Freshman Briley Buchwald is involved in eight extracurricular activities, such as being the current Miss Saline County Teen. Buchwald still manages to find time during her day to decompress from everything she does.
Buchwald is the current Miss Saline County Teen and a previous Miss Sunflower State and Miss Midwest title holder, she is also apart of StuCo (Student Council), VETS (Victory Every Time Squad), FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), jazz band, marching band, track, and she is the creator of Briley’s Bears and Books.
Outside of school, Buchwald has competed in pageants through Princess of America and Glitz Pageants. Through Princess of America she has held the title Miss Midwest and Miss Sunflower State. Now through the Miss Kansas Organization, she holds the title of Miss Saline County Teen.
“I really started getting into pageants because of my pageant coach,” Buchwald said. “I have known her since I was 2, and I see her like a big sister. She has made a huge impact for the community.”
Buchwald recently gave up her one year title of Miss Sunflower State and she said that she had an attachment to that title. To earn her title she sent in her resume and they approved her title, all she had to do was compete in nationals.
“I had placed in the top 10 at nationals, and I was really proud of myself,” Buchwald said. “I really did not want to give up that title, but I think it was because I did not have to work as hard for it.”
Princess of America is an organization that allows young girls to compete in pageants. Their main motto is “A crown with a cause.” Buchwald created a platform called Briley’s Bears and Books (BBB) to earn her titles.
Last year Buchwald did one of her first fundraisers through Child Advocacy & Parenting Services (CAPS), it was called Teddy Time and she donated teddy bears.
“I go with CAPS here in Salina, and I help spread awareness on child abuse and bullying prevention to children and teens of all ages,” Buchwald said. “It is something I feel like that is just talked about a lot, but there is no action to it.”
For the books part of BBB, Buchwald donates books to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. She helps educate children with learning disabilities. She said that she was inspired by her pageant coach to create this foundation.
“She was like, just pick something that’s close to your heart and something that you want there to be an impact for,” Buchwald said. “So I decided on abuse involving friendship and education awareness.”
Buchwald started dancing when she was about 3 years old and she is currently with Della’s Dance Studio. She said she sees it as her creative outlet.
“I can see dance in so many different ways,” Buchwald said. “When I am dancing lyrical, a lot of times I feel it in more of a sad mood. When I am in jazz, I feel like I see it as just a place where I can be myself and express different emotions.”
Buchwald is also on VETS dance team and she was a mini VET from second grade until sixth grade. Buchwald said that all her fellow upperclassmen teammates are all very kind.
“I feel like I see a lot of older members as sisters,” Buchwald said. “When I am struggling on something, they always help me. I can always look up to them.”
Buchwald is also a part of FCA, she attends their events, such as movie nights, and she said it brings her closer to God.
“I am around so many different people, I am around different churches, I am Catholic and so I am around different people that see different perspectives,” Buchwald said. “It kind of just opens me up for it.”
Buchwald has been playing an instrument since second grade. She currently plays tenor saxophone and she plays percussion during marching band halftime shows. She was also the first person to ever play saxophone in a competition at Princess of America.
“I feel very passionate about it,” Buchwald said. “I feel like I have to take it more seriously now that I am in high school than I did in middle school.”
Buchwald said that she likes to sit in her bed and read, or take naps to decompress from her busy schedule.
“I think the one thing that helps keep me motivated is knowing that I’m making an impact on someone…,” Buchwald said. “I just have to remember that someone out there is feeling inspired from me and sees me as a role model, and wants to do something like this one day.”
