A Great Neck woman took the tiara at the Miss Long Island beauty pageant on Sunday, beating out competitors from across the region to claim first place in the contest.
Michelle Medoff, a Hoftra University student from Great Neck Estates, won both the overall competition and the Miss Photogenic award. Medoff, along with Miss Long Island Teen winner Sabrina Franza of Oceanside, will compete in the upcoming Miss New York USA pageant for a chance to appear in the national Miss USA competition.
“My heart was racing,” said Medoff of her moments on stage before the decision was announced. “Hearing your name is really exciting, obviously.”
Medoff, who attended Great Neck South High School and is studying broadcast journalism and political science at Hofstra, competed on a platform of helping families to cope with addiction – a cause near to her heart.
“I have addiction in my immediate family,” Medoff said. “It’s definitely close to home.”
Medoff said she hoped her advocacy could raise awareness of the struggles faced by the families of addicts and help them find recovery.
Medoff competed in the Miss Long Island pageant last year and in previous teen pageants, but did not compete during her childhood.
“I kind of just did it on a whim,” Medoff said of her first competitions.
As for her future, Medoff said she was currently enjoying her experience as an intern at News 12, but had not settled on future career plans.
“I’m keeping my options open for sure,” she said.
Medoff and Franza made their first official public appearances as pageant queens at the Island Hills Golf and Country Club in Sayville as part of a fundraiser for the not-for-profit Hope for Youth. They will compete in January at the Miss New York USA pageant.
