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Tampa's two 'Olivias' maintain friendship as they vie for Miss Florida

 
Olivia Butler, left, and Olivia Fiss are two friends who are competing together in the Miss Florida pageant as Miss Tampa and Miss St. Petersburg.
Olivia Butler, left, and Olivia Fiss are two friends who are competing together in the Miss Florida pageant as Miss Tampa and Miss St. Petersburg.
Published June 25, 2017

TAMPA — Olivia Butler, referring to a Biblical passage, assesses her burgeoning friendship with Olivia Fiss as "iron sharpening iron."

Fiss insists they will be friends long after they vie for the Miss Florida crown.

Both Butler, 24, and Fiss, 18, met through the pageant world's small community in the Miss America system. In the months leading up to this week's pageant, the "two Olivias" have made a number of public appearances, wearing crowns and sashes while flashing smiles at each other they insist are genuine.

Butler refers to Fiss as a "mover and shaker," noting her involvement in Best Buddies and television production at Plant High. Fiss' resume made her someone Butler wanted to get to know.

They found they both had similar morals and work ethic, a shared Christian faith and a desire to be role models within the community.

"She enhances the good qualities in me and challenges me to be the best version of myself," Butler said of Fiss. "That's the kind of friends I look for in life."

Come Tuesday (June 27), the two friends start competing in Lakeland with more than 40 women for the title of Miss Florida, a preliminary competition to the Miss America Pageant. The state competition concludes on July 1.

Butler will compete as Miss Tampa and Fiss enters as Miss St. Petersburg.

Both women, however, don't look at each other as competitors. They choose to look to each other for support in preparing for the pageant. Fiss said their friendship has strengthened because they compete together and can lean on each other for support.

"The worst thing a competitor can do is compare herself to another girl," Fiss said. "We don't look at each other as competition because we know it's all about focusing on your own game. Competing together is so much fun because we are best friends and so it's nice having your best friend there with you throughout the experience."

Butler, a Tampa Prep grad, is no new face to pageants. For five years, she has competed in pageants while earning a degree from Wake Forest University. Her participation serves as a way to recover from dating abuse. She continues to advocate for victims using her platform with Girl Empowered Mentally for Success (GEMS). She found the platform therapeutic as it gave her the purpose to not only help others, but heal herself.

Though this is the first year of eligibility for Fiss at this level, she has an extensive background in competing for Miss Outstanding Teen titles. In previous years she was named Miss Pinellas County's, Miss Orlando's and Miss Largo's Outstanding Teen. She will attend Furman University in the fall, unless she wins Miss Florida.

Combining their experience, both offer advice on becoming their best selves in preparing to compete for Miss Florida. Butler has acted as a figure Fiss can talk to and can help her in challenging situations.

"She's not only a best friend, but a mentor and an older sister," Fiss said of Butler.

Butler has strived to pass along as much information as possible that will help her friend in her first Miss Florida pageant with the most important being it's not all about winning the competition.

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"I always remind myself and other young women that are going through this process that no matter how far you go, the title ends," Butler said. "What remains are friendships. People many years down the line rarely if ever remember who won but they do remember if you were kind. I am of the personal opinion that at the end of the day if there is no one there to clap for you when you receive the award you have missed the entire point of participating in the Miss America Organization."

Fiss thinks of Butler with high regards, calling her a "class act."

"I am forever grateful God placed her in my life," Fiss said. "She has been a perfect example of what a young woman should be, to myself and every young girl she meets."

The duo doesn't doubt that their friendship will remain strong throughout the Miss Florida Pageant and both said they would be excited if the other received the title of Miss Florida after putting forth their best selves.

"I fully anticipate that I will be finding a nook and cranny behind the curtain to be able to watch her sparkle on stage," Butler said. "She has been a blessing in my life and I am honored to watch her blossom everyday into a woman with purpose and conviction."

The 82nd Miss Florida pageant takes place at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. The winner goes on to compete in the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City and travel the state promoting her platform.

Contact Katelyn Massarelli at kmassarelli@tampabay.com.