Chelsea Vuong Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has a new visitor! Chelsea Vuong is a talented pianist, a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Cambridge. I'm so excited she

Photo by Sharon Vuong 

was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. I hope you love what she had to say!

So, lets see what happens when Chelsea Vuong visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Cambridge title? 

With burgers, fries, and Mac n’ Cheese bites of course! Prepping for the swimsuit phase of competition was a journey, as I decided to wait until after the pageant to indulge in my favorite guilty pleasure foods. Right after the pageant, I went straight to Cambridge Commons with my friends to celebrate with delicious food and laughs! 

As a former titleholder in California and Massachusetts, do you think your multi state experience will help you at Miss Massachusetts this summer? 

Definitely, in the sense that every experience is an experience where you can learn and grow from. These past two years competing on the Miss Massachusetts and Miss California stage have been a journey of growth. Through preparing for those few minutes on stage, I have realized more of the individual that I am, the impact I want to create, and the values I will stand by through every decision I make. This summer, I know confidently that with my past experiences and where I am now, I am more than ready to cherish those few minutes on the Miss Massachusetts stage. 

Do you have a specific goal you’d like to accomplish during your time as Miss Cambridge? 

Photo by Version 2.0 Productions 

As Miss Cambridge, my biggest goal is to provide support and inspiration to young individuals. Through sharing my story and being active in the community, I hope to be able to ignite the fire in our youth to pursue any avenue they desire. Youth are the future of tomorrow, so I would love to be able to be a sounding board and mentor towards our future youth leaders. 

How did you select your platform “EducationMap”? 

EducationMap is a nonprofit organization that aims to tackle the nation’s college dropout rate through helping high school students “find their fit” of college. Growing up, my parents emphasized the value of education and persistence, as they learned that these qualities were fundamental to success. This has translated to my everyday life, with a realization that more than ever, college degrees are becoming more of a central part in the workforce. With an increase in income inequality and technical jobs, college degrees will be valuable for all high school graduates. The first step: finding a place where students belong, where students fit, to limit the desire of dropping out of college. “Find your fit” relies on unbiased information provided by current college students to help high school students gain a deeper understanding of a specific college. By seeing the campus and its surrounding areas, hearing student perspectives of the pros and cons, understanding financial aid packages, and recognizing the academic strengths of a college, high school students will become more informed. This will allow them to make a more educated decision of where they want to attend college.

As a talented pianist, how do you select the piece you’ll perform at a competition? 

For competition, I knew that I wanted to play a classical piece.

Photo by Doug Hikawa

Classical music is something that I grew up loving, as not only did my parents play classical music at home, but also my ballet teacher ( I was a pre-professional ballerina!) played collections of classical music at the studio. In a way, I would say that I was destined to be connected to classical music! With the specific composition, when I came across it while listening to some of my favorite composers, I immediately fell in love with it. The composition was intricate, emotional, and best of all, produced an overall feeling of a force to be reckoned with.  

Which Disney character do you think is most like you? 

Mulan :) Besides my obvious facial resemblance to her…. (At least that is what I have been told!), I admire her qualities. Three words I would use to describe Mulan- Strength, discipline, and family-oriented- I would use to describe myself. With strength, not only do I value maintaining an active lifestyle, but I also value a mentality that stays true to myself even if it leads me to a road less traveled. This has allowed me to become very discipline in my everyday life, sticking by routines and staying on track to reach my short term

Photo by Kayla Roche

and long term goals. Lastly, my core is built from my family. They have always shown me their unconditional love and support. I love my family, and have been able to learn so much from them about following values, finding strengths, and building relationships. 

Who is your favorite current Red Sox player? Why? 

Andrew Benintendi- Not only does he have a very cool name, but he also had one of the best catches I have ever seen in the World Series! Andrew is on the rise, an up and coming soon-to-be star! 

You were able to go to Fenway Park to see a football game. What was that experience like? 

My eyes lit up when the Harvard football team stormed Fenway Park during their introduction. Harvard was playing our rival, Yale, in a game called “The Game.” The was one of the biggest events during the fall semester at Harvard, where we bonded together as a school to cheer on our football team. What an experience it was, watching our long standing history with Yale at one of the most historic and legendary fields in the United States. All I can say is do I feel lucky to have experienced that first hand! 

What were you doing when the Red Sox won the 2018 World Series? 

Growing up, I fell in love with sports while sitting side by side, watching each league with my dad. 15 years later, when the Red Sox won the 2018 World Series, nothing changed. I saw the amazement in my dad’s eyes, as another Boston sports team won another championship game. 

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What an amazing moment!

As always, I want to thank to Chelsea for doing this interview, and for sending along the amazing pictures. I also definitely want to wish her the best of luck as she competes for the Miss Massachusetts crown in a few months. Hopefully another former Section 36 visitor will win that crown!

As Chelsea continues her time as Miss Cambridge, I encourage you to follow her on her official Miss Cambridge Facebook page. It’ll be worth your time! 

Thanks again Chelsea, and good luck!