Tim Priest Photoshoot!! :)

Yesterday was my photoshoot with fashion photographer, Tim Priest, and it was an AMAZING experience! I had such a blast! He was really nice and very funny! Everything was unique, original, edgy, and different!! I loved it!

I had five outfits chosen and had three different hairstyles. The make-up was amazing and my hair was great and looked flaming red! Alicia, Tim's assistant for hair and makeup, is so talented! And she is very sweet and supportive. The photoshoot was in Grand Rapids at 9 A.M. but I didn't get finished until 12:30pm. Tim knew of some really great backdrops around Grand Rapids for the outdoor shots. My USA sister queen, Elisabeth Crawford, had her photoshoot after me!

I had a few photos taken downtown right in the middle of rush hour traffic right beside the outdoor skating rink! They are some of my favorite pictures! A man driving by in his car told Tim that we could not work in the street according to Police regulation, but after the man drove around the block we went back and got the shot! My mom heard people commenting "I bet she is cold!!" Yes, I was. It was freezing out there! But I was all too happy to do the photoshoot! Even two Griffins ice hockey players walked by so my mom grabbed them for pictures too! It was just a wonderful day for me in every way! :)

I am SOO excited to see the pictures when they come back to me on a disk! I had my mom take some behind the scene pictures so you can see a little bit of how my day went! I will post my professional photos at a later date after I recieve them!

This was a great experience for me because my ambition is to return to Paris, France after I graduate from high school to model for two years! Then I will return to the US and continue modeling here. At least that is the plan! Yesterday's photoshoot was just another fantastic opportunity leading me toward my career ambitions! I am excited to see what other blessings God will have in store for me throughout this year and the rest of my life! :)

God bless!

Elizabeth :)

"The Friendly Forest"

Today was such a busy, but very fun day! After spending time with wonderful senior citizens this morning with the NOF Walk in Sterling Heights, I switched gears in the afternoon and volunteered to serve the very young citizens in Clarkston (my hometown)!! :)

As a member of the Octagon Club (formerly known as the Optimist Club) we are a school based group of students that volunteer in our community. Every year we have the "Friendly Forest" where little ones can come to "trick or treat" while accompanied by their parents in a safe and happy environment. Last year I was the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz and this year I was "Fiona" from Shrek! I was supposed to be "Lady Liberty" (better known as the Statue of Liberty) but Shrek needed a partner and so I was switched. I was willing to help out wherever I was needed! I had a blast, as always, and I know that the parents appreciated our efforts while providing a fun spot for their children to celebrate the Halloween season! :)

The "forest" was filled with all kinds of fun characters: Batman, Cinderella, Tigger the Tiger, Belle, the Teacup, Spongebob and Patrick, etc. While handing out candy may seem like such a small, frivolous thing to do, it brought smiles to the children's faces and to us volunteers as well! I wonder what I will be for next year!
Happy Halloween everyone! Boo! :)

National Osteoporosis Foundation

Today is World Osteoporosis Day! And Osteoporosis prevention is my personal platform issue!!!

It was such an honor to be invited to speak at the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF)event this morning at the Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights and participate in their "walk." I arrived bright and early at 7:30am and stayed until it's conclusion until 9:30am. I finally had the chance to meet the woman I have been working with since January 2007! Her name is Kris House and she is the Event Coordinator at the Headquarter offices in Washington, D.C. It was so nice to finally meet her and put a face with her voice!!! I brought her a bouquet of flowers to thank her for all of the help and information she has given to me this year and to congratulate her on her recent engagement!

In partnership with NOF, the Ladies Home Journal staff was also at the event! I had the opportunity to meet some very special ladies associated with their magazine! I was then introduced to the event partcicipants and spoke about my passion for informing teens and younger children about the importance of preventing Osteoporosis. I shared my story and how I became the youngest member (at 16) of NOF. Then we had a brief warm up with stretching exercises and then we were led through the mall for a one mile trek! The mall wasn't even open yet because it was so early, but it gave me the opportunity to meet some lovely elders and speak about an issue that is close to my heart!!! :)

I also had my very first Bone Density test today! This was a heel test (not a full body scan) but it was a good start and it usually requires that you must be 18 years of age to have this test. I feel it is imparitive that I set an example for other teens and young adults to be tested early so my mom gave her permission for me to be tested and begin planning for my own personal prevention of Osteoporosis! The test was totally pain free! I put my left heel in a machine that registered numbers and tested my bones to see if they were healthy or not. My bone density test range was normal!! YEAH! And now I have a base line with which to compare every year! :)

