trinity High School. The co-captain of the Trinity High School cheerleaders still finds time to be a part of the Spirit Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Spanish Club. She and her family are members at Caraway Baptist Church in Sophia.
When she’s not working on her platform or school activities, DeAnna loves to go to High Rock Lake with her family. She enjoys spending time with her sister Danielle and her new nephew Carson Blake Jacobs.
Parents Dean and Darlene Minor said that DeAnna has always been a hard worker. Her goal is worth the effort – her lifetime plan includes a teaching career. She has maintained straight A’s all through her high school career.
Although she values her friends, school work comes first.
“I don’t spend a lot of time hanging out with friends,” said DeAnna. “I put my schoolwork first. I make sure it’s done before I make plans.”
That’s something to cheer about.
“She has her priorities in order,” said Darlene, “and there is no time for goofing off.”
DeAnna’s year as Miss Trinity has given her an experience of leadership.
“I think that it has given her more self-confidence,” Darlene said. “It has increased her ability to speak in front of an audience. She will sing at the pageant this year, and I doubt that she would have been willing to do that a year ago.”
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