Minnesota native Ahmitara Alwal won her first beauty pageant at just four years of age, but it’s the one she participated in most recently that will leave a lasting memory.

Alwal, a 2017 Worthington High School graduate, was crowned Miss South Dakota USA 2024 on May 12 in Watertown, South Dakota.

“It was something I had hoped for but I didn’t think it would happen that night,” Alwal said. “They got to the first runner-up and still hadn’t called my name and I thought, ‘Okay, this is new.’ It was amazing to be standing there and was a powerful moment for us all.”

Since she now lives in South Dakota, Alwal applied this year to represent the state. Upon approval, she got right to work honing her best skills, like public speaking, that make her feel confident. She’s also been mentally and physically training herself to compete, finding things that work for her to put her best foot forward, like eating healthy.

The Miss South Dakota pageant lasted for a total of two days and needless to say, was a whirlwind for Alwal. She will now advance on to the Miss USA national pageant and represent South Dakota this August in that competition.

“My next steps are to continue to do interviews, be out in the community and make appearances. This really helps me to understand the needs (of the local community),” said Alwal.

She took time to address the stigma around beauty pageants, saying the women who participate are some of the most genuine and compassionate people known to man.

“I think some people just see the beauty of these girls and forget about the character of them,” said Alwal. “But these women will support you endlessly.”

Alwal encourages anyone in the Worthington area or beyond to enter into pageants if interested.

Applications are currently open and in 2023, the Miss USA pageant changed its eligibility rules to include women who are or have been married, are pregnant, or have children. There is also no age restriction to compete.

“I was once a shy girl who didn’t say much, so I hope young girls see themselves in me and know any obstacle can be overcome,” Alwal said. “If you work hard for yourself, you’ll find something beautiful.”

Hope Moural is the community editor for the Globe as of May 2024. A born and raised Nebraskan, Hope has a dual bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communications from Concordia University, Nebraska, and has previously worked as a general assignment reporter.

In this episode we speak with Sean Vanatta who has written “Plastic Capitalism: Banks, Credit Cards, and the End of Financial Control.” Vanatta describes how Citibank and South Dakota changed the credit card industry in the United States. An unconnected series of events that involves the US Supreme Court, the Federal Reserve, the South Dakota Legislature and the national demand for credit cards brings together two very different but desperate entities: the state of South Dakota led by Governor Bill Janklow, and Citibank, a large international New York bank led by President Walter Wriston. Their desperate need for one another changed South Dakota’s economy as well as consumer credit for millions of Americans. It’s all an amazing story of coincidences that’s important to part of South Dakota’s history. For more, the book can be found here: Plastic Capitalism (yale.edu)

Read it at The Dakota Scout