I became involved with this organization, one year ago, as I was preparing for another pageant, in another system, that required me to perform a talent. I chose to dance! I was fortunate enough to have a former Miss Michigan choreograph a beautiful contemporary theatrical dance to Barry Manilow's "Copacabana!" I LOVE this dance! As I was rehearsing part of it, I was required to run across the dance floor, drop down to the floor on my hip and slide toward the judges (in this case the mirrored wall) but when I dropped to the floor to slide I came to a complete stop. I knew immediately that I had injured my back. It was like a stabbing needles all around my spine/vertebrae.

I did not see a doctor for 3 weeks thinking the pain would eventually go away. I ended up in a Chiropractors office. I had x-rays taken and it was determined that I have Scoliosis (at 12% which we now know does not qualify as a "true" scoliosis which would be 20%) and I also had noticed that my left side of my ribcage was hurting so I asked him what it could possibly be. Scaring me half to death, he informed me it could "possibly be" a bone tumor on my ribcage. I left the office terrified thinking that, at 15 years old at the time, I might have a tumor so I looked for anything I could find on the Internet about bone care and bone health. (I learned that I never had a tumor ~ it is just extra cartlidge that had grown at the tip of my ribcage.) That is when I found the National Osteoporosis Foundation! I read everything on that website and noticed that they didn't have information for teens or younger kids either. I wrote to NOF and told them that I would be interested in being their National Teen Spokesperson to bring awareness and education to my peers! I have been working very hard to learn all the information I can about Osteoporosis and how to prevent it. I believe that the decisions we make today about our bodies will effect our future. We need to begin taking care of ourselves now, not later!

I am so happy that I was able to participate with NOF this morning as it is World Osteoporosis Day and I encourage all of you to begin to take care of yourselves too! :)

Student of the Month :)

A few days before I began writing these blogs, I learned that I was one of twelve students named as a Student of the Month at Clarkston High School! There are 109 teachers at my school and approximately 1900 in the school of Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. I was completely surprised, thrilled, and humbled all at the same time! A very special luncheon was given in our honor and we each recieved a certificate as well! We were awarded for: "Positive contributions we have made to CHS for academic achievement, attitude & behavior."

I was delighted to learn that it was my Psychology teacher, Ms. Peggy Grasso, that recommended me for this award! She is a former Psychologist, and for those of you that may not know it, I plan to become a Licensed Psychologist in the future! Ms. Grasso wrote very glowing remarks about me (which I was given to keep) and I felt like it was a confirmation that I am on the right path for my life and career where I can help others to lead happy and successful lives!

Homecoming 2007!!!!

Guess what!?!?! Titanic!!! That was the theme of this years Homecoming Dance! I was unable to go to the Homecoming football game Friday night (Oct 5th) because I had alot of homework. Our school was featured on Friday Football Frenzy! Not only was the game taped, but before school at the Frenzy and our pep rally in the late afternoon was aired too!!! Did anyone see me on TV?!?!?! Haha! I love our pep rallies! They really get the football team pumped up as we are still undefeated!!! GO WOLVES!!!!

Getting back to the dance : ) There were over 2,000 students in the gymnasium!!! It was 120 degrees on the dance floor! I'm not kidding either! It was insane! Even two kids fainted, but thankfully they were okay. It was ironic that our theme was Titanic because we were drenched in sweat and the floor was covered in our puddles of sweat. We were "swimming in the music" and had a blast!!!!

I absolutely LOVE my homecoming gown!!! : ) I bought it before I knew the theme was Titanic. The style fit perfectly and my red hair reflected that too (I think I looked like Kate Winslet who played Rose in the Titanic with Leonardo Decaprio!!! : )) I didn't have a date so a whole bunch of my friends rented a limo and we fit 16 of us inside it!!! It was AMAZING! I wouldn't mind riding in a limo all the time ; ) !!!!! We had great pictures taken at a gazebo and under a rustic/abandoned carriage shed for horses. And then after the dance we went bowling, which is a tradition for our group after every dance!!! It was a fun night and a memory I will cherish forever!!!!

