To anyone who meets her, Edynne Moye-Oakman seems like any other 9-year-old.
The Morrisville Intermediate School fourth grader enjoys singing and dancing, loves listening to Beyoncé and the girl group Katseye, and counts science as her favorite subject. Earlier this spring, she performed a jazz dance in her school's talent show.
But beyond the classroom, Edynne carries another title, one that has allowed her to make a difference throughout her hometown.
Since being crowned Miss Morrisville in the National American Miss program last August, Edynne has spent much of her free time planting seeds of kindness through community service, living out a platform she calls the Garden of Edynne.
"My favorite part of being Miss Morrisville has been helping others by doing community service projects and spreading kindness," Edynne said. "I feel the love by helping others."
The title came as a surprise.
Competing in her very first pageant in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Edynne entered because she wanted an opportunity to let people see her outgoing personality.
"I wanted to enter this pageant so I could show my personality because my mom says I'm really bubbly," she said. "It was my idea, and I was so excited about going."
Contestants participated in several required events, including formal wear, interviews with judges and a 30-second on-stage introduction.
During her introduction, Edynne proudly introduced herself as a 9-year-old from Morrisville who enjoys singing, dancing and spending time with her family while bringing "joy and energy everywhere" she goes.
When her contestant number was announced as one of the winners, she could hardly believe it.
"When I heard my name and found out I won, I was shaking because I never thought I was going to win," she recalled.
Her mother, Sherelle Pattishaw, said Edynne also entered the optional talent competition, performing a contemporary dance that earned first place.
Although Edynne did not capture the Miss Pennsylvania title, earning the Miss Morrisville title qualified her to compete at the National American Miss national competition in Orlando, Florida.
There, during only her second pageant, she finished as first runner-up nationally.
Sherelle believes the pageant experience has never been about crowns or gowns.
"I think National American Miss is really teaching them to focus on serving your community and being kind to others," she said. "They're helping these young girls become confident in who they are. It's not about a beauty pageant. It's about these girls becoming women who exude confidence and know what they want out of their lives."
That emphasis on service inspired Edynne's community platform, the Garden of Edynne, which centers on "spreading seeds of kindness."
The project began with a simple idea.
Edynne started visiting homes throughout Morrisville, introducing herself as Miss Morrisville and handing neighbors packets of flower seeds so they could plant gardens of their own.
Along with each packet, she includes a card featuring her photograph and information about both the pageant and her Garden of Edynne initiative.
The seed giveaways soon blossomed into a variety of community projects.
One of Edynne's favorite activities is "Chalk the Walk," where she decorates sidewalks and parking lots with colorful drawings and uplifting messages.
"We write positive messages like 'Be kind,' 'Be happy' and 'Be respectful,'" she said. "We draw suns, flowers, stars and smiley faces."
She has also become deeply involved in outreach efforts through Universal Missionary Baptist Church, where her family attends.
Throughout the holiday season, Edynne helps organize clothing drives and toy drives for families in need.
Last Thanksgiving, her family purchased complete turkey dinner baskets with their own money and donated them to local families so they could enjoy a holiday meal.
"A lot of people really do need what we're giving away and are so grateful for our help," Edynne said. "People are often surprised that someone my age is helping them."
Her service work continues year-round.
On Aug. 29, she will participate in a back-to-school supply giveaway at Universal Missionary Baptist Church from noon to 4 p.m., where families can both donate and receive school supplies.
Closer to home, Edynne also brought her platform to Morrisville Intermediate School.
With the help of several friends, she planted a Friendship Garden on school grounds this spring featuring sunflowers and other flowers as a symbol of kindness and friendship.
"My friends helped me plant gardens at my school," she said. "We planted a Friendship Garden."
Behind nearly every project is the support of her family.
Her parents, older brother and two younger sisters frequently volunteer alongside her at community events.
"My parents and siblings often help me," Edynne said.
For Sherelle, watching her daughter embrace service has been the greatest reward of the pageant experience.
"I love that she takes initiative for community service," she said. "It's something that my husband and I have always tried to instill in our children, especially through our work with the church. She just makes me really proud."
She is equally amazed watching her daughter perform on stage.
"She's fearless," Sherelle said. "Sometimes I can't believe I'm watching my daughter. The confidence that she exudes on stage is unbelievable."
Edynne continues preparing for this year's Pennsylvania state pageant, scheduled for Aug. 13-15 in New Brunswick, where she hopes to earn the Miss Pennsylvania title.
To give judges a fuller picture of her personality, she has entered additional optional competitions and continues working monthly with her pageant coach to strengthen her interview skills.
"My coach says it's like interviewing for your dream job," Edynne said.
If she wins Miss Pennsylvania, she would pass her Miss Morrisville title to another contestant before advancing to represent the state.
In addition to her National American Miss title, Edynne recently earned another honor when American United Miss selected her as Miss Northeast after recognizing her community service efforts. She will represent the Northeast region during the organization's virtual national competition in September, with a chance to advance to Las Vegas if she wins.
Despite the additional crown, Edynne remains focused on the same mission that first inspired her to compete.
Whether she's distributing flower seeds, planting gardens, collecting school supplies or brightening sidewalks with encouraging messages, she hopes every act of kindness continues to grow.
Those interested in following Edynne's community service projects can find her on Instagram and Facebook under "Garden of Edynne," where she shares updates, photos and videos of her volunteer efforts throughout the Morrisville community.
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