Tiffany Seitz, 23, of Freeport was crowned Miss Pennsylvania 2019 at the Penn State York Pullo Family Performing Arts Center. Seitz will represent the state at the upcoming Miss America Scholarship Competition in December. Her social impact initiative is adoption advocacy.

Tiffany Seitz tested cocaine positive and addicted at birth.

If she lived beyond two weeks, she was expected to have physical and mental difficulties.

“However, I beat those odds and here I am,” said Seitz, 23, of Freeport.

At the age of 3 and a half, she was adopted after spending time in foster care.

Seitz has since become a voice for adoption advocacy — her platform in the upcoming Miss America 2020 pageant — and educates people about fostering and adoption.

“I hope this reminds people adoption is not invalid,” she said about the way to start a family. “It's not natural to some, but I think about the impact it had on my life and what's it's done for me.”

Seitz, the reigning Miss Pennsylvania, will represent the state at the competition in December. She was crowned Miss Pennsylvania 2019 in June at the Penn State York Pullo Family Performing Arts Center.As Miss Pennsylvania, Seitz has had a variety of interviews, traveled to Florida to watch the Miss America Outstanding Teen, and visited children's hospitals.She is a 2013 Evangel Heights Christian Academy graduate, earned her bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship with a minor in communications from Grove City College in 2017, and teaches dance in Saxonburg at Gwen's School of Champions By: Natalie.Her journey to Miss America 2020 began in Butler County in 2018 when she won her first local title.Seitz was awarded the new title of Miss Laurelwood 2019 and won the Evening Wear/Social Impact Initiative Preliminary Award and a scholarship after winner Meghan Sinisi withdrew from the state competition because of graduate school.

Compared to other contestants who had almost a year to prepare, Seitz had only six weeks. On a time crunch, she found a wardrobe, evening gown and other necessities for the pageant.“Quite honestly, I didn't think I'd make top 11 because of the time to prepare,” she said. “In the end, it worked to my advantage because I didn't have time to overthink. I went out there and did my best.”She competed in the National American Miss Pageant in 2012, her first pageant, where she placed in the top 15.Although pageants are new to Seitz, it has been a fun learning experience, she said.Seitz grew up dancing and danced in college. At Grove City, she was the head senior choreographer of the dance company and managed costumes and social media.Dance is a form of self expression, she said.“There's no limit on what you can do with dance,” she said, adding emotions are translated into performances that audiences watch.

For the Miss America pageant, Seitz plans to dance to a jazz routine and practiced her talent, which is 16 percent of the score, at the Broadway Dance Center in New York with Shea Sullivan, an award-winning choreographer who has worked in film, television and theater.For her mock interview, she has prepared by keeping up with current events and news to educate herself, which is important for the state and national representative to know, Seitz said. With the upcoming elections, it is important she stay educated on politics and its different perspective to give informed answers.Its first year after rebranding, Miss America 2.0 has shifted from not only focusing on women's exterior and outside beauty, but also giving women a chance to explain the plans for their social impact initiatives, Seitz said.

Competing in Miss America also gives her the chance to earn scholarships, which she would use to pursue a master's degree or a second bachelor's degree related to dance, and educate the public on her platform, she said.Integrity is the greatest quality of the person selected for Miss America, she said.“The difference you could make is incredible,” she said.“The job of Miss America should be to bring everyone together and closer,” she said. “Our nation is divided for a variety of reasons. If I'm put in the position to bring the nation together in some way, I'll try to do my best.”The title is far more than a crown and sash, she said.“So many little eyes and ears are watching and hearing you and looking up to you and they want to be like you,” she said. “It's really important that we maintain the mindset of, if I don't win, I still want to make a difference.”Her advice is stay resilient, Seitz said.“If you have a dream or goal, you can't ever stop chasing it. You have to pursue it,” she said. “Things are not set in our lap. You have to work at it.”

Dance is a form of self-expression for Tiffany Seitz of Freeport and the talent she will perform in the upcoming Miss America pageant.

Tiffany Seitz was awarded the title of Miss Laurelwood 2019 and won the Evening Wear/Social Impact Initiative Preliminary Award.

Tiffany Seitz, who is a 2013 Evangel Heights Christian Academy graduate from Freeport, earned her bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship with a minor in communications from Grove City College in 2017. She teaches dance at Gwen's School of Champions By: Natalie in Saxonburg.

Tiffany Seitz, 23, of Freeport was crowned Miss Pennsylvania 2019 at the Penn State York Pullo Family Performing Arts Center. Seitz will represent the state at the forthcoming Miss America Scholarship Competition in December with the social impact initiative of adoption advocacy.