Miss Teen of Pennsylvania Pageant

As of this past weekend, a new summer pageant season is now upon us!

The first of this summer’s Miss Teen of America pageants was the Miss Teen of Pennsylvania Pageant, held at Bloomsburg University from Friday, July 23rd to Sunday, July 25th.

It takes quite a bit of time and a lot of work to have everything set up for when candidates check-in Friday night, so I made my way down to Pennsylvania with my dad and my best friend Eileen Hayes Thursday morning. Eileen has been mentioned quite a few times on this blog because she was the one who initially convinced me to go out for Miss Teen of New York. She also competed for Miss Teen of New York in 2008, and due to an extra Outstanding Achievement plaque that weekend, was chosen by our director Korie as “Miss Congeniality”. Anyone who met Eileen in Pennsylvania can figure out why she was given that award.

We got to Bloomsburg by about 2 o’clock, and immediately set out to find our contact at the college who had our keys and boxes shipped down from headquarters for us. Once everything was in our possession, we began to set up headquarters in Columbia Hall, our home away from home for the weekend. As we began to unpack, I was reunited with the one and only Miss Teen of Oklahoma…Kim Tuttle! I hadn’t seen Kim since Thanksgiving, which was just too, too long. We were all starving, so we stopped at Applebees for dinner, where we got a chance to catch up, before heading to the required Wal-Mart Adventure to get food, lots of Coke Zero, poster board, and the lovely flower wrapping paper we used to cover the glass doors to headquarters. (No peeking allowed into headquarters!)

We got back to Columbia and really got busy setting things up. Once gifts were wrapped, programs were stuffed, windows were covered, and so forth, we killed time until Sunny, that weekend’s pageant director, drove in from the airport. Kim decided to be productive and do homework. Eileen and I watched “A Very Potter Sequel” on YouTube. Sunny finally got in at about 12:30, and we quickly caught up and watched our favorite YouTube video, for the first of many times that weekend. At about 2 am, we decided to finally pack it in and head to bed. Being the gracious girls we are, Eileen, Kim, and I showed Sunny where her room was. Unbeknownst to Sunny, we had a little surprise waiting for her. Once the guy at the front desk had left at 11 pm, the three of us had snuck a model skeleton (that we named Freddie) that we found in a study cubicle inside headquarters up the elevator to Sunny’s room. There, we positioned it, complete with my Miss Teen of America banner. You should have heard Sunny’s scream when she opened her door!

In the morning, we prepared a few more things, stopping at Bloomin’ Bagel for breakfast and then Wal-Mart once again for a few odds and ends. (Did you know that we were really in the hills?) As the 2 pm staff meeting approached, more and more of the staff started to appear. I got to meet Sam Walter, our Miss Teen of Indiana, and her mother Kathy for the first time. Then there was Evalyn Kennedy, the current Miss Teen of Pennsylvania and her friend, Kelly McCauley. Finally there was Ari Salla, a former Miss Teen of Pennsylvania candidate who promised to help out that weekend.

Staff meeting went well, and we headed to Panera Bread for a quick bite to eat, complete with our banners. Before we knew it, our 95 candidates and their families began to show up for check-in. I manned the Optional Events table with Ari, and I can easily say that we had some very talented girls! After check-in, we made our way to the briefing session. Something Pennsylvania candidates may not have caught during the briefing session was my little crying spurt. No, Sunny’s words didn’t move me to tears. The spotlights were so bright right above Sunny’s head that whenever I would look at her, my contacts would start to dry out! Soon, my eyes were welling up with tears, and I attempted to hold them back, but they spilled out, just as Sunny was warning girls about “No boys and no alcohol”. I swear, I wasn’t crying over the lack of boys and liquor!

