Miss Oklahoma Lauren Frost reflects on reign ahead of 2025 competition

The 2025 Miss Oklahoma competition kicks off this week at the Rose State Performing Arts Center in Midwest City. Preliminaries will be held Wednesday, June 4, and Thursday, June 5, with the finals and crowning scheduled for Saturday, June 7.

Tickets are available by calling 405-594-8300 or visiting www.MissOklahoma.org.

As she prepares to hand off the crown, Miss Oklahoma 2024 Lauren Frost sat down with us for her final news interview to reflect on her year of service, her work around adoption advocacy, and what’s next after her reign ends.

Q&A with Lauren Frost, Miss Oklahoma 2024

Q: How are you feeling as your final days as Miss Oklahoma approach?

"It’s weird. It’s so strange. I feel like only yesterday I was here in the studio with you guys, the morning after I won, doing my first interview. Time has just flown by. But it’s a bittersweet moment. I’m super happy with how the year has turned out. I feel like I did everything I set my mind to, so it feels kind of like you’re crossing the finish line in that race."

Q: What are you most proud of from this past year?

"My platform is adoption, and so I’ve had the privilege of traveling around the state speaking on that to different school systems in Oklahoma. The sweet moments of those kids staying after the assembly and coming up to me and saying, 'Hey, I’m adopted too,' or 'How should I feel about reconnecting with my birth mom?' or 'I’m in foster care and I’m scared.' Those kinds of questions really showed me I’m here for a reason. I’m Miss Oklahoma for a reason — it’s to have these conversations with these kiddos."

Q: You’ve spoken about helping children feel wanted. Has your own journey shaped that message?

"Yes, absolutely. I grew up knowing I was adopted. But as you get older, you work through your own story, just like everyone does. There are parts of our stories that we have to continue to work through. I reconnected with my birth mom at 19 years old. She was at Miss Oklahoma when I won. She got to sit in the audience at Miss America with my family. So my story is a work in progress as well."

Q: You made the top 11 at Miss America. What was that moment like?

"Crazy. Well, and you hear — if you’ve ever seen Miss America, it’s intense. They call the states one by one, the top 11. And when they say not just Lauren Frost, but they say Oklahoma, you just understand it’s the whole state. It’s a celebration for all of us because our state got recognized for being excellent."

Q: The competition is moving to the Oklahoma City area this year. Why the change?

"Well, for many reasons. The heart of Oklahoma is Oklahoma City. We have so many sponsors there, so many gracious donors, and we started there. Miss Oklahoma started in Oklahoma City, so it kind of feels like returning home for us. Tulsa will always be a special place for Miss Oklahoma — that’s where I was crowned. But with everything happening in Oklahoma City — the Thunder, all the energy — we’re getting more attention by being there."

Q: What advice are you giving to this year’s Miss Oklahoma hopefuls?

"They’re each so special. They’ve accomplished so much. I’m telling them to just stay grounded. There’s a lot of voices in your head when you’re competing. You’re wondering, 'Does your hair look good? Did you answer that question how you were supposed to?' But in reality, you were put there for a reason. I’m a firm believer in that. Just stay grounded during that moment. Don’t let those competing voices steal the joy of simply competing for Miss Oklahoma. It’s such an honor in and of itself."

Q: What was the hardest part of being Miss Oklahoma, either during the state competition or Miss America?

"Well, you win Miss Oklahoma, and then nobody teaches you how to be Miss Oklahoma. You figure it out, right? The judges pick you because you’re the most qualified. They believe that you’re the most capable for the next year. But there’s not a step-by-step on how to become Miss Oklahoma or how to be good at it.

"So those first couple of months, when I was booked for schools or to speak at galas, I had to trust myself that I knew what I was doing. And there was a lot of insecurity with that, because I’d never had to speak in front of a school — in front of 500 kids — and encourage them and spend 40 minutes uplifting them. It was this whole journey of like, 'I really don’t think I’m qualified,' but I had to trust myself that I’m here for a reason."

Q: What’s next for you after the crown?

"I am going back to work at the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. So you will not see less of me, because I will be taking over the public information manager position. So, media — here we come. We’re not getting out of it! So I’m doing that, hopefully getting married soon, getting engaged — all the fun things. Moved into a house. Being a grown-up."