Tinian native wins People's Choice in Miss Teen USA Pageant

A Tinian native is making her mark as a Harvard student in Massachusetts, earning her spot in the top fifteen of the state's Miss Teen USA Pageant and being named People's Choice.

Isa Long was cheered on by her family and friends at Miss Teen Massachusetts USA. The Harvard pre-med student placing in the top 15.  "I just wanted to represent more than myself. I wanted to represent where I was from. Wanted to put the island on the map," she said.

Long climbing to the top against 39 other contestants in the weekend-long competition, winning the People's Choice Award after receiving the most on-line votes and raising close to $8,000 for the Best Buddies Program, which assists those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

"I was just very grateful for the amount of people supporting me and sharing the link and I had so many friends and family...that just wanted to see me succeed in the pageant," she said humbly.

And it was her first pageant, though Long has competed in bodybuilding competitions before. 

"Initially I was really hesitant. I was nervous. I was shy. I never did a pageant before and the people from back home was just like 'just go for it,'" she told KUAM News. She continues to push her limits at Harvard, with home always on her mind. 

"I definitely want to keep representing my roots in everything that I do," she said.