Miss Montana Teen USA 2010 Dakota Mackey is 17 years old and is a senior at Hellgate High school. She spent the first ten years of her life living in Seattle, Washington and moved to Florence, Montana when she was in the fifth grade. Dakota raised cows, horses and chickens on her farm and participated in 4-H. Dakota then moved to Missoula, Montana where she has enjoyed living across the street from her high school and in walking distance from her job at the local carousel in downtown Missoula.
Dakota has been dancing for twelve years doing everything from ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop to lyrical. She has traveled to regionals and nationals with her dance group, where her and the other dancers participated in workshops and brought home many high score medals. Dakota is now working on starting a dance team at her own high school to give opportunities to the other dancers in her community. Dancing will always be a great enjoyment in Dakota’s life.Dakota has also always excelled in art since she started taking a variety of art classes in and outside of school. She has taken several art classes at Hellgate, but watercolor painting is by far her favorite. Dakota also loves taking the culinary classes offered at her high school because of her love for food. She hopes to one day go to culinary school and get the opportunity to be a food critic and write for a national magazine such as Bon Appetit. Dakota believes that writing for a food magazine will give her the chance to share her passion for food and explore the culinary world.Dakota is an active member in Hellgate High School’s club, Students Against World Malnutrition, where last year she hosted a benefit dinner at her dance studio with her classmates. The community came together and donated money to watch various high school performers. The proceeds went to Doctors Without Borders and Missoula Medical Aid.