Clarkston Youth Recognition Volunteer Award :)

I have a passion for volunteering!! I started volunteer work when I was 12 years old at a Homeless Shelter for Women and Children when I lived on the other side of the state. When we moved here in 2005, I continued to work at a different shelter in the Soup Kitchen! It was hard work, but very fullfilling and I was always so deeply blessed by the many "thank-you's" that came my way. Putting a meal into their hands (and stomachs) and a smile on their face made me feel like I really helped to make a difference in someone's life.

Now I volunteer my time with the National Osteoporosis Foundation as their official Teen Ambassador!!!! When I am able I also volunteer for the American Red Cross, Special Olympics, National Kidney Foundation, speaking at middle schools about self-esteem issues, and Christian retreats as well. I also participate in the Autism Walk, SADD Sticker Shock Distribution, Clarkston Coalition For Youth and the list . . . goes on . . . and on!!!

It was very exciting for me to recieve a Clarkston Community volunteer Youth Award! There were about 107 of us students from K-12th grades that were honored for our efforts in the community. Special music was provided, a guest speaker who thanked us and encouraged us to continue on, and a reception following the award ceremony!

Clarkston is a great place t live and I love to volunteer here whenever I can! :)

Michigan District JOOI Conference 2008

On Friday & Saturday April 25-26 I attended the JOOI Conference in Waterford, Michigan. This conference provided Leadership skills and information to make each Junior Optimist and Octagon clubs a huge success!!


My best friend, Amanda Cornwall, is the area President of our club and is also the Governor over all Clubs throughout the United States! I am sooooooooooo proud of her! :)


Friday night was mostly to socilaize and meet everyone. We had a pasta dinner, movie, games, gym fun and a pool party! Girls slept in the library and the guys slept in the gym.


On Saturday we started off with a Continential Breakfast and then had guest speakers, officer elections for next year, breakout sessions, we learned about Parlimentary procedures, problem solving, team building, advisor training, and finished with a film about ideas to use during the upcoming year. Our break included pizza (everyone's favorite!) and then we kept learning about how to have a successful year with new ideas!


I thought only our high school had the Octagon Club (a school volunteer organization) and so I was surprised to see so many other schools represented! I had a blast! As you all know by now, I LOVE community service! It's a great way to give back to your community and help others in the process! And if you are not involved in volunteering somewhere I hope that you will because it will change your life! It sure has mine!!:)

"Sticker Shock" Distribution with S.A.D.D.

This is my second year as a member of the S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions) club and each year, during the end of the school year, we go out with our club Director and a DARE police officer to local grocery, party, and liquor stores to distribute stickers to be placed on liquor bottles. These stickers bring attention to the need to monitor sales of alchol to minors. I feel this is very important and I am proud to be a part of this organization.


With all of the proms, Senior parties, Open Houses for graduates, etc. this message needs to be a reminder to others. Not just for this time of year, but all year round too!


I can honestly say that I have never tried alcohol and I have no intention of doing so. I have a great time without it and I know that the decisions I make will be clear and healthy ones and I will have no regrets when making postitive choices for my life and future!! :)

PS> I am the second from the right. The red-head!! :)

Youth Symposium with Clarkston Coalition For Youth!

On April 4-5 I attended the Youth Symposioum for the Coalition for Youth. I am a second year member and student representative on the Executive Board of the Clarkston Coalition for Youth ~ CCFY!! This is an organization that is community service based with many business people from our community on the Board. We meet once a month and work together to bring fun events, education, and services to the residents of Clarkston. It has been a pleasure to serve on this committee and I hope to continue during my Senior year of high school and beyond!


The Youth Symposioum had all students in the surrounding school districts come together to share our ideas take back to our own local towns. I roomed with Kelly Hyer, our acting President! She is sooooooo nice and works really hard to bring great things to Clarkston!



There were many different topics that were covered over the weekend which included leadership, how to recruit new members and ideas to use in our own Coalition. I learned a ton and found everything to be useful information. Each school made a poster or large trifold covered with information about their community and we had one too. This was also the time we could "steal" (not really, more like trade) others districts goodies (like mugs, pencils, key chains, etc.) I was very happy to represent to Clarkston at this Symposium and plan to attend next year!

