Summer with My Princesses

Every year that I have competed in the the Miss Illinois program, I've had the honor of mentoring a princess through the Princess Program. I take this seriously, because these young girls look up to us titleholders so much--we really are role models for them, and I've had such a rewarding time getting to know my princesses and be a part of their lives! They are so fun, and I love spending time with them and staying connected. I'm in contact with all three of my princesses--Hannah, Bella, and Sophia--and we've had a lot of fun this summer.

During Miss IL week, I got to crown my Miss Northern Suburbs princess Sophia during the Princess Luncheon at a beautiful country club on a golf course. We were so excited to see each other, and it was such a sweet moment when we were holding hands in line, waiting for our turn to go up front so that I could crown her. Then, we enjoyed a lunch and had time to talk and open some gifts, as well as visiting with her Mom, Edna, her sister Kiersten, my mom, and my directors who also attended the luncheon. It was a great afternoon together.




We also had the chance to visit the Marion Fire Station with our princesses. We had lunch there, and then the firefighters took us on a tour of their station, which was interesting. The Mayor of Marion was there, so I was able to meet him and let him know that we were glad to be there. Sophia got to climb inside the fire truck and look around at the end of the tour, and we laughed when one of the firefighters tried on a crown and let some of the contestants try on the firefighter gear. When it was time to get back on the bus, Sophia sat on my lap on the ride back to the Marion Civic Center. :)


I had fun watching Sophia during the introductions and dance number on stage during the Outstanding Pre-Teen/Teen pageant on Friday, and then, on Saturday night--the final night of Miss IL--I was absolutely THRILLED to see her walking toward me on stage with a white rose as I heard my name called as one of the Top Ten Finalists!! It was such a special moment. We hugged and waved, and I was just so glad that she got to be a part of that--what a great way to start the final pageant night. I won't forget it. The next morning, I got to see her along with her mom and sister, and that was also a nice time that we enjoyed. I just love her whole family!

Sophia and I spent more time together on the Fourth of July with my Teen and Pre-Teen titleholders, Kalina and Cassidy, and I look forward to getting together sometime soon! She is a sweetheart, and I really love being around her--she has such an adorable smile and a great attitude. Love you, Sophia!

I have enjoyed seeing my princess Hannah at church this summer, and I took her out to get bubble tea at Fusion Brew. We got to talk about the upcoming school year, her interest in cooking, movies, and summer trips, which was a blast. I'll never forget the facebook photo that she tagged me in a couple years ago that said, "You changed my life." I've learned that individuals are always making an impact on those around them, and it is really a beautiful thing when you find out that you really have positively affected someone and actually know about it. Many times, we really don't understand just how much our words and actions matter, but they do, whether we clearly see the results of them or not.

I also got to see my princess Bella when she came to visit me with her mom and brother at Dairy Queen for Miracle Treat Day. She has been having a busy summer with dance and is excited to become a big sister soon! I was so thankful to have time to sit down and catch up with her and her family, and give her a huge hug...actually several of those!


Love you Sophia, Bella, and Hannah! :)

The Princess Program is open to young ladies of ages 5-12, and for more information, the website is: http://www.missillinois.org/princess/index.html

TOMORROW: Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen!

Everyone loves icecream, so why not stop by your local Dairy Queen and support miracle kids at the same time? Tomorrow, August 11, is Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen. At participating locations, $1 from each Blizzard sold will be donated to Children's Miracle Network! As always, the funds are kept in the communities in which they are raised, so if you donate, you can be sure that you are having a positive impact on kids in your own area.

For those of you in Bloomington/Normal, come see me at the Dairy Queen on College Ave! I'll be there representing the Miss America Organization in supporting CMN from 3:00-4:00 pm.



If you can't make it to a Dairy Queen tomorrow, please consider making a donation online--every dollar helps: https://missamericaforkids.org/m.aspx?i=24788EEA3B471B

For more info, the official website is: http://miracletreatday.com/

"Behind the wheel, there is no such thing as a small distraction."

The Miss Illinois Organization has partnered with State Farm to support a new platform to combat distracted driving and to educate and encourage drivers, especially teen drivers, to practice safe driving habits. This is such an important message, especially in light of the problems that cell phones/texting have caused and the lives that have been lost as a result. I challenge you to take responsibility for your driving choices by committing to not texting while driving, for example. Furthermore, make it known to your family, friends, or whoever may be driving that you won't tolerate any driver to text while you are riding with them. It will take discipline and a sense of conviction to stick to these rules, but it's just not worth the risk to do otherwise!

Did you know that car crashes are the number one killer of teens? In 2009, more than 2,300 young drivers (ages 15-20) were killed in motor vehicle crashes. In my research of distracted driving and stats on teen driving, I found out about State Farm's "Project Ignition," which I am encouraging high schools in IL to consider getting involved with. This program is based on service-learning, in which students learn and get engaged with issues through hands-on experiences in their communities, which is a very powerful and caring way to learn and reach out to others. Here is more info from http://www.sfprojectignition.com/:

"The National Youth Leadership Council® and State Farm® are pleased to announce the availability of $2,000 Project Ignition grants for public high school students and teachers to address teen driver safety through service-learning. Applications are due November 15, 2011.

