Boxing Beauty Queen
Elise Seery juggles boxing, pageants, clubs, and school.
Managing time can be hard for high school students, but Elise Seery ‘21 balances schoolwork, boxing, five West High clubs and participation in pageants. Seery is involved in Speech and Debate, Environmental Sustainability club, Model UN, Best Buddies, and Dance Marathon here at West. Seery says that clubs have taught her how she can balance everything she does after school. Seery has participated in Dance Marathon and learned about others while doing so.
“With dance marathon I know that a lot of people have personal motives to join,” Seery said. “For me, the reason why I really wanted to pursue dance marathon was because of my grandmother who unfortunately died from cancer when I was a little girl. And from what my mom told me, we would have clicked.”
Seery has been able to meet different people through doing what she enjoys being a part of and what activities make up her life.
“In high school, I kind of just had this mindset where I was going to just do me and if other people don’t necessarily like who I was, I was fine with that,” Seery said.
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A unique hobby Seery has found for herself is boxing at Title Boxing Club, and occasionally with the University of Iowa Boxing Club. Seery had been boxing for a few years now.
“In my basement I have a heavy bag, his name is Devante,” Seery said. “The fitness level that you have to achieve to be amazing at boxing is unreal, and I love that constant push that I have to get to that level.”
Seery boxes most days, and it is something she wants to continue later on in her life. She enjoys being physically tired after each time she boxes because it shows that she has worked hard.
In addition to boxing Seery competes as a Miss America Outstanding Teen.
Miss America Outstanding Teen is a little sister program to the Miss America Organization. Emily Primozich is the Executive Director for the Miss Pearl City’s Outstanding Teen title, making her Elise’s director.
“I really wanted to put on a pretty dress,” Seery said. “That was my reason, but when it came to state, it was so I could make an impact.”
Seery has been able to get involved in the community through competing in pageants. She particularly enjoyed one event where she got to help little girls pick out their dresses for a daddy-daughter dance.
“I would go find a dress and they would always fall in love with it. It was so much fun to see their faces shine,” she said.
Seery loves kids so she babysits and is a junior camp counselor at two camps. Seery won a local pageant after performing a dance routine to Elvis Presley’s: Hound Dog.
“I made it up, part of it was improvised on the stage. I guess it worked out.”
At state Seery did a boxing monologue for her talent section of the pageant. Seery has made a lot of friends while competing.
“Elise composed a boxing monologue where she could highlight her skills as a boxer and demonstrate her passion for empowering young women.” Primozich explained.
Primozich described Seery as very self-aware and told about how Seery “relentlessly worked to become the best version of herself, while staying true to her unique traits and strengths”
“The Miss America system is really famous for their sisterhood.” Seery spent an entire week with thirteen girls, where they got to know each other well. “It’s social skills that are hard to develop because because you are friends with these girls, but you also need to learn how to be friends in a competition setting which is hard.”
Seery’s experience with getting involved in various activities has had a lasting impact on her.
Primozich believes Elise has become a stronger person through the program.
“Elise grew in her public speaking skills, in the depth of her character, and in her self-confidence.”