On Friday nights, Kiersten Alvarado is easy to spot on the court; poised, confident, and smiling. Her presence captures the crowd. Off the court, that same inspiring energy has carried her somewhere unexpected, the stage. Now a senior, Alvarado says the composure and leadership skills she’s developed are entirely credited to her time as a cheerleader, and a recognized pageant titleholder.
“A main trait I’ve learned in my 13 years of cheer is to stay determined,” she said. “I’ve been competing in pageants for seven years and in over 11 pageants, and I’ve yet to win a title while still being so close. Like cheerleading, if a stunt falls, you don’t just give up. You keep going. In pageants, I continue to stay determined and motivated, using losses as fuel because then the win is all the more worth it in the end.”
Cheer has also been pivotal to growing her communication and leadership skills, further setting her up for success in pageantry.
“As a Varsity athlete and senior, I step up to take charge of warmups, chants, and staying focused in practice,” Alvarado said. “That experience helps me create my own ideas and generate my platform and message as a pageant delegate.”
Additionally, confidence looks similar in both worlds.
Cheer demands a certain level of energy to keep the crowd in tune with the game. Pageantry involves multiple performances involving public speaking and walking across a stage. Confidence is a non-negotiable in order to reach success.
“Whether it’s knowing the chants, walking on stage, or public speaking, as long as you’re demonstrating a strong image and are firm in what you believe and do, you are representing confidence,” she said.
Her ward work has paid off in both ways. In cheer, Alvarado has held a spot on the Varsity team for three years, switching from back spot to flyer, a transition she found “very big and scary” at the time. In pageantry, she’s earned local titles and represented at state and national levels. Most recently, Alvarado placed top three at Miss Indianapolis Teen 2025.
“From not placing at all in 2023, to top five in 2024, and now top three in 2025, it’s been an a major accomplishment and milestone,” she said.
For Alvarado, cheerleading and pageants have acted together as a blueprint for confidence and resilience.
“Growing up, I struggled a lot with my confidence, but once you capture it, it never goes away,” she said. “Knowing what you’re doing is important to you and having the passion matters more than anyone else’s opinion.”
