Behind The Scenes With Miss Florida Citrus 2016

Miss Florida Citrus 2016 Stephanie Capon

Meet Stephanie Capon, Miss Florida Citrus 2016.

When the Miss Florida Citrus Pageant came back last year after a decade hiatus, it did so with gusto. This year, it’s safe to say a new era is firmly under way for the time-old tradition dating back to the 1920s.

In late March, Stephanie Capon of Miami was crowned Miss Florida Citrus 2016 during The Miss Florida Citrus/Miss Imperial Polk County Scholarship Pageant at the Theatre Winter Haven.

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The University of Florida student is working on a Master of Science in Management and hopes to earn a Juris Doctor degree in law. In addition, Capon is currently a White House intern for the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Sponsored by Ben Hill Griffin Inc., she will receive a $1,000 scholarship along with numerous other prizes and will represent the Florida citrus industry at various trade shows and events throughout the year.

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Miss Florida Citrus runner-up Taylor Pohl of Wauchula earned the title of Miss Imperial Polk County — a new addition to the pageant this year.

Both titleholders will go on to compete in the Miss Florida Pageant, which takes place in Lakeland June 28–July 2. The winner will go on to compete in the Miss America pageant.
“I’m excited to have Miss Florida Citrus back as a viable promotional asset for the industry during a time when grassroots marketing efforts can really help us,” said Brenda Eubanks Burnette, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Executive Director and past Florida Citrus Queen.

In order to learn more about the industry’s newest advocate, I asked the latest Miss Florida Citrus titleholder several questions.

What inspired you to enter this competition?

A: Last year, I registered for my first Miss Florida local pageant after learning of the Miss America Organization through a friend. At the time, I was excited to step out of my comfort zone. I was inspired by the remarkable women I met at the state competition, humbled by the volunteers that keep the program running, and honored to see how the program has helped me grow as a woman, scholar, and leader.

Explain the drive behind your platform of supporting arts as a tool for community health and wellness.

A: My family often refers to dance as my “first and longest love.” In college, I had the opportunity to use my love of fine arts as a tool for wellness in juvenile detention centers, assisted living facilities, in hospitals in Ireland and Uganda, and within the Gainesville community. The University of Florida Center for Arts and Medicine is a national leader for using arts in clinical and community settings, and they’ve proven how art can save money and resources for hospitals, help people regain mobility, and fill gaps and disparities that modern medicine can’t always cover. I am most inspired by this effort, and I hope to turn my platform into my career.

What aspects of being Miss Florida Citrus are you most excited about?

A: I understand how important this sector is to the state, and I plan to uphold my title with great respect throughout the year and at the Miss Florida competition this summer.

What does being crowned Miss Florida Citrus mean to you?

A: Serving as Miss Florida Citrus is an incredible honor and validation for the work that goes on behind the scenes when preparing to compete. This year is a chance to challenge myself, grow at each appearance as well as at the state competition, and learn from the impressive young women competing, too. The title also serves as an opportunity to make my family, my directors, and my state proud.

What is one thing about yourself you’d want our readers to know?

A: My bucket list is more than 1,000 items long. I love new experiences that expand my view of the world, and I am always open to suggestions. The more I can learn about the world, the better prepared I am to relate to others.

Anything else you’d like to add?

A: Whenever I have the opportunity, I like to emphasize how impactful the Miss America Organization is. People unfamiliar with pageantry don’t always have a chance to see how savvy contestants must be to raise awareness, ace their interviews, and look effortless on stage. I encourage those with even a slight inclination to compete to give pageantry a chance and see how much they have to gain.

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