Mia Reich crowned Junior Miss Indian Oklahoma

On November 11, 2023, the Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Miss Indian Oklahoma and the 40th Anniversary of the Junior Miss Indian Oklahoma Pageant at the Choctaw Nation Event Center in Calera, Oklahoma.

Mia Reich, a member of the Choctaw tribe, was crowned as the 2024 Junior Miss Indian Oklahoma.

The event featured a total of eleven contestants, six vying for the title of Miss Indian Oklahoma and five competing for Junior Miss Indian Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, one Miss contestant withdrew from the competition due to the loss of a loved one. The remaining ten contestants, representing seven different tribes, showcased their talents in various categories.

Contestants were judged based on their performance in categories such as essay, interview, tribal greeting and introduction, traditional wear, traditional talent/presentation, platform topic, business attire and impromptu questions.

The pageant provided a platform for these accomplished ladies to display their cultural pride and compete for prestigious titles within the Native American community.

Newly crowned Junior Miss Indian Oklahoma, Mia Reich is the 15-year-old daughter of Jay and Melissa Reich. Her maternal grandparents are Lillie Ott of Calera, Oklahoma, and the late Sequoyah Roberts. Her paternal grandparents are Brenda Reich of Wright City and the late Bill Reich.

Mia is a sophomore at Wright City High School, where she is involved in several extracurricular activities.

She is on the varsity basketball, track, and cross-country teams. Mia is a cheerleader, a member of the Academic Team and the Treasurer of the WISDOM Club. WISDOM is the acronym for “Wise Indian Students Discovering Oklahoma’s Magnificence.”

Outside of school, Mia is an active member of the Idabel First Baptist Church and has achieved the rank of Senior Girl Scout with Troop 7121.

Mia recently submitted her Girl Scout National Gold Award Proposal, which the organization approved. Her Gold Award proposal is her co-writing with Lillie Ott, the Pledge/Salute to the Choctaw Flag. She is working with Ott and the Language Department to translate it into Choctaw. Upon completion this month, she will be awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive.

She is also deeply involved in the world of dance, boasting 13 years of dance experience and an eight-year as a member of a competition dance team at Studio 5678 in Idabel.

In her role as Junior Miss Indian Oklahoma, Mia has chosen “Preserving Our Choctaw Language” as her platform.

Photo by Rodolphe Foucher

Inspired by her maternal grandmother, a first-language speaker and Choctaw Language instructor, Mia is committed to the preservation of this ancient language. She is enrolled as a Level II language student at her high school, and she actively engages in learning and promoting the Choctaw language.

In her advocacy efforts, Mia shares various opportunities and pathways for individuals to enroll as Choctaw language students. Mia enjoys reading to younger students and teaching them how to pronounce Choctaw words for numbers, colors, and animal names. She enjoys singing the Choctaw hymns and is eager to learn songs new to her.

Mia extends her language preservation efforts to her fellow Choctaw Nation District Pageant contestants by encouraging them to deliver their introductions in Choctaw. She supports her fellow contestants by cultivating confidence in their public speaking, helping with pronunciation, and assuring them that it is okay to make a mistake.

Mia was also awarded the JMIO Entrepreneur Award for raising the highest praise/business ad sales for the pageant program.

Mia wishes to thank you for your continued support in her endeavors to serve as your ambassador.