Photos courtesy of Alexa Farrell
Editor’s Note: Alexa Farrell is a member of the Q30 Television staff. The television station decided that to cover the piece and Farrell was not involved in making that decision.
The first time Alexa Farrell competed in a scholarship pageant, her talent dress was $4 and she wore a gown that cost $33. She told her dad that she just wanted to give it a try and would test it out once. She ended up sweeping the entire pageant and became Miss Wolcott’s Outstanding Teen.
Fast-forward seven years, and Farrell is crowned Miss Wolcott. In less than a week, she will be competing against 12 other girls for the Miss Connecticut title.
Farrell moved to Wolcott, Conn. during first grade and has lived there ever since.
“I absolutely love the town of Wolcott. It’s a small close-knit community. Everyone is very supportive and I know a lot people in town,” Farrell said.
When she was looking at colleges, she knew that she wanted to be Miss Wolcott so she chose a school close to home. She is a broadcast journalism major and sports studies minor at Quinnipiac University.
In addition to being Miss Wolcott, Farrell is on the Dean’s List, a member of Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honor Society, and will be an executive producer for Q30 Television’s entertainment show #THAT.
“It’s all just a balancing act… if it’s something that you really love, then it’s worth doing,” Farrell said.
A couple of years ago, Farrell suffered from endometriosis—a painful disorder which caused her to get scar tissue on her ovaries. The scar tissue was removed, but it resulted in her gaining a significant amount of weight and she started to lose confidence in herself.
Eventually she realized what really mattered was the person she was on the inside, and this helped her gain her confidence back.
“It was more about the journey of finding myself again and I decided to really work on that,” Farrell said.
She created her own personal platform and called it Choose Confidence.
“It’s all about life’s journey—about how sometimes you lose the confidence in yourself. But it’s about developing it and getting it back and about being confident through all different phases in your life,” she said.
She has done a great amount of work within the town of Wolcott to spread the message of her platform. She visited all of the Wolcott elementary schools and helped students make “confidence catchers,” so they can use their confidence whenever they need it.
Farrell also spoke to Girl Scout troops about confidence and helped them practice their confidence walks. She interviews different people at her appearances and they tell her about their most confident moments. She posts confidence tips, interviews, and confident moments on the Choose Confidence Facebook page.
Farrell has also participated in a plethora of community service projects. She attended the 2015 Special Olympics Summer Games in Wolcott and the Cycle of Life event for cancer survivors from the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. She also organized a clothing drive, which benefits the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Farrell particularly enjoys working with children.
“I think they’re just as impressed by me as I’m impressed by them,” she said.
She loves visiting the elementary schools and getting to know the children. She also spoke at a recent D.A.R.E. graduation.
Another one of Farrell’s community appearances includes a visit she made to the state capitol. She was awarded a citation from the general assembly for her work as Miss Wolcott.
When Farrell competes for Miss Connecticut, there will be five different phases of competition—talent, interview, evening gown, on-stage question, and swimsuit.
“They don’t want just a pretty face, they want someone who’s going to be a positive role model in the community, know what they’re talking about and be a good spokesperson for the Miss America organization.
Farrell is fortunate to have the support of both her family, and the Miss Wolcott Organization. She also has businesses from the town of Wolcott sponsor her which include Snips and Tips, Spa 464, Always Tan, and more.
Farrell enjoys competing in scholarship pageants because she is able to go out in the community and meet new people, promote her platform, and be a representative for Miss America.
“I can run a marathon in a pair of heels too—you think I’m joking,” Farrell said. “I can walk in any pair of shoes, no matter how high the heel.”