Walk For Autism

My first official appearance as Miss Michigan Teen USA 2008 was on September 30th at the Detroit Zoo! But that was not where the story begins! On July 4th at a crafts fair in Clarkston I met a woman named Kelly. At the time I was holding a different state title and she requested that I please attend the walk. I explained that I would no longer be holding that title on the date of the walk. She said "no problem, please come."

I always keep my word whenever possible and promised to attend. I am so glad I did! What a wonderful opportunity to become involved in something that was very special and completely new to me. What I really appreciated was that information was posted on signs all the way through the one mile walk with facts and statistics about Autism. I learned alot during that walk and met some extraordinary parents and children who live with this condition everyday. I hope to return again next year!

I had the privilege of meeting some new queens and seeing some old friends as well along the route! It was nice to see so many people help this charity!

I recieved an e-mail from Kelly, the woman who invited me, and she informed me that this event raised over $512,000 for research for Autism!! I am thrilled I was a part of this amazing event!

What a blessing!!!

Hello everyone!
I am Elizabeth Anne Hawthorne the new Miss Michigan Teen USA 2008!! Sometimes I still can't believe it!

I wanted to write about my experience at the state pageant in Port Huron! But before I get into the pageant, I wanted to talk about the prep team for the make-up seminar held a month earlier in Ann Arbor. These ladies are amazing! I think I had the lightest skin at the seminar and they gave me some tips that I can use in my future! It was nice to meet some of the girls that I would be getting to know over the weekend of Sept 20-22nd! We even had a group photo at the end! The staff really made all of us girls feel welcome and comfortable during the make-up session and during the pageant weekend!

Okay ~ the pageant!!! The registration was a breeze! I had everything organized and ready to go so I could get ready for an amazing time at the pageant! It was nice to see the ladies from the prep class again and they were warm and gracious as always! They helped keep us comfortable and secure all weekend long! After registration, I moved into the hotel room and met my roommate and new friend, Heather, she made the weekend SO much fun!

Later that night we had an Orientation and were introduced to the rest of the staff. Kent was our choreographer and worked us hard! It felt great and he made it so much fun! We danced right after the Orientation for 5 hours! But, of course, we had a break for a salad dinner! We all tried out for a spot in the front of the dance line, for the opening number, and I was one of the top 9 girls to be chosen and I was excited! No pressure right??!!! ;)

After we all left the auditorium for the night we boarded a bus that transported us from the hotel to the theater. Heather and I stayed up and talked for awhile so we could get to know each other! She is an amazing person and our personalities clicked!

The next morning was the Interview. I was excited, but relaxed, and ready for them to see who I am as a person! I went to the first table, with 3 judges, and they were very nice! The next table had a set of judges as well and were a lot of fun too!! Here are some of the questions I was asked:

Why do you want to be a Psychologist?

If you were on Americas Next Top Model, how would you act?

If you win Miss Michigan Teen USA, you get to travel all over the world, where would you want to go?

I had the best interview of my life and I was very confident and happy with the outcome! :)

After the interview, both Heather and I had a lot of time to get ready, eat breakfast, and just hang out. At the time it felt like forever because our interviews were around 8ish in the morning and we had until 12 noon to get on the bus to return for more rehearsals in the auditorium!

We boarded the bus and went back to the theater for lunch and then more rehearsing (this time it was only 3 hours long.) It was a dress rehearsal for Swimwear and Formalwear. We then had a break for dinner. After dinner we had to get ready for the Preliminary competition. I had a BLAST on stage! It was my first time in a Swimwear competition! We were told to pose at each stair and marked spot. I felt very confident in both my formal wear and swimwear! After competition we went back to the hotel to get some rest!

The last day (Saturday) was the afternoon of our final pageant! It was sad packing and getting ready to leave because Heather and I had become close friends so quickly! And the weekend would be over before we knew it.

The auditorium was very full for the competition. We could hear the audience cheering and ready to watch us compete! I had so much fun with the opening number! I loved the song (it talked about being different and had a bit of a rock sound to it) and the choreography was awesome!!! The crowd loved it! :)

Then came the annoucement of the top 15 girls that would re~compete for top 5 spot. I was full of butterflies and knew whoever was going to be called for these 15 spots, would happen for a reason! I was the 13th one called! I remember the emcee saying something like "It's not the Price Is Right, but come on down Elizabeth Hawthorne, Miss Clarkston!" I was so ecstatic when I heard my name called! We re~competed in swimwear and formal wear ~ just us 15 contestants. I remember thinking " I hope I don't trip!" After the competition was scored, the emcees called the top 5 girls to compete for the title and court by answering an on stage question. I was the 3rd one called! It was funny because I remember thinking to myself "If I make the top 5 I want to be the 3rd one called!" We all got great questions! Each judge wrote a question on a piece of paper and the questions were put in a fish bowl for us to pull out. My question was: "What class would you create for a school that doesn't already offer it and why?" (Of course I can't tell you my answer!!)

