Kouma experiences national stage in Branson

Seward’s own pageant girl Keeley Kouma recently returned home after competing in nationals in Branson, Missouri. In 2018 the 10-year-old was crowned Miss Nebraska Tween. 

Now, Keeley is looking forward to starting new business ventures and improving her taekwondo skills. 

In March, Keeley competed in Grand Island where she won the state title Princess of America Little Miss Great Plains. At the end of July, Keeley traveled to nationals where she walked away in the top 10. 

Keeley said the most rewarding aspects of pageants are the skills she’s learning. In certain pageants, a large portion of a participant’s score comes from the interview. Keeley’s pageant coach Theresa Scherer has helped her improve her interview skills so she can think on her feet. 

“In every pageant I at least have one question that I’m not sure how to answer,” Keeley said. 

Keeley said she gives herself time to think and she usually comes up with something. 

She said she’s also learning the basics like what to wear to an interview and skills for public speaking. 

Keeley said pageants have also helped her learn to accept losing. At nationals, Keeley knew she would not be taking home a title hours before the crowning ceremony. However, she still got dressed up, stood on stage and applauded those who did win. She said taekwondo competitions have taught her this skill as well. 

“We expect tears because tears mean you care. It’s just a matter of when you show the tears,” Keeley’s mother Nickie said. 

She said Keeley has learned when to be upset and when to be happy for others. 

“Not on stage or on the mat,” Keeley said. 

Doing pageants has also pushed Keeley to perform well academically and be active in her community. Keeley said she likes to participate in competitions that are academically and community service-based. At America’s National Teenager Scholarship Organization, or ANTSO, pageants, 60% of the contestants’ scores are decided before the pageant begins based on academic and community achievements. 

To raise money for a previous pageant in Baltimore, Keeley sold dog treats. She also donated the proceeds for vests for police dogs. Keeley said her next idea was to branch into cat treats, but she found that cats are pickier than dogs in what they’ll eat. 

Keeley’s dog recently ate 11 hair ties and required emergency care, which gave her the idea to start an emergency fund at the vet for people who might not be able to afford emergency care for their pets. 

Keeley said she isn’t sure what she wants to be when she grows up, but she knows she wants to be around animals. 

“Whether it’s a zookeeper or a vet or running my own shelter,” Keeley said. 

Keeley said she doesn’t have a pageant coming up, but she has enough to keep her busy starting her first year of middle school at Seward Middle School. She said the thing she’s most looking forward to is having a locker. 

Keeley balances her time outside of school juggling various activities such as dance and taekwondo. 

Keeley said she is looking forward to starting at her new dance studio, Elements Dance Concept, in Milford. She does ballet, jazz and pom. She said ballet is her favorite, but she wants to branch out and try hip hop this year. 

Keeley has mastered pirouettes, but she can also break a board. She is currently a second-degree, level four blackbelt. She said she’s excited to test to move up to a third-degree blackbelt in two months. She said she loves serving as a mentor to younger students and the only thing keeping her from being an instructor is her age. Keeley will have to wait until her sweet 16 to apply to be an instructor.