Taelor Martin is following a long line of young women from the Southern End who have excelled in scholarship competitions.

The 2024 graduate of Solanco High School is making a name for herself by instituting a distinctive service project and displaying a unique talent.

Martin was crowned Miss Gettysburg's Teen 2025 on March 15 in a ceremony at the Gettysburg Community Theatre.

Martin expressed that she felt "not only relief, but appreciation for the opportunity to be a part of the Miss America organization and being able to share my CSI (Community Service Initiative)."

Residents of Pennsylvania are able to participate in any Miss America Opportunity (MAO) competition in the commonwealth, and Martin thought Gettysburg was the best fit for several reasons. The competition was held on a date when she was able to return to her home state from South Carolina, where she is in the middle of her freshman year at Clemson University.

"I have learned a lot of persistence and determination throughout the pageant system," Martin said. "Even though I did compete in other local pageants, this is the one that had the best opportunity for me with the scholarship availability. I think it just worked out well."

Her responsibilities as Miss Gettysburg's Teen include attending the community theater to serve as a role model for younger performers and sharing the borough's rich history.

By winning the title in Gettysburg, Martin earned a spot in the Miss Pennsylvania's Teen competition, which will be held Thursday, June 19, to Saturday, June 21, at Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York.

She will once again share her CSI, called "Un Amigo Paratodos," which translates to "A Friend for Everyone."

"It focuses on not only on the bullying in our education system, but on building connections with English language learners," said Martin. She has been volunteering at Solanco and other local high schools.

"I go in and I help students with their schoolwork and work to improve their academic and mental health profile," she said. "I feel the ability to speak Spanish expands my communications horizons. It allows me to share my CSI with more people and have more community interaction, especially here in the Southern End. We do have a growing population of Spanish speakers. I feel like I have the ability to bring the community closer together."

Martin, who is planning to double major in Spanish and biochemistry and become a pediatric oncologist, is working to publish research she conducted during her senior year of high school about how education affects the academic and mental profiles of students.

During the MAO competitions, Martin's talent is a powerlifting routine. She begins with a hip-hop dance, then loads weights on a deadlift bar and lifts 325 pounds.

"(The powerlifting routine) does help me stand out, but it's also more difficult in certain pageant areas that like traditional singing and dancing talents," she said. "It takes a good set of judges and a good pageant director to allow me to stand out like that."

Martin's uncommon skill helped her become Miss Solanco 2024, following in the footsteps of Noelle Schneider and Marla Davis, two women who have been big influences. Schneider was crowned Miss Lancaster County 2024.

"Tae and I share a unique bond as past titleholders in the Miss Solanco program," said Schneider. "After her reign, I was thrilled when she chose to compete in the Miss America Opportunity. Her passion for service and her resilience shine brightly, and I can't wait to see her showcase her remarkable talents on the Miss Pennsylvania's Teen stage."

The Southern End MAO competitors are a tight-knit group that includes Martin, Schneider, and Kathryn Davis, a Lampeter-Strasburg graduate who is Miss Greater Reading's Teen 2025.

"I know firsthand how intimidating the world of pageantry can be," Schneider said. "That's why I'm dedicated to mentoring young women in the Miss America Opportunity. I want to be a supportive resource for them, someone they can turn to for advice and encouragement. MAO is built on the values of sisterhood, and mentorship is a key part of that foundation. By connecting past and present titleholders, we can help support and inspire the next generation of young women to achieve their dreams."

In addition to her MAO friends, Martin is grateful for her mother, Tonya; Andrea's Academy of Dance; and Solanco High School teacher Tony Cox, who helps Martin with her strength training.

She is also thankful she started competing in scholarship pageants. "I wanted to build my confidence in high school," said Martin. "I had low self-esteem, so getting out there in pageants was an excellent way to not only share my talent, but also to grow as an individual."

It has worked. "I feel overall more confident," Martin said. "I have a better ability to communicate with individuals, better interview skills, whether I am interviewing for a job at college or for scholarships."

She is proud to emblematize her hometown area. "It feels amazing to be able to represent the Solanco community," Martin said. "Especially since the Miss Solanco organization is where my love for pageantry began. Being able to continue on and represent such a strong community feels very rewarding."