Palm Harbor Native Competing in Miss Florida Pageant

After participating in two grueling days of preliminary competitions, Palm Harbor University High School graduate Victoria Humphrey will find out if she is among the 10 finalists in Saturday night's Miss Florida Pageant.

Humphrey says she has an unquenchable passion for dance. Saturday night, she plans to make this passion public and subject it to the scrutiny of judges. She will perform a jazz dance to the song, "Black & Gold" — which she chose because she says it shows off her personality.

Humphrey attended the Suncoast Academy of Dance in Palm Harbor, according to a video released by Pinellas County Schools. Dancing since the ripe-old age of three, she will be flaunting 15 years of experience on the pageant stage.

Humphrey will be competing as Miss University of Miami. She is a sophomore at the university and is working toward a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. After earning her degree, she aims to head north to New York City to attend Columbia University with the ultimate goal of becoming an OBGYN.

While a student at PHUHS, Humphrey was a varsity cheerleader and involved in an assortment of clubs. She was also in the school's International Baccalaureate program, which, she admitted was difficult, but she says it ultimately helped with the challenges she encountered in college.

In addition to all her achievements, she is a self-proclaimed lover of shopping and traveling.

Humphrey credits much of her success to her role model, her mother.  “As a single parent she sacrificed so much to make sure I could accomplish everything I ever hoped for. She taught me to be the independent young woman I am today,” she said during a recent interview with WPDS-TV14.

The finals take place tonight at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, beginning at 7:30. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster or at the theater box office.