Giving Back

Lauren Roush

Miss West Virginia USA 2017
Platform: Comprehensive Reproductive Health Education

Lauren Roush’s journey to becoming Miss West Virginia USA is a story that echoes that of West Virginians from all walks of life. Hers is a story of facing adversity and rising above difficult circumstances.

The Mason, W.Va., native describes her hometown as a “one-stoplight community,” the kind of place where people who are born there stay for the rest of their lives. Roush’s parents are those kind of people, but their story makes them unique. Roush’s mother became pregnant with her first child, Roush’s older brother, at the age of 14; Roush’s father was 16 at the time. The couple settled down in a small home in Mason, and Lauren came along seven years later.

Against all odds, her parents both pursued higher education — her mother a law degree, and her father a degree in chemical engineering. Their determination and commitment have inspired Roush, now in her final year of CEHS’ five-year teacher education program, to enter the teaching field and to advocate for higher education as the key to a better life.

“My parents were working all the time, just pushing themselves with school, and they’ve always emphasized to me the importance of a good education,” Roush said. “That’s something that I want to emphasize to my students one day — how important education really is.”

At the outset of her pageant career, Roush, then 16, had no lofty ambitions to represent West Virginia on the national stage. All she wanted was to become the Miss Mason County Fair Queen. A 4-H participant, Roush grew up admiring the queen, who presided over the county fair. Interestingly, Roush never won the title.

“I got first-runner-up, and then I didn’t get anything,” Roush said. “But it was through that that I fell in love with competing. If it weren’t for wanting to be Miss Mason County Fair Queen, I wouldn’t have gotten to do some
of the cool things that I’ve done in my life thus far.”

Roush’s road to becoming Miss West Virginia USA is not a story of overnight success. In total, she competed in 50 pageants and only won titles in three. The year before she was crowned Miss West Virginia USA, Roush placed as first-runner-up in the pageant. From then on, she made it her mission to win the title.

“I can say that from the moment that I got first-runner-up, I told myself that I wanted to live every single day like I already was Miss West Virginia USA,” Roush said. “I just made it a huge part of my identity.”

It was at this time that Roush began visiting schools to give a presentation called “To My Younger Self,” to girls and young women ranging from fifth grade to high school. In this presentation, which she continues to give, Roush provides advice that she wishes she would have heard when she was younger.

“I’ve been doing it for almost two years now, and I really love it,” Roush said. “That’s probably one of the best parts of being Miss West Virginia USA — doing things like that and knowing that I can go to schools and speak to the girls about things that are important for them to know.”

When she presents to high school girls, Roush tells her parents’ story and discusses teen pregnancy. According to Roush, her personal connections to the issue, as well as her first-hand experiences in schools, led to her platform of comprehensive reproductive health education.

In addition to her presentations, Roush has lobbied on behalf of WV FREE, a reproductive health, rights and justice organization.

“It’s just really rewarding that you can make a difference in that way, more so than the big things people associate being Miss West Virginia with, like competing for Miss USA,” Roush said.

Roush traveled to Las Vegas in May 2017 to compete for Miss USA, and though she did not win, she relished the opportunity to represent the state of West Virginia.

“One of my main messages was that just because I’m from Appalachia doesn’t mean that I’m any less of a person,” Roush said. “I never knew that Appalachian culture was such a special thing until I grew up. As an adult, getting to represent the state of West Virginia and the people who that culture means so much to is really an honor.”

Roush credits her upbringing for her success.

“I’m actually stronger because of the way I was raised. I’ve faced adversities and obstacles just like every other West Virginian,” she said. “But it doesn’t bring me down; it just lifts me up.”