Winfield girl crowned Miss Iowa Junior Miss

Alexandra Gerling is the first southeastern Iowan to be crowned America's U.S. Miss Iowa Junior Miss this fall.

The 17-year-old Mt. Pleasant Community High School student and Winfield resident only began competing in pageants a few years ago when she received a letter in the mail from the Miss USA organization. Although she has no idea why the letter was sent to her, she decided it was something she was going to do to give herself a voice.

'I looked at my mom and I said, ‘You know what, I'm going to put myself out there. I'm going to fight for what I believe in,” Gerling said. 'I fell in love with it and the sisterhood. I just kept doing it.”

Since then, Gerling has competed for the title of Henry County Fair Queen, Miss Teen Iowa twice and for her most recent title Miss Iowa Junior Miss. At the Miss Iowa Junior Miss, Gerling also won the titles of Miss Merry Christmas and Miss Christmas Spirit for her volunteer work.

Gerling is using her platform as a pageant contestant and title winner to talk about mental illness. Gerling said she has struggled with anxiety and depression her entire life and was told by peers before she transferred to MPCHS that she wasn't enough.

Pageants give Gerling confidence and a platform to speak about mental illness with other people and to advocate for herself.

'I just kind of woke up one day and decided I am worth being on this planet,” Gerling said. 'What people tell me, all the negative things, I shouldn't let it bother me. I needed a role model to look up to who was telling me I'm good enough, I'm worth it, I'm needed, so I kind of wanted to become that for younger girls.”

Gerling started the Facebook page just a few months ago called 'I Am Enough” at @YouAreEnoughMovement to further her message. The motto is 'You are enough. You have always been and will always be enough,” Gerling said.

On the Facebook page, Gerling posts inspirational messages reminding people to be kind to themselves, love themselves and do the same for others. Gerling also leaves business cards in bathrooms and around stores with the 'you are enough” message.

The page has already reached a large audience, Gerling said. She often has people stop her when she's around town and ask if she is the girl behind the campaign.

Gerling was diagnosed with anxiety and depression her freshman year of high school. She was very ashamed of her diagnosis and found it hard to talk about, she said.

'I remember being ashamed, thinking there was something wrong with me, thinking I was messed up and I was an outcast because I have anxiety and depression,” Gerling said. 'I think it's important to talk about it so other people don't feel that way because I remember how awful that felt feeling like that.”

Now, Gerling talks openly about her diagnosis, and was even invited to share her story with a group of about 50 girls battling depression and tell them that they are worth it.

Gerling is familiar with people opening up to her about their battle with depression. She is told she is easy to talk to, and a lot of conversations leave her in tears because of the struggles other people are facing.

She tells others to do what's best for themselves, love themselves, care about themselves.

'I definitely didn't do that for a long time. I put everyone else first, but I have learned to take my own advice,” Gerling said. 'I would tell people, ‘You'll get through this. You got this.' And I started telling myself listen to your own advice. You can do this. You've got this.”

While pageants gave Gerling courage, her battle with anxiety and depression gave her a message at the pageants she competes in. During the interview portion with the judges, Gerling talks about how she is advocating for an open conversation about mental health and more resources to help people struggling with it.

'That's why I do pageants is to meet people, get my voice out there. I never expected to win,” Gerling said. 'I walked in with ‘I want to spend time with people. I want to get to know people.' I'm getting to do that even more now.”

Having a title is a lot of responsibility, Gerling said. In the past month, Gerling has used her title while greeting veterans at the veterans breakfast at MPCHS; Jingle, Jingle Mix and Mingle; and she will be riding in the Christmas parade next week.

'Any events I can go to, I'm going to show up to. Whether it's meet people or volunteer,” Gerling said.

With college on the horizon, Gerling said she is going to take a break when she goes off to Iowa State in the fall to study business, economics and political science. But Gerling said she will continue to volunteer and help wherever she can.

Her advice for anyone wanting to participate in pageants is to be yourself. 'Don't be what people think you are or what people think you should be. Be who you are true to your core,” Gerling said.