The 29-year-old, who was crowned Miss Kentucky in 2014, told a court she continued to sext the boy when he asked for more photos because she "was afraid not to appease him".
She pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of possessing material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct.
The court was told the boy also sent nude photos of himself when the pair exchanged sexts between August and October 2018.
She was arrested and charged in December that year after one of the student's parents found the photos of Bearse on his phone, according to a criminal complaint.
The photos were of her "nude breast/chest area," the West Virginia Metro News reported at the time.
Bearse was fired from her job as a science teacher as a result of the case. Photo / Getty
Bearse lost her job as year 8 science teacher as a result of the case.
"Since I am the adult, and he was just a teenager, it is my fault, and I accept full blame for the situation," Bearse said.
"So that's how I'm guilty of this crime. I messed up big-time."
She is due to be sentenced next month and faces years in jail.
Bearse also faces 50 years on probation and may be put on the sex offenders' register for life.
Bearse played bluegrass music when she was crowned Miss Kentucky and was raising awareness of multiple sclerosis, which she was diagnosed with in 2010.
She served as an ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Bearse was known as "The Girl with the Green Fiddle" during her time on the pageant circuit.
She is not the only former Miss Kentucky to be arrested.
In 2017, a grand jury indicted 28-year-old Kia Hampton for smuggling marijuana into an Ohio prison for an inmate.
