Shyla Victor Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Shyla Victor is passionate about sustainable tourism, a talented dancer, and the current Miss Kona Coffee. I was so excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. 

So, let's see what happens when Shyla Victor visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Kona Coffee crown? 

After the competition, I was showered with more love by my friends and family at home. But my number one request was to eat! We had a huge dinner and I slept like a baby.

What part of the Miss Hawaii competition were you most nervous about? 

I was most nervous about the level of competition. After competing in my local competition, I was able to get the nerves out but I knew there would be more experienced women at that caliber. 

What has been the biggest surprise about your time as Miss Kona Coffee? 

I did not expect the amount of love and support I would receive from my family, friends, and community. Competing in a pageant was not my normal and new to us all. When I announced my running, there was no doubt from anyone. Everyone supported me and continues to support me in all my endeavors as Miss Kona Coffee 2023. 

How did you select your CSI “Educating Regenerative Tourism”? 

In the beginning, I knew I wanted to do something about Hawaiʻi to draw more attention here but couldn't pick a topic. I was choosing between perpetuating the Hawaiian language, Hawaiian culture, then landed on eco/sustainable tourism. After speaking with a few individuals in the industry, they introduced the new term of Regenerative Tourism and I absolutely fell in love with it. 

What is your favorite part about performing your talent on stage? 

My talent is dancing hula and it means so much to me. I was born into a hula family so it was only natural that I danced hula as well. I have been dancing hula for as long as I can remember and it truly allows me to connect to my Hawaiian culture. Dancing hula tells a story about our ancestors that dancers are able to bring back to life.

If you could be a Disney character for a week, who would you choose? Why? 

I would love to be Ariel for a week. Being an Island kid, you are always surrounded by water so it becomes your safe place. I could swim across seas to travel the world and walk on land with the humans. 

How would you complete the sentence “I get great satisfaction when ___”? 

...when I complete a task I set my mind to. Whether it's competing for a scholarship competition, creating service projects, or even as simple as folding my laundry and putting the clothes a way. A win is a win no matter how big or small. 

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience? 

I would love to watch a live MLB World Series game. I played softball from middle school and really enjoyed the game. By the end of my softball career in high school, I was the starting pitcher and 2^nd baseman.

---

A World Series game is definitely an incredible experience.

As always, I want to thank Shyla for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to go with the interview.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with Shyla during the short time left in her her journey. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account. It's a great way to keep track of everything she has going on, and you'll be sure not to miss anything. 

Thanks again Shyla, and good luck in the future!