When Lauren Rymer wears her Miss Mississippi Teen USA crown, it’s not the glittering gemstones that make her smile.

It’s the self-assurance that participating in pageants has given her.

“I did this for confidence,” Rymer said. “I was the girl who almost got a ‘0’ because I wouldn’t stand up in front of the class to make a presentation,” she said. “I was terrified of people looking at me.”

Since then, Rymer, 18, has come a long way from being afraid to address her classmates.

And July 30, she’ll be stepping out in front a whole lot more sets of eyes than were in her classroom at Adams County Christian School when she takes to the stage to compete at the Miss Teen USA Beauty Pageant at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

Rymer doesn’t seem bashful now, but stepping onto the stage at the annual ACCS pageant was a big move, she said. Winning and moving on to the Miss Teen Mississippi pageant was taking it to a whole new level.

But the challenge is part of what makes the experience worthwhile, Rymer said.

“It was a big step,” she said. “It was out of my comfort zone, but I like doing things that push me out of that, because I don’t want to be scared — I don’t want to be scared of anything.”

The Miss Teen USA pageant is a part of the Miss Universe Organization, and is targeted to young women ages 14 to 19. The organization’s mission statement says its goal is “to provide the tools which help women be their personal best.”

At the Miss Mississippi contest, Rymer had to compete in interviews, swimwear and evening gown competitions and answer an on-stage question.

While other contestants were asked about pressures teens face and the role social media plays in the world, Rymer’s question was a little different.

“I was asked, ‘If you had a reality TV show about your life, what would it be like and why?’” she said. “The other contestants were asked questions about these pressing issues, and that’s what I got. With my answer, words came out — and I honestly couldn’t tell you what I said — but it must have been good.”

One big change between the Miss Mississippi Teen USA and the Miss Teen USA pageant will be that this year the national contest is changing from having a swimwear competition to athletic wear.

“That’s just as good, and the competition is continuing to evolve in ways that continue to celebrate women’s strength, confidence and beauty,” Rymer said. “The goal of the Miss Universe Organization is to inspire women who live purposeful, active lives and who challenge others to do the same.”

And maybe athletic wear isn’t such a bad change — Rymer is already making multiple trips a month to Nashville to meet with her sponsors and a trainer to prepare for interviews, fitness and even how to walk. The fitness component combines cardio work and weight lifting.

While Rymer said she wants to be the first Miss Teen USA from Mississippi since 1987, even if she doesn’t win the experience will be worth it.

“I have already made a ton of friends from this experience,” she said. “I want to use it to inspire others to be the best they can be, and I want to be the best I can be.”

Outside the pageant world, Rymer — who graduated from ACCS in the spring — plans to enroll at Mississippi State University, where she will study communications, public relations and broadcast media.

Choosing a course of study wasn’t the easiest thing, she said, “because I want to do everything — I want to live, live, live.”

She’s also been chosen as one of the 50 contestants vying to be a Jovani It Girl, meaning she will have a chance to be one of 10 picked to model for the formal wear designer.

The Miss Teen USA pageant will be streamed live at 9 p.m. July 30 on missuniverse.com.