Abigail Helland Takes the Runner-Up Spot at Miss Montana Competition

Abigail Helland, of Glasgow, was one of ten women competing for the title of Miss Montana in Glendive this past weekend, June 14-16. This was Helland's third year competiting, and she was excited to earn scholarship funds to further her education as well as meet new friends and have new experiences.

The first night of competition, June 14, the Glendive Chamber sponsored the "Show Us Your Shoes" parade where contestants created shoes that represented their hometown. Helland profiled her middle of nowhere hometown, with the assistance of Megan Edwards, Erin Bradley and Abigail's mom, Allison, she was able to custom make her shoes with a matching skirt of the world.

The competition, which started Thursday evening, had five different portions, including a private interview, on stage questions from the audience, evening gown, talent, and lifestyle/fitness. Helland's platform this year was "See Me: Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness" This was the first year of her platform, due to wanting to pursue a doctorate in psychiatry, with the hopes of being a registered nurse in the field. She also decided on this platform due to the continued stigma associated with mental illness.

During the course of the competition, Helland won the preliminary evening gown competition on Thursday, which allowed her to receive a $125 scholarship. She was also desginated "Montana's Choice," which was voted by the public with one dollar per vote, which awarded her a $500 scholarship and propelled her into the finals on Saturday evening.

On Saturday, the last day of competition, she was crowned first runner-up for the second year in a row. "I was so close to the title two years in a row, but I am ready to move onto new adventures in my life," said Helland, who is currently planning her wedding. By winning runner-up, she received a $2,500 scholarship, which earned her over $3,000 during the weekend alone. "Over the course of three years, I have earned approximately $10,000 as a result of being a part of this competition. As a result of participating in this program and other scholarships, I was able to graduate last December completely debt-free," said Helland.

Helland stated she would not have been able to compete without the support of her community and the donations provided by local businesses. Not only has the competition help her get scholarship funds, but it has also helped her improve on her interview skills and meet new people. "I have friends from my first year competiting, and I'm even planning on participating in a 5K in either Las Vegas or Phoenix with friends I have made in the competition later this year," said Helland.

Helland encourages anyone who is interested in obtaining scholarship funds and lifetime skills to participate. Miss Montana provides a teen portion for women ages 14 through 18, while the Miss Montana competition is for women age 18 to 25. "It's a really great opportunity, where you gain skills, make friends, and everyone walks aways a winner," said Helland. The application process starts in January, and the competition is every June.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about participating in the Miss Montana program, Helland can be contacted at [email protected].