High heels at dawn may be an unusual alarm clock, but for Dartmouth’s Kercheena Pamphile, it’s part of the routine.

“I am walking in my heels 24/7. My siblings hate me,” she said with a laugh, noting the click-clacking of the shoes around the house in the early morning hours. 

Pamphile, 17, has spent the last few months preparing for the 2025 Miss Massachusetts’ Teen competition, which was held June 20 to 21 at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester. The Dartmouth High School senior didn’t place this year, but for her, pageantry isn’t just about the crown — it’s about sisterhood, self-love and showing up as her most confident self.

“It’s such a great organization,” she said. “Everything about the organization is so empowering to young women, and I'm so happy to be an advocate for it.”

Pamphile was inspired to compete as a freshman at Dartmouth High after seeing a senior she admired take the stage. She’s now competed for two years as part of the Miss Massachusetts Teen circuit, this year holding the local title of “Miss Blue Hills.”

She said she was surprised by how much her experience broke down her preconceptions.

“Before, all I knew was ‘Toddlers in Tiaras,’” she said. “Everyone is really nice and willing to lend a hand. I was very surprised by how inclusive and how much sisterhood we get out of pageantry.”

She also credits pageants with giving her new skills and confidence.

“I had never even worn makeup before I did pageants,” she said. “So it was a big awakening for me and my confidence, personally.”

Pamphile’s platform, or Community Service Initiative, is: “Living on the Right SCALE: Self Love and Compassion ED Prevention,” a program she created to promote body positivity and prevent eating disorders.

Her competition talent, called “HerStory,” blends spoken word and performance to explore the experience of those struggling with body image and the importance of self-acceptance.

“I walk the audience through what a person who’s struggling with body insecurities goes through to really help them understand why my CSI is so important,” she explained.

She also runs a dedicated social media account where she shares educational posts about eating disorders and self-love. At Dartmouth High, she helped organize a schoolwide self-love assembly this January as part of the student council executive board.

“January is the dedicated self-love month, so we walked everyone through what self love means [and] how they can incorporate that in their daily lives,” she said.

Pageantry has also brought out unexpected sides of her. A self-described “homebody” who loves to bake, crochet and sew, Pamphile was surprised to find herself raking gutters as part of her Blue Hills community service.”

“I think it's really great to see new versions of yourselves when you have a title,” she said.

Though she didn’t walk away with a crown this year, she said she’s proud of the work she’s done and the person she’s become.

“You can try your hardest at pageants, but it's always a judge-based system,” she said. “So it’s really, you have to love yourself enough to know that what you're being judged on doesn't change who you are.”

Pamphile thanked her fellow Miss Blue Hills titleholder and business manager for their mentorship and gave special thanks to her mom, who drives her to every event, sacrifices so she can compete, and, importantly, handles her hair.

“Most importantly,” she said, “making sure I never have to do my hair because I don’t want to touch those curls.”