Miss Tri Counties, Laura Hampikian has a strong love for the arts, "As a titleholder in the Miss America system I think it is extremely important to support the arts. One of the things that sets the Miss America Organization apart from other pageant systems is the talent portion of competition." Laura is a singer by trade and has been known to showcase a few jazz tunes in the past. Recently she volunteered at the internationally renown jazz festival Moscow.

Laura said, "Friday night I helped sell buttons and heard some incredible jazz. Among the performers were Take 6, the Jeff Hamilton Trio, Regina Carter, Sara Caswell, and Dee Daniels just to name a few. Saturday night I was able to attend a reception at the President’s house with one of my very best friends (and also our student body president), Hannah Davis."