Appearances in Marion
Following the Kiwanis luncheon, we visited Primrose Retirement Community and participated in the "Ms. Primrose 2010 Pageant". Both Katie and I emceed and performed our respective talent selections. The Marion Star was kind enough to cover the event, and it was a wonderful, memorable afternoon shared by all! I will be sure to post a link to the news article as soon as it is released online. :)
Photos:
With the outgoing titleholder: Ms. Primrose 2009
Our five finalists just before the crowning!
With Ms. Primrose 2010 and her court
A heartfelt "Thanks!" to the Marion Kiwanis Club, Primrose Retirement Community, Carrie Hutchman and Carla Dysert for a great day in Marion!
Fitness Challenge Finale (Part II)!
I was so impressed with the students' eagerness to learn, and the amount of information they absorbed over the course of our meetings. Furthermore, I am extremely proud of the many strides they took and the behavioral changes they embraced as each session went by!
Here are some great photos from our sixth and final meeting:
Getting up and active!
Connecting exercise and fun with The Dice Game
Preparing our own delicious and nutritious, kid-friendly snacks as a group
"THANK YOU!"
Awarding special treat bags to all of my Fitness Challenge kids
"Goodbyes" are never easy...
I simply cannot thank the following (exceptional!) people enough:
Superintendent Karel Oxley
Principle Kevin Fraley
Mrs. Donna Creamer
Mrs. Rebecca Stemen
Mr. Kevin Reeks
LCS Food Services crew
As Mrs. Karel Oxley always says, "You never quite know the moment when you may change a child's life forever!"
Fitness Challenge Finale!
Please go to my "Five-Month Fitness Challenge" photo gallery, and view the last 18 pictures entitled "Session Six."
Commentary to come ASAP! :)
More May Updates in the Lima City Schools!
I happily accepted the invitation to support my Fitness Challenge students from Heritage Elementary, who participated in this fantastic tap performance alongside Mark Yonally and The Chicago Tap Theatre. What a top-notch opportunity to showcase our local youths' talent, achievement, and commitment to keeping active!
Here are some photos from the evening:
"Summertime"
"Autumn Leaves"
"I Love The Rain"
SO PROUD of the students I work with at Heritage Elementary!
...Who should I run into but my close friend (and our reigning Ohio's Junior Miss), Monica Bates! :) I am so thrilled for her and wish her the BEST OF LUCK as she prepares to compete at America's Junior Miss this June.
That following Monday (May 17th), it was time for Fitness Challenge session #5! The topic? PORTION CONTROL! At our last meeting, one of the students approached me and asked, "Are Pizza Rolls good for me?" I started to explain that it's O.K. to enjoy Pizza Rolls (now and then) as long as:
- We don't eat too many in one sitting
- We are sure to "balance" them out with other, healthier choices on our plates
However, in this moment, I realized that it was absolutely necessary to address portion control and the five food groups in our next meeting. What if, I wondered, food items like Pizza Rolls are the only meal options being made available for some of our area-wide children? Both money for groceries and time for food preparation are scarcities for many folks in my hometown. I felt driven to encourage the students, and to strengthen them with the power of knowledge regarding basic nutrition concepts.
Happy to see my stellar group once again!
Ending our fifth session with a fun fitness routine to one of their favorite Justin Bieber hits:
With A Little "Effective Speaking"...
At any rate, for our final exam, we were prompted to deliver a six-minute persuasive speech. I chose to persuade my classmates that they should either compete in--or gain a greater respect for--the Miss America Organization. My other objective was to help them understand the key differences between the Miss America and Miss USA Organizations.
It went so well!
Several classmates approached me afterwards and said that they never knew differences existed between the two organizations. It meant a lot to me when my peers stated that they now have a newfound respect and admiration for all that Miss America stands for.
A group of young women even asked me for more information, sharing that they would consider competing in a New York local in order to earn scholarship money and/or pay off student loans!
Finally, it was icing on the cake when my professor approached me and said, "What a great risk you took! You were walking into a lion's den with that speech, and you walked away with everyone's respect. Excellent job."
Wow. How humbled was I?
The truth is that whenever we (as contestants in this organization) discuss "pageants" with people in our own age range, it can be a difficult topic to handle effectively. All too often, a simple conversation becomes an uphill battle of having to justify our roles/relevance as titleholders. Even worse, mentioning the "P"-Word at all can result being unfairly stereotyped or feeling a general loss of respect from others.
Although I notice this most blatantly as a student in New York City, I am sure that the vast majority of contestants share in this experience from time to time, no matter what part of the country they represent or what pageant system they happen to participate in.
Regardless, I felt so proud to represent and speak on behalf of the Miss America Organization in front of the toughest crowd we face as titleholders: our own peers! Their overwhelmingly positive response was an even greater moment for me, personally; it affirms the fact that with a little "Effective Speaking," we can and will bring those who might be misinformed to hold The Miss America Organization in high esteem!
So, I say go out and change just ONE person's perspective TODAY! Let's start a wildfire. :)
Have a fantastic Wednesday, friends!
THANK YOU Carl Dunn/Pageantry Magazine!
This article means the world to the entire Lima City School System, especially the students, faculty and volunteers who help make our “Fitness Challenge” and “Breakfast in the Classroom” initiatives so successful. Additionally, it is my hope that this continued exposure serves as an inspiration for others who are dealing with the same struggle I confronted a mere 5 years ago.
It is simply an honor and a blessing to have been given this opportunity.
Please CLICK HERE and go to page 114 to read the article online.
"Wish" Begins!
This particular show introduces me as the new host to our viewers. It includes songs from my debut CD "Yesterday Once More" (see my Online Shop for more info), commentary and off-the-cuff interview fun! We'll also be preparing our audience for the next four episodes, which feature the very best talent in the Midwest.
You won't want to miss out on our exciting new season, folks! :)
Additionally, a new promotional commercial for "Yesterday Once More" will be released on WLIO NBC Lima/FOX this evening. I'm so grateful for this marketing opportunity! With ongoing CD sales, I will be able to continue forwarding proceeds to a cause that I care so passionately about: the Lima City Schools' "Breakfast in the Classroom" initiative.
I hope the beginning of May finds you all doing well, enjoying the sunshine and looking forward to summertime fun--I know I am! Take care. :)
