Smith and Spray both said Fischer was a “godsend.” They and Jenlink said they had no experience in pageant life and found everything to be a bit terrifying, overwhelming at times and somewhat of a whirlwind.
“I walked into the title not quite sure of what I had gotten myself into, but Paige was there every step of the way encouraging me and giving me the confidence needed to achieve my goals,” Smith said. “I say my life has been forever changed after winning Miss Northwestern and that is because I have gotten to work with the amazing Paige Fischer. She absolutely made my Miss Northwestern experience.”
Fischer’s positivity skills were put to the test by Spray after a public speaking experience during a dinner in April with the Miss Oklahoma Board. Spray said contestants’ names were drawn randomly to speak on a provided topic, something she admits she isn’t comfortable with without some preparation.
“After dinner, I got in the car with my mom and immediately called Paige and told them both what had happened,” Spray said. “They were laughing so hard because they knew how mortified I was. Paige managed to turn that experience into a positive one by reminding me, ‘It only gets better from here!’”
Jenlink said that Fischer was always there providing answers to her questions and giving her the confidence to continue with lots of great advice.
“About four days before we left for Miss Oklahoma’s Teen, I met with Paige at Northwestern to go over some things like modeling and talent,” Jenlink said. “I had been so stressed out, that I couldn’t play my talent piece correctly. I was so worried about what Paige would say about it. She actually just gave me plenty of tips and helped me work on it. Then she talked to me for a while and helped put my mind at ease, and all of Miss OK week, she was constantly checking up on Megan and me.”
Being named a Rookie Talent winner in her first year of competing is something Smith said she’ll remember forever, especially because the rehearsals right before her talent segment in the contest were some of the worst she had ever experienced. She said Fischer kept encouraging her and reminding her she could possibly win that award. She said she’ll never forget the moment she saw her family and friends at visitation, and Fischer looked at her with tears in her eyes, hugged her and said, “You did it!” And, Smith replied, “We did it!”
After winning the title of Miss Tulsa County on Oct. 1, 2023, Fischer was no longer Smith’s director, but the two remained closer than ever. Smith said that Fischer continued to be there for her whether it was for wardrobe advice, emotional support or getting help with talent prep.
“I like to say I got the best of both worlds with Paige as my first director and Mary (Shklar) Conner, Miss Northwestern 2016, as my Miss Tulsa County director,” Smith said. “I was truly blessed this year.”
Smith has so many stories she could share about her adventures with Fischer, which shows a bond that will never break.
“I love Paige with all my heart and am incredibly grateful for her friendship and guidance,” Smith said. “From one of the very first times I met Paige, I told her she reminded me of a ray of sunshine and the more I’ve gotten to know her that statement becomes more and more true every day.”
All three young ladies said they had the best experiences in the Miss Oklahoma Competition.
“I grew in ways I never imagined, stepped out of my comfort zone and embraced a new side of myself I had never seen,” Spray said. “It was truly inspiring to be surrounded by strong, empowering women and to have the opportunity to learn from them. The friendships I made are something I will forever cherish. A comment I made to my family about some of the girls was ‘She will be in my wedding someday,’ just to put into perspective how much they mean to me.”
Smith, who in two years of competing in these contests has earned more than $6,000 in scholarships to further her education, will be student teaching in the fall of 2024 and will graduate in December with a vocal music education degree. She will then be searching for a teaching position and eventually pursuing a master’s degree in choral conducting to become a music director at the collegiate level. And, yes, she does see herself continuing a path in the Miss Oklahoma competition because of the scholarship and service opportunities that have greatly benefitted her life.