“I get excited when I get that chance to perform,” she said. “I just have a lot of really positive energy. I listen to a lot of happy music and tell myself I’m going to be good. I visualize doing my dance perfectly. I visualize a whole lot.”

O’Connor will begin competing for the Miss Illinois crown tomorrow through Saturday in St. Charles.  

According to her 

pageant co-director Nancy Foote, her lack of pageant experience could prove to be an upside. All four Miss Macomb’s that took the state tiara were competing for the first time.

“Sometimes a girl that’s doing it for the first time is refreshing to judges, I think,” Foote said. “I think she’ll do very well.”

O’Connor said her experience in theatre has helped her be a successful pageant competitor.  Next fall she’ll be a senior at WIU, majoring in theatre with a minor in dance. She is also an accomplished singer and pianist.

Miss Macomb said she just hopes to do her best in St. Charles.

“My specific goal is to do the very, very best that I can do,” she said. “You can’t measure yourself against other girls, you can’t go into it thinking you must be better than someone else. You just have to do your own very best.”

On Monday, O’Connor was presented with Macomb’s key to the city as a good luck token before the Miss Illinois competition.

“That’s so cool,” she said. “It’s something I’ll have with me forever and something I’ll be really proud of.”

Looking at the golden key attached to a plaque, O’Connor joked, “I know it can’t open anything, otherwise I might use it to break into B-Dubbs! (Buffalo Wild Wings)”

Foote said cards, gifts and flowers can be sent to O’Connor at Erin O’Connor, Miss Macomb, Miss Illinois Pageant, c/o Pheasant Run Restort & Spa, 4051 East Main Street, St. Charles, Ill, 67405.

Accompanying O’Connor to the Miss Illinois Pageant will be Miss Macomb Princess Sadee Enselment.  At 11-years-old, Enselment will participate in a mentoring program with O’Connor and appear on stage at the state pageant.  The pair met while working in WIU’s theatre department together.