Miss Seminole Meredith Kovarik was named third runner-up in the Miss Florida Pageant.
By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published June 30, 2004
SEMINOLE - Meredith Kovarik never forgot her lucky pig.
Each day of the Miss Florida pageant, Kovarik made sure the tiny, plastic pig was tucked somewhere in her clothing - hidden in her evening gowns, even her two-piece bathing suit.
With that companion comfort, Kovarik won the Miss Seminole title earlier this year and last week was named third runner-up to Miss Florida.
Henny Hlas, executive director of the Miss Seminole Scholarship Pageant, discounts any luck - and she gave Kovarik the pig.
"We are just so proud of Meredith. She's worked so hard for this," Hlas said.
Kovarik began competing in beauty pageants four years ago, entering a college contest on a lark.
"As a young girl, I watched Miss America on television and had the fantasy of being Miss America one day," said Kovarik, who is 22. "When the University of Central Florida pageant was announced, I thought, "Hey, why not?' '
Kovarik, who has competed now in more than 20 pageants, lives in Tampa, holds a degree in engineering technology and works at Gerdau AmeriSteel as an assistant for the fabricating products group. She also is pursuing her MBA at the University of South Florida.
Kovarik is a member of the international board of the Odyssey of the Mind organization, which sponsors educational competitions for kindergarten through college students in the United States and 25 countries.
"It's an amazing organization that encourages students to think out of the box, to learn how to apply the knowledge they learn in school," Kovarik said.
Odyssey of the Mind became her pageant platform and the focal point of her appearance speeches since winning the Miss Seminole title in February.
For the past four months, besides work, school, and official duties as Miss Seminole, Kovarik's time has been consumed with wardrobe selections and fittings, visits to her vocal coach, keeping up on national and international news, and perfecting her pageant skills.
That preparation culminated Saturday night as she joined 41 other local winners at the Mahaffey Theater at Bayfront Center for the Miss Florida Pageant finals.
The opening routine involved a choreographed dance, and Kovarik found herself at the back of the stage. "I'm tall (5 feet 9) and I'm a singer, not a dancer," she said.
Then the names of the top 15 contestants were called out - including Kovarik and her best friend, Ameigh Verderosa (Miss Orlando). Both made it again in the next cut to reach the top 10.
Then came the swimsuit competition. Kovarik said all that went through her mind was to "suck (in her stomach), hold, lift, hold, walk, hold, shoulders back, head straight, look up, smile."
She had 10 minutes to change into her performance gown and get back on stage to sing Power of the Dream.
"I'd been nervous all night and suddenly I was calm. It was probably the best moment of the entire night," she said.
She returned to the dressing room for another change to an evening gown. Her dad, Dr. Vincent Kovarik, was there to escort her back onto the stage.
"When they called out my name as the first one in the top five, and then I heard I was third runner-up, I was in a complete state of disbelief," said Kovarik, who received $5,100.
She has no regrets that she was not named Miss Florida. "There is a real sistership with the other girls. We've all been in the position where we have lost," she said.
For the next year, Kovarik will continue to represent Seminole at local events, including the city's Fourth of July celebration Saturday at City Park.
