Teacher At Sea Alumna, Ashley Cosme, was crowned the 2023 Mrs. Indiana-American at the annual Mrs. Indiana pageant held on March 4th, 2023, in South Bend, Indiana.

Ashley is a science teacher at Crown Point High School. Ashley’s pageant platform and mission during her reign as Mrs. Indiana-American is to empower the next generation of Girls in STEM. Ashley sponsors girls ages 14-18 in a group called Girls Empowered by Math and Science (GEMS). Ashley will be completing a state tour where she will be visiting Project Lead The Way (PLTW) classrooms to inspire young girls and help them find their own passion and path in STEM.

Ashley highlighted her connection to the NOAA Teacher At Sea program, saying “NOAA and TAS have been a huge part of building my bio for the pageant, as well as helping me discover what I truly wanted the judges to know about me. In one interview I had to say one word to describe myself and of course I said, EXPLORER! I also won the overall Interview Award and I believe that my stories of exploration helped me earn that distinguished honor.”  Ashley is not only a wife, mom to two kids, and teacher, but also finds the time to be a student pilot. Truly an explorer!

The next Mrs. American pageant will be held on August 25, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ashley will be competing among 50 other amazing women who are vying to win the coveted title of Mrs. American 2023. All of us at TAS and TASAA wish her the best in this new journey and congratulate her on her achievements!