Emily Laskowski is no stranger to beauty pageants.

For several years, the Jonesburg native competed in the Old Settlers, Jonesburg Homecoming and Montgomery County Fair queen contests. She was crowned Old Settlers queen in 2017 and was named first runner-up at the Montgomery County Fair queen contest the following year.

“I like it a lot,” Laskowski said. “It has definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I also made a lot of good friends. I met a lot of good people who have become pretty much family to me and have supported me every step in this journey.”

Now, the 23-year-old Laskowski is ready to compete in a big pageant at the campus of Missouri Military Academy in Mexico. She will compete in the Miss Missouri contest, which is scheduled June 14-17.

“I’ve been doing so much prep and practicing,” Laskowski said. “I play the clarinet, so I’ve been doing a lot of talent practices and I’m just overall preparing to get ready and enjoying the time that I have.”

Laskowski is one of 21 contestants in the Miss Missouri contest. The others are Melissa Gomes, Grayson Barnes, Holly Enowski, Landry Jenkins, Valerie Shinn, Tabitha Crain, Abby Turner, Halie Hebron, Hanah Schrader, Callie Comtpon, Christina Beard, Jaclyn Sexauer, Shelby Leeker, Courtney Rowe, Marissa Jarnagin, Hayley Leach, Donna Gilbert, Katie Farr and Aubrey Gatica.

Laskowski said she is thrilled that she will be the only Montgomery County candidate at the pageant.

“It means a lot, especially coming from such a small town and community,” she said. “Just seeing all of the support that I have from everybody in the community is amazing to me. I am so excited to represent Jonesburg and Montgomery County and to show everybody where I am from.”

Pageant week begins on June 12 as the candidates arrive at Missouri Military Academy. They will participate in numerous activities and will have a meet-and-greet session on the Audrain County Courthouse lawn.

Preliminary competition begins on June 14 and ends on June 17. The Miss Missouri winner will be crowned on June 18 and will later start preparing for the Miss America competition later this year.

Laskowski said she first became interested in the Miss Missouri contest after talking to 2013 Miss Missouri winner Ellie Holtman during the 2021 Montgomery County Fair Queen contest. Holtman, who is from Montgomery City, was the emcee of the fair queen contest.

“I talked to her about Miss Missouri,” Laskowski said. “Her experience made me want to try for Miss Missouri because they have a talent portion in it.”

Laskowski, a member of the Sigma competition group, will have her personal interview with the judges on June 14. She will perform her clarinet solo during preliminaries. She will have her on-stage conversation with the judges and evening gown competition on June 15.

All of the Miss Missouri candidates have a community service initiative. Laskowski’s initiative is called “Grow from the Ground Up,” which educates children in poverty about available resources such as food pantries, scholarships for college and clothing or hygiene items.

“I started this program mission last summer,” said Laskowski, who will represent Miss Northwest Counties. “It’s basically teaching and empowering and inspiring kids to grow from their poverty situation or just any bad situations that they are growing up in. It also kind of proves that you really can do anything you put your mind to.”

Laskowski graduated from Montgomery County High School in 2017. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia last year and is working on a Master’s degree in counseling at Truman State University. Laskowski, who is currently working as a leasing agent in Columbia, wants to be an elementary school counselor in the future.