PIKESVILLE, Md. — When kids are heading back to school at the end of August, 16-year-old Aryani Odie will be heading to Florida to compete in the Miss America Teen pageant.
She was crowned Miss Maryland Teen in June at the competition in Hagerstown.
"It was so surreal," she said when asked about the moment she realized she won. "I watched my sister compete and for me competing last year and being first runner up, I was like, wait, this is like actually my turn now."
Odie's platform is The Delia Project, a group she started to raise awareness about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The condition weakens the body's connective tissue and can cause issues such as fragile joints, muscle pain and frail skin.
Odie said her mom died after doing an experimental surgery to treat the symptoms of the condition. Aryani was just three years old and was adopted by her grandparents.
A few years ago, Aryani was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos, affecting her knee caps.
"When I got that diagnosis, it was really scary to me. I lost dancing, which was one of my favorite things to do, and that was my first passion," she said. "And it was so hard to get back to a point where I'd be able to dance on a stage like the Miss Maryland stage."
She said the Delia Project focuses on advocacy, awareness and acceptance. Ehlers-Danlos is often referred to as an invisible disease and Odie shows what she has to do to treat it, like taping her knees, hospital visits and physical therapy.
"I grew up with a disease where Physical Education was hard for me. I would hide in the bathrooms during gym classes and recess," she said. "So having that empathy, you never know what someone's going through, but it's always important to just be kind and be there for them and support them."
Odie will head to West Palm Beach, Florida in late August to begin the Miss America Teen competition. Its at the same time as the Miss America pageant and representing Maryland is Gianna Romero of Joppatowne.
