By KELCY DOLAN

Gabriella Costantini was surprised when she won first place in her local Miss American Teenager Pageant, now she is just as surprised and ecstatic to have been the first runner-up in the national competition.

Gabriella, 15, a self-proclaimed “girly girl,” had always wanted to participate in a pageant and entered her very first this past May.

With a newfound love of pageantry, she decided to continue to the Miss American Teenager National Pageant, which was Aug. 6-8 at the Coco Key Water Resort and Hotel in Mt. Laurel, N.J.

During her first pageant she was nervous during her interview, but said this time around she felt she knew what to expect and had been practicing in the weeks before.

She was more nervous about going out on stage, with a bigger crowd watching her, and a lot more competition.

Her mother, Michelle Costantini, said, “If she was nervous, it never appeared it.”

Luckily for Gabriella, she had her own cheering squad reassuring her the whole way.

Almost 15 family and friends traveled with Gabriella to the pageant.

“I think I had the biggest group of family and friends cheering me on,” Gabriella said. “When they asked everyone to shout their favorite state, Rhode Island was all you could hear.”

She said it was comforting and a confidence boost to see her family and friends proud of her in the crowd. Seeing her loved ones smiling back at her, knowing they were proud of her, made walking across the stage fun for Gabriella.

One of the additional categories for the national competition was costumer, where contestants had to dress up in such a way as to represent their state.

Gabriella wore an outfit that looked like a violet, the state flower.

She chose the flower because just like Rhode Island it is small, but the petals show dimension, just like the state’s population.

“It means so much that at only 15 I could have the honor of representing Rhode Island,” she said.

“She was stunningly beautiful,” Michelle said. “She made our state proud.”

When they were calling the winners on the final day, the pageant announced five people deep.

With each passing name, instead of fearing she hadn’t won anything at all, Gabriella was confident it meant she would be ranked higher.

With each name called, she got more and more excited.

“When they finally called my name for the first runner-up, I knew I achieved something great on my own and I hope to continue into the future,” she said.

Not only was she runner-up in her division, she also came in first for the overall competition in the Supermodel Category.

For this, contestants met with a photographer to take 20 pictures without direction.

“I just smiled the whole time,” Gabriella said. “When they announced I had won, I was in shock. I never thought they would call my name, but they did.”

Her mother believes it’s Gabriella’s confidence level that has helped her become so successful so quickly in the pageant world.

“Even if behind the scenes she might be saying she’s nervous, it never shows once she’s on stage,” she said.

Her younger brother, Phillip, 11, was also proud of her.

“She’s beautiful, he said. “She did a good job and worked really hard.”

When people came up to congratulate the family afterwards, Phillip would make a point to mention he was Gabriella’s brother.

Gabriella’s Nonno, her paternal grandfather, who has always called her Miss America anyway, reminded her that she would always be his Miss America.

Her mother Michelle said that before and after the competition people would come up to the family and comment on how beautiful, sweet and smart Gabriella is.

“As a mother, that’s heartening to hear,” Michelle said. “It makes you proud.”