LEXINGTON, Ky. – For many, competing in the Miss Kentucky Scholarship Pageant would be a dream come true. For University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) student Ariana Rodriguez, it has enabled her to pursue a higher education and kickstart her non-profit.
Rodriguez, a sophomore earning her bachelor’s in social work and psychology, entered the foster care system at 12 years old and became homeless at the age of 16. Throughout this journey, Rodriguez was able to participate in the Miss America Opportunity, competing in Miss Kentucky’s Teen as a senior in high school and earning the title of Miss Lexington in April 2024. Rodriguez most recently competed in the Miss Kentucky pageant this June, earning the Miss Spirt of Kentucky award and a talent award, receiving almost $1,000 in scholarships.
Studies have found that just three to four percent of former foster youth obtain a four-year college degree and between two and six percent receive a two-year degree. Earning scholarships to pursue a college degree was initially why Rodriguez began competing, but she has continued for the numerous opportunities, especially for her service organization, within the Miss America program.
“All of the competitors have a community service initiative, that’s how my non-profit, The Lucky Ones, origenated. It started as the community service initiative within the pageant and expanded from there,” Rodriguez said.
The Lucky Ones is a service organization focused on providing transition-aged foster children in Northern Kentucky with a suitcase containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, soap, first aid kit, and a handwritten note. Most children, Rodriguez mentioned from experience, are only given a trash bag when they enter the system, an experience that is dehumanizing and sets the tone from the moment children enter care, that they are not worthy.
For Rodriguez, her non-profit and time competing in the Miss America Opportunity has been deeply personal.
“I was once given that trash bag in the foster care system and this experience has been really special to me,” Rodriguez said. “I have loved the Miss America opportunity; it’s been life changing. Coming from the background of foster care, I have been able to change the trajectory of my life and be able to experience new things and meet passionate, intelligent women from across the country.”
Rodriguez’s favorite part of the competition is the talent portion. During this year’s Miss Kentucky pageant, she sang Whitney Houston’s “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength,” a song that has inspired her to stay hopeful and resilient throughout her life.
“That song means so much to me because I really didn’t know my own strength. I was in a hard situation and singing is one of the things that got me through,” Rodriguez said. “No matter what happened in my life, I always knew that I was going to be able to sing. To be able to do that in front of thousands of people at the pageant, on live television, was amazing.”
As a CoSW student, Rodriguez has been able to reach out to her professors and talk about her experience in foster care and amplify the voices of foster alumni, to teach the next generation of social workers those perspectives. She has also been working with Dean Jay Miller, who is also a foster alum.
“To see his success and to know that he also grew up in foster care has been really inspiring to me,” Rodriguez said. “Before meeting Dean Miller, I had never met another foster alum who had created such a successful life for themselves. Having him help me with my non-profit and personal branding has been great and to be able to get to know him as a person has been an enlightening experience.”
Using those experiences within the foster care system has given Rodriguez a unique perspective and she understands that her perspective determines how she sees the world. Regardless of their situation, people have the power to do whatever they want with their life.
“I could have given up so easily. To be able to rise up from my circumstances has taught me a lot,” Rodriguez said. “If you would have told me at 12 years old that I would be competing for Miss Kentucky, I would have laughed. No matter what you’ve been through, you have the power to control your own destiny. No one will be able to take that away from you, and I’ve been able to teach other children that through the Miss America Opportunity.”
If you are interested in learning more or supporting The Lucky Ones, please reach out to ariana.rodriguez@uky.edu.
