Full steam ahead: Bituminous Coal Queen ready to pass on crown after exciting year
As the next Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Queen Pageant draws near, 2025 Queen Emma Mihalko has been hearing variations of the same question: 无毛视频淎re you ready to give it up?无毛视频�
In each case, the answer is yes.
Not because she won无毛视频檛 miss it, but because she feels fulfilled.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 ready for another young lady to get to experience all the incredible things that I have,无毛视频� she said.
Over the past year, Mihalko has ridden along parade routes, descended through the depths of a mine and spoken from the dais of the Pennsylvania Senate.
It无毛视频檚 added up to a memorable experience for the outgoing Bituminous Coal Queen.
Mihalko, then an incoming senior at Uniontown Area High School, was crowned at the annual pageant in Carmichaels last August.
It was an honor that left her 无毛视频渟o shocked and so surprised.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚 remember looking over to my parents who were sitting just a few rows back on the left side in the audience, and just seeing their faces and how proud they looked, and they had the biggest smiles ever,无毛视频� she said.
Mihalko wanted to be a role model for younger girls like the previous Coal Queens and other contestants were for her. She无毛视频檇 gotten to know some of them through the Lanzi Dance Studio in Uniontown, where she无毛视频檚 danced for the past 13 years.
The biggest push came from Haydn Chipps, one of Mihalko无毛视频檚 best friends and the 2023 Coal Queen.
无毛视频淚 got to hear all about her year and all the amazing things that she got to do, and that definitely pushed me more into wanting to do it myself,无毛视频� she said.
Though Mihalko had attended previous pageants to see friends, last year was her first time seeing the whole King Coal Show.
无毛视频淭here was a lot happening there, and a lot more than what I knew about just hearing stories,无毛视频� she said 无毛视频� a carnival with rides and games, food vendors, bingo and an expo where people bring pieces of coal mining history.
Mihalko relayed her journey to becoming Coal Queen and the history of coal in the area during a trip to Harrisburg, where each year the queen speaks in front of the state Senate 无毛视频� the only Pennsylvania state title holder who gets to do so, aside from Miss Pennsylvania 无毛视频� and gets addressed by the House of Representatives.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a very big honor,无毛视频� she said.
She also told the senators about her April trip to the Harvey Mine in Sycamore.
无毛视频淚t kind of changed my perspective on the importance and just how much the brave men and women who are our best put in every day to power our communities and everything,无毛视频� she said.
Going down into the mine, the first thing that stood out was how much it resembled the Big Thunder Mountain ride, said Mihalko, whose family often goes to Disney World for vacation.
She marveled at the high-speed elevator that took them far below the ground, and the level of technology they无毛视频檇 built up down there.
Mihalko was also struck by features that were commonplace, but still unexpected 无毛视频� the car shop for the man trams, and mechanics on site servicing them.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 little things like that that make so much sense they were there, but you don无毛视频檛 really think about,无毛视频� she said.
Most often, the public saw Mihalko when she was attending parades and festivals in both Greene and Fayette counties.
When she became queen, Mihalko told her parents she wanted to be sure to expand her knowledge of the area. Even living close by in Uniontown, Mihalko hadn无毛视频檛 realized how many festivals and public events Greene County had.
无毛视频淲hat better opportunity than now to take the time to just go explore Greene County, see what all community events that they have?无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淕reene County really is such a tight-knit community. It无毛视频檚 kind of like everybody knows everybody. There无毛视频檚 always somebody that无毛视频檚 there and willing to help. And it无毛视频檚 so amazing to have been invited to so many events and have gotten to see so many events within the community.无毛视频�
At every one, Mihalko无毛视频檚 a magnet for kids who see the 无毛视频渂ig sparkly thing无毛视频� on her head and can无毛视频檛 wait to meet the Coal Queen.
And she无毛视频檚 gotten to hear the stories of people who无毛视频檝e lived in the area all their lives.
无毛视频淚 just feel like I无毛视频檓 constantly learning in this experience, and it无毛视频檚 so rewarding,无毛视频� she said.
Mihalko is attending Duquesne University in the fall, where she无毛视频檒l major in marketing and also be a member of the university dance team.
But first, she has to crown her successor.
This year无毛视频檚 Coal Show pageant starts at 7 p.m. Aug. 23 at Carmichaels Area High School. It kicks off the weeklong King Coal Show, which runs through Aug. 29.
Her advice to the next Bituminous Coal Queen?
Say yes to everything you can. And when they run into someone at an event, take the time to talk with them and get to know them.
无毛视频淎 lot of times I had seen somebody at one event, and then the next event they were there as well, and it was really nice to form those relationships where we could catch up as opposed to meeting each other again for the first time,无毛视频� she said.