Meet Miss Indian of RRPS 2023

The winner of this year’s Rio Rancho Public Schools Miss Indian Pageant is Rio Rancho High schooler Khloe Batres with the title Miss Indian RRPS.

“One of the main things I am trying to represent is being proud of who you are,” Batres said.

Suzanne Nguyen, executive director of Federal, Bilingual and Native American Programs in RRPS, says the districtwide pageant first took place in 2017. At the time, it replaced previous school-specific pageants.

“The Rio Rancho Public Schools Native American Parent Advisory Committee (NAPAC) initiated the pageant with a commitment to preserving Native American cultural connections while promoting academic success. This mission guided collaborative efforts to design and support programs that enrich the educational experience of Native American students,” Nguyen said.

At first, the pageant was only inclusive of high school students, but now it includes elementary and middle schoolers as well.

The pageant is more than just a beauty contest, though. Contestants are required to include academics in their talents that align with their comfort and cultural appropriateness, leading to a diverse array of performances.

“The pageant contributes to community cohesion by raising awareness of the district’s rich cultural diversity. It serves as a platform for students to engage with one another, fostering connections and leadership development. The event showcases the positive impact that involvement can have on both Native American students and the broader community,” Nguyen added.

Batres decided to showcase her jewelry making skills, which she learned from her grandmother.

“They had pearls and turquoise on them. They were kind of a combination of beads that my grandma had,” Batres said.

Nguyen says contestants are required to showcase a talent, be it traditional or contemporary, allowing them to express unique aspects of their identity.

One of the requirements of pageant contestants is that they have good grades. Batres has decided to focus on her math and science skills because she wants to be an aerospace engineer when she finishes school. Right now she’s taking classes like geometry, Earth Space and Physics, engineering and other classes to get a head start.

“The first thing I wanted to be was a radiologist because in elementary we had to look up what we wanted to be, and I looked up which doctor made the most money. But I completely switched a couple years ago from medical to engineering,” she said.

To Batres, Miss Indian means a lot to both her and the community.

“I feel like a lot of people are losing their heritage. As Miss Indian, you can really bring people together and help them,” she said.

Batres added that Miss Indian has been a part of her life for a while as her mom is on the committee. She had never been able to run as a contestant until recently, though.

“I’ve been at ASK Academy, so I have never been able to run for it, but this year due to sports, I transferred schools,” she said.

Batres admired her competitors as one of them taught Navajo words as their talent.

She hopes the pageant encourages more people to participate in future. Batres added that the pageant gets people to try harder in school.

Nguyen and Batres share that incentive.

“Participants and their families highlight the invaluable opportunities afforded by the pageant, allowing students to showcase their traditions, deepen their cultural ties, and foster greater involvement. Serving as titleholders provides a platform for students to represent their heritage and encourages a sense of community and pride,” Nguyen said.

She says participants, winners and judges play integral roles in shaping the community.

“Winners, carrying out their platforms, exemplify leadership through hard work, innovation and commitment. Judges serve as role models, offering constructive feedback. All contribute to the positive impact on Native American students and the broader community,” she added.