Appearances

Affectionately known as Mrs. Mitchell, or Coach “K” by her students and athletes, Kandice Pritchett Mitchell proudly accepts her new title as the reigning Mrs. US Continental 2007.  Although she has achieved this status via a nontraditional route into the world of pageantry, she has chosen to embrace her detours in life, and appreciate how each path has cultivated her into the “queen” she is today.  This newly crowned queen graciously embraces her new title, but is known by her friends, family, and community as a mother, wife, former track star, coach, mentor, motivator, volunteer, football player, and educator.  Kandice is married to her best friend Anthony, and they are blessed with three children, Kayla, Kobi, and Keaton.  Kandice works as a 7^th grade Special Education, Mathematics and Science teacher.  She is also the girl’s track coach at her middle school.  Like many married women throughout our nation, Mrs. US Continental 2007 wears many “hats,” and looks forward to the opportunity to represent the married women of America in a unique format.

 Being awarded the title of Mrs. US Continental has been a dream come true for Kandice. All of her  life, she secretly lived with the dream of wanting to be a queen but never pursued it because she was always so active in sports.  This versatile young lady grew up as a “tomboy” playing football and basketball in the neighborhood with her brothers Rick, and Kevin.  Although she was their shadow in the community pick-up games, she was a shining star when it came to track and field.  From the age of five, Kandice was a competitive track athlete with the world renowned Mercury Track Club of Atlanta.  As a high school freshman, she was the youngest person to set a Georgia state record in the 400 meters.  At the age of 15, she was the youngest member of the United States Junior National Track Team that won a gold medal at the World Championships in Athens, Greece in the 4 x 400m relay.  Kandice continued her track career by accepting a full scholarship to The University of Texas to carry on the legacy of the Lady Longhorns. Due to nagging hip, knee, and bone injuries, she reluctantly ended her track career in college. Once her track career was over as an athlete, she discovered her passion for volunteering after joining Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 

Kandice’s natural spirit of giving has made it easy to remain an active volunteer all over the country for the past decade.  She has done everything from feeding the hungry, to building homes for the homeless.  Over time, this lovely lady’s efforts eventually catapulted her to developing a mission of her own, alongside her husband, Anthony.  Together, they started a foundation called "Uncle A.N.T.'S." (Actively Nurturing The Spirit). Uncle A.N.T.'S. is an organization that actively works to nurture the spirits of today's youth through sports.  The vision of this foundation encompasses the importance of youth actively taking the initiative to participate in an activity that can nurture his true being; one’s spirit.   

Between changing her hats as teacher, volunteer, mother, and wife, Kandice still finds the time to dedicate to young athletes in the Metropolitan Atlanta Area as a track and field coach.  If  she’s not coaching, she’s mentoring, or traveling the country encouraging “at risk” youth to stay in school, find their passions, and follow their dreams. She even took her own advice and decided to reignite her competitive spirit by participating in full-contact football for women. That's right…shoulder pads and all!  She was a member of the 2006 IWFL (Independent Women's Football League) Championship Team. As a middle linebacker for the Atlanta Xplosion, she had the time of her life.  Not only did she get the chance to participate in her favorite sport other than track, she made friends for life that were just as dedicated as she was to giving back to the community.  Still holding on to her childhood dream, Kandice came to the realization that she was doing many of the things that most women in the world of pageantry were doing.  It didn’t take long to convince herself that she was going to embark on a new journey.  The cute little “tomboy” from Atlanta had blossomed into a beautiful woman that could balance her athletic and delicate characteristics, while staying true to herself, and continuing to pursue her passions.  To make a long story short, after two football seasons, and two torn patellar tendons later, she decided to trade in her cleats for a crown.

 Throughout this new journey towards becoming a “queen,” Kandice decided to expand on the foundation that she helped to create with her husband.  This time around, she wanted to create an organization that would personalize her passion for children and her love for sports, while acknowledging the benefit of growing up with a well-rounded background as a child.  With this vision in mind, “The Royal Gridiron Initiative” was born.  Using the term “royal” as a representation for pageantry, and borrowing the term “gridiron,” which is a metaphor for the football field, Kandice combined the two terms to formulate the title of her new non-profit organization.  Knowing that every child would not be interested in playing football, “gridiron” is a metaphor for whatever passion a child has that will keep them healthy, active, and productive students, and citizens in their communities.  “What’s Your Gridiron?”  The Royal Gridiron Initiative promotes physical fitness, and brings awareness to the importance of a safe and healthy environment to live, work, play and learn.  The opportunity for a child to become involved in an extracurricular activity that encourages healthy competition and physical fitness, can be the foundation for becoming a healthy, and productive adult. Armed with the experience and will to continue to capture, and inspire children all over the country, Kandice had a “name” for what she had been doing for years.  She was promoting what would soon be known as her “platform,”  The Royal Gridiron Initiative. 

 Within a couple months of beginning this journey, Kandice was awarded her first title as National Mrs. Ohio.  Her dream had finally come true.  She was a “Queen.”  Unfortunately, there was not going to be a national pageant for this system.  This “go-getter” did not let that stop her.  In an effort to follow through with her desire to compete in a National Pageant, Kandice continued her research to find a pageant system that was representative of who she was as an individual, and as a married woman.  Mrs. Mitchell longed for a pageant system that promoted inner and outer beauty, in addition to the accomplishments and meaningful efforts of married women in the United States of America.  After many thoughtful considerations, the choice was not hard.  The US Continental Pageant was the way to go.  Kandice chose this system because it embodied what she believed in, and stood for as an individual, a married woman, and a mother who still had a passion to follow her dreams, while giving back to the community.  Within days, she was selected as an at-large delegate to compete in the National Pageant as Mrs. Georgia US Continental. 

 The preparations for Nationals were exciting, and challenging (“thoughts of the unknown”) to the newcomer, but she accepted every moment with pride and joy.  Once the time arrived to make the trip to Salt Lake City, the Georgia delegate was equipped with gifts for exchange, a delightful wardrobe, and “butterflies” from not having been trained or coached on what to do.  All she had was her signed copy of Sherry Strother’s “Crowning Success,” and a copy of Robin Robert’s “From The Heart...Seven Rules To Live By.”  On the four hour flight from Atlanta to Salt Lake, Kandice read “Crowning Success” for the fourth time, and re-read some of Robin Robert’s “seven rules.”  Upon arrival, Kandice revisited emotions she felt when it was time to run a race.  She never focused on a win, she just always wanted to do her best.  It was the same strategy in Utah.  The newcomer embraced the experience, and absorbed all that she could. This was the time to “shine” again like she did every time she stepped on the track as a young athlete.  If nothing else, Kandice knew that she was competing from within, and only against herself.  She was ready for the challenge, and honored to be at the National competition with so many beautiful, and accomplished ladies from all over the country. This “pageant rookie” could not have been more proud of her decision to become a part of the US Continental Pageant Organization.   

 On September 1, 2007, in her very first pageant ever, Kandice Pritchett Mitchell was crowned Mrs. US Continental.  

The title of Mrs. US Continental is an extension of who Kandice Mitchell is.  In addition to promoting the US Continental Pageant, this title will afford her the opportunity to be more visible as she shares her dreams and passions for children, and fitness on a national level.  As Mrs. US Continental, Kandice ensures that people all over the world will have an example of what it means to strive for success, live with integrity, and possess strong moral values, while working to maintain an inner beauty that shines beyond her outer beauty…as a married woman.

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