What's your favorite class you're taking this year?

"AP Psychology because it's medical related, and I am looking towards going into the medical field."

It's your senior year. Where are you looking toward past high school?

"Undergrad degree in some sort of science and following the pre-med track. After that I'd like to attend medical school. Duke is my No. 1 favorite college, so hopefully I'll get into there."

A lot of doctors usually have a "story" behind their reason for being in medical field or behind pursuing the distinct field they'll go into. Do you have a story behind your passion?

"I never really thought about the medical field until my father got burned. He was welding and a spark caught his shirt on fire and burned roughly 16 percent of his body. From being around the burn unit and helping him with his wounds, I learned a lot about that field and the people who are in those kinds of accidents. It made me want to help other people like the doctors helped my dad."

And you've been involved in a golf tournament for burn victims, right?

"Yes. While dad was in the hospital, we met a guy who was burned in a house fire, and a charity gave him a very nice gift bag. I wanted to be involved with that charity and be able to do the same type of things they do. They needed to raise more money and wanted to do a golf tournament to raise funds, but didn't really have anyone to head up the project, so I did it myself. So far we've raised roughly $27,000 for this charity."

You also won Ms. Denton and became involved in a campaign to get books out to children who otherwise might not have had them. What made you pursue that in particular, compared to all the other kinds of campaigns you could've done?

"I wanted to start a new campaign, rather than just follow all the earlier ones. The international president of the Lions Club started a literacy program, and so I took on a similar program in Denton. We did a book drive and gave 1,000 books to Project Santa, and we also gave away 1,000 more to elementary school kids in Denton and Silver Valley."

Any advice to Ms. Denton participants for this year?

"Remember the most important part of the pageant is that it's all about service."

What would be your dream vacation?

"I've already been there before, but I want to go back to the Bahamas again."

What's something you've always wanted to do but never had the chance to?

"I've always wanted to travel to a foreign country and do mission work or some sort of medical clinic."