The North America Beauty Pageant this year added a category expanding its age of eligibility beyond its previous age limit of 28 years old, allowing Butler native Brittany Scott to return to competing in the pageant world, which she had become familiar with in her childhood.

After going through an interview round and several rounds of clothing display, Scott earned the title of Ms. North America, a title reserved for women ages 30 to 50. Now that she has become a representative of the pageant, Scott plans to use her newly acquired title to advocate that women in their 30s and beyond can still accomplish their goals.

“Before, you had to be under 28, and I’m 35, so I was able to compete in that new age bracket,” Scott said. “Now I’m looking to empower women, especially at my age. I can be a representation of that.”

The North America Beauty Pageant took place in mid-July in Orlando, Fla., near where Scott currently lives in Tampa. Scott said she made her return to pageantry because everything lined up perfectly for her to compete in the pageant.

She noted the competition itself was enjoyable to take part in.

“The women that were in my division were all successful in their own rights. There’s some who owned a nonprofit, business owners,” Scott said. “Just seeing the caliber of people in it, that’s what I liked most about Ms. North America, is seeing who a person really is.”

Scott graduated from Butler Senior High School in 2008, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Johnson & Wales University.

According to her mom, Carrie Scott, Brittany had competed in pageants since she was a preteen, and later took some acting and modeling classes.

She said her daughter grew more and more fond of pageants as she got older and into her teen years.

“She was shy growing up too, so when she started going to pageants and musicals, that gave her a lot of confidence,” her mother said. “She took singing lessons, dance — she did a little bit of everything.”

While the pageant life was for Brittany Scott when she was young, she said she had been away from the game for years before entering the North America Beauty Pageant. Despite her long absence, the competition was still similar to when she was a teen. The pageant included an interview, which accounted for 40% of the score; evening gown accounting for 30%; swimsuit or fitness wear accounting for 20%; and the other 10% was for overall presentation.

Scott’s bio provided background on her accomplishments and she answered questions in the interview portion about her work with organizations like Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

“I’m writing (a book) about emotional intelligence; my prior community initiatives,” Scott said, “I was a Big Sister alum, Women in Tech — really just talking about what you’re doing in the community.”

The biggest difference between competing as an adult compared to competing in her teens and 20s was in how Scott answered questions. While she said she always found the interview to be the most enjoyable part of a pageant, she was able to provide deeper answers and insights just because she has more life experience now.

“In my early 20s doing it, that was my early life. Now I have different experiences, being an executive at companies, growing and dating wisdom,” she said. “You're able to provide a different sense of who you are in the interview process.

“That’s what I really like competing in my 30s, is sharing my stories.”

Her mother also said that her daughter had enjoyed doing interviews since she was a child — practicing with her mom often and sometimes even over the phone. It was as if pageantry was in her blood.

“It was about meeting people and she loves interviews,” Carrie Scott said. “In the living room she would pretend it was a stage and answer questions.”

Brittany Scott has been in many pageants throughout her life, but taking the title in the North America Beauty Pageant still caught her off guard. She recalled the moments on stage before she was announced as the winner of the pageant.

“(The runner-up) actually was Miss Florida, so it was us Florida girls left,” Scott said. “I just remember laughing and saying, ‘Yay, Florida girls.’”

She said she paused before getting excited after hearing her name. It was just so unexpected, she said.

“We were standing there and they were calling. It wasn’t my name. It was down to me,” Scott said. “Whenever they didn’t call my name it took me a second to register. I saw my friend give me a thumbs-up and then I realized.”

Scott is now listed on the pageant’s website as Ms. North America, alongside the winners of the other five age divisions. She said she has to make at least 12 appearances representing Ms. North America and is looking for opportunities to advocate for causes she cares about, like Big Brothers, Big Sisters and humane societies.

“I’m trying to partner with the Humane Society. Big Brothers, Big Sisters, they're close to my heart,” Scott said.

She added that she would be happy to make appearances in her hometown, Butler, as Ms. North America, where some of her family still lives. Scott’s mom said she would like to see her daughter come to town as Ms. North America.

“She works so hard,” she said. “She’s so happy she won. She’s very compassionate. She has a lot of ideas to help out.”

While she is still in the planning stages for her Ms. North America appearances, Brittany Scott said she has a good support system in the winners of the other age divisions of the pageant. She said they communicate almost every day and are even considering making public appearances together.

Scott said she is looking forward to being Ms. North America.

“I'm open to going wherever it takes me,” she said.