USA National Miss Minnesota Pre-Teen, Hannah Cartwright, pictured above in her parade car at the Blue Earth Giant Days parade, has returned from her time in Orlando, Florida at the USA National Miss Pageant. Cartwright was welcomed home back to Blue Earth by the Blue Earth Fire Department and Police Department upon her return on July 9. She even got a ride in one of the fire trucks upon returning home. Now Cartwright looks to her future in pageantry with a sense of service to her community.

Nine-year-old Blue Earth native Hannah Cartwright has found a greater purpose in life with her time as USA National Miss Minnesota Pre-Teen.

Back from her trip to the national competition in Orlando, Florida, Cartwright says she has learned a lot about the pageantry world and hopes to continue her work as an ambassador of Minnesota as she continues to grow up.

However, pageantry is more than just strict schedules, fancy dresses, and awards ceremonies. Though, according to Hannah’s mom, Tasha Walker, schedules, dresses and ceremonies took up the majority of the time at the pageant.

“It was a very busy schedule,” says Walker. “Hair and make up at the break of dawn, then changing into several outfits throughout the day. It was a lot to do, but Hannah did great at keeping up with everything. I am so proud of her. I’m pretty sure I was more nervous than Hannah was the whole time.”

For Hannah, pageantry is an opportunity to share your talents and achievements with others. And one of Hannah’s proudest achievements as USA National Miss Minnesota Pre-Teen? Her service to others.

At the nation-wide pageant, Hannah was one of just a few who earned the gold Presidential volunteer service award, which came straight from the White House she says. She also received the Dedicated to Service Award pin, after racking up over 200 hours of community service.

“And that 200 hours is not counting the hours I put in before I was crowned Miss Minnesota Pre-Teen for the pageant,” says Hannah.

Her plan? Even more service hours. Hannah’s goal is to rack up another 100 hours of community service, which includes helping at her church’s food stand at the upcoming Faribault County Fair, continuing her dedication to the services of CADA (Committee Against Domestic Abuse) and raising funds and items for families fleeing domestic violence situations. She is also a junior master for the Women of Worth, and will begin some service work with the group Crown C.A.R.E.S, which stands for Creating A Respectful Environment in Schools. This program is “an anti-bullying program specifically designed for volunteers, pageant systems and peer ambassadors who wish to promote awareness as a platform on the epidemic of bullying in schools to cultivate a safe environment and teach social responsibility” according to the group’s website.

The young pageant enthusiast even met Miss Minnesota, and Miss Universe, who just so happened to be wearing Blue Earth Area Buccaneer colors when she met Hannah.

It was an opportunity this USA National Miss Minnesota Pre-Teen could not pass up. She absolutely had to let Miss Universe not only know those were her home team’s colors, but even sang the Blue Earth Area Fight Song to the globally-known pageant queen.

“She was wearing maroon and gold! I had to,” says Hannah.

The young Buccaneer says she hopes to not only continue to participate in future pageants, but someday hopes to become a seamstress and director of her own pageant.

“The Miss Galaxy pageant,” says the enthused and quite optimistic pageant participant. “That way, everyone from each planet can come to my pageant. We would even include Miss Pluto.”

For now, she will stick to planet Earth, even more specifically Blue Earth, and continue to try to make a positive impact on her own community.

But making things better for the entire galaxy is not a bad idea either.