By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — Mary Grace Jamison has been Miss Ocean City longer than any of the former title-holders. Thank the pandemic for that.
She thanks the pandemic for giving her perspective.
Jamison was chosen as Miss Ocean City at the pageant in August 2019 just before her senior year at Ocean City High School. She would have given up her crown last summer, after a year’s reign, but when the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down, it also canceled Ocean City’s summer events, including the pageants.
Miss Ocean City 2020 also became Miss Ocean City 2021 and served two years, the first one odd because of the limits imposed during the lockdown and second one when things started to get back to normal.
Jamison, 19, now a student at Stockton University studying nursing with a minor in childhood development, initially was a bit down about what she was missing, then she came to realize how fortunate this experience has been for her.
“It was difficult knowing and seeing what other Miss Ocean City (winners) got to do and sometimes I kind of felt sad I didn’t get the normal experience, but the more and more that I reflect on it, the more I realize I wasn’t equipped to have a normal experience,” she said with a laugh, “and that I was just meant to do this this way. I wouldn’t change it.”
The part she enjoyed the most was “getting to spend two years with Antonella and Natalie,” she said of Little Miss Ocean City Antonella DiAntonio and Junior Miss Ocean City Natalie Argento, who were in the same two-year boat as her.
“Usually you get one year to have them by your side, but I was lucky enough to have them for two years and I’m much closer to them than I ever expected to be,” Jamison said. “I’m so thankful for the relationship that we have.”
She valued the support she received from family and others, but something else struck her.
“It meant so much to have them behind me this whole time,” she said.
However, she noted, “There were so many bigger things happening that the support the community provided for each other I valued more. Watching our community come together during this time was beautiful. I was so happy I could be on the front lines seeing it.”
The pandemic and the limits on gatherings and in-person visits turned out to be a good opportunity for the pageant winners to try new things.
She said they normally have their time occupied by all of the goofy family-oriented events, such as judging taffy-sculpting on Wacky Wednesdays at the Music Pier. With those canceled for much of her reign, she said, “I liked being creative with what we did on social media, getting our community involved and getting to create our own events that we felt the community needed at the time.”
It also was quite a bit of fun.
“Getting our families involved was just hilarious because there were dance challenges and all that kind of stuff they were not equipped to do,” she laughed. “Everybody had all the time in the world.”
This summer it has been back to normal.
“It was like we never left. It felt like I picked up where we left off and that if anything changed, it was my perspective, because I was so much more grateful to be there and to talk to people. I thanked them for coming down to the shore and visiting our town,” she said .”I’m just so much more grateful than I ever have been before about our community coming together to do all these silly events that are so much fun.”
The daughter of Jennifer and Mike Jamison of Ocean City, she said she finally got to experience something she really wanted to do — and something she missed when she was an earlier pageant winner.
“When I was Little Miss Ocean City, during Night in Venice my boat broke down,” she said. “I don’t think I really cared when I was little because I didn’t have a lot to worry about when I was 11, but this year I was really, really looking forward to Night in Venice because I wanted to experience it fully.
“Getting to ride in Night in Venice was like a dream come true. I was so happy to be able to do that. It was so much fun, especially with the other girls.”
Reflecting on her time in her role as Miss Ocean City, Jamison said “it really built my confidence. It allowed me to fully submerge myself in being a part of this city again and experiencing all that it means to be an ambassador for this city.”
Her advice for the nine candidates vying to be Miss Ocean City 2022? “Have confidence in yourself. If you really want something, there is nothing that is going to stop you from getting it as long as you’re determined and hard-working.”
She added that all of the candidates “are so well equipped to be Miss Ocean City. I think this week will be a great time.”
Pageant Saturday
There are nine young women competing for the title of Miss Ocean City 2022, with the event starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Ocean City Music Pier. They include Cassidy Cooney, Jordan Fritsch, Jessica Wriggins, Gabrielle Waid, Noelle Graham, Maura Dougherty, Maddyn Randazzo, Summer Raab and Ella Curtin.
Contestants have to be 16 to 23 years old, attend or graduate from Ocean City High School or have parents or guardians who own property in Ocean City or the school’s sending districts of Upper Township, Sea Isle City and Longport.
The pageant will consist of interview, swimsuit, talent, onstage question and evening gown. (The interview is done prior to the pageant.) There also will be opening and closing production numbers.
The new Miss Ocean City will make appearances at more than three dozen events from the time she is chosen this Saturday until she gives up her crown — hopefully in August 2022.