After all the girls answered their question we all walked to the middle of the stage where we stood on a dot in the middle of the half cirlce we had created. We each stood in the center under a spotlight while the Emcee asked, "Will Miss _____ be our new Teen Queen?" while the audience applauded for their favorite. It was exciting to hear the crowd go wild for all five of us! Then we exited the stage. At this time all of the teen contestants came back on stage for the other awards (Miss Congeniality and Miss Photogenic). After those were announced, the top 5 came back on stage and were annouced as the court and the new Miss Michigan Teen USA winner.

I was so thankful to even get as far as top 5 and knew it was up to God on what happened next! Our futures were in His hands. Casy was called 4th runner up, then 3rd runner up was Chelsea, 2nd was Vera, and the last 2 of us was my good friend, Cameron, and me. We faced each other and held hands. We both agreed that at this point it didn't matter which one of us won because we were supportive of each other! Cameron and I have competed together before and she is a great competitor and friend! I remember thinking she looked stunning! When they called Cameron's name as the first runner up, that meant I won!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!!! I cried. I cried because I knew how very blessed I was for this wonderful, unique, and very special opportunity! Not many girls have the chance to be crowned Miss Michigan Teen USA!!!!! Caitlin Klug was last years Teen queen and she crowned me!! It was especially touching because she is one of my friends and I have known her for many years! I don't even think I bent down to make it easier for her to put the crown on myhead ~ she is a bit shorter than I am!!! I was so excited and I just don't remember if I bent down or not! I need to watch the DVD to see all the details that I don't remember in my excitement! LOL!

I'm thrilled and very appreciative to go to Nationals! To have this opportunity to experience some great volunteer and charity events during the year is especially humbling ~ I can't wait!!! :) I am looking forward to the photoshoots, hair and make-up assistance, trunk shows, and media events that I am invited to. The prizes are unbelievable!!! A $34,000 scholarship to Baker College, the photoshoots, modeling representation, a digitial camera as well as a new dress for Nationals, and too much to mention here!

After talking to the judges and the director, our family went to a new hotel so we could rest a bit and get something for dinner. Then I had to get redressed and prepare for the Miss pageant! When I walked backstage at the Miss pageant, I had a chance to meet the girls as a group because they were doing last minute practice with Kent. I later went out to get pictures taken on the red carpet before the pageant started! It was a lot of fun and great practice for the National pageant!!! I was very excited for the Miss competition to begin because I knew some of the girls competing! They were all awesome and looked beautiful! During their show I was interviewed by the emcee's about my plans throughout my reign and what it felt like to win! I honestly don't remember what I said because I was still so excited from winning! I did have the opportunity to talk about an issue I am very passionate about ~ Osteoporosis! I will tell you more about that in another blog ! At the conclusion of the Miss pageant it was announced that Elisabeth Crawford won and was crowned Miss Michigan USA 2008! She is a sweetheart! YEAH for the "Elizabeths"!!! Only difference is I have a Z and she has an S! Guess we need to come up with some nicknames!

After Elisabeth's crowning and pictures we went to the Afterglow Party! I had never been to one and had no idea what to expect. The party was a lot of fun and I had my first chocolate strawberry from a chocolate fountain! We both had a chance to mingle a little bit with many supporters and had the opportunity to speak with the judges as well. Caitlin and I said our goodbyes and we promised to keep in touch!

After all the excitment of the party I went back to the hotel and put my crown and banner (sash) on my pillow next to me. The former queens told me it will bring me good luck! It was really cool to wake up looking at the crown the next morning knowing that it was not a dream afterall and that I really am the Miss Michigan Teen USA 2008!!! :)

I am blessed beyond measure and honored to have this title!!! I am SO excited for the rest of the year ahead of me and what I can accomplish in and for my state and community!!!

A very special thank you for all of the support so many of you have given to me throughout the years to get to this place in my life!!! May the Lord pour out His blessings on you!

With much love,

Elizabeth Anne Hawthorne
Miss Michigan Teen USA 2008

16 years old