Fayette County’s own Liza Greenburg was crowned Miss Georgia Teen USA 2021! She began her pageant career locally at just eight years old and is working her way to the top. We asked her a bit about pageants and how they have influenced her life.
“My main goal is representing the state of Georgia the best I can! I mean, it’s a job, and with any job you have to put your best foot forward and think before you do things, and I’m learning to do that as I go.” Her additional responsibilities to the title are numerous, including contracted public appearances, collecting sponsorships, and constant communication with administration and on social media platforms.
An early education major entering her college sophomore year, Liza stresses the importance of leading and mentoring others as another huge part of her role. She enjoys reading to younger kids and teaching them that it’s ok to be different. “I love the younger crowd. I think they are so driven for excellence and they leave a lasting impression on so many people,” she elaborates.
“The Miss Universe mantra is ‘Confidently Beautiful,’” she explains, “and I think that’s the most encapsulating way to phrase it. Growing up through pageantry, I have learned social skills, speaking skills, inner confidence, outer beauty, inner beauty, and have grown friendships all over the country. Most importantly, I learned to be confident in who I am and what I have to offer.”
The biggest challenge, she says, is in the preparation because it can seem repetitive: walking the same walk, practicing the same questions. “But in the meantime, you know that you’re growing,” she adds. “Preparing for interviews, I’ve grown a lot mentally, emotionally, spiritually.”
And interviewing is one of her favorite parts of a pageant because it really gives the judges a chance to get to know her. Each contestant has a different story, and pageantry has taught Liza to recognize her “why” and convey it.
“Being able to have confidence pushes you so much farther, because in a world where things are constantly changing, being confident in who you are is one thing that won’t change.”
As the reigning Miss Georgia Teen USA 2021, Liza is now working with a vast list of sponsors including interview coaches, walking coaches, evening gown sponsors, and more to prepare her for Miss Teen USA, which she’ll be competing for on November 27 at the Paradise Cover Theater of River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma.