The Ms. Wheelchair Kansas crowning ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16, 2025, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Lawrence, Kan. The ceremony is open to the public and free of charge. Ms. Wheelchair Kansas is celebrating 20 years of empowering women with disabilities in the state. This year’s ceremony will include platform speech presentations by the contestants; a 20th anniversary recognition of titleholders; farewell from the current titleholders; and crowning of the new Ms. Wheelchair Kansas, Junior Miss Wheelchair Kansas, and Little Miss Wheelchair Kansas.
The mission of the MWKS program is to annually select one woman, who is wheelchair mobile, who will successfully advocate, educate, and empower all people on a state level. This is NOT a beauty contest, but rather a competition to select the most articulate, accomplished delegate who will serve as a role model and spokesperson for people with disabilities in Kansas. The crowned titleholder will have the opportunity to travel throughout the state educating various groups about the issues of importance to people with disabilities. She will share her voice and platform with the community through presentations, public appearances, and interaction with the media. Her reign will ultimately lead up to an opportunity to attend the national competition in August, where she will represent Kansas and compete for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America.
The three contestants participating in the 2025 MWKS competition are Autumn Bertels, of Lawrence, Magda Carlos-Trevino, Olathe, Kan., and Jessica Soderlund, Beloit, Kan. These contestants will participate in a variety of activities March 14 – 16 to prepare for Sunday’s crowning. The contestants will be scored during four events: two personal interview sessions, a platform speech presentation, and on-stage questions. Judges will evaluate the participants based on their accomplishments, self-perception, communication, and projection skills. The contestants will take part in a variety of informative sessions on such topics as empowerment, engaging with your legislators, and working with the media. They will also participate in a “Read with Ms. Wheelchair” event for children at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at the Lawrence Public Library. Children of all ages are invited to attend and meet the titleholders and contestants.
Ms. Wheelchair Kansas will also be announcing the new Junior Miss Wheelchair Kansas and Little Miss Wheelchair Kansas. The Junior Miss program is new to the MWKS organization, and it recognizes teen females, ages 14-18, who are budding leaders. The Little Miss program gives the younger generation of 9-13 year olds the opportunity to educate and share their voice. Josie Metzinger of Geuda Springs, Kan., the current Little Miss, will pass her title onto the next young role model at this year’s ceremony.
Ms. Wheelchair America was created in 1972, and this is the 21st year that Kansas will be represented at the national competition. The reigning titleholder, Tamara Blackwell, Bel Aire, Kan., has worked in the past year to empower Kansans and spread her platform of “Am I Gonna Fit? Navigating Accessibility Through Personal Experience.” She was also selected as Ms. Wheelchair America 2025 and will continue her reign as such until August. She will end her time as the Kansas titleholder at the crowning ceremony and will pass her crown on to the 2025 Kansas titleholder.
Be there as we say goodbye to our current titleholders and crown the new Ms. Wheelchair Kansas, Junior Miss Wheelchair Kansas, and Little Miss Wheelchair Kansas.
For more information, contact Carrie Greenwood, MWKS President/CEO, at (785) 633-7255, or email mswheelchairkansas@yahoo.com. More information is available at www.mswheelchairkansas.org.
