Wilton native Valerianne Hinkley, 19, is crowned the Ambassador for Success Through Leadership, Integrity, Character and Confidence at the National USA Ambassador Teen pageant in Florida July 31, 2021. Hinkley has competed in pageants since was 15 on a platform to take a stand against bullying. Photo courtesy of Bill Krautler Photography
WILTON — In the small town of Wilton, a two-time national pageant title-holder and prominent anti-bullying advocate lays her head to rest every night.
Valerianne Hinkley, 19, has been doing pageants since she was 15 and thrust into action for anti-bullying advocacy.
Hinkley was the victim of bullying among former friends and peers. As a result, Hinkley was struggling in her classes, often skipping school.
“I realized that if I was doing this and if I was feeling this way, there were definitely other kids that were feeling that way,” she said. “So I created my platform, ‘Be Bold, Stand Up to Bullying.'”
The first of Hinkley’s projects for anti-bullying, which would become her pageantry platform, was the “positive post-it note project.”
Hinkley handed out over 800 post-it notes donning kind words, words of encouragement such as “you are worth it” and “shine bright like the diamond you are.”
“I joined pageants after that in order to widen my platform and make people more aware of bullying, the harm that it can cause and the ways that they can prevent it,” she said.
Over the years, Hinkley has competed in countless pageants and competitions for teen systems across the state and U.S. Hinkley’s won many titles, including Miss Teen Maine International 2018 and National Heart of America Miss Maine 2019.
Most prominently, Hinkley competed at the National USA Ambassador Teen pageant in July 2021. Here, she was crowned the USA Ambassador Teen 2021 winner and the 2021 ambassador for “Success Through Leadership, Integrity, Character and Confidence” (SLICC).
When she won, Hinkley said she thought “it was a Miss Universe moment when they call the wrong name” – referencing the 2015 Miss Universe pageant when the wrong winner was momentarily crowned.
Hinkley said that winning “still feels like a dream.”
Hinkley was excited to win the SLICC title because the National USA Ambassador Teen system is “so community driven and they love when girls in their system are out there in their communities helping out.
Hinkley’s mom, Jennie Bouchard-Young, said that though it’s taken some time, Hinkley has finally found the systems that “that truly let her be herself, where she didn’t need to cake the makeup that changed her looks.”
“USA Ambassador Pageant let her be her, show her freckles, let her shine as a teen and it felt great seeing that,” Bouchard-Young wrote.
Though she’s proud of all her successes, Hinkley also loves how the girls, women she competes against — or “competed with, rather than against” – become one big “family” that empower one another.
“Through pageants, I met some really amazing girls and women that encouraged me to be who I am and to not worry about what other people think,” she said.
While spending time, bonding with fellow competitors, Hinkley said she’s “able to experience that all together as pageant sisters, without the stress and worry about competition.”
Hinkley said she’s made great friends from across the world at these pageants. Most prominently, she’s been a bridesmaid in the wedding of one “sister” from Oregon.
“They are my sisters. And I do care a lot about them,” Hinkley said. “And in the end, for me, I’m just in it for the experience and to meet new people and make new friends.”
Valerianne Hinkley hands out post-it notes as a part of her “positive post-it notes” project. The project is a part of her overall anti-bullying platform, “Be Bold, Stand Up To Bullying,” which she has incorporated into her time competing in pageants. Photo courtesy of Valerianne Hinkley
Ultimately, Hinkley is most proud of her anti-bullying platform and the way she has “inspired other people to get their voice and speak up about their experiences, as well.”
“Being in pageants gave me a bigger of a voice. They got me out there in my community. Being able to talk about my platform and talk about my experience,” she said.
“I’ve cried many times looking at Valerianne and what she has achieved in such a short time,” Bouchard-Young wrote. “I give credit to the peers and the adults who bullied her in high school because they made her what she is today … a positive role model to many around the world.”
Hinkley is currently studying elementary education at the University of Maine at Farmington. She hopes to incorporate her anti-bullying platform into her work in the classroom.
“At a young age, kids look up to adults. And they learn their behaviors because they want to be just like us.
“I’m hoping that I can teach them to be kind to everyone no matter who they are, no matter how they treat us. Just be kind to everyone because you never know what they are going through at home,” she said.
Hinkley would also like to become a staff member for the USA Ambassador System and, of course, continue competing in pageants and spreading her platform.
Hinkley is also nominated for Teen of the Year at the 6th Annual “Beauty It’s Everywhere” Awards. Voting, which ends January 10, is decided by the public and announced February 12. More information can be found at www.beautyitseverywhere.org/awards.
You can learn more about Hinkley and her “Be Bold, Stand Up to Bullying” platform at her website, beboldstanduptobullying.com.
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