KAPA‘A — Emilia Knudsen was one of the nearly 40 vendors participating at the Kaua‘i Made Holly Jolly Holiday Fair on Saturday at Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach.
Knudsen, who had a line of jewelry she produced, is a freshman at Kapa‘a High School. She recently earned first runner-up honors at the Miss Hawai‘i Teen Volunteer pageant held at Kaimuki High School on Dec. 2.
“This was my very first pageant,” Knudsen said. “The winner Miss Hawai‘i Teen Volunteer Emilia Dalirei, has had a lot of pageant experience. She will be representing Hawai‘i in Jacksonville, Tennessee, a little later.”
Makena Kinsler was voted the Miss Hawai‘i Volunteer 2024, the adult version of the pageant produced as part of the Miss Volunteer America scholarship program.
Emilia’s mother said Kaua‘i has never had a Miss Teen Volunteer and was hopeful her daughter would’ve been the first one for the island.
Emilia said in addition to receiving the honor, she was also selected as the winner of the People’s Choice award based on voting during the pageant held on O‘ahu. The pageant involved competition in private interview, fitness and wellness, evening gown, talent and on-stage questioning.
“She also did very well in the interview phase based on her modeling,” Emilia’s mom said. “She also did a fire knife dance for her talent, and being a model traveling to different parts of the world helped her a lot.”
With the award, Emilia becomes an advocate for the American Lung Association, addressing and working to curb the increasing number of vaping that is a big concern among communities in Hawai‘i.
The American Lung Association’s work across the nation is focused on four strategic imperatives that aim to defeat lung cancer, improve the air we breathe, reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families, and eliminate tobacco and tobacco-related diseases.
For now, Emilia is content to be a young lady living where she’s at and doing a lot of the things young people like to do.
“I just got my braces out,” Emilia said. “I still don’t know how to smile with my teeth.”
The county will next host the Kaua‘i Products Fair from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort with live entertainment and locally made products. This coincides with the resort’s once-a-month appearance of vendors on Dec. 29.
