What’s stressful about being an outstanding teen? Literally everything.
This story appears in the Summer 2023 edition of Auburn Magazine. Look for it in your mailboxes on Sunday, June 19.
by Jonathan Glover
When 17-year-old Kaitlyn Gallo walks outside on an unseasonably-warm spring day, she stops to smell the flowers — literally. She might grab a dandelion, its seeds aching for release by the wind, and give them an early out. She might daydream about primitive humans and the simplicity of it all. How back in the “caveman” days, nobody cared about what you wore, how you applied concealer, or whether the selfie lighting was on point. No judging, no pressure, no social media.
That’s how life and stress and anxiety go when you’re a teenage girl: despite your external, your internal every day is tied to a device with access to just about everything. As you stare out, infinity stares back in — it’s important that what it sees is curated. Perfect and flawless, no matter the cost. Please like, share and subscribe.
It’s no wonder the kids these days are a little stressed. Can you blame them?
“I want my message to be noticed,” the Auburn Mountainview High School senior says of her campaign to help everyone stress less. “When more people are involved and more people are paying attention, things can really start to change.”
And who better to know that than Kaitlyn, a homegrown Auburn wunderkind.
Because for someone who has already accomplished more than most of us do in a lifetime, managing stress is a have to, not a want to. As the current Miss Auburn’s Outstanding Teen, she’s already making a name for herself as the sprightly, beaming force committed to community service; her sparking personality and impressive talents ensure everyone bears witness.
Kaitlyn’s journey to pageant success didn’t start overnight. In fact, it began when she was just six years old, inspired by her aunt’s involvement in the pageant world. From the start, Kaitlyn was determined to learn the ropes and become a successful competitor herself. A few short years later, she was on her way, competing for outstanding teen awards across the region. Last year, she was crowned Miss Seattle, a major accomplishment for any young woman in the pageant circuit.
But for Kaitlyn, winning the crown was just the beginning. As a lifelong resident of Auburn, it’s not the personal accomplishment that keeps things moving. It’s the people around her — her family, friends and classmates — that reinforce. “The city of Auburn has already given me so much,” she says. “There are so many skills I’ve picked up.”
And that commitment means sharing ways to combat a large negative in her life: stress and anxiety, sometimes both. What kind of stress? Every kind — the type that attacks your temples when there aren’t enough hours in the day. The kind counting sheep can’t topple. The kind enveloped around social media, embracing you like humidity.
The kind every kid can spot a mile away, especially the ones internalizing an outsized and global expectation. Which is why one of Kaitlyn’s favorite methods is to visit local schools and work with students from elementary to high school on stressing less. They hear her story, and they make a friend — she encourages all of them to reach out to her if they need an extra set of ears.
She remembers one time after a speech, a young girl approached and asked if they could talk. She didn’t have anyone in her life who would simply listen. No judgement, no criticism. Just listen. “That really made me cry,” Kaitlyn says. “That was very emotional.”
Not every stress-busting routine is the same, though. For Kaitlyn, her favorite tension-free tonic is music, particularly upbeat 80s hits. Or playing her ukulele with her dad.
She even writes her own love songs, a fact she doesn’t share with ease. While she employs all the idiosyncrasies of her always-online generation — “that’s so slay” and “bet” are common repertoire, and if you don’t get it, then “OK, boomer” — she’s also quite shy when the screens are away, and the conversations are analogue.
And yet, what 17-year-old girl isn’t obsessed with love and heartache? One of her favorite tunes to practice on the ukulele — which she’s self-taught, btw — is Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours,” a pop sensation released when she was just two years old.
“The things I’ve been able to find and learn have really helped me over the years,” she admits.
When she’s not busy with her pageant duties, Kaitlyn is also a dedicated dancer, specializing in jazz. And like any typical teenager, she enjoys staying active and healthy, whether through yoga, working out, or meditation.
What’s next for her in the pageant world is uncertain, but what’s foreseeable is moving to Arizona, where she’ll attend Arizona State University. That puts her closer to her mom and brother, the always-summer, and a business degree.
After that, she hopes to move back home — to Auburn — and start a coffee shop. Her dad, a baker by trade, can make the pastries.
Perhaps her ukulele will come as well. After all, who can be stressed when the caffeine is flowing, the sugar is rushing and the chords are soothing?
“That would be really exciting,” Kaitlyn says of the plan. “Who wouldn’t enjoy that?”
