Going into the National Extraordinary Miss Pre-Teen pageant, Noelle Merhar was planning to do her best and she was even OK with not winning the event.
But the Eveleth-Gilbert seventh-grader surprised her mom, herself and many others by winning the pageant last month in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
âI was very surprised because this is Noelleâs first pageant,ââ said her mother Monica Merhar. Noelle representing Minnesota as Miss Northern Lights Pre-Teen was in the running against seasoned pageant girls, she added. âThey come out of the womb competing down thereââ in the South.
Noelle said she was expecting the first runner-up to win before the results were announced. âI was really shocked that I won.ââ