Miss Montana Maddie Murray visited Deer Park School last week, bringing with her a message of kindness to others.

Murray told the students of her own personal challenges in life. When she was younger, the Corvallis native was good in sports, but an injury sidelined any dreams of being a college athlete so she began pursuing other interests in her life. She went on a medical mission trip to Nicaragua and during that trip, decided to pursue a career in medicine.

In order to raise money for college, she entered the Miss Montana Teen pageant, though her first go-round didn’t go so well — she didn’t even place, she told the students.

She entered other pageants and slowly, but surely, got better, until she won the Miss Montana pageant last year, at age 18, beating out women who were older and more experienced than she was.

She said it was important for students to do things they liked and things that make them happy, but it was also important to invite others to join you as well, even people they don’t know.

A simple act of kindness “could make someone else’s day a lot better,” she said.

After her presentation she took questions from the students, most were really interested in the crown she wore, which is sparkly and made of real metal.

She showed the students how it was held on her head by Bobby pins, so it wouldn’t fall off. They got a kick out of touching it. She said after a new Miss Montana is crowned in June, she still gets to keep the crown and her sash.

Murray is currently studying to be a physician’s assistant at Gonzaga University. Her Deer Park visit was part of a statewide tour.