When Betty Entzminger was crowned Ms. Senior DC 2026 on June 18, the Firebird community celebrated with her.
A 2018 graduate of UDC, Entzminger will represent the District of Columbia at the Ms. Senior America Pageant this October. But for her, the crown represents something far greater than a title.
It’s the latest chapter in a life rooted in Washington, inspired by family and the belief that it’s never too late to pursue a dream.
"I had been a teen mom and started working right out of high school," Entzminger said.
Born and raised near Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill, Entzminger attended Maury Elementary, Eliot-Hine Middle and Eastern High School, where she was crowned Miss Eastern High School. Even then, she loved performing, singing and stepping onto a stage.
Life, however, had other plans.
After high school, she joined the workforce, raised a family and eventually joined the staff at UDC, where she supported the university's respiratory therapy, nursing and mortuary science programs. Every day, she watched students invest in themselves by furthering their education.
Years later, inspired by her daughters as they completed their degrees, Entzminger realized it was time to pursue her own college dreams.
"Once I realized it was my turn," she said, "I turned up the heat and did the work."
In 2018, she earned an associate of arts degree in liberal studies with concentrations in music and English. Along the way, she made the Dean's List and received UDC's Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award during Founders Day.
Her educational journey was also a tribute to the woman who continues to inspire her every day.
"My mother was my role model," said Entzminger. "Everything I did was to honor my mother."
The Rev. Dr. Mildred A. Spriggs Rush graduated from Federal City College and DC Teachers College—two predecessor institutions of today's UDC—before dedicating her career to teaching special education at DC Public Schools. A Baptist minister, educator and mother of 10 children, she will celebrate her 100th birthday on Aug. 3.
"My mother was an educator, a pastor, and raised 10 children," Entzminger said proudly. "Not bad for a little girl from North Carolina."
That legacy of perseverance continues to shape her life.
Long before becoming Ms. Senior DC, Entzminger built an impressive career as a performer, vocalist, actor and model. She has appeared in national publications, including Essence and Brides for Today, modeled for designers specializing in Afrocentric fashion and performed across the DMV in a variety of theater and film productions. Music has been a constant throughout her life, beginning in the Baptist church where she first sang as a child, and where her mother served as minister.
For the talent competition at this year's pageant, she performed Jennifer Holliday's powerful ballad "Changing" from Dreamgirls—a fitting selection for someone whose own life has been marked by resilience, growth and renewal.
Now, as Ms. Senior DC, Entzminger sees the title as more than a crown. She sees it as an opportunity to encourage other older adults to care for their health, always keep learning and never let age define what is possible.
“Don't let your mind tell you what you can't do," she said. "Don't give up until you get it done. We say that to children all the time, but we need to remind ourselves as seniors, too."
As she prepares to represent the District on the national stage this fall, Entzminger says she will carry Washington with her every step of the way. A proud native Washingtonian, she sees the opportunity not only as a personal achievement, but as a chance to represent the city that shaped her.
For Entzminger, representing the District is perhaps the honor that means the most to her. “Yes, it would be wonderful to be Ms. Senior America," she said. "But I couldn’t do it without my hometown in my heart."
She hopes her story encourages others to pursue dreams they may have set aside years ago and to explore new opportunities at every age.
It's advice she first heard from her mother many years ago.