Kiersten Robertson stood on stage with a stern look on her face and held the hands of her fellow contestants. Waiting for the recalculation of the judge’s votes felt like the longest 10 minutes of her life. Her nerves were swimming.

Was she ever going to get off of the stage? All she wanted to do was kick off her heels and slouch her aching back.

After what felt like five hours, Miss Louisiana 2013 Jaden Leach had the results in her hands. The moment Kiersten waited weeks for had finally arrived. She told everyone that if she won she would pass out.

“And your new Miss ULM 2014 is contestant number eight, Kiersten Robertson,” said Leach.

But she didn’t pass out. All of her nerves vanished when she heard the crowd cheer for her. Her family jumped from their seats and waved around their homemade signs.

Kierstan gave them her biggest smile as former Miss ULM Amy Matherne placed the crown on her head.

HEY WHY NOT?

As a freshman, Kiersten thought competing in the Miss ULM Pageant would give her a good opportunity to make friends and get involved on campus.

“I got interested in [pageants] after I had done a pageant in high school and I really enjoyed it,” said Kiersten. “It was a lot of fun so I thought, you know, hey why not? It’s a really good way to meet a lot of new girls.”

But the pre-dental hygiene major didn’t think her chances at winning were very high. Regardless, Kiersten was determined to work hard and have fun.

She wanted to represent her platform, Confidence Coalition, a trademark of her sorority Kappa Delta, and make them proud.

“If you go out there and have fun and you’re confident, the judges are going to see that,” Kiersten said.

At the interest meeting, Kiersten and the other contestants were advised to begin eating healthy and working out.

She thought to herself, “yeah I can do that.”

But she only went to the gym twice before she decided she couldn’t do that.

“I had probably five cookies two days before, a cupcake, but that day I ate healthy,” said Kierstan. “I had sushi for lunch.”

While searching for her stage outfits, she wanted to make sure it something that she was comfortable in.

She practiced talking to herself in the mirror and constantly checked the news to keep herself up to date on current events.

After 12 years of dance, Kiersten was certain of what her talent would be.

“I really enjoyed [dance] so I automatically knew that was going to be my talent because I cannot sing or anything like that,” Kiersten said. “But actually I hadn’t danced since May and I only got to practice it a few times on a stage.”

After competitively dancing for six years, she choreographed her routine with her childhood instructor at The Academy FTK in Leesville.

“I choreographed a little bit of it, but my dance teacher back at home she helped me a lot. We kind of collaborated together and worked on it,” Kiersten said.

Kiersten believed that a jazz routine would best show off her personality.

“The costume that I wore I actually had already and I had to wear it for some kind of outfit to a king of queens and you had to dress up like your favorite circus character,” said Kiersten. “And I was an acrobat and everybody loved the costume so I wanted to wear it.”

But it was hard to find a song to go with the costume and she considered changing it until her mother suggested Britney Spears’ “Circus.”

CRAZY AND SUPPORTIVE

Kiersten’s mother and sister were big influences on her throughout the entire process. They were her rocks and her sister would keep her sane.

“Calm down,” her sister would tell her. “You can do it.”

Before going on stage, Kiersten would pray just so she could keep herself together. She would remind herself of the importance of confidence and keeping her head held high.

And if all else failed, she was able to look into the crowd to see her family cheering her on.

“They are crazy, but they’re really supportive. We live in Leesville and it’s about two and a half hours from here,” said Kiersten. “To have them come on a Tuesday night and skip work to be able to support me was really awesome.”

Her family was determined to be a large presence of support of love for her that night.

Two rows filled with parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and even neighbors came to cheer and wave their handmade signs with Kiersten’s face on them.

When her name was called, her family jumped from their seats and the sound of their applause drowned out the rest of the crowd.

Kiersten’s mother, Karen Robertson, felt “blessed beyond measure” watching her daughter being crowned.

“I told her to have faith and to believe in herself and to take a deep breath and to have fun,” Karen said.

Zandra Grady, Kiersten’s neighbor, has known her since she was born.

“And she is just as beautiful inside as outside, absolutely highest standards and morals. Just wonderful,” Grady said.

THE CONFIDENCE COALITION

Kiersten wants to use her platform to speak to young girls about the importance of confidence.

She began teaching a dance class a few years ago and saw how much of an influence she could be not only on younger girls, but also for her peers.

“I wanted to step in and be able to speak to girls, to speak to anyone, about boosting self-esteem, especially today,” said Kiersten. “With social media there is a certain stereotype that you have to be beautiful and it’s not about that.”

After seeing how bullying effects young girls she would like to share Confidence Coalition and International Girls Day to local school.

Kiersten will compete in Miss Louisiana in June, but until then she will be seen around campus at events, sharing her platform at local schools and being the hostess of ULM.

CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?

A few days after the pageant, Kierstan was sitting in her psychology class when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

One of her classmates was pointing his phone at her.

When she looked over, he took a Snapchat picture of her.

“Miss ULM is in my snapchat right now,” he said. “Can I get your autograph?”

Kiersten wasn’t sure if he was being serious, but he insisted he was.

“So I signed this ripped up piece of paper that was all stained,” she said. “And he was like ‘thank you so much.’ It was weird.”

AWARD WINNING LADIES

Kiersten will receive a scholarship that covers full basic tuition, a one bedroom on-campus apartment, a $300 award from the bookstore, a two-semester meal plan awarded by CAB and a $4,500 cash prize awarded by SGA.

Kiersten also won a preliminary award for best swimsuit.

First runner-up Jo Hilliard will receive a two-semester tuition scholarship from CAB. Hilliard also won a preliminary award for best interview.

Second  runner-up Lauren Ford will receive a one-semester tuition scholarship from CAB. Ford also won two preliminary awards for best talen and evening gown. She also received the People’s Choice Award.

Third runner-up Ellie Jackson will receive a one-tome $1,000 scholarship from SGA.

Fourth runner-up Sarah Mouk will receive a one-time $750 scholarship from SGA.