'Toddlers & Tiaras' Cast: Where Are They Now?

Though she was barely old enough to know what pageants were back in the day, Ava Perez and her enthusiastic dad David were in love with the pageant life — including everything from costume designing and routine choreographing to hair and makeup. "To some people, I probably seemed a bit over the top. But to my dad, I was his princess," Perez told PEOPLE in 2021.

Perez's interests stretch beyond pageants, but she's grateful for the lessons she's learned throughout the years. "I had learned about confidence from a young age," she said. "My dad also taught me you get out of life what you put into it. That is why I'm always dedicated and determined in everything I do, whether it's my music or my academics."