Santana Maynard graduated from Marshall University at the age of 19 with three degrees in criminal justice, Japanese, education and a minor. Maynard was featured as an extra in “We Are Marshall” and “Burning Annie” and visits conventions all over the country, where her cosplay has been featured in “1000 Incredible Cosplay and Costume Ideas” by YayaHan and in the Japanese magazine, Cosmode Magazine.

Maynard is competing to win Miss Jetset 2015. If Maynard wins, she will be awarded $100,000 and fly out to Arizona to be featured on the cover of Jetset magazine. Maynard said she plans on using some of the money to donate toward Little Victories, The Humane Society and The American Heart Association.

Maynard’s reasons for donating to those organizations are personal.

“I’m a huge animal advocate,” Maynard said. “I have always loved animals and want to do everything I can to help them. The American Heart Association is something that hits close to home, as my grandmother died with heart problems and she was like a second mom to me. I know a lot of people that have suffered from heart conditions and I work with the Heart Association at my local school, educating kids and doing fundraisers for them.”

Maynard wants to use her title as Miss Jetset 2015 to represent West Virginia and put a positive light on cosplay.

“I’m going to be in Miss Jetset Magazine, regardless if I win or not,” Maynard said. “But now I have the opportunity to win the title of Miss Jetset, which will represent West Virginia on its cover. If I get the cover, I will have a much bigger platform to work off of because this will open up so many doors and opportunities for me to able to talk about the causes I’m working for and even help represent cosplay in a positive light to get my own voice heard out there a lot more.”

Cosplay was not originally what Maynard wanted to do within entertaining. Maynard started singing professionally at age 9 and has sung at venues around the Tri-State, as well as at venues in Nashville, Tennessee. Maynard released her debut extended play titled “Prison Key” in February of this year and opened up for Brad Paisley.

“He (Paisley) was really nice,” Maynard said. “He seemed to have really liked my music.”

Voting for Miss Jetset 2015 ends Dec. 10 and voters are allowed to vote once every 12 hours.

Desmond Groves can be contacted at [email protected]