Today, we're excited to share the inspiring story of Sofia Anaeli Paoli Vargas, a rising star in the modeling world and a dedicated student pursuing her dreams.
From a young age, she showed a natural talent for modeling and won her first competition, Baby Puerto Rico, at the age of four. Since then, Sofia has participated in numerous fashion shows with renowned designers in various states, and in 2022, she was crowned Miss Teen Universe Petite Puerto Rico.
Despite her busy schedule, Sofia is also a dedicated student. She graduated with honors from Colegio Ponceño in 2022 and is currently a freshman in Biomedical Sciences at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. She is an active member of youth sorority Phi Delta Kappa, university sorority Eta Gamma Delta, and university associations Medlife and Circle of Premedics.
Sofia's hobbies include going to the beach, dancing, acting, painting, and modeling. She recently competed internationally in Madrid, Spain, representing her country with pride, and her win as Miss Teen Universe Petite Puerto Rico 2023 marked a historic moment as she became the first Teen Universe Petite winner since the competition integrated the Petite category for the first time in its 10-year history.
My experience from the national pageant to winning the international crown.
When I was crowned as Teen Universe Petite Puerto Rico 2023, I knew that the experience I was about to embark on would be one filled with growth and, above all, a lot of excitement, as I was going to be able to fulfill one of my biggest dreams: representing Puerto Rico on an international level.
My experience at Teen Universe International (TUI) can be described in one word: magical. Competing internationally was always one of my goals, and what better way to do it than in Teen Universe. I had the opportunity to meet young women from different parts of the world who shared their culture, life experiences, and their love for pageants. Competing in Madrid, Spain, allowed me to bring the culture of my island to Europe, and how beautiful it is to be able to share with others the history and customs of my beloved island.
My preparation for the competition was arduous. I was focused on my goal, and I knew that to achieve it, I had to work beyond just wanting it. I worked on my runway walk, projection, diction, and physique. I am a very disciplined and committed young woman, and during those months leading up to the competition, my main focus was to do everything within my power to become my best version. It was a week of hard work, but I enjoyed it very much.