Photos Courtesy Miss PA Scholarship Foundation
At just 15 years old, Lizzie Shacklett has already founded her own nonprofit, written a children’s book, placed seventh in the world for Irish Dance and won Miss Pennsylvania’s Teen competition.
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Those who have teenage children, siblings or relatives will know what a turbulent time that is in their lives and the lives of those with whom they interact. For Lizzie Shacklett, though, her teenage years are a chance to shoot for the stars and accomplish her dreams.
Crowned Miss Pennsylvania Teen for 2023, the 15-year-old Radnor local boasts quite the list of community initiatives, as well as a dedication to her studies and competitive pursuits. The Miss America program has granted her over $12,000 in scholarships, most recently for the Overall Talent Award and Evening Gown Award.
Those events aren’t the only places where Shacklett’s talent and perseverance have shown through. As a competitive Irish dancer, Shacklett is a World Medal Holder. In Montreal, Canada, at the World Irish Dance Championships she placed seventh in April 2023, preceded by her top five finishes at United States Nationals and All Scotland Championships.
An attendee of The Agnes Irwin School, Shacklett’s primary focus is her service initiative, Literacy is Lit: Finding and Filling the Literacy Gap. Collecting and then distributing books to organizations that support literacy for children who lack proper academic resources, Shacklett’s program has donated over 7,000 books to centers across Pennsylvania. This nonprofit aims to support the one in four American children who go through the American school system without learning to read.
A voracious reader herself, Shacklett has also written her own book, called I Read Before Bed. Available on Amazon, this 24-page picture book for young readers follows Katie and her five friends as they discover what they can learn and apply to their daily life by reading books at home.
In January 2024, Shacklett will take her talents to the national level when she competes at the Miss America Teen event representing Pennsylvania. The Main Line region will certainly be cheering for her!
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