When the principal of St. Agnes A.H.S. introduced the reigning Miss USA to students Oct. 30, she said the pageant winner “shows qualities that we ask you to strive for this year.”

Susan Nicoletti, principal of the College Point all-girls school, said Miss USA Nia Sanchez demonstrates commitment, courage in the face of challenges and an ability to communicate clearly.

Sanchez spent the afternoon recounting her story to the teenage girls. She finished her talk with a demonstration of Tae-Kwon-Do self-defense moves, which can be done in high heels and a dress.

“My life was pretty normal,” Sanchez told the girls. She said her parents with her and her brother would go to church on Sundays and do normal family activities, but all that changed quickly.

“When I was 6, my parents divorced,” she said. “I felt like I had to grow up very quickly.”

The future Miss USA lived in nine different homes between the ages of 6 and 9. She even had the experience of living in a women’s shelter with her mother.

Throughout this difficult time, Sanchez said she was quiet and shy. She would look down on the ground when walking and would most certainly not be comfortable speaking in front of an audience.

That is until her father enrolled her in Tae-Kwon-Do. It was the Tae-Kwon-Do lifestyle that changed her attitude, Sanchez said. She learned discipline and confidence. She was able to start teaching classes at the age of 12 and competed in her first tournament at the age of 13.

The first year she entered a tournament, she did not place. Although she was discouraged, she did not give up. She went back the next year and took the title of grand champion.

Sanchez said there also was another group that deeply affected her. When she was 12, a friend invited her to a Christian youth group.

“That is when I was saved,” she said.

Nonetheless, when high school and then college came, Sanchez said her faith became “lukewarm.” She stopped putting God as her priority in life.

She said her lack of confidence in her faith and her beliefs led her to an unhealthy relationship in college. She said her boyfriend began to act aggressively, and although he never hit her, the situation started to escalate.

He smashed her car window while she was still inside, she said. The last time she ever saw him, he grabbed her arm so tight he left finger marks. After she broke off that relationship, she decided to leave the country and travel.

She worked as a Disney Princess in Hong Kong and as a nanny in Germany. She regained her self-confidence and her fire for God.

Three Requirements

As an adult, she reaffirmed her faith in God and decided to make Him a priority. She also decided that she would not date a man unless he filled three requirements. He must: have a deep love of God; be willing to tell her and their possible future children that he loves them every day; and at least tolerate cats.

She went on a lot of first dates. She advised the girls to know what they want and not waste their time on boyfriends who are not.

Having put the list to God and trusting in Him, she said she would not compromise. She said her high expectations paid off.

She is now engaged to a man that she describes as the man of her dreams, filling not only her three basic conditions but also nearly all 70 conditions she wrote down as a pre-teen.

She said she first remembers meeting him when he started working as a welcome minister in church. He recognized her from a mutual friend’s party, but she did not remember him. They went out on a first date and then on many more.

Now, 24, Sanchez lives in Manhattan with Miss Universe Gabriela Isler. She travels as a motivational speaker and lobbyist and works as a model. She will be competing for the crown of Miss Universe in January.

“I never thought someone could be so successful having such a difficult time growing up,” said Selena Sankar, a junior at St. Agnes, after listening to Sanchez speak.

Sankar said she first learned about Sanchez when she was visiting a website for breast cancer awareness. It was there that Sankar saw Miss USA’s profile as a supporter. Since then, she has found Sanchez’s story inspirational. She followed her on Instagram and Faceboook.

The teenager said she was thankful to the reigning Miss USA for showing the school body some self-defense moves. She has not been able to join a martial arts class because of her asthma, but she appreciates Sanchez showing her some basic moves that do not require great strength.

The junior also said she was inspired by Sanchez’s commitment to make God as a standard in her choice of boyfriends.

“I always thought it is important, but I never thought to have it as a standard,” she said.

“She has high standards, not just in guys but in life,” said senior Maya Bayliss.

Bayliss said it was easy to recognize those standards by the way Sanchez carries herself and the way she speaks. She also admires the way Sanchez has a positive stance on life. Answering a question posed by one of the students, Sanchez said that although there have been some people who came out of the woodwork to associate themselves with her now that she has become famous, she decided to look upon these instances as an outpouring of love, which she tries to accept with grace.

Miss USA said she felt honored to speak with the students. St. Agnes A.H.S. is the first all-girls school she has spoken at, which gave her an audience she thinks can best benefit from her message: young women. Having gained the title of Miss USA, Sanchez said she tries to spread a message of women empowerment.

Visiting St. Agnes also gave Sanchez the opportunity to speak about her faith. Although she usually refers to it when giving speeches to young people, she was able to do so in a more intimate way in a Catholic school.