The 2023 Miss International 500 Queen is eleven-year-long pageant volunteer and participant Camela Kemp, 16, daughter of pageant director Amanda Kemp. While it might sound like a sure win, this queen's 2022 review only shows how hard she worked to pave her own path to the title.
The Brimley High School junior spent her summer break engaging in self-motivated community service efforts, like cleaning up the I-500 race track. Over Christmas break, she helped remodel the local VFW hall. Kemp also worked as a stock person at Lock City Home Center in Sault Ste. Marie, owned by her father, Levi Kemp.
She still found the time to actively promote the I-500 Snowmobile Race year-round by riding in various parades and frequenting Kinross Speedpark, wearing her 2022 Junior Miss crown and sash with a genuine smile.
Kemp's hard work also earned her the $500 I-500 Chairman Scholarship this year, which measures pageant contestant success by volunteer hours.
In order to win an I-500 pageant, one must participate in community service related activities to build their I-500 pageant resumes, present themselves admirably, and answer interview questions professionally during the pageant.
Although confident with all of her I-500 pageant preparations, Kemp was just as nervous as any during Friday night's competition. Yet, she excelled when answering questions on the stage of Kewadin Casinos Dream Makers Theatre in front of hundreds of spectators.
"The judges liked the way I expressed myself," she said.
They asked Kemp what her definition of success was.
"Success isn't just something everyone can measure up to in the same way," she answered. "Success is measured by each individual person. If your success is getting out of the bed in the morning, then that is your idea of success. For others, success is having money and power."
But Kemp just hopes for a comfortable and happy life.
"When I am older, I want to get married and have children," she said. "First, I want to enlist. I want to go to a school with an Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program. I'm looking at Virginia Military Institute or United States Military Academy West Point in New York."
Kemp added that every Miss I-500 participant performed successfully Friday night, from little on up.
"There were a lot of people there," she said. "But, ya know, everyone had such good energy and such a good time. My little sister won queen in her division, which was really good. She was super happy."
Jenesis Kemp earned the I-500 Junior Miss title.
"I try to help the younger girls, like my sister, and anyone who really asks for help," said Kemp. "I have run in this pageant for so long... it's like second nature."
Those words pretty much outline Kemp's idea of what 2023 will look like.
"I will help everyone else as much as I possibly can and just stay actively involved," she added.
Pictures and information regarding the 2023 Miss I-500 Pageant can be found on its Facebook page: Miss International 500 Pageant Info.
