Sarah Hillware believes her life has a theme: If it’s meant to be, it finds her.
The newly crowned America’s Miss District of Columbia 2012 wasn’t even interested in pageants when she was contacted in 2011 by a member of America’s Miss District of Columbia board.
Ms. Hillware entered into the competition and won the 2011 Spirit of Miss D.C. Award. She wasn’t even thinking of entering the 2012 competition until she was again contacted by members of the organization, encouraging her to try again.
This time, she earned the crown.
“It was great to win this year and be able to represent my city,” she said. “It was such a good experience. All the women were so nice to me and so helpful.”
Through the competition, Ms. Hillware learned many skills that she said will help her excel as a student and as a professional. She also discovered that the pageant world is more supportive than competitive.
“I learned so many things about how to carry myself and how to improve upon myself,” she said. “The stuff you see on TV about girls putting holes in evening gowns and glue on bottom of heels—you don’t see that in real life. Pageant competitors are some of the sweetest girls I’ve ever met, and the most ambitious and driven too.”
“There are so many things that go into becoming a good pageant competitor that parallel what it takes to succeed in real life,” she added.
Ms. Hillware’s platform, “Knowledge Is Power: Empowering People to Be Their Own Best Health Advocates,” highlights an issue that’s personally important to her: leading a healthy lifestyle.
When she was 11 years old, the then 5-foot-1-inch Ms. Hillware weighed 160 pounds. After researching and discussing with her family, Ms. Hillware gave up red meat, then chicken, turkey and fried food, while limiting her carbohydrate intake.
“By the time I was 12, I was 120 pounds and had grown two inches, and I kept off the weight,” said Ms. Hillware. “After that experience, I realized how important health was and how much better I felt. I got into sports, I became friendlier and I wasn’t shy anymore.”
Ms. Hillware said she wants to share her story with youth around the District to show them they can “take charge of their health” no matter their age.
“It’s important for me to relay to people that no matter what they eat in their household, they can make healthy choices and influence their family to make healthy choices. You can take charge of your health no matter how young you are.”
Ms. Hillware’s message of health empowerment is also prevalent in her work as a health leads family advocate for the Children's National Medical Center, where she helps connect low-income patients with hospital resources, and her past internship and volunteer experience, including stints at the Pan American Health and Education Foundation and her role on the student advisory board of MEDLIFE.
Ms. Hillware also works with the Tigerlily Foundation, which educates young women about breast cancer, and visits schools every Friday to speak about various topics, including female empowerment, bullying and healthy eating.
“Being one’s own advocate and best friend in regard to health is something I feel can really revolutionize health care,” said Ms. Hillware. “Preventative care is really the foundation of everything, so I hope to continue to work in that area.”
Ms. Hillware also hosts the “Sarah Hillware Show” every Wednesday, which showcases innovative community service projects and small and medium-sized local NGOs on Jota TV.
Ms. Hillware entered George Washington as a junior thanks to the GW Early College Program, a partnership between the university and the School Without Walls, which enabled her to earn simultaneously an Associate of Arts degree from George Washington and a high school diploma from School Without Walls. The program is tuition free, and Ms. Hillware was part of the first cohort of the GW Early College Program.
“That was two years that my family didn’t have to pay for a college education and I didn’t have to take out loans,” she said. “I am so grateful.”
On a global health and pre-med track at GW, Ms. Hillware works as a research assistant in George Washington’s Department of Anthropology with Robin Bernstein, assistant professor of anthropology and assistant professor of anatomy and cell biology.
Ms. Hillware said it is a “great honor” to represent the District, a city she’s called home since 2005—even if it happened by accident.
“It’s a theme in my life that the things that are meant to be find me,” she said. “It’s happened that way with internships, the Early College Program, GW and the pageant.”