VOORHEESVILLE — Sydney Salerno, who turned 17 last Thursday, is a very busy teenager.

A junior at Clayton A. Bouton High School, she will be competing in the Miss New York Teen USA pageant this coming weekend, from Jan. 13 to Jan. 15.

Salerno says she has been competing in pageants since the age of 10. She competed in the varying levels of the Miss Altamont Fair Pageant up until last year; she won the Junior Miss Competition at age 15, which she has now aged out of. She hopes to compete in the Miss Altamont Fair Pageant when she turns 18.

“It’s always been something I’ve joined,” she said. “It’s helped me develop who I am.”

Salerno says this is her the first year competing in the Miss New York Teen USA pageant. She says the event consists of an interview, as well a swimsuit and evening-gown presentation.

“It’s more than what it seems,” said Salerno. “It takes a lot of preparation.”

Salerno first had to submit an application and her photo to the organization, and then had an interview with a panel before she was chosen to continue. If she wins, she would be awarded a scholarship as well as move on to the Miss Teen USA pageant.

Salerno says one of the reasons she hopes to win is the scholarship awarded from Lindenwood University in Missouri. She hopes to be a doctor someday and feels the scholarship can help with the costs of a medical degree.

Salerno has volunteered with her church, Victory Christian Church in Colonie, bringing gifts to St. Anne’s Home for Girls. She also works as the “phone girl” at Brickhouse Pizza in Voorheesville, where she answers calls for orders, in order to raise money for things such as pageant fees, coaching, hair and makeup, and clothing costs.

“It’s all very expensive,” she says, estimating it going into the thousands of dollars.

Besides her family and friends, Salerno has received sponsorship from local businesses like Smith’s Tavern, Tri-City Rentals, and the UPS Store in Guilderland. Ania’s Salon gave her a free hair and makeup service for her presentation, and offered a discounted rate for other times she would need their service for the pageant. Cici’s Frocks and Frills discounted her dress for the presentation, and Blaze Pizza hosted a fundraiser for her sponsorship.

The pageant has left Salerno pressed for time, and she hasn’t been able compete in school sports like basketball, soccer, and All-Star Cheerleading as she has done other years, although she still practices her tumbling on occasion.

“Honestly, it has taken a toll on me,” she said of the busy schedule. She’s not sure if she’ll compete next year.

Besides sports, Salerno also enjoys writing fiction and poetry (she says she is in the process of writing a book) and running.

Despite her hectic schedule, Salerno says she is looking forward to the pageant.

“I’m just so excited, I just can’t wait,” she said. “This is going to be one of the best weekends of my life.”