Pageants are renowned for churning out crown-worthy queens, each with their own “personal mission” to answer the many questions thrown at them during the Q&A portions of their competition. Topics range from solving world hunger, to fighting the AIDS epidemic, but few winners make good on their promises to change the world. McAlester’s pageant winner, Sanders, is looking to change that tradition.

Many philanthropic issues are used as a stage, a platform for attention. Sanders feels that if you’re to champion a cause, it needs to be seen through. “One in four children in America will grow up without learning how to read,” Sanders says. “Two out of three children who cannot read by 4th grade end up in jail or on welfare.” Pioneering her program “The Storybook Exchange,” Sanders hopes to get books into the hands of those young minds who so desperately need to be stimulated.

During the years following her coronation, Sanders’ program was able to give away 15,000 books to children in the surrounding area thanks in part to financial support from corporate sponsors. With lofty goals for this year, the philanthropic spirit still burns brightly inside this pageant queen. “This year I hope to give away 25,000 books, and this year we hope to get $5,000 [in corporate donations].” Encouraging anyone to give whatever they can, Miss McAlester believes that no donation is too small.

In a time where promises made eclipse promises fulfilled, Miss McAlester has risen above her peers. Deserving of the crown placed upon her head, this queen will not let her reign pass unmarked. Giving the gift of education, inspiration, and imagination to thousands is a treasure beyond measure, and one the people of McAlester are sure to remember. For more on the queen who truly rules, follow the link here.