Springtime Travels

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Springtime Travels

Missouri is famous for our fickle weather – if you don’t like it, just wait 24 hours and you can experience a completely different season! This winter, I experienced my fill of rain, sleet, snow and ice, and needless to say, I’m relieved spring is finally here, because the beautiful weather is making my road trips much more enjoyable!

I recently attended the Deer Classic in Columbia as a guest of the Missouri Trappers Association, a long-standing sponsor of the Miss Missouri Pageant. I signed autographs and visited with guests all morning, then had the opportunity to check out the vendor booths at the event. From camouflage to a live Kodiak bear, anything and everything in the outdoors was there! I met vendors from across Mid-Missouri and beyond who were there representing their various organizations, promoting wildlife foundations, selling hand-made goods, and learning more about the great outdoors. Thank you to Jonathan and the Trappers for showing me a great visit!

Another classic in Columbia took place that evening – the Miss Columbia Pageant! Congratulations to Miss Columbia 2010, Alexis Albright, a violinist who will be representing Columbia in the 2010 Miss Missouri Pageant!

School visits are always some of my favorite appearances, because I love working with children and teenagers. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Webster Groves High School in St. Louis, as I shared my eating disorders presentation with six different classes! My visit was made possible through the McCallum Place Eating Disorders Treatment Center, my platform partner. As a community outreach spokesperson for McCallum, I have been able to reach even more audiences this year with a positive message about eating disorders education and prevention. Thank you to Mr. Wright and Mrs. Unterreiner’s classes for your excellent questions and attentiveness and for showing me around your school!

With spring just around the corner, I was so excited to head to the Lake of the Ozarks to be the Grand Marshall in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade! But in typical Missouri fashion, Mother Nature decided to send a cold front our way for the day. Fortunately, any weather is good weather for having fun at the Lake, because the streets were lined with people excited for St. Patrick’s Day! There was plenty of green, plenty of candy, and plenty of bling in the parade – I was joined by Miss Lake of the Ozarks – Sydney Friar, Miss Lake of the Ozarks Outstanding Teen – Taylor Deen, and the Little Miss Lake of the Ozarks title holders – Aiyanna, Siegrid, and Jasmine! A very special thank you to Wendy White for arranging our appearance and to Austin White for being my fabulous driver in the parade! I had so much fun catching up with my former board members, the new titleholders, and meeting new friends at the Lake this weekend!

Another school visit was in store for me Monday, this time in Vandalia, at the Van-Far elementary, junior high, and high schools. I spent the morning visiting with each classroom from kindergarten through sixth grade, speaking about the Miss Missouri and Miss America Organizations, answering questions, and signing autographs for the kids. Though many of the students had never seen the Miss America Pageant on TV, they all knew exactly what a beauty pageant was, even if they weren’t quite sure how one goes about winning a pageant. The best explanation of the day was from a second grade boy when I asked if his class knew who Miss Missouri was. His little hand shot up into the air and he was so excited to announce to his class, “YOU! You are Miss Missouri! And you won because you were the best lookin’ girl in the state!” I will forever think of that little boy every time I have a bad hair day…

During lunch time, I met the older students and spent the hour signing autographs and taking pictures in between bites of the school lunch – a cheeseburger and fries that brought me back to my own high school cafeteria.

After lunch, we headed to the gym for an assembly with students from 7^th grade through 12^th grade. This time, my presentation was a little different than usual – I spoke to them about character building and how to break the cycle of self-destruction. I quickly learned that there was a significant drug, alcohol, and tobacco problem at this school, and shared my experiences as a juvenile drug rehabilitation mentor in college to illustrate to the students how one destructive decision now can affect them for life. This was by far the most impactful school visit I have had all year. After my presentation, students lined up to share their stories and ask advice about relationships, behavioral problems, and health issues they are currently facing. For an hour and a half, we talked and hugged, laughed and cried, as the students opened themselves up. I can only hope that I have changed their lives even a fraction as much as they have changed mine, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to visit the students at Van-Far.

One of the students I met there, JaLee, is actively involved in FCCLA and holds a state officer position, so after my visit, we spend some time chatting about leadership and fundraising ideas. She told me that FCCLA had recently adopted the Children’s Miracle Network as its community service project, so I shared some of my experiences and ideas on how to promote the CMN in her school and community. A few days later, JaLee emailed me to see if I would be interested in speaking to all the FCCLA students at their state conference in Columbia! I was honored to join her at the Missouri FCCLA Conference and speak at a break-out session about FUNdraising, specifically on behalf of the new partnership with CMN. Later in the afternoon, I accepted the money raised by the students for CMN - $1,250! I am so excited about the partnership between FCCLA and CMN, and wish congratulations and the best of luck to all the organization’s members as they fundraise for the cause and for their own chapters. I saw some familiar faces in the crowd too – students from schools I have visited this year, along with Missouri’s very own McKensie Garber (Miss Gateway to the West’s Outstanding Teen) and Samantha Caraway (Miss Kirksville’s Outstanding Teen)! Thank you to JaLee and Van-Far’s FCCLA for inviting me to be a part of the day!

Next up was an event I have been a part of for six years – the Heartland Task Force’s Annual Daddy/Daughter Dance in Kirksville! I first became involved in this event as a member of Eta Sigma Gamma, an organization at Truman State University that sponsors and volunteers at this event. I am a passionate advocate of the Heartland Task Force and the work they do to provide positive experiences and build strong relationships and personal character within the community of Northeast Missouri. I was joined by Miss Northeast Counties – Mary Bauer, Miss Northeast Counties’ Outstanding Teen – Madison Chambers, Miss Kirksville’s Outstanding Teen – Samantha Caraway, and Miss Kansas City’s Outstanding Teen – Morgan Carnes. We signed autographs, took pictures with the girls, and danced the night away! I had so much fun catching up with Dr. Carol Cox, one of my professors from Truman State University, the members of Eta Sigma Gamma, and of course, my sister, a junior at Truman!

Bright and early the next morning, I headed to downtown St. Louis to emcee the National Eating Disorders Association Walk in Tower Grove Park. With over 200 registered walkers, we had a great turnout to raise awareness and money for eating disorders. Volunteers staffed booths selling eating disorders awareness ribbon jewelry, providing ED and behavioral medicine information, and contributing to a community art project by the attendees of the walk. After coffee, fruit, and bagels provided by Starbucks and Whole Foods, walkers participated in a warm-up, and then they were off! They took the one-mile route by storm, all in the name of their friends and families affected by eating disorders.

After starting the walk, I headed straight to Mexico for the Miss Missouri Contestants’ Orientation. Although I missed the morning activities, I felt right at home with the contestants, directors, and volunteers when I arrived. I shared my experiences as Miss Missouri, and talked to the contestants about what to expect leading up to pageant week and after the crowning, whether they win or lose. I am so proud of our 24 contestants this year – they truly are a wonderful group of young women. I am enjoying my last few months as Miss Missouri, but they are bittersweet, because as much as I love this job and all the opportunities it brings, I am so excited to see these girls in action and to see who will be crowned Miss Missouri 2010.