Hallie Thompson is living proof that some beauty queens aren't made, but born. She never considered herself tiara material until she was 21, and her boyfriend with an eye for potential secretly entered her in the Miss Ohio USA pageant. "I got a call from the pageant people, and thought it was a joke," Thompson said.
Click to enlarge image Naperville resident Hallie Thompson won the title of Mrs. Here the mother of three, who works in annuity sales, poses Thursday in her closet at her Naperville home. Despite missing months of preparation, she decided to compete.
Two weeks later, she inherited the crown from that other Miss Ohio named Halle - Halle Berry, that is. But that wasn't the start of a long pageant career for Thompson. She took a 20-year hiatus from the pageant circuit until the Mrs.
Illinois America 2007 pageant June 29 in Elgin. Once again, the natural-born beauty queen came away with the title. "It was just perfect timing," said Thompson, 41, of her decision to reclaim the tiara after so many years.
Her job in annuity sales allows her to work from her Naperville home, and the three children she has with her husband, Michael, are more independent. A more flexible schedule allowed her to give the second go-around the necessary attention: training, eating well, and, of course, shopping. "I've really enjoyed the preparation, making sure that physically, mentally and spiritually I'm the most prepared I can be," Thompson said.
Thompson's weekend victory qualified her for the Mrs. America pageant in Tucson, Ariz., where she will compete against 51 other exemplary married women for the crown, $100,000, and a new car.
The contestants must travel to Tucson for a publicity tour two weeks before the competition Sept. 5, which will be nationally broadcast on WE-TV. A car would be great, but unlike so many young "Misses" that dedicate their entire lives to winning, Thompson sees crowns and titles as valuable currency, not self identity or purpose.
A youth mentor to 450 adolescents through Calvary Church, Thompson hopes the Mrs. America - title will help her to reach a larger audience of at-risk youth. "Who wants to talk to plain-old Hallie Thompson?
" she said. America, I would be able to speak on behalf of youth in the country. As long as you can touch one youth at a time, let one person know you care about them - that's what matters.
" Currently, Thompson is developing a Web site and DVD to educate viewers about the threats of drugs, alcohol and online predators. She hopes her title will help the DVD circulate among her target audience: young teens and their parents. "If you do something for you, it's only going to affect you," she said.
"If you do something outside of you, you can have a positive effect on so many people." At least one young person has been inspired by her example. Thompson's daughter, Christina, was fourth runner-up in the National American Miss pageant in 2005, and will be attending another pageant in August.
"I saw my mom's Miss Ohio crown, and I knew I wanted to do that, too," the 11-year-old said. Contact Lauren Sutherland at lsutherland@scn1.com or 630-416-5212.
Hallie Thompson is living proof that some beauty queens aren't made, but born.
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