If you ever come across A’lexis Wells in a serious moment, make sure not to look at her; she may burst out laughing.
Wells, 25, is a senior family consumer sciences major with a concentration in child development. She is a proud graduate of Booker T. high school and is from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Many may not know Wells as A’lexis, but as Miss Langston.
Wells has always been a busy person, bussing tables at six years old and was paying bills by 12. She played basketball in the eighth grade, then went to softball, but did not like scraping up her knees so softball was not around for long. At 15 she became a teacher’s assistant. Wells has a passion for children; as she was teaching at Cap Tulsa Preschool she realized that if she did not get her bachelor’s degree she would be an assistant for the rest of her life, and she hates working under people who don’t value children for children. Now she’s in her 10th year of teaching and still loves it.
Before becoming Miss Langston, Wells served as secretary of pi gamma, mu honorary society, where she traveled to Positive Tomorrows with children who are homeless or fostered to spread more life and happiness to them. She also contributes by reading to the kids on campus, performing study buddy sessions, donating books, and starting Parents’ Day as vice president of the Family Consumers Science Organization.
Some goals she plans to achieve as Miss Langston are bringing more family-oriented things, like donating 3 highchairs for the cafeteria; this way babies or children do not have to sit in their parents’ lap or stay in their strollers the whole time eating their meals. Wells’ department chair is working on a grant that will help parents on campus with daycare. If these parents have financial aid filled out, they can apply for the grant to get daycare paid for.
Wells’ father was the first ever Mr. Carl Albert State College; later her sister became Miss Carl Albert State College and competed for Miss Oklahoma. She and her family were able to build a bond over pageant experiences. Miss Black Tulsa was Wells’ first introduction to pageantry because it was something everyone asked her to do. She never had an interest in pageants but to get where she wanted to be in life, which was “Miss Langston,” she realized “to get to where you want to be in life, you have to do things you don’t want to do.” She knew that she would be willing to do something she never thought she would experience in life to get where she wanted to be.
Her first time on the stage during questioning was not a big issue for her. She grew up in church, so singing and Christmas speeches always had her in the center of attention and in front of a microphone. “The thing that made me most nervous is how country everybody believes I sound right? So, for me to get up and have to say something with no music playing, and it’s a serious moment, I just thought I was going to laugh honestly, and I was just afraid of messing up or mispronouncing a word, and everybody would laugh”.
She remembers the feeling of winning and performing her talent. “To hear the other girl’s name announced before mine, I just dropped to the floor because I was no longer the first runner up, I finally got first place.” For her talent, she did a monolog that was titled “Her Story.” She talked about how she was supposed to come to Langston years ago, but she never did because she was afraid of going to college with no car or money. The biggest obstacle was having the fear of
Christian people telling her that she was going to come back home pregnant or with a STD. But now she is at Langston University on the Dean’s and President’s list.
From owning a restaurant to being involved in politics, Wells’ schedule tends to be a little rough at times. Sometimes balancing her life with her title is not balanced at all. She focuses on what’s going to work today, and how she is going to get through the rest of her week. Cooking dinner, having screen time and working out are some things she does to take time for herself.
The advice she would give a future contestant is “if you are doing this to be seen, then do not do it at all. If you want it for the crown of the title, do not even do it at all, because it is not going to mean anything to you. If you do not know who you are as a person, becoming Miss Langston is not going to make you a person. You must know who you are before you get to the position and bring that to the table.”
Some closing remarks Wells had. “I am very approachable. I just probably be looking like I am on the go all the time, but if you ever see me, just say hey.” She jokes about everyone calling her Miss Langston all the time. “My name is A’lexis. But I appreciate you all respecting my position. But I am Alexis before anything.” Then she laughs.
Kylah Goff
Staff Writer
Kylah Goff is a junior broadcast journalism major.
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