Gabriela Paulino learned from her earliest days to seize every moment. The 14-year-old Cranston native is set to compete in the National American Miss Junior Teen competition this fall.

Born prematurely at 28 weeks, Paulino weighed only 2 pounds and 10 ounces. She spent nearly two months in Women and Infant’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). According to Paulino, she had intraventricular hemorrhage; she was bleeding on both sides of her brain and had jaundice. Her parents said she faced a 50/50 chance of survival.

But as Paulino said herself, if it’s one thing she knows, it’s perseverance. Since her time in the NICU, Paulino has made it her mission to go after her dreams and lead a full life.

Gabriela’s father Joel Paulino said with everything their daughter has been through, their idea was to keep going.

“We want to make sure that she always believes in herself as we believe in her,” Joel said.

He said he and his wife want to support her any way they can and help her to follow her dreams.

“I hope to one day see her achieve the goals that she set for herself,” Joel said. “I know she’s unstoppable, she’ll make it happen.”

She earned her title as National American Miss Rhode Island Junior Teen in early July at the National American Miss (NAM) pageant in Springfield, Mass. According to its official website, the goal of the pageant is “to grow confidence and teach real world skills.”

The NAM pageant scores across three categories. Community service through donations, style through a formal wear competition and communication through a 30-second personal introduction and one-on-one interviews between the selection committee and each finalist.

The New England competition includes seven states: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Upstate New York.

Paulino, who will be attending Cranston High School West in the fall, said she always loved pageantry and winning the state title was something out of a dream.

“I was really just surprised,” Paulino said. “I just felt like that was a moment to remember. It’s something I’ve dreamed of ever since I was young.”

This is Paulino’s first pageant and in addition to becoming a state queen, she also won the titles for New England Junior Teen Miss Spirit and Best Resume.

“It’s made me really think about how I can help my community…it made me realize that I don’t have to be older to start helping,” Paulino said. “I can help right now. No age is too young to help your community.”

Enter Paulino’s newest endeavor, her nonprofit called Tiniest Fighters. Launched on July 18, Paulino said the goal of her nonprofit is provide support for NICUs and give back through donations like clothes, which she said she received when she went through the NICU.

She said the goal is to make her nonprofit national but will focus on starting in Rhode Island. Her first step is building a connection with Women and Infant’s NICU department, the place where 14 years ago, she was a patient herself.

“My nonprofit is here to stay, it’s not just for my one-year reign,” Paulino said. “I would love to help as much as I possibly can…I really want to just give back.”

As Paulino continues her work with Tiniest Fighters she will also be preparing to compete at the National American Miss Junior Teen for the title against other contestants across the country.

“I am the living proof that no dream is too big,” Paulino said. “And [that] you can always keep trying because you [can] never expect what [will] come your way.”

Paulino also won People’s Choice for Rhode Island in the senior category. She will now compete nationally for that title as well, in September, according to the People’s Choice by Georgina Vaughan Photography website.

The National American Miss Junior Teen competition will be held in Orlando, Florida in November during Thanksgiving week, from Nov. 22 to Nov. 29.