Miss USA ~ Vegas Baby!! :)

Vegas, baby!!!! Yes! It was everything I was hoping for and more!! It was such an honor to be able to attend the Miss USA pageant and to cheer for the beautiful Elisabeth Crawford ~ Miss Michigan USA 2008!! She was gorgeous!! I wish that all of you could have the opportunity to see how truly beautiful she is on the inside too! Raised by missionary parents, she has a pure and sincere heart for the Lord and other people! She did a fantastic job at the pageant! I was sooooooooooo proud of her!!! And to cheer for her and say she is my pageant sister, friend, and sister-in-Christ was a thrill! She is awesome and I have no doubt that she will go very far in this life!!



I traveled alone by plane to Vegas and met up with the gorgeous Miss Ohio Teen USA 2008, Chelsie Folden, her mom, and little sister! We had a blast! The other teen contestants are gorgeous and fun too! The competition for the title of Miss Teen USA will be fierce, but I am definitely up for the challenge! I had the chance to meet several of the girls and each one is so special in there own way! All of them are trying to make a difference in their corner of the world and I am so happy to be in this Class of 2008 teens!

I had the opportunity to meet Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA. Those girls are absolutely STUNNING! Hilary was so sweet and I can't wait to get to know her a bit better during the competition!!!

I also had the opportunity to meet Mr Donald Trump and spoke to him two times!!! He was very gracious and held my hand as he pulled me through security to get our photo taken together!! I was very grateful that he did that for me! I also met Paula Shugart, but was not able to get a picture with her! Maybe I can the next time I see her!

I did get a photo with Joey Fatone from 'N Sync too! He was funny!! As well as Jason Crawford from Gossip Girls! They both were very nice!! Rob Schnider was a hoot! On the way back to our room Chelsie's sister, Taylor, saw him and he mouthed the words "I love you," as the elevator doors were closing. It was so funny! Too bad I didn't have the chance to meet him, but from a far he was hilarious!!

I was told that many people saw me on national television during the opening of Miss USA!! I have not seen it and my parents forgot to tape it. They didn't expect me to be on, but I heard they both jumped up off the couch when they saw me!! Haha!!! :) Hopefully someone recorded it and will be able to send me a copy, that would be very kind!

The USA pageant was so much fun! I wish you could have been there too! Everything was happening at once and all of it was glitz and glamour!! I loved it, that's the kind of thing I thrive on!! And everything was VERY loud! The energy in the auditorium was electric! It was truly amazing!!

Crystle Stewart (Miss Texas) won the title of Miss USA and she will be fantastic! She looked great and was in terrific shape! I am sure she worked really hard to get her swimsuit figure!! On stage she looked about 10 feet tall and very beautiful and really white teeth! Hopefully I will have the opportunity to meet her at Miss Teen USA!

I LOVED Vegas and I would love to return!! Planet Hollywood was amazing and stunning beyond belief! I wouldn't mind living there!!! ; )We stayed at the hotel and the food was delicious! It was REALLY hot in Vegas and once we checked out of the hotel I wore my heavy winter Michigan coat everywhere and looked like a goof ball!! I expected it to be much colder in the morning, but it was really 80 degrees when we got out in the sunshine! But what can you do??? I had a fantastic time and I would do it all again! Vegas was everything and more than I was expecting or hoping for and I wasn't disappointed one bit!!

And if you are wondering . . .yes, I hope to compete for Miss USA someday in the future!! :)

Girls' State :)

On Tuesday, April 8th I interviewed in hopes to be chosen to attend Girls State June 15-21st at Michigan State University. I found out Wednesday the 9th that I was one of three girls selected, from my high school,to attend!!! I am so happy for a number of reasons!!! 1. My mom also attended Girls' State in 1976 in New Hampshire where she held an office in the House of Representatives and won a Good Citizenship Award! 2. After speaking on Capital Hill on February 28th I am very intrigued with all that goes on at our Nations Capital! 3. I will be returning to the Hill, at some point in time, and want to be even more prepared and I hope to get legislature passed regarding that Osteoporosis be taught in schools as part of a class before graduation. 4. I am looking at MSU very seriously as I plan to become a licensed Psychologist and I would love to spend the week on campus and getting familiar with it to see if I want to attend the University! I am very excited to attend Girls State and very thankful that the American Legion Auxilary chose me to attend!


Girls' State is offered to girls, during the summer, between their Junior and Senior year of high school. There is also a program for boys called Boys' State. Girls State was founded in 1920 by the American Legion Auxilary and offers a simulation on all levels of government. It is a great experience for those who are interested in working in government, but it will also be great for the future when I am old enough to vote and understand how our government works so that I can make great voting choices!


More news on this to come! Stay posted!