Birthday girl turned Miss Ohio: Elizabetta Nies takes the 2022 crown

MANSFIELD — Talk about a birthday present: The newly turned 19-year-old Elizabetta Nies was crowned Miss Ohio 2022 on Saturday night.

Nies’ win makes her the fourth woman in her family to win a state title through the Miss America organization. Her mom represented Illinois in 1992, and her two aunts reigned as Miss New York 1984 and Miss Florida 1985.

“I can’t even put it into words,” Nies said. “Not only has the realization hit me that I’m going to Miss America, but I’m going to be able to represent this incredible organization.

“It’s just incredible, our legacy, but the history of this organization is what’s most meaningful to me, and I’m just so excited.”

Nies had a strong performance all week that won her a preliminary talent award, the semifinalist interview award, a scholarship for the best presentation of a classical talent, and the coveted Woman in Business scholarship.

All in all, Nies is leaving Mansfield with over $11,000 in academic scholarships.

Nies will continue her education at Davis College studying business marketing and communications, with the hope of becoming a motivational speaker one day.

Nies’ ability to grab an audience’s attention has already been noticed by over 4 million people in over 45 countries through a podcast that focuses on goal setting and enabling personal growth.

This is part of her social impact initiative “Living from the Inside Out,” which is Nies’ method of making aspirations attainable for all.

“Through my initiative I preach the same things that I use in my daily life and so I’m just so excited to be able to show that it works,” Nies said.

Beyond her eloquent interview skills, Nies is a classically-trained pianist who started learning when she was 4 years old.

Nies’ nimble fingers didn’t miss a beat of Chopin’s Etude Op. 10, No. 5. Otherwise known as the “Black Keys Etude,” the piece is unique in that the right hand only plays the black keys except for one note.

Although the Miss America tradition runs in her family, Nies said she never dreamed that she would be part of it. Describing the night as a surreal experience, especially with it being her birthday, Nies said she’s excited to experience the personal growth that awaits in the year to come.

Not stopping at her own growth, however, Nies said she can’t wait to help the people of the Buckeye state grow as well.

”If there is one thing that I’d like to tell Ohio, it’s that if you can think about it, if you can dream it, you can do it,” Nies said.

“You are so capable. You have so much more potential that you are ever even able to realize, but you’re not going to be able to realize it until you take it day by day, step by step, choice by choice.”