Interviewing Royalty

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By: Collin Frazier and Anna Edmiston

This past week, Miss Ohio came and visited Arlington High School. Sarah Clapper, Miss Ohio of 2017, has been touring Northwest Ohio with Hempy Water and stopped here on her way through. While at the school, she spoke with all of the students that are considered leaders during their lunch periods and she gave them tips on leadership while the students ate Curly’s pizza. To encourage participation, she passed out Hempy Water popsockets, and that got many students to raise their hands and their voices. After both lunch sessions, Collin and Anna had an opportunity to talk to Miss Ohio and ask her some questions to get to know her. After that small session, the entire high school was invited to listen to her speak about leadership and her program “Habitudes.”

 These are the questions and her responses:

Was your college experience the one you planned on throughout high school?
The short answer is no. I had every intention to go to Kent State with an athletic scholarship for gymnastics. My career ending injury left me clueless. I had an identity crisis. But through this, I started my platform. I chose Ohio State because it was a larger, more urban area to get more opportunities. It’s a good thing I was accepted because I had no backup plan from Ohio State.

What inspired you to work with young people and teach them leadership skills?
How could you just not love students? I felt alone in high school and don’t want to make other students feel alone. I wanted to show students that they have value. Some may have never been told that they have value. I believe that we need to invest time to become better people. Students need to be told that they are more than their titles and extracurriculars. I wanted to deliver the messages I wish I heard in high school.

Who do you consider the person you look up to most?
My great-grandmother who immigrated from Czechoslovakia and worked hard throughout her whole life and almost paid for all of my college. I aspire to have the same selflessness as her.

What do you think helped you decide your future (college/career) the most?
Being Miss Ohio helped shape the career I have today. The architecture firm, Berardi Partners, has given me a lot of opportunities and let me do what gave me my passions. Marketing has helped with being Miss Ohio as well.

For those who do not know, could you please explain your platform, “Athletes Today, a Lifetime of Tomorrows”? What was the inspiration behind this?
Growing up, all my value was placed into gymnastics. The abilities were a gift and I didn’t want to waste them. Personal identity was wrapped up in gymnastics and it defined me. After the injury, I ended up taking pain medication that was to cure my emotional pain. Most people are not prepared for life after sports and no one knows how to deal with that. Injured athletes lose their livelihood, careers, and ways to support families. Athlete Resiliency programs helped me find a way to help athletes transition through this with credentials. These are programs that teach leadership and skills to succeed off the court or field. Habitudes helps do this through imagery for adults and students. This starts to instill in people that we are more than what we do.

What is your favorite part working for a non-profit organization?
My personal values and the values of the company match mine. This helps me align myself with them and give me credentials to be able to do what I do with credit.

What do you think life would have been like had your career not ended? Do you think you would still be “Miss Ohio”?
I would not be on this path. Throughout the hardship, I would have given anything to be able to be a gymnast again. I am grateful for the injury and thankful for the experience to be able to have this platform to talk to other students.

Since you taught yourself to play piano by ear, what is your favorite piece to play on piano?
Whitewater Chopsticks, the only song I know how to play.

 Weird Questions for Miss Ohio

What is your ride or die makeup item/brand?
Bare Minerals for lipstick & foundation, Anastasia Beverly Hill for base and eyeshadow, Smashbox color palette for eyes, chapstick, Bare Minerals deep cleanser

If you could only go to one more concert ever, who would you go see?
Outcry concert

What’s the last good book you’ve read?
Shaken: By Tim Tebow

What is your biggest pet peeve?
When people don’t use the correct form of ‘you’re’

What is your favorite board game?
Monopoly

Is there a class in college that you regret not taking?
Chocolatiering Class

What is your guilty pleasure show?
Grey’s Anatomy (Ride or Die!)

How do you drink your coffee?
Regular coffee with little skim milk, OR Starbucks Cold Foam Cascara Cold Brew

If there was a day that you had free to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?
If it’s a beautiful day, I will get coffee, a good book, and read under a tree

What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t care what people think of you. I wish I could go back to high school and enjoy myself for who I was. That and learn how to do makeup at an earlier age.

How do you choose your nail polish color?
I like colors that are more neutral. I also do my nails based on season and holidays.

If you could throw cold spaghetti at anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
LeBron James. That means I’m within throwing distance of him!

 We were so lucky to have her visit and appreciate the knowledge she shared with us!