When Julie Kuo came with her mother to Hawaii from Taiwan at age 10, she couldn’t speak English. From there she went on to become valedictorian of Roosevelt High School’s Class of 2012 and earned a degree in accounting at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Kuo, 23, was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 2017 in November. She is representing Hawaii at the Miss USA 2017 Pageant today in Las Vegas. Watch a delayed broadcast of the pageant at 8 p.m. on Fox.

JOHN BERGER: How did you rise to high school valedictorian?

JULIE KUO: My parents really sacrificed a lot of their own happiness for my sister and I to receive quality education in the United States. Being valedictorian was for me a way to prove to my parents that their efforts were worth it.

JB: You won the swimsuit competition at the Hawaii pageant, but I have to ask: Other than giving the public an opportunity to see the contestants wearing as little as possible, what does “swimsuit” show the judges about a woman’s ability to wear the crown?

JK: It takes a lot of courage. You’re putting yourself out there for people to criticize, and you have to look comfortable and confident while you’re doing it. Yes, you have to look a certain way, but I think the judges know how much work and how much sacrifice it takes to look like that.

JB: What has been one of your most memorable experiences as Miss Hawaii USA?

JK: Going to the Next Step Shelter to feed the homeless people. You see probably 200 people living in a giant warehouse. No air conditioning. No ventilation system. I think all of them were sharing two bathrooms and a family of eight living in a tiny, tiny cubicle.

JB: What would surprise people who know you only through the pageant?

JK: I like jellyfish! In senior year (in high school) when we had to do a senior project, I was able to shadow the lady who takes care of the jellyfish at the Waikiki Aquarium. I learned how to build a jellyfish tank, and I went to the harbor and caught some moon jellyfish.

JB: What did you learn from living on your own since you were 15?

JK: You need to learn how to find your own happiness and be able to stand on your own. Living on my own for such a long time really forced me to recognize myself — what makes me happy, what I love to do — so now I know who I am. In high school I was very focused on my education. Music kept me grounded.

“On the Scene” appears weekly in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Sunday Magazine. Reach John Berger at jberger@staradvertiser.com.