In 1976 the author competed at the county level in a Miss America Pageant. A bathing suit, an evening gown and a dance routine for talent were the focus for her on that day. Times have changed and so has this competition Scholarship awards still provide funds for education but today's Miss America also inspires with a platform for social impact, women's leadership, and empowerment. However, in the 2020 Miss America Competition, it was the TALENT portion that provided inspiration for this book. Why? A chemistry experiment was the talent that led to the crown. Here was evidence that beauty and brains are not mutually exclusive Women can be Pretty and Smart. (Pretty Smart )
Now Adrienne Small's main focus is to engage, encourage and support girls in the many exciting fields of science