Miss Texas Teen USA

Anissa Mendez

Age 17 | Laredo | Facebook | Instagram

Already known as a scholar, athlete, and volunteer in her community, Anissa Mendez can now add being crowned Miss Texas Teen USA 2020 to her impressive list of accomplishments.

The daughter of two educators, seventeen-year-old Anissa is in the top ten percent of her senior class with a 4.0 GPA at the University of Texas at Austin Online High School. Among the honors she has earned are National Scholar of Future Medical Students and National Merit Scholar in Math and Science Studies. She intends to enter a pre-med program at a Texas university followed by medical school to become a dermatologist.

The flexibility of online high school allows Anissa to pursue her other interests and occupations. Two years ago, she founded a nonprofit organization called Girls B U, whose purpose is to empower teenage girls to become confident, college and career-focused, and ready to join the next generation of professional women. Successful women are invited to serve as mentors and to speak at the organization’s Leading Lady Luncheons. Girls B U also provides tutoring services, and its members participate in community service events such as Breast Cancer Awareness walks.

Anissa is an active volunteer for the Texas Diaper Bank, of which her uncle is CEO. The organization educates, supports, and provides diapers and other goods to impoverished families and in times of natural disaster. Other charitable organizations she has supported include the Sacred Heart Orphanage, Bethany House for the elderly and homeless, and Climb4Hunger Association, and she is an Anti-Bullying Awareness Ambassador. She has hosted and been a guest speaker at many charity and girl-empowerment events.

Described as focused, ambitious, goal-oriented, and academically driven, Anissa’s serious side is balanced with her “goofy ways” and positive outlook on life. She is achieving her goal of being “multi-faceted and successful in more than one area.” Along with school and her volunteer activities, Anissa works as a model and fitness trainer. She has been an award-winning cheerleader for fourteen years and she loves to sing, dance, tumble, and play the ukulele.

Anissa’s innate optimism is embodied in the phrase “this too shall pass.” To her, this means that “even through our worst times, we can always look forward to the better times ahead.”