By: Naiia Lajoie   Imagine you are in the throes of a pageant competition. You have dedicated a portion of your already heavily stacked schedule to preparing beforehand. You sashay effortlessly across the stage. You are even awarded “Best in Swimsuit”. Yet, you place 2nd Runner-up. For most teens participating in any pageant – let alone Miss Philippines USA – this would feel like defeat. Not for 16-year-old phenom Ava Jolie. What most would take as a crushing blow, she took to the waves and crushed an epic surf session. Wake surfing, specifically. Along with wakeboarding, skateboarding – did we mention the occasional motorcross? Needless to say, Ava is not your textbook definition of a pageant girl. The God-loving, go-getting, family-first fashion model is the eldest child of a retired Army veteran-turned-police officer and Filipina-American respiratory therapist, who had Ava when she was only 20. The half-Filipina essentially grew-up alongside her parents, seeing firsthand the merit of hard work while embracing an active (what some may even call “tomboyish”) lifestyle. Interviewing Ava, it is immediately evident that she possesses wisdom well beyond her years. She comes across as 20 years her senior, and reads as her mother’s bestie, with whom she has the most beautifully authentic relationship. “Home is my family, not where I live” is a mantra integrated into her being. She is grateful for her incredibly supportive parents in all her endeavors, and brims with pride for her Filipino heritage: “I love that Filipinos are so family oriented. They boost each other up”. “I’m proud of the amazing woman she is becoming,” her mother beams, “I’m grateful that she took our guidance and takes into account what we say.” Her mindfulness and want for boosting-up her fellow man is the root of her...... Read more on Full Issue!