Meet Miss Kansas and Miss Teen Kansas
Miss Kansas, Alexis Smith
Miss Kansas Teen, Averie Mountain
Amanda Meyers, Executive director of the Wichita Family Crisis Center
Wichita Family Crisis Center
Smith has partnered with the Wichita Family Crisis Center, an organization that has served the Wichita community for more than a century and now serves all of Sedgwick, Sumner and Cowley counties, providing domestic violence education, prevention programs and resources for survivors.
“Volunteering is not for the faint of heart, but she truly gets it,” Meyers said. “The biggest reaction we see is when someone like Alexis, who has been through it and is willing to be honest about it, talks about it and talks to victims and survivors who are going through it at the same time.”
Meyers said teen dating violence is an epidemic, and educating young people about the dangers of unhealthy relationships is vital to the prevention of domestic violence.
“We recognize how critical that work is, we’ve recognized how deep the problem is and how good predators are at those early signs of abuse,” Meyers said. “It’s not outside the realm of possibility to speak to 10-year-olds about this issue. A lot of parents don’t want to hear about it, they don’t want to deal with it until it becomes an issue, because, by the time it becomes an issue, you’re struggling to get that person back.”
You can support the Wichita Family Crisis Center in their mission by volunteering, donating basic-needs items such as toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags and the like, providing financial donations, talking to young people about the dangers of teen dating violence, or inviting the Wichita Family Crisis Center to talk to young people in your life.
You can also participate in the Wichita Family Crisis Center’s annual holiday program, to help provide holiday gifts for the children of the families the organization supports. For more information and to get involved, visit their website at wichitafamilycrisiscenter.org.
A moment on a Pratt, Kansas, stage in June has resonated with thousands of people across the country, and likely the world. It was when Miss Kansas contestant Alexis Smith was asked about her vision as the next brand ambassador for the Miss Kansas organization. The on-stage question phase of the Miss Kansas competition came just a short time after Smith, a domestic violence survivor, saw her abuser there in the crowd at the competition.
“My vision as the next Miss Kansas is to eliminate unhealthy and abusive relationships. Matter of fact, some of you out in this audience saw me very emotional because my abuser is here today — but that’s not going to stop me from being on this Miss Kansas stage and from representing as the next Miss Kansas, because I and my community deserve healthy relationships, we deserve a domestic-(violence)-free life,” Smith said.
Her response was met with applause from the crowd, and later when Smith posted the video, it garnered thousands of views and likes, and was shared by other pages and organizations. But behind the empowering moment, Smith was trying to find a way to cope with her own complex emotions.
“I wouldn’t say I was feeling empowered, I was feeling angry that this individual came into this space to break these boundaries and take this opportunity away from me,” Smith said. “I don’t think the sense of empowerment hit until I felt that from the audience while I was speaking.”
Smith was crowned Miss Kansas, and as promised, has amplified her message for spreading awareness and prevention of domestic violence through her platform: “Respect Reclaimed: Advocating for Healthy Relationships.” Since taking the crown, Smith has shared her story with other survivors and as part of prevention efforts with young people.
“It’s an honor to be able to be in the position where people feel safe to have that conversation with me, but the sense is that I have a relatable story because this is an epidemic,” Smith said.
Smith’s experience with domestic violence stems from a relationship that started when she was just 14 years old and continued until 2020. During that time Smith experienced emotional and psychological abuse, including isolation, love bombing, extreme jealousy and manipulation. Over the last four years, Smith also experienced stalking by the same person.
“Some of you out in this audience saw me very emotional because my abuser is here today — but that’s not going to stop me from being on this Miss Kansas stage.” — Miss Kansas Alexis Smith
“I was in a relationship where an individual is telling me that they love me, but the next day telling me all the reasons why no one should love me,” Smith said.
Domestic violence starting in teen relationships is not uncommon. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a 2019 survey revealed about one in 12 U.S. high school students reported experiencing physical dating violence during the 12 months before the survey, and about one in 12 students experienced sexual dating violence during that time.
Teen dating violence is an epidemic that Smith is taking on with her message through both advocacy and prevention, including through her partnership with Wichita Family Crisis Center, an organization in Wichita dedicated to preventing domestic violence, advocating for survivors of domestic violence, and supporting them directly through their shelter system.
“I think the fact that she is a survivor, that she is vulnerable and at the same time incredibly strong, I can’t underscore enough how critical I think that is to helping pre-teens and teens and young adults feel confident and comfortable to come forward and disclose any type of abuse they may be experiencing,” said Amanda Meyers, executive director of the Wichita Family Crisis Center.
Smith has also partnered with the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Love is Respect, and the One Love Foundation — all national organizations for advocacy and prevention of domestic violence.
Miss Kansas Teen
Averie Mountain hadn’t even started high school by the time she earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of Alabama, as she was crowned Miss Kansas Teen in March this year. At the time, the 14-year-old middle school student jumped up and down excitedly when her name was called as the 2024 Miss Kansas Teen, a reaction met by her mother, who was in the audience at the time.
“I was not expecting to win this year at all, I was the youngest girl there and there were so many amazing girls competing,” Mountain said. “They said my name and I jumped so high; I was jumping up and down bawling my eyes out because I couldn’t believe it.”
Mountain is a competitive cheerleader and has had her eyes set on the University of Alabama’s cheer program for years. The team is currently ranked second in Division IA programs across the country. Through the Miss Kansas organization, Mountain was offered scholarships from 15 Kansas schools. But the teen’s eyes were set on the Crimson Tide.
“I walked to the end of the stage and I saw my mom and I said, ‘Mom, I’m going to Alabama,’ and then I yelled ‘Roll Tide,’ ” Mountain said.
While cheerleading is a passion for Mountain, she is also passionate about making spaces accessible for kids of all abilities. Mountain started her platform, “Just a Kid Like Me,” in 2016 at the age of six. At just 12 years old, Mountain created the “Just a Kid Like Me” camp, dedicated to creating active, healthy and accessible spaces for kids with disabilities. Mountain is now preparing for her seventh camp on November 9, which will be her first out-of-state camp in Oklahoma.
This summer, Mountain took her camps to Kansas City, for her first out-of-town camp. Of the more than a dozen attendees at that camp, Mountain said 85 percent of them had never been in an inclusive environment in their lives.
“I don’t think we realize for the parents that this is such a big thing, too, because they never thought they’d have to be the voice for their kid,” Mountain said. She shares information about her camps on social media, and encourages people in her life to volunteer at the camps, particularly kids her age.
Smith and Mountain will represent Kansas on the Miss America stage in Orlando in January. “The best way to prepare for the role of Miss America is through community,” Smith said. “By honing in on your community service skills and your communication skills, your community building, because that’s what you’re going to do as Miss America. Book Miss Kansas through the website, and have me come out and share my story and educate people on ‘Respect Reclaimed’ and unhealthy abusive relationships.”