Nya SYNDAB^[1]

• Name	Nya SYNDAB
  Birth	Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina
  Gender	Female
  HIST	'I want people to see themselves in me': Former Willow Drive Eagle competes for Miss Georgia title Nya Syndab, who was born and raised in Sumter, is competing for the Miss Georgia title Feb. 24-26. PHOTO PROVIDED Posted Thursday, February 3, 2022 6:00 am BY ALAYSHA MAPLE alaysha@theitem.com A former Willow Drive Elementary School Eagle will soar to new heights in the Miss Georgia competition. Miss Georgia contestant Nya Syndab was born and raised in Sumter. As a child, she was heavily involved with youth activities at Mount Zion Baptist Church where her father was pastor. She attended Willow Drive Elementary School and was a proud Eagle until the age of 9 when her family moved to Greenwood. While there, Syndab started her pageant career. During her sophomore year at Emerald High School, Syndab competed in the school's pageant to become Miss Junior. However, she openly admitted to being "stiff" and "nervous" during the competition, which she attributed that to her loss. However, she was adamant that she could win the next year. After much practice and perfecting, Syndab was crowned her high school's Miss Senior. She graduated at the age of 17 and left Greenwood to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. While in Atlanta, Syndab continued her pageant career. This time, however, she had a different motive than to bask in the glitz and glamour. While in high school, her parents divorced and the transition to a single-parent household was difficult as she took on new responsibilities that weighed on her mentally. Her family of three, which included her mother and younger brother, moved to Georgia for a fresh start. As her mother pursued a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and her younger brother made friends in a new state, Syndab struggled to find her footing. "I switched my major so many times in college," she said. "I wasn't very confident. I would go home every weekend. I wasn't really that involved in many things on campus because I always thought that there was somebody who could do it better than me." Despite her struggle to balance college, pageants, her new home life and personal challenges, Syndab still entered pageants to win scholarships or cash prizes to pay for college expenses.After seven years of hard work, Syndab graduated from Spelman in 2020 with a biology degree. Now, while studying for a Doctor of Chiropractic degree at Life University in Marietta, Georgia, Syndab has set her sights on the Miss Georgia title. "I have never done something this scary to me before. I'm so proud of myself for pushing past my comfort zone because it's not fun to stay there," Syndab said. "I'm stepping into my own power, and I'm no longer allowing outside sources to validate who I am, and that's the first time I've ever done that." She decided in December 2021 to compete in the Miss Georgia pageant, which is set for Feb. 24-26. The competition's website stated the title of Miss Georgia is unlike being labeled a "celebrity" or "beauty queen." "She (Miss Georgia) is a person of character and a representative of service and an example of what it means to be a giver, not a taker," the website stated. "It is her work that will be celebrated as she uses her job to serve others, promote scholarships and the importance of education and to make a lasting impact on communities across the state." If she won Miss Georgia, Syndab would qualify for the chance to be Miss USA, an opportunity she is equally excited and nervous for. She laughed at the idea of family and friends who said, "Nya, you could walk on the Miss USA stage, you could be Miss USA." Syndab shared that when contestants join the Miss America System, they are required to have a platform or initiative they would promote during their year with the crown. Syndab created an initiative for children from divorced or single-parent homes to have a space to communicate the emotions and burdens felt from the experience. "I wanted to create an initiative where children could have a safe and neutral space to share how they feel. That's something I felt I really needed during the divorce of my parents," she said. "I couldn't talk to my mom because I felt she was already stressed out because of her job and her marriage. And my friends didn't understand divorces, so I couldn't talk to them." Her year with the crown would allow her to partner with guidance counselors of high schools throughout Georgia and set up in-person or virtual spaces where conversations can take place. In the meantime, she has utilized platforms like YouTube and TikTok to share her message. Preparation for the pageant is in full swing for Syndab as she regularly meets with her pageant coach. She admitted that the process is difficult at times and wished she had decided earlier to compete to have more time to prepare. In spite of that, Syndab remains focused on her faith and being at peace to ensure she is well-prepared to show her "authentic self" on the stage this month. Before departing for her morning meeting with her coach and x-rays lab class right after, Syndab shared that no matter the outcome of the pageant, the experience has allowed her to grow tremendously. Joining the Miss America System will show people in South Carolina, Georgia and surrounding states that if she can do it then they can too, she said. "I want people to see themselves in me," Syndab said. "Anyone hoping to do something big, I'd tell them to believe in themselves and focus on their goals. It may be hard to do so, but if God has given you some kind of passion or fire inside your heart to do or be something bigger and better, you're going to find a way to make it happen."  [1]
