Miss Hawaii USA 2009 aims to inspire youth

-by Don Robbins

MILILANI — Recalling with pride her years of growing up in Mililani, the new Miss Hawaii USA Aureana Tseu said she seeks to use her pageant crown to give back and serve as an inspiration for youth.

In fact, recently danced the hula and spoke to students during a recent concert for the students at Mililani Middle School, which also included host Al Waterson and fellow entertainers Jordan Segundo, Denby Dung, Yasmin Dar, Kaulana the Magician, Joanne Banda and Brianna Heresa.

Recently crowned pageant winner Tseu, 25, said she urges children to always remember to thank those you love and who support you, especially parents, "because they are your biggest fans."

She said children represent the future of Hawaii and "everything and anything is possible" if you learn and grow from your experiences.

Tseu said she'd love to see young girls and boys travel the world, live their dreams and pursue education. In addition, she said girls are free to become intellectuals, dancers and model material all at the same time.

She attended Mililani Baptist Preschool, Hanalani School, Kamehameha Schools, and University of Phoenix. She said she now plans to pursue a master's degree in business management from Hawaii Pacific University using one of her Miss Hawaii USA prizes, a $14,000 scholarship.

Tseu also praised the guidance and knowledge of pageant directors Eric Chandler and Takeo of 2 Couture, and the witty, down-to-earth personality of 2009 Miss Hawaii Teen USA pageant winner Ashley Moser.

Tseu will compete for the national Miss USA title on April 19 in Las Vegas, with the winner competing for Miss Universe.

Ironically, it's been exactly 10 years since Tseu won the 1999 Miss Hawaii Teen USA crown.

Rather than giving up, the determined Tseu said the decade-long drought represented an exciting opportunity for her to learn and grow. Noting that she grew up as part of her mother's famed Iwalani School of Dance, Aureana said she spent part of the time between the pageant wins traveling to 15 countries promoting Hawaiian dance and culture. She also continues to dance hula with the musical group Na Leo and tour with them.

The daughter of Iwalani Walsh Tseu and Leighton Tseu, Aureana has two sisters, Chariya Willis and Tatiana Tseu. Aureana's ethnic background includes Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino and Caucasian heritage.

Aureana's mother, hula instructor and cancer survivor Iwalani Tseu, recalled that she sadly couldn't attend her daughter's Miss Hawaii USA pageant victory because she was in New York City choreographing hula dancers performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Aureana entered the Miss Hawaii USA pageant last year but didn't win the top spot. This year, however, she "felt a lot more confident and ready to compete. I like to believe instead of being negative, be thankful," Aureana declared.

This year Aureana won all three portions of the pageant, including interview, swimsuit and evening gown, while last year she won none of those. "Timing is everything," she said with a laugh.