Ashland’s Grace Bryant competes for Miss Ohio title

ASHLAND — Grace Bryant has spent plenty of time on the Miss Ohio stage, but this will be her first year competing for a crown. 

Bryant, 23, has been a vocalist at the program for the past several years. She has entertained crowds at the opening of each show and between phases of the competition. 

This year, she’ll be representing her hometown as Miss Ashland.

“My goal is to win Miss Ohio, but my mission is to win my experience,” Bryant said. “I think that’s what really kept me grounded and not putting too much pressure on myself.”

Bryant graduated from Bowling Green State University, where she studied communications and media production. She’s currently pursuing a master’s in sports administration from BGSU.

Bryant said she’s been interested in competing on the Miss Ohio stage for a while, but she wasn’t sure what her community service initiative would be.

“I wanted to do this with very pure intentions,” she said. “Yes it’s so fun, but I wanted to find, ‘What is my purpose? What do I want to represent?’”

Bryant said her graduate studies gave her a clear vision for her platform.

“I have been advocating for youth sports participation because not only are sports beneficial physically, but it’s a tool that’s often overlooked to help students grow socially and emotionally,” she said.

“It’s what I want to advocate for, what I want to ground my research in.”

Bryant titled her initiative L.A.C.E.S. – Limitless Accessibility for Children to Experience Sports. She hopes to advocate for eliminating barriers like cost, lack of equipment and limited opportunities that keep kids on the sidelines. 

Bryant also hopes to challenge the “win-at-all-costs” mentality that often exists in sports. 

“Unfortunately, a lot of the programs are focused on building the next pro athlete instead of building a great human (being),” she said.

“My love for softball was ruined after my sophomore year of high school because I realized how political it was.”

Bryant will be showcasing her vocal capabilities once again during the talent completion, singing “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston — a song she’s been performing since her teen years.

“I started in the gymnasium of (Ashland) high school singing this song and now I’m bringing it to the Miss Ohio stage, so I’m really excited about that,” she said.

Bryant said the competition is about much more than gowns and glitter — it’s about service, sisterhood and becoming the best woman one can be.

Even as a performer, Bryant said she looked forward to the annual reminder to reset and be her most authentic self.

“It is such a special organization, it’s so much more than a pageant,” Bryant said. “It helps build character, it helps you grow and it helps you serve for a greater purpose.”