Tara Wheeler is a 24 year-old graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Journalism.  Growing up in a military family, Tara has lived all across the country but has called Virginia home for thirteen years.  Her education was funded, in part, through an Air Force ROTC scholarship.  At Penn State, she was an Air Force ROTC cadet mentor and flight commander. She completed officer boot camp at the top of her flight.  While at Penn State, she was also the starting goalie for the Lady Icers Ice Hockey Team, holding numerous goaltending records and she participated in the US Olympic Team tryouts.  Upon completion of her year of service, Tara hopes to pursue a Masters degree in Journalism at Regent University and work as a reporter or anchor in television.

           
Tara believes in and lives her message "Breaking Stereotypes, Building Leaders".  She will share a message of self-definition, embracing uniqueness with schoolchildren, civic organizations, and community leaders across the Commonwealth this year.  She has volunteered with numerous organizations and she was recognized by Governor Jim Gilmore for her community service efforts.  Her commitment to the greater good has helped to raise over $4 million.  She is proud to be the founder of "Positive Role Models Building Powerful Women" (Pos-Pow), an organization dedicated to building self-esteem and leadership skills in young women.  Because of her accomplishments with this organization, Tara was invited to represent Pos-Pow at the United Nations World Headquarters in New York City for the launching of the Redlight Children Campaign against child sexploitation.  In addition, she has spoken to over 20,000 children in six states and the District of Columbia.

Prior to being named Miss Virginia 2008, Tara worked as a residential counselor at Joe Gibb's Youth for Tomorrow group home and as a motivational speaker for Monster's Making It Count program.  She will travel over 40,000 miles across Virginia sharing her message and entertaining.  In addition, Tara will promote the Children's Miracle Network and the "Right Decisions Right Now" program throughout her year of service.

Tara will compete for the title of Miss America 2009 in Las Vegas in January 2009.

                    View Tara's 2009 Miss America contestant webpage here.