It was down to the final two…

Waiting in anticipation to see who would be crowned Miss Oklahoma 2022, Kingfisher’s own Emily Faith stood sideby-side with one of her closest friends, Megan Gold.

Gold would receive the crown and Faith first runner-up, but it was still a huge win as far as Faith was concerned.

“As the final two, sharing that moment with her was so special,” Faith said.

“We were just waiting and hoping, but showing each other nothing but love.”

No stranger to the stage or pageants, as the reigning Miss Tulsa, it was Faith’s first year to compete at the Miss Oklahoma pageant, which was held in Tulsa earlier this month.

Holding previous titles as Miss Oklahoma City Teen and Miss Tulsa Teen as well as first runner-up in the Miss Oklahoma Teen pageant, Faith said she wasn’t sure what to expect at the Miss Oklahoma pageant.

“My goal was just to showcase myself to the best of my abilities and also have fun and make friends while doing it,” she said.

Describing the experience as “one crazy week,” Faith also walked away with the following awards: Rookie of the Year; Rookie Talent; Overall Talent; Rookie Interview; Red Carpet; Preliminary Interview; Evening Gown and first place in ad sales as well as $19,000 in scholarships.

During the week, 36 candidates competed in interview, talent and red carpet evening wear as well as advocate for their social impact initiative in their quest to become the next Miss Oklahoma.

In the talent competition, Faith, a contemporary Christian and country recording artist, performed “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

Combining her passion for music and volunteer service, Faith’s social impact initiative is “Write your own story – music and mentorship.”

A volunteer with the Granville Community Music School in Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma chapter of Guitars for Vets, Faith said, “I’m passionate about working with those organizations and they’re great examples of how powerful music and mentorship can be.”

In the past, she has served as the president of the Children’s Hospital Foundation Teen Board, volunteered with the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and Folds of Honor, as well as many other non-profit organizations.

She was also recognized in 2020 as one of “NextGen Under 30” for her work with nonprofit organizations.

As part of the Miss Oklahoma pageant, Oklahoma Stars Mentoring program pairs young ladies between the ages of 5 and 10 with current local Miss Oklahoma titleholders who serve as mentors during the week.

Engaged in activities with their mentor throughout the week and during the preliminary competition, Faith said she was happy to be able to mentor and spend time with her Stars, Reese Farrar, daughter of Tyler and Jacque Farrar, and Mylah Matthews, daughter of Dakotah and Amanda Matthews.

Grateful to her many supporters, Faith said she is very thankful for her parents, Chad and Shelley Sanders, and family for being her biggest rock, her board of directors and team at the Miss Tulsa organization, her Oklahoma Stars, and her many sponsors “which truly helped make it all happen.”

“It was one of the most special moments and I’m so grateful for the opportunity,” Faith added.

Winding down her reign and duties as Miss Tulsa, Faith said, “Being Miss Tulsa was absolutely incredible and I’m thankful for the honor of representing them at Miss Oklahoma, which is something I will cherish forever.”

In addition to her pageant competitions, Faith is a junior at the University of Oklahoma pursuing a degree in journalism and continues to pursue her career as a singer-songwriter.

Reflecting on the experience, Faith said, “It was an incredible feeling to get first runner-up and standing up there with Megan just made it so much better.

“She is so deserving of the title and I know she will do an incredible job as Miss Oklahoma and also representing our state in the Miss America pageant.”

Excited for the next year, Faith said she will begin competing for a local title next month, which if the cards fall into place, would punch her ticket into next year’s Miss Oklahoma competition.

“I’m excited to hit the ground running again and see what happens next year,” she added.