It's been quite the year for Lauren Teruya, who represented the state as Miss Hawaii 2022!

Under her platform "Arts for All," Teruya spent much of the year traveling to the Neighbor Islands, the mainland and Japan — working with students and teachers on ways to incorporate arts and culture into schools' curriculum. 

But one of the biggest moments of her time as Miss Hawaii was competing in the Miss America pageant.

As she passes her crown to a new Miss Hawaii, she looks back at the past year with immense gratitude, saying it changed her life. 

Hear more from Teruya as Billy V sits down with her in this episode of Island Beat!