Miss Virginia visits Capron Elementary

Published 5:07 pm Thursday, October 10, 2019

Caden Wilson and Jessica Davis are holding coloring books given to each student concerning healthy choices while Jenny Davis, Tyler Hamlin and Kharin Lyons pose with Miss Virginia 2019 Camille Schrier. — Submitted Kathy Thompson

CAPRON

Capron Elementary School had a visit from Miss Virginia 2019 Camille Schrier. Schrier is from Richmond, and has dual Bachelor of Science degrees from Virginia Tech in biochemistry and systems biology. She is studying to obtain a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

She showed off her talent for the competition by performing a science experiment. Schrier, dressed in a white lab coat and safety goggles, demonstrated the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, a reaction that occurs when hydrogen peroxide comes in contact with a catalyst like potassium iodide, which she used in her presentation. As she mixed the chemical, large spouts of colored foam shot out of the beakers onstage.

She told the students that at first she would not compete for the Miss Virginia title because she did not have a talent like singing, dancing or playing an instrument.

But then, Schrier said, she decided to stay true to herself and what she was passionate about, which was science. Miss Virginia added that she hopes that her onstage experiment helps change the conversation around talent and what it means to be a beauty queen.

Her platform issue for the competition was drug abuse awareness and safety. Schrier then entertained the students by having an interactive presentation. She posed many different scenarios involving drugs and gave the children opportunities to express how they would react in the situations.

The entire school enjoyed her exuberant personality as she warned students about the dangerous risks involved in using drugs.