POTTSVILLE, Pa. — The reigning National United States Pennsylvania Ms. Regina Burhop, walked the streets of Pottsville as a little girl. The very same streets where she is now raising her 4-year-old daughter, Ella Burhop, who is following in her mom's footsteps.
Ella was crowned Pennsylvania princess in February. Newswatch 16 met with Regina and Ella at the Pottsville Public Library, one of their favorite spots in the city.
"I'm a preschool teacher, so this is where I get all my books for my kiddos as well as hers because they do a lot of events on the weekends for the children, so usually me and Ella are in there having a party, doing some story times together, and it's just a great program that we have here," said Regina Burhop, National United States Pennsylvania Ms. winner.
Regina hopes to improve childhood literacy in Pottsville. With her platform, "Road to Reading," soon, both mom and daughter will compete in the national United States scholarship pageant in Harrisburg. Regina says she might be a pageant winner but she's most proud of being a devoted mother.
"As a parent, a parent wants nothing more but to have a child succeed whether it's them be healthy, them be successful in their schooling," said Burhop.
Regina is doing just that alongside her tiny but mighty girl and their 53,000 soda tabs. The mother-daughter duo is collecting soda tabs to benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Danville.
"So with her platform, she's calling it 'Tiny but Mighty'! Explained Burhop.
Tiny but mighty because their road to mighty wasn't easy. In 2020, when Ella was born prematurely, Regina and her family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House. The organization provides a home away from home for families with sick children. Four years later, with their new titles, Ella and Regina want to give back to the organization that helped them.
"Ella decided that her personal goal was to save as many soda tabs as we can for our community service project because all those soda tabs go right back to the Ronald McDonald House that helped her, you know, get healed and get better."
Regina and Ella hope to win the national titles so they can keep spreading their respective messages. Ensuring that no child falls behind in their education and making sure that no family feels alone in their time of need. 53,000 soda tabs and counting.