She was inspired to do this pageant because she was inspired by herself, for who she was, for the people who were also running, for the people who run, and for the person who she will become after this. She wanted to know the people and have the most fun while doing it. 

“For who I was, I want to do this too. It  looks fun and I get to know my classmates, who I’m going to graduate alongside with,” Reyes said. 

Reyes gets excited when she talks about last year’s Mr. and Miss Cardinal pageant contestants, especially Liliana Duran. Liliana was the person who inspired Reyes to do this pageant. Reyes admired her when she saw Liliana, and is hoping that she can inspire someone just as Liliana inspired Reyes. 

“I remember seeing a lot of upper classmen,“ Madeleine said. “Even my old commander from my last school year, Liliana, was in it,“ Reyes said.  “I’m like ‘oh my god’ she looks amazing.”  

Public speaking was one ofMadeleine’s biggest challenges. But she learned how to face it by having reassuring affirmations  and repeating those affirmations to herself when she speaks in front of people. That trick has pushed the obstacle aside. 

“Not everyone is perfect… just think of the presentation, “Reyes said. 

Madeleine has other tricks up her sleeve that helped her a lot for Mr.and Miss Cardinal. One of the challenges she faced was having good timing for everything, especially Mr. and Miss Cardinal rehearsals. She struggled with waking up early for rehearsals, but she didn’t let that get in her way and she fixed it by fixing her sleep schedule. 

“Wake…up…early,” Reyes said. 

When Madeleine was a little girl she was the opposite of who she was today. Little Reyes was shy, introverted, and self conscious. She was the type of person to be in a circle and never leave, but those traits didn’t stop Madeleine pursuing to be one of the contestants for Miss Cardinal.  If little Reyes would have seen Madeleine today she would be shocked! But Madeleine is proud of who she became today.

“…She’d be surprised by many things, my looks, the interest..she’d be surprised I’m doing more than my small circle,“ Reyes said in a positive manner. “She’d be like ‘no don’t do the pageant.’” 

After knowing herself, she knew that she wanted to help others in education, especially people who “don’t fit the norm.”  Madeleine hopes that she can learn how to be more patient and maybe become more of a calmer person. 

“I want to be with other children with different mindsets in order to understand them more, and be more patient,” Madeleine said

Her number one inspiration to teach people is her little brother. The schools that her little brother went to never really understood what he needed and what to do for him so they just neglected his education. Reyes doesn’t want anything like that to happen to other children so she strives to be open minded and become an amazing teacher. 

“When my family and I moved to San Bernardino, schools never really took care of my brother’s education since he was neurodivergent,” Reyes said. 

As mentioned earlier Madeleine loves her family like her brother, and Madeleine selflessly makes her goal helping out her family. She said it in a snap without even thinking about her goal. Madeleine’s family has always been her priority and it doesn’t seem like that will ever change. 

“Helping out my family has always been one of my goals,”  she said.