For Jackie Jerlecki, it’s been a busy but successful year.

The 20-year-old Goshen native and Bowling Green State University musical theater major was named Miss Elkhart County 2010 at the culmination of Saturday’s competition in Elkhart.

“I’m finally processing that I won,” Jerlecki said Tuesday. “I was in shock for a few days.”

It was Jerlecki’s third go-round at the competition, an aspect she said helped as judging is based on competition in the same areas each year. Her appearance at the 2008 Miss Elkhart County Scholarship Program netted her the second runner-up position, before taking first runner-up in 2009. She was also named Goshen’s Junior Miss in 2007, and went on to take first runner-up at the Indiana Junior Miss competition.

Jerlecki said no matter how competitors think they’re doing, it all comes down to the judges.

“You never know what the judges are thinking,” she said. “You may think that you did phenomenal in the interview and the judges just didn’t get a sense of who you are. I went into the pageant just being Jackie, being bubbly and silly and fun.”

She also pointed out that things can and do go wrong. During her singing performance of “An Unexpected Song,” the microphone cut in and out and caused loud feedback, she said.

Jerlecki has plenty of experience with nerves going into pageant competitions, this year especially. In February, she took first runner up and preliminary swimsuit and interview winner at the Miss Bay Village competition in Ohio. In March, she was crowned Miss South Central for Indiana, which qualified her for June’s Miss Indiana competition, although she did not place.

By becoming Miss Elkhart County, she has again qualified for Miss Indiana, and will compete next June.

“I don’t think that nerves are a bad emotion,” she said. “Being nervous at the moment is really caring about what you’re doing.”

Overjoyed with results

Only Jerlecki’s father, Matt, was able to attend Saturday, due to her mother being in the hospital. Her brother stayed at the hospital to allow Matt to be there for her. He was overjoyed with the results.

“I told my daughter that I’m extremely happy she won being Jackie,” he said. “She was herself, and I’ve been very happy when she does these, that she never tries to be anybody other than the wonderful daughter I know she is.”

During Saturday’s competition, she had a similar reaction from the contestants, who named her Miss Congeniality for the event.

“I truly loved getting to know who they are,” Jerlecki said. “Each one was so beautiful and so much fun to spend the weekend with. They made me forget what was going on with my mom in the hospital.”

Tears shed

Her mother was not left out of the celebration, however, as Jackie went to her hospital room Sunday before returning to school Monday morning. While there, she crowned her mother and gave her roses to both her mother and the nursing staff.

She told her mother she brought the crown home for her.

“Many a tear were shed,” Matt said. “It was wonderful.”

He noted that despite her responsibilities in school, her extracurricular activities and preparing for and competing in pageants throughout the year, Jackie has driven home several times from Ohio to help take care of her mother and get her to doctor’s appointments, including one last Tuesday.

“I really did win it for my lord and savior, as well as my mom,” she said.

Following her win, she still has a lot on her plate. She just finished a run of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” at BGSU three weeks ago and is now preparing to be on the backstage crew for another show.

“Right now I’m kind of riding the excitement,” Jerlecki said. “I’m looking forward to really working hard to represent Elkhart County to the best of my abilities at Miss Indiana 2010, and hopefully I can bring that crown home to Elkhart County.”