By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Miss Kansas USA Associate Director Karen Elliott does not reach out to just anyone. But in 2022, she set the wheels in motion for Great Bend native Ruth Sofia Reyes to compete in her first pageant. The notice was too short to compete in that year's Miss Kansas Pageant, but on June 9, Reyes will be competing for the title of Miss Ad Astra in Kansas City. With a title, she hopes her story can inspire other young Hispanic women.
"I moved back to Great Bend with my grandparents when I was in middle school," she said. "I didn't know English until I moved back. I had to learn English in middle school. By high school, I already knew how to speak English and I was taking college classes in high school. I got my CNA, I went to Barton."
Reyes was born in Great Bend but moved to Mexico when her mother took a nursing position there. She moved back to Kansas to live with her grandparents, graduating from Great Bend High School in 2019, and Barton Community College in 2021. She earned her CNA while in high school. She has never forgotten what the community did for her.
"Everything in my platform was just helping out the community that helped me," she said. "Even though I live in Salina now, I still wanted it to be Great Bend because I really like Great Bend and everything that community did for my family and I."
As part of the Miss Ad Astra competition, Reyes has already won the Miss Popular vote held on Instagram. She's now preparing for the in-person pageant in June.
"If I win the title or not, I would do more community service, work in the food pantry, "she said. "I did a lot of reading books to children in elementary school or at the library. I just think it's good to do community service and help out in the community."
Miss Ad Astra is hosting three categories, including Little and Teen. The contest is for residents in Kansas or the Kansas City metro area. Reyes will be competing against 11 other contestants.