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31/10/2017
Chloe B Babauta, cbabauta@guampdn.com Published 5:58 p.m. ChT Oct. 31, 2017 | Updated 7:27 p.m.
Miss Earth Guam 2017, Emma Mae Sheedy, is an advocate for the Earth. Chloe B. Babauta/PDN
When she’s not busy representing the island as Miss Earth Guam, Emma Mae Sheedy, 17, is balancing a busy schedule as a reporter, athlete and student.
The Guam High School senior is an avid runner, editor and reporter for her school newspaper, reporter for three local media networks, anchor for her school’s TV news station, National Honor Society member and peer tutor.
“If I’m busy, things are on track,” she says. “I like trying new things, and so when something comes up, I don’t usually say no.”
She was uncertain at first when she was approached to run for Miss Earth Guam, but decided to take on the challenge. Sheedy says she considered herself too much of a tomboy to get into pageants, even though she’s always been interested in modeling.
“I’m not really a girly-girl,” she says. “I’m really tomboy. I’m down to earth, I’m really casual. I didn’t know how to do my hair, I didn’t know how to do my makeup, I didn’t know how to dress before the pageant. The idea of doing something completely opposite of what I’m used to was really exciting.”
After running, she’s become more social, better at public speaking and more confident.
“I was always really self conscious and worried about what other people thought of me before,” she says. “But ever since I joined the pageant, even before winning, my confidence just went way up. I realized that every girl is different in their own way and every girl is unique. It sounds so corny, but when you’re with a ton of girls like that, you notice all the things that make each girl beautiful and unique. I realized i’m different in my own way and that really was a confidence booster.”
Sheedy will go on to compete in Miss Earth 2018 when she’s 18 years old.
“I’m excited; It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she says. “When I go into something, I will put my entire heart and soul into it.”
Miss Earth Guam 2017 Emma Mae Sheedy poses for the camera in the Tasi Executive Suite at Hilton Guam Resort and Spa on Oct. 16. (Photo: Virgilio Valencia /For PDN)
Advocate for the Earth
While some may vie for the crown for the glamour and title, Sheedy joined Miss Earth for the environmentalism.
“Ever since I was young I’ve been an advocate for the Earth, and finally being able to have that voice in the community really makes a difference,” she says. “It’s one thing to go around school and tell people we should recycle. But since I have that title, I’m able to talk to scientists and environmentalists and really learn more about Guam and the bigger effect of the earth and pollution and everything, and people know I know what I’m talking about.”
Learning about the environment from experts and other pageant contestants from around the world is what she's most excited about for the Miss Earth 2018 competition.
Since she was crowned in June, Sheedy has started a “reduce and reuse” campaign. She started out small in her community and plans to extend to the island at large to address different problems.
“My goal during my reign is to make a lasting change,” she says.
She advocates for getting rid of plastic bags and is working with other community groups on reducing use on Guam.
“I’ve never lived in the States, I’ve grown up with the people here. This is just as much my home as much as anybody else.”
Emma Mae Sheedy
Sheedy says she has the potential to make a bigger impact on the island, spreading awareness about environmental issues and getting more people involved.
“We can make a difference, but it has to be a group effort,” she says.
She also wants to stop illegal dumping on Guam, which is a big problem on island.
“It’s not good for the environment, but it’s also not good for the economy,” she says.
When tourists visit, seeing abandoned trash will give them the wrong idea about Guam, she says.
“I’m really passionate about it and it hurts a lot when I see so much trash being thrown around,” she says. “We’re driving down the streets and we see plastic bags rolling with our cars. That’s not supposed to happen. It’s supposed to be leaves, not things that are gonna stay on this Earth forever.”
Miss Earth Guam 2017 Emma Mae Sheedy poses for the camera in the Tasi Executive Suite at Hilton Guam Resort and Spa on Oct. 16. (Photo: Virgilio Valencia /For PDN)
Importance of culture
After she won the Miss Earth Guam pageant, Sheedy faced backlash from Twitter users who said she shouldn’t have won because she’s Caucasian. With the current controversy about military occupation on native land, many were concerned with Sheedy’s position as Miss Earth Guam as a military dependent, over Chamorro women with the potential to represent the island.
“I’m always the type of person to rise above the negativity and I try to put a positive spin on things,” she says. “When people were saying those negative things, I was trying to show them my story. They don’t know who I am, they don’t know I’ve lived here so long. I will do anything for Guam. Guam is everything to me.”
Sheedy was born in Japan and lived there until she was seven, before her family moved to Guam. She says throughout her life, people have told her she doesn’t belong, so she’s grown thicker skin about the issue.
Guam's pageant royalty
“People don’t realize I’ve made my friends and family and this is where I call home,” she says. “I’ve never lived in the States, I’ve grown up with the people here. This is just as much my home as much as anybody else. It really hurts me when I see people saying these things, because it’s not a good representation of who Guam is. The people here are so kind and so sweet and so welcoming to everybody, and those few people who put all those negative words out there, it’s sad.”
She says it’s important to her as Miss Earth Guam to be in tune with Chamorro culture. She’s excited to learn more about the indigenous culture, as well as all the other cultures on island.
“Guam has its own culture, but it’s also intermixed with so many other cultures. Every culture of Guam should be fairly represented and one of my goals is to make sure people know Guam is a melting pot of cultures and languages, and I’m interested in learning about every single group.”
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