North Idaho teen lands among the stars; Paige Renaldo named Miss Idaho Teen America
Paige Renaldo is shooting for the moon. Scratch that — she's going to Mars.
"I've always been fascinated by the stars and how expansive the universe is," the 17-year-old Coeur d'Alene High School senior said Wednesday. "I want to be the first person on Mars. I just think it would be really interesting to see something that no one's ever seen before. I've always wanted to travel, and going to a different planet is about as far as you can get traveling, so I feel like it would be a good fit for me."
Before she explores the galaxy, she's conquering America, one beauty pageant at a time.
Paige was named Miss Idaho Teen America in October and will be representing the Gem State on the national stage in Los Angeles in August.
"I'm just really excited to represent Idaho," she said. "I feel like Idaho is in the back of people's minds. People don't realize how great of a place it actually is."
Born and raised in North Idaho, the Hayden youth will be sharing her personal experiences as she inspires young women during her time with the crown and sash. Her platform focuses on eating disorders and self-acceptance.
"The end of junior year I started to develop anorexia and it turned into bulimia. It was a really hard thing for me to go through," Paige said. "I went through therapy for it. When I went through it I felt like no one was there. I was all alone and it was something to be ashamed of."
After receiving treatment and recovering from an affliction that affects so many teens, Paige decided to share her message with younger girls in the community.
"You shouldn't have to fit a certain image. Everyone's beautiful in their own way," she said. "A lot of people emphasize the skinny and the perfect skin tone. There is so much more to women, and it's not just based on how they physically appear. I want women to know that if they're thinking they're not good enough, that's not true. Your physical appearance has nothing to do with who you are and what you will accomplish. I want them to have someone there who has been through their struggles and understands how they feel."
Because the Miss Idaho Teen America program in North Idaho does not have a local organizer at this time, Paige sent in her photos and information to program officials and conducted over-the-phone interviews. Her first time to officially grace a beauty pageant stage will be at the national competition, but she does have some experience with the Distinguished Young Women program.
Paige plans to attend community events and collect more sponsors as she works her way to August. When she is not in her Miss Idaho Teen America persona, Paige is working hard in academia as a student government officer at the top of her class with a 4.692 GPA. She hopes to be the valedictorian of her graduating class, a dream she's had since she was a little girl.
"Her dad and I are extremely proud of her," said Paige's mom, Rondi Renaldo. "Her grades are phenomenal, she's No. 1 in her class, she gives back to her community and is a co-president for student council. We're very proud of her for caring. This is a huge honor."