  HIST	'I want people to see themselves in me': Former Willow Drive Eagle competes for Miss Georgia title Nya Syndab, who was born and raised in Sumter, is competing for the Miss Georgia title Feb. 24-26. PHOTO PROVIDED Posted Thursday, February 3, 2022 6:00 am BY ALAYSHA MAPLE alaysha@theitem.com A former Willow Drive Elementary School Eagle will soar to new heights in the Miss Georgia competition. Miss Georgia contestant Nya Syndab was born and raised in Sumter. As a child, she was heavily involved with youth activities at Mount Zion Baptist Church where her father was pastor. She attended Willow Drive Elementary School and was a proud Eagle until the age of 9 when her family moved to Greenwood. While there, Syndab started her pageant career. During her sophomore year at Emerald High School, Syndab competed in the school's pageant to become Miss Junior. However, she openly admitted to being "stiff" and "nervous" during the competition, which she attributed that to her loss. However, she was adamant that she could win the next year. After much practice and perfecting, Syndab was crowned her high school's Miss Senior. She graduated at the age of 17 and left Greenwood to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. While in Atlanta, Syndab continued her pageant career. This time, however, she had a different motive than to bask in the glitz and glamour. While in high school, her parents divorced and the transition to a single-parent household was difficult as she took on new responsibilities that weighed on her mentally. Her family of three, which included her mother and younger brother, moved to Georgia for a fresh start. As her mother pursued a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and her younger brother made friends in a new state, Syndab struggled to find her footing. "I switched my major so many times in college," she said. "I wasn't very confident. I would go home every weekend. I wasn't really that involved in many things on campus because I always thought that there was somebody who could do it better than me." Despite her struggle to balance college, pageants, her new home life and personal challenges, Syndab still entered pageants to win scholarships or cash prizes to pay for college expenses.After seven years of hard work, Syndab graduated from Spelman in 2020 with a biology degree. Now, while studying for a Doctor of Chiropractic degree at Life University in Marietta, Georgia, Syndab has set her sights on the Miss Georgia title. "I have never done something this scary to me before. I'm so proud of myself for pushing past my comfort zone because it's not fun to stay there," Syndab said. "I'm stepping into my own power, and I'm no longer allowing outside sources to validate who I am, and that's the first time I've ever done that." She decided in December 2021 to compete in the Miss Georgia pageant, which is set for Feb. 24-26. The competition's website stated the title of Miss Georgia is unlike being labeled a "celebrity" or "beauty queen." "She (Miss Georgia) is a person of character and a representative of service and an example of what it means to be a giver, not a taker," the website stated. "It is her work that will be celebrated as she uses her job to serve others, promote scholarships and the importance of education and to make a lasting impact on communities across the state." If she won Miss Georgia, Syndab would qualify for the chance to be Miss USA, an opportunity she is equally excited and nervous for. She laughed at the idea of family and friends who said, "Nya, you could walk on the Miss USA stage, you could be Miss USA." Syndab shared that when contestants join the Miss America System, they are required to have a platform or initiative they would promote during their year with the crown. Syndab created an initiative for children from divorced or single-parent homes to have a space to communicate the emotions and burdens felt from the experience. "I wanted to create an initiative where children could have a safe and neutral space to share how they feel. That's something I felt I really needed during the divorce of my parents," she said. "I couldn't talk to my mom because I felt she was already stressed out because of her job and her marriage. And my friends didn't understand divorces, so I couldn't talk to them." Her year with the crown would allow her to partner with guidance counselors of high schools throughout Georgia and set up in-person or virtual spaces where conversations can take place. In the meantime, she has utilized platforms like YouTube and TikTok to share her message. Preparation for the pageant is in full swing for Syndab as she regularly meets with her pageant coach. She admitted that the process is difficult at times and wished she had decided earlier to compete to have more time to prepare. In spite of that, Syndab remains focused on her faith and being at peace to ensure she is well-prepared to show her "authentic self" on the stage this month. Before departing for her morning meeting with her coach and x-rays lab class right after, Syndab shared that no matter the outcome of the pageant, the experience has allowed her to grow tremendously. Joining the Miss America System will show people in South Carolina, Georgia and surrounding states that if she can do it then they can too, she said. "I want people to see themselves in me," Syndab said. "Anyone hoping to do something big, I'd tell them to believe in themselves and focus on their goals. It may be hard to do so, but if God has given you some kind of passion or fire inside your heart to do or be something bigger and better, you're going to find a way to make it happen."
  _UID	CECFD40586984D48A0CA7171816B13E155E1
  _UID	CECFD40586984D48A0CA7171816B13E155E1
  Person ID	I336019	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	20 Feb 2022

  
  

• Sources

  [S29634] ‘I want people to see themselves in me’ Former Willow Drive Eagle competes for Miss Georgia title.