Hello world, welcome to WFHR's Rapids Report for this Monday, October 6th, 2025.
Have your host, James here.
A big shout out to our friends over at Crock Accepting, sponsoring this show for us.
We greatly appreciate them.
I want to send a big thank you to the Miss Wisconsin Rapids and Miss Wisconsin Rapids
team competition.
They've been great helping us out, work with our producer Lauren stuff and getting all
these amazing guests on and talking to you all.
We've got some great contestants in with us today.
We have Madison Ruby, our Madison and Devon with us.
We'll be talking to them in a moment.
But I actually want to start off with Ruby, Marty, our former Wisconsin Rapids team and
current volunteer.
And Ruby, how you been?
I've been doing well.
How about you?
Doing great.
I have to say, and you would think I'd be used to this in almost 10 years of doing this
in these great interviews and getting to talk to our pageant winners and stuff.
But it always surprises me.
When Ruby first came in here, it was a little bit like you guys, just a little bit, little
more, just kind of a little hesitant almost, but excited.
Now she just strolls in here like it's nothing, like, oh, we're on the air, okay, let's
go ahead and talk.
Just natural, just already organically grown into the job.
You're doing a great job, Ruby.
And I've heard great things throughout the summer and different stuff you were up to.
What have you been up to?
So yeah, at June, I competed at state again as Miss River City's team this year.
I was Northern Lights in the year before Miss Wisconsin Rapids, but this year I ended up
placing as the first runner up to our new Miss Wisconsin's team, Natalie Pop, which was
just thrilling.
I was so excited for just making that big of an accomplishment.
I had a ton of prep put in this year, honestly.
And so being, for that being able to pay off was really exciting for myself.
And then since state and since summer, I've been working a lot on my CSI and just expanding
that more.
One of the biggest things that I've been able to do since state is I've become a marketing
intern for the Lena program, which is a 10 week program that works to inform parents
on the importance of talking with kids and just simply interacting with them right after
birth.
And so with that, I've been able to start working on some posts that are going to be going
out on the Lena pages and my social media pages that are just really going to help inform
parents on the great program that Lena is and all it has to offer, considering it's
free for first time families.
And I think it's a really great organization to be working with, but then also on Sundays
I've had the chance to work with the Miss Wisconsin Rapids organization and help at those
workshops.
I get to help Meg, the team director with opening number and fitness and that just really
is a full circle moment for me, considering I was in their shoes not too long ago.
And to be able to help other girls just kind of grow over these weeks from September
into October into the actual competition.
And what I think is really cool about Miss Wisconsin Rapids organization is that each
girl is able to kind of have those workshops leading up to the competition, not every local
has that.
So for me being a little eighth grader when I competed in one the title Miss Wisconsin
Rapids team, having those workshops really helped me grow into like the confident person
I am today and feel comfortable walking into my interview on stage that day.
And I think once you're talking to them, they would probably agree that the workshops
are very helpful into helping each girl be their best possible self in the Miss America
organization.
Ruby, as a reminder to the audience, what was your CSI again, your community service initiative?
Yes.
So mine is entitled Silence is Not Golden Early Language Matters and it's all about the
importance of talking with your kids, communicating with them and just interacting with them from
right after birth.
It was a great one.
I appreciated that and I don't know that I've heard many people before since really with
that as a CSI.
I think it's a great one.
It's great to hear that you've been able to take that ball and run with it and find
other people to be able to add to that cause for you.
Definitely.
Have you had anything in boy, I can imagine I'm not going to put you on the spot and say
your favorite thing you did, but anything that you've been up to in the last year that
really stands out to you that you were like, oh, this was fun.
I like that.
It's a tough one.
I got to ask the hard hitting questions on this one.
Not sure if I can think of one in specifics.
Miss Wisconsin, we guess a whole is always a blast.
So this year, especially, I was able to connect with a lot of the new girls and help make
them feel welcome at state, which was really fun.
There were, I bet like 80 to 90% of the people there were brand new computers at state,
which is really great to see and great to see the growth.
So definitely one of my favorite parts about my year so far, but then also helping at
those workshops.
I really love to see each girl girl because this organization has been life changing for
me and it's great to see it do the same for other women.
Very cool and very well done as always on the air here Ruby.
I appreciate you.
Thanks a lot for everything you put into our community.
I'll have one last question for you before we wrap up, but do want to get to know the
other ladies that are with us today.
And I'd like you to give us your name and your grade and where what you'll be competing
in just to introduce yourself so we can have the audience put a voice to the name.
Let's start at the end here.
So I am Madison Graf and I'm a Miss contestant.
I go to school at Midstate Technical College and my CSI is look local first, which is supporting
small businesses.
Oh, very cool.
Madison will get more into that CSI in a bit.
Thank you for being here.
My name is Devin Carter.
I'm a freshman at Lincoln High School and my CSI is move your body transfer from your
life.
Awesome one.
A great choice, Devin.
And thank you again for being here.
It's good to see you again.
I appreciate the time.
And I'll ask you guys.
There's a couple of great questions here like why enter the page and what made you want
to do this, Madison?
So I was a cranberry cutie which was formerly the princess program and so I watched a lot
of girls win and walk away with the title and so that was always just a dream of mine
and then I competed twice as a teen and now this is my second year as a Miss.
And Devin.
Going off of what Madison said, I also was a part of the cranberry cutie program and
I loved looking up to the older girls and seeing them get to win the stuff and I always wanted
to be a part of it as well.
Madison, what are some of the benefits you've found of being a part of the pageant?
I've learned a ton of interview skills, how to talk in public and along with walking
away with hundreds of scholarship dollars to go towards my education.
