By Beacon Staff
Mediapolis native Autumn Fjeld was just a hair’s breadth away from becoming Miss Iowa.
The 24-year-old lives in Burlington and works as a care manager for the Title 1 youth program, which provides financial assistance to local schools with a high number of children from low-income families.
Fjeld just started competing in pageants a couple of years ago, and there’s a lot more to it than she thought.
“I didn’t grow up in the pageant system. I had this misconception that it’s all physical looks and appearance,” she said.
That’s part of it, of course. But the pageant scene revolves around self-confidence, which translates to real life. When you carry yourself as a prospective queen, it’s easier to be more comfortable in tense situations.
“Fake it until you make it. I had to get rid of that barrier where I thought I had to sound like someone else. I got over that fear, and that’s when I started showing my best on stage,” she said.
To enter the Miss Iowa Pageant, prospective queens have to be the queen of a local pageant. Fjeld went to Miss Iowa as Miss Clinton County, where she splits her community service work with Burlington.
Fjeld competed in Miss Iowa last year, as well, and took home an award for her violin playing. Every contestant has a featured talent, and Fjeld has worked on her talent for the past 18 years.
Her rendition of “Devil Went Down to Georgia” impressed the judges this year, which helped put Fjeld in the top three.
“It was a really incredible feeling,” she said.
This year’s Miss Iowa contest was held last month in Davenport over three days, and Fjeld came away from the competition with new friends and a second runner-up trophy.
Fjeld graduated from Mediapolis High School in 2017 and was active in everything from cross country to soccer. She hasn’t had much time for hobbies.
Fjeld wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I embody everything that I am and put it on stage,” she said.
Fjeld isn’t done yet. Though she won’t be competing in the Miss Burlington competition this August, she does hope to snag a title at some local pageant in Iowa and compete again next year.
That’s up to the judges. Their tastes are never uniform and usually impossible to predict.
“Pageants are like candy. One judge may want Skittles, and another judge may want M&Ms. That’s the mindset you go in to win,” she said.