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ACES Student Crowned 2019 Miss Teen USA

April 29th, 2019


Miss Teen Connecticut Kaleigh Garris has been crowned the new 2019 Miss Teen USA. The 18-year old from Milford attends ACES Educational Center for the Arts (ECA) and majors in Theater with an emphasis on dance. She has a special interest in children as she founded the organization “We Are People 1st”, which assists young people with disabilities.

(New Haven, CT April 29, 2019) Miss Teen Connecticut Kaliegh Garris is this year’s Miss Teen USA. Garris outshined 51 contestants at last night’s event held in Reno, Nevada at the Grand Sierra Resort. She is the second entrant from Connecticut to have been crowned Miss Teen USA, following Logan West who was crowned Miss Teen USA 2012. Kaliegh is a dual-enrolled student at ACES Educational Center for the Arts (ECA) where she majors in theater and attends Joseph A. Foran High School in Milford.

“You know it is just great. During the contest you know you have self-doubt because there are so many great people,” said the 18-year old from Milford. “I am just happy, proud, and grateful for the support system I have.”

When she's not attending one of her schools, you can find the new Miss Teen USA performing on stage as a competitive dancer. Throughout her life, Garris has participated in many competitive dance events, been trained in contemporary, jazz, pointe, hip-hop, and tap. She founded the organization “We Are People 1st”, which assists people with disabilities, and was founded due to Garris's elder sister struggling with multiple disabilities. Garris has been recognized by the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services for her work.

After graduation, Kaliegh Garris plans to attend Southern Connecticut University’s nursing program. She already has a head start on that as she is volunteering at Yale New Haven Hospital because she hopes to one day become a trauma nurse. She has also been a camp counselor for the New Haven Parks and Recreation Eco Camps as she guides camper’s experiences while hiking, canoeing, kayaking, white water rafting, and rock wall climbing.

ACES ECA mission is to provide high school students with the experience of studying the fine arts with practicing professional artists, stimulating a life-long curiosity for learning and a passion for the arts.


About ACES:

Area Cooperative Educational Service’s (ACES) is to transform lives through education, innovation, and leadership. One of six Connecticut regional educational service centers, ACES is the regional educational services center for the twenty-five communities in New Haven and is both a school district and a non-profit services agency. ACES serves 2,300 students from fifty-seven communities throughout Connecticut at its three magnet schools and nine special education schools. ACES service divisions include international educational programs and services, technology, transportation, translation, behavior services and autism programs, extension therapy services (occupational and physical therapy), assistive technology, collaborative programs, professional development, human resources and financial services, and ACCESS, a vocational and life skills program for developmentally and physically challenged adults. ACES also runs the Open Choice program for New Haven County as well as a magnet school parent choice program for its Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School and Thomas Edison Middle School. Additionally, ACES runs the Middlesex County Early Head Start Partnership program. For additional information, go to www.aces.org.

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