Students use their own creativity to create impactful awareness and engagement campaigns. Strategies used in the past have included: hosting events and demonstrations; forming community-wide partnerships; working on local and state policy; producing public service announcements; and more.

Twenty-five schools will be chosen to receive $2,000 grants to support the implementation of their campaigns between January and April, 2012. Ten of these 25 schools will be granted an additional $5,000 to support their participation in a significant national conference or event. They will also be given the opportunity to be named "National Leader Schools" and receive an additional $2,500 to go deeper with their campaigns during the 2012-2013 school year.

Applications are due November 15, 2011."















Also, please consider supporting the STANDUP Act, which supports a graduated licensing approach for young drivers. Below is more info from http://www.saferoads4teens.org/standup-act.

"States must meet the following requirements under the STANDUP Act:
Three stages of licensing – learner’s permit, intermediate stage, and full licensure – should be used
Age 16 should be the earliest age for entry into the learner’s permit process
Nighttime driving while unsupervised should be restricted during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages, until full licensure at age 18
Driving while using communication devices (cell phone calls, texting) should be prohibited at least until full licensure at age 18
Unrestricted, full licensure should occur no earlier than age 18
Passengers should be restricted – no more than one non-familial passenger under age 21 unless a licensed driver over age 21 is in the vehicle – until full licensure at age 18

Compliance with the requirements within the first three years after enactment will make states eligible for incentive grants.

Do GDL Systems Really Reduce Crashes and Save Lives? Yes!

•In 1997, the first full year of its GDL system, Florida experienced a 9% reduction in fatal and injury crashes for 15-17 year-olds, compared with 1995. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1999)
•Researchers examined GDL systems implemented in 1997 in Michigan and North Carolina, which were considered among the country's most comprehensive programs. Comparing 1999 with 1996 data, crashes involving 16-year-old drivers decreased by 25% in Michigan and 27% in North Carolina. (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2001)
•In California, the alcohol-related crash rate of 16-year-olds dropped 16 percent in the first year after the GDL law took effect and 13 percent in the second year when compared with the crash rate of 16-year-olds before the law was in place. (Automobile Club of Southern California, 2002)
•In California, teenage passenger deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving 16-year-old drivers declined by 40 percent statewide from 1998 through 2000, the first three years of the program. In addition, the number of at-fault collisions involving 16-year-old drivers decreased by 24 percent. (Automobile Club of Southern California, 2001)
•Oregon's GDL system was particularly effective with male teen drivers. Those who completed the GDL system experienced 16% fewer crashes during their first year of driving compared to those who had not received their license under the GDL system. (NHTSA, 1998)"

I took the time to write to our members of Congress, urging them to support this act. You can do the same here: http://www.capitolconnect.com/saferoads4teens/ It only takes a moment..

Fourth of July with my Northern Suburbs Family

After the Miss IL pageant concluded, I had the privilege of road-tripping all the way up to the Chicago area with my Teen Kalina, Pre-Teen Cassidy, and Cassidy's mom Janine--thank you for driving up the whole state IL! It was such a good time for me to spend with them, and we really bonded together. We were all pretty tired and slaphappy that day, so we have quite a few inside jokes and funny memories. (For the record, I really do love you girls, no matter what you say! Haha!)

On Independence Day, our directors and my princess Sophia joined us for the Lake Villa Fourth of July. It was a very hot, sunny day, so lots of the kids watching the parade had squirt guns...one boy actually squirted us as we went by on our festive float! I gave out some autographed photos, and we all had a good time meeting other titleholders at the parade, a troop of girl scouts, and two groups of senior citizens from local nursing homes.

After the parade, we visited The Willows--a Senior Living Facility--where we delivered over 200 handmade Fourth of July cards! It took us several hours to decorate each homemade card with festive stickers and celebratory messages. Each resident has a clip outside their room to receive mail, so we split up and delivered the cards to every room on each of the floors. Kalina and I met a couple cute elderly ladies and had our picture taken together after our conversation. We also met an older woman who was excited about going downstairs for a date! I spotted a baby grand piano in a lounge area, so when we were done delivering the cards, I sat down and performed several pieces. Cassidy and I also sang the Star Spangled Banner. The music helped to coax several residents out of their rooms to watch, including one gentleman who just kept smiling as he listened. We were glad to bring joy to their day!For lunch, Janine invited everyone to her home for a delicious barbecue, and I enjoyed spending more time with my girls, their family members, and Mr. and Mrs. Harwood. Thank you to Janine for being such a wonderful hostess! Later, Kalina and I stopped by Cassidy's softball game and then it was time for us to head home. Thank you to Kalina's mom, Sharon, for driving me part of the way home! It was a great weekend of bonding and reaching out to the people of Lake Villa, IL. I'm so proud of the Miss Northern Suburbs titleholders for showing that we are committed to continuing to represent the Miss America Organization to the best of our abilities. This is truly a special group that I am honored to be part of. Love you all!