Hershey native named 'Miss June' for Playboy

Since 1953, Hugh Hefner's Playboy magazine has been the go-to for adult men's magazine. Marilyn Monroe, Farrah Fawcett, Kim Kardashian, Carmen Electra and Pamela Anderson are just a few of the faces that have graced Playboys' pages over the years.

Hershey's own Kaylia Cassandra will now add her name to the list, as she's been selected as the June 2015 Playboy Playmate.

"I'm very, very excited. It's happening right now," Cassandra said via a phone interview. "Exciting isn't even the word. It's speechless. It hasn't really sunk in until I just heard it (Miss June) in this interview. It's my month."

Cassandra was first shot for Playboy Cyber Girl, which is used to get a foot in the door for Playboy, according to vice president of of public relations, Theresa Hennessey. Following her shoot, she was asked to test for Playboy, but she didn't make it.

However last year, Cassandra was asked to test again, and she "made her dream a reality."

"Josh Ryan (Playboy photographer) called me, emailed me and tried to get ahold of me anyway he could. I was hesitant at first, because I was in school," said Cassandra, who attended Harrisburg Area Community College as a medical assistant major. "I thought that school could hold off. So I talked to Josh and flew out to test a week later."

Her test went well, apparently, as she was awarded the centerfold and named Miss June 2015 for Playboy.

"I was in shock. I never thought it would happen," Cassandra said. "To hear that was my title and I made it, I didn't know what it was like. Seeing it on the newsstands was unreal to me. I purchased it and saw my photos in the centerfold."

Cassandra said she first got interested in Playboy when she was with her grandmother one day. Her 6-foot-1-inch grandmother told her granddaughter that she was a part of Playboy's Tall Club back in the day. After hearing that and seeing the Playboy logo everywhere, she knew that is where she wanted to be.

So far, Cassanda has had support from her friends and family, saying that they couldn't believe she did it, and that she has been a "local inspiration to the community seeing that I accomplished this."

But being from an ultra-conservative area such as Hershey, the feedback has yet to be seen, but it could vary.

"I don't really worry about it. I can understand how they would feel that way, but I'm very proud of what I've done and what I've accomplished," said Cassandra. "Not all of the photos are nude, so they have that option. I understand that it's a very conservative area, but it was very a classy shoot."

Cassandra joins the likes of Delores Wells (Miss June 1960), of Reading, Brook Richards (Miss December 1999), of York and Kayla Collins (Miss August 2008), of Reading, as a local to become a Playboy Playmate.

But for now, she's the only Hershey native to become a centerfold.

"I wouldn't mind holding the title as the only person from the area, but if that's someone's dream to do that, I hope they do it," Cassandra said. "They can see I accomplished it, and they can try their hardest to get there."

Cassandra wasn't very nervous about the shoot, because it actually required her to pack less.

No, really.

"I was a little nervous, but very comfortable. Packing stresses me out," she said. "Knowing I was going to be shot nude took the stress off, because I didn't have to pack as many clothes."

With the title of Miss June, Cassandra will be an ambassador for the publication, partake in events at the Playboy Mansion – which Cassandra said is an amazing place and a lot of fun – and do public appearances, hopefully including one in Hershey.

"I will be doing some public appearances. I hope to do one in Hershey, as well as traveling a lot," Cassandra said. "I do sign autographs a lot. I'm just getting into it, so I'm excited for where the journey will take me."

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