Sala named to Miss Illinois Hall of Fame: Longtime JALC pageant director has influenced many young women

MARION - It was a week of dazzling smiles, sparkles and glitter, displays of talent, beautiful gowns, and beautiful girls as the Miss Illinois pageant returned to the Marion Civic Center last week.

One former queen and pageant volunteer had a big reason to smile.

After more than 50 years of affiliation with the pageant, Karen Sala became the 14th member of the Miss Illinois Hall of Fame.

A longtime Herrin resident, Sala became involved in the Miss Illinois pageant system in 1964 when she was crowned Miss Southern Illinois as a college sophomore.

She went on to compete in the Miss Illinois pageant, making it to the top 11 in the field.

A few years later, Sala began coaching other young women who wanted to compete in the system. Her talent to bring out the best in the young women she coaches is evident, as she has coached state winners in every major pageant system.

"Who knows how many girls she's worked with," said her friend Becky Borgsmiller, who works with Sala and her pageant girls.

Sala's success is widely touted in the pageant systems.

In 1997, the year Miss Illinois Kate Shindle won the Miss America crown, Sala's Miss John A. Logan, Ashley Eisenhauer, became Miss Illinois.

For those she has coached, though, it's not just about dazzling smiles and pretty dresses.

"She was one of the first people that truly made me believe in myself, my talents, and my voice," said Christin Ritter, a former Miss John A. Logan College, now a third-grade teacher in Nashville, Tennessee. "She made me believe that what I had to say matters."

Samantha Constantine regards Sala as her mentor.

"She's been my coach and mentor since I was 18 years old," said Constantine, a two-time Miss John A. Logan and the 2010 Miss Southern Illinois. "She gave me a sense of self worth," she said.

Now an attorney, Constantine is also the director of the Miss Southern Illinois and Miss Heartland pageants, where she said she "spreads the Karen around."

Constantine said she wouldn't have the confidence to get through her day-to-day life if it weren't for Sala telling her she "was worth something."

The talent competition has always been Sala's focus. Her John A. Logan College winners have won the talent title eight times.

Johnston City's Tara Kay Tanner is one of "Karen's girls." Tanner, who has been with Sala for about five years, competed in the Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen last week.

"Karen is my role model and my biggest critic," said Tanner with a grin. She said Sala has taught her so many little things, like sitting up straight, but also encourages her to be herself during the competitions.

The self-proclaimed "country girl" broke away from the traditional mold in this year's talent competition, singing, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool."

"I have horses," said Tanner, a member of her school's FFA. "I'm the country girl who wears boots to school. I'm really country when it's not really cool."

Tanner is also on the student council, a HOSA member, and was recently named to the cheerleading squad.

"Whenever I'm out there, I think of Karen and what she would be telling me," she said. "The biggest lesson is to keep working every day."

Sala's influence in the pageant system is not limited to females.

"Karen asked me 23 years ago to judge a pageant at John A. Logan College," said Barry Hancock, the dean for community education at the college. "I've stuck with her ever since."

Hancock said his connections with Sala and Borgsmiller have led to other pageant opportunities throughout the state.

As for Sala, she is honored.

"I value beyond measure the hours I've been blessed to spend with young, intelligent, beautiful, successful women," she said. "It has been my honor to call them daughters and friends. That is a God-given gift that I cherish every day of my life."

Sala was once asked if she had a "Top 10" list of things she viewed that would make her a success in her professional life.

"I have two," she said. "One, to have a student on the Miss America stage and a student on Broadway."

Both of those have been realized. In 2007, Ashley Eisenhauer Hatfield competed for Miss America. In 2017, Nicole Scimeca starred in "Anastasia" on Broadway.

For now, it looks as if Sala will take her own advice and keep working every day to help "her girls" realize their dreams.