Devin?
It overall creates a lot of new friends and many people skills because with all of the
mock interviews and practices, it's helped me become a lot better at speech.
And as far as the talent portion, will you be doing for the talent portion, Madison?
I will be tap dancing to Texas Hold On by Beyoncé.
Nice, good choice.
Oh, that's going to be a fun one to tap to I bet too.
Wow, nice.
Maybe performing a hip-hop dance from a mix of songs from that old movie series called
Step Up.
Oh, man.
Oh, you guys, great choices, you too.
Those are both awesome.
I'm a big fan of dance.
So I love that.
I know how much, especially with competitions like these, a dance goes over so well, that
no good choice.
Very good choices, you too.
Now you did mention to your community service initiative, could you give that to us one
more time and why you chose that?
So my community service initiative is Look Local First, which is supporting small businesses
so it is about going out and promoting the small businesses in the Wisconsin Rapids
area along with supporting them and really giving back to them.
My CSI is Move Your Body Trans from Your Life, which addresses the physical and mental
benefits of keeping active because it's really important in our youth and any ages to keep
our body healthy by staying active.
For each of you with the CSI's, was there something or reason behind why you chose them
in particular?
There's a lot of things out there that I know can bring our attention and pull out our
heartstrings.
From Madison, was there a reason why you chose this one?
I chose it because I love shopping and really going out and supporting your local businesses
in the Wisconsin Rapids area.
Yeah, well said.
I chose it because when I grew up, I was always in sports and I've always known the importance
of what it takes to keep your body physically mentally ready and it's just grown, I mean,
become really important.
Yeah, yeah.
Thank you for that, David.
Thank you.
As far as things you're looking forward to about the competition, is there anything one
thing in particular, or you don't have to say just one thing, but is there something
about the competition you're looking forward to, Madison?
So I always love tech week when we're all together, but on competition day, I love performing
my talent.
Mm-hmm.
David?
I love closet day where you get to go, get all your outfits, but talent is definitely
my favorite portion because it's when you get to express the part that you love.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
I ran a, ran a very cool.
And Ruby, I'll bring you in for this final question here and everything because I'd like
to, if there are any kids out there listening and they would like to be a part of the page
or they've thought about it maybe and they just haven't, take the jump yet or whatever.
What would you say to somebody to encourage them to be a part of the page and I'll start
with you, Madison?
I think you should just do it.
Get out of your comfort and we'll help you through every step of the way, whether that's
picking out dresses or interview or picking out your CSI, we will help you every step
of the way.
And Devon?
It really just helps you put yourself out there and is a really rewarding experience.
You can meet many new friends and get a lot of new opportunities that you might not
have had before.
Mm-hmm.
Very cool.
Very well said by both of you.
Thank you.
And Ruby.
Um, kind of like Madison said, just go for it.
Um, I know when I joined, like I'm a very outgoing person so it was something right up
my alley.
I knew I wanted to do it right when I heard a team program was being added but if you're
not like that and you're looking to grow those interview skills or even just have the
slightest hunch to compete, just go for it because there's so many things you can get out
of this experience.
I've earned over $5,000 in scholarships, um, as just a junior in high school and have had
the chance to go and compete at state and meet so many other title holders from across
the state, grow many, so many other friendships.
And if the reason is because of wardrobe or you're not sure if you're going to have the
interview skills, the Rapids organization is so great for that because let me just tell
you the team directors and I'm sure the misdirectors as well have a huge pageant closet
that the girls are able to borrow stuff from for competition.
You do not have to worry.
They're going to get you more than enough stuff.
Um, so they're always making sure you feel prepared in the Miss Wisconsin Rapids organization
and those mock interviews we had one last night, um, most of all of the girls actually
were coming out very happy I think with how they did, um, somewhere nervous but afterwards
it gave them a really good idea of what to expect.
And so, um, if you're thinking about competing, just do it because there's so many people
and so many volunteers, especially who are ready to reach out and help you succeed.
I'm very well said and I appreciate you bringing that up Ruby.
Um, I think that especially one of the bigger things that was eye opening to me about not
knowing anything about pageants or anything going into this topic years ago was the idea
that, no, this is for everybody.
As a kid, I would have thought, oh, you had to have a certain amount of money to be able
to do something like this or whatever and that's never been the case, uh, especially
with our Miss Wisconsin Rapids pageant, the, the, the pageants, a part of that.
Uh, if you want to be a part of this, they'll have you at the end of story, they'll make
it work, uh, and encourage you to do that, especially because, uh, the years and years
of doing this, uh, one of the main things that come out of this to me, I never get tired
of as the fellowship, the way that you guys just end up supporting each other, the friendships
that are made and certainly the confidence that is built from doing something like this,
you guys are going to go on to do amazing things, whatever you end up doing while we may
not know exactly what you might do.
Um, we're going to know that you're going to want some confidence with it and you built
some of that confidence with this, uh, not only doing silly interviews and answer my
silly questions and everything, but doing the pageant itself, being out there in the
public like Ruby has done and everything, it's only going to make you stronger with that
and I really think it's one of the braver things a kid can do being a part of this pageant
and everything.
I really do admire it and I appreciate you all for being here.
Thank you for the time.
I want to wish you good luck.
Break a leg out there.
Have fun.
Okay.
Thank you.
Keep in mind the miss and teen competitions for Miss Wisconsin's rabbits will be taking
place October 25th over the Performing Arts Center, encourage you to get your tickets
and find out more misswiscontsrapids.org, misswiscontsrapids.org, we should follow them
on social media as well and cheer on these amazing kids and we'll have more contestants
joining us right here on the rapid support WFHR.