Sunny stayed with the parents while the rest of staff and I lead the girls to the Get Acquainted Party. After introducing the candidates to “Dancin’ in the Aisles”, each girl on staff took 13 girls and started playing name games, so we could get to know each other. I have to say it worked, because throughout the weekend, I felt so close to the girls in my “Team Awesome” group. There was Olivia who liked oranges, Claire who liked cats, Jessica who could juggle, Brittany who was going to start bow hunting, and many more. A game of Two Truths and A Lie revealed my over the top Brooklyn accent to the girls, based on the accent of my boss at Geoffano’s. We then got all staff and 95 girls to join in on one huge game of “Have You Ever”, which caused a few injuries, but you can’t say that the girls weren’t excited! We added some new rules to the game, namely, that if you got in the middle three times, you had to sing “I’m a Little Teapot”. Guess who was tricked into being in the middle three times? Yep, me. I got requests for “I’m a Little Teapot” all weekend long after that. From there, we cranked the music, signed t-shirts, and danced the night away. Or, if you’re Kim Tuttle, you did all three at once.

As girls ordered pizzas until late in the night, Jenna, a student worker on campus, proved to be a godsend, helping coordinate. We love Jenna! She played Hagrid for the weekend, as she was keeper of the master key. She also showed us the secret projection screen in headquarters, which proved super helpful during that night’s YouTube viewing.

Saturday morning we were up early for breakfast in Scranton Commons and dance rehearsal. The girls really seemed the pick up the dance, under direction of Kim Tuttle, very quickly. Kim and I started interview mini sessions, and I got to show off my comedic skills. I hate taping things, so we waited for Sunny to start poise mini sessions, where more hilarity ensued.

We had a quick lunch in the very congested commons, and then the girls began to line up for interviews. Four girls entered at a time, and each talked with two judges at a table. Among the judges was Kristin Konski, Miss Teen of Pennsylvania 2002-2003. It went very smoothly, with my comforting high-fives, and Eileen entertaining the judges with her dance skills. No one cried, which is always a good thing, and girls actually left the room of judging horror saying that it was fun, and they wished that it could have lasted longer than three minutes.

From there, everyone threw on their dress for poise and headed back to the Haas Center. We had such a variety of dresses, and all of our girls just looked so proud and happy. I emceed first, then Kim, then Sam. Poor Evalyn had to walk back and forth for all 95 girls. Blisters were abounding! I’m known to be pretty good in heels, but even I had to take a heel hiatus after standing through my 32 poise emcees.


Next was dinner in commons. I always really enjoy mealtimes, since I get a chance to really socialize with the girls and get to talk to them about their lives outside of immediate pageant concerns. That night, I found myself scooping ice cream cones for the girls!

With 23 entries, everyone was really excited for that night’s talent show. Until it actually started, that is. The Haas Center is a state-of-the-art theater, but the girl’s Cds were not. This proved to be a problem, when we sent girls out on stage, only for no music to play. Allie and Randall from the college were so great though, checking the Cds over and over, and finding alternative ways to play them. Dad got quite a few rounds of applause for moving chairs off and on stage. There were a few breaks and goof-ups, and I think the audience grew a little tired of the technical difficulties, but the show went on! In the end, we had some amazing singers, dancers, break dancers, instrumentalists, color guard routines, and tumblers. Another thing the girls may not have caught that weekend was when I was trying to do my impromptu “stand-up” at the microphone during one of the breaks, I thought they were shouting out for me to perform some “Tupac”, rather than “Teapot”. Ahh, the hilarity.

There was dance rehearsal following the talent show, and from there we were supposed to head back to the dorms. However, a tornado warning and torrential rains kept us stuck in Haas for a few additional hours. It was like some pageant version of Survivor.

Once we were safe, we met in the Fireside Room for an important announcement. It was Olivia JINGEREWSKI’s birthday, so her mom had dropped off cupcakes for everyone. It was a great way to end a crazy day.

We slept in a bit on Sunday. We were exhausted, after all. Our staff meeting that morning went over everything for the final show that afternoon. After stowing my finals dress in the green room, and subsequently getting a little lost, I made my way to my final meal with my girls. During brunch, girls and I discussed the weekend, and about finals.

We had our final rehearsal, brought our Fake Top Ten out on stage, and sent the girls off to go get ready for finals. Staff and I chilled backstage in the green room, getting ready and going over what was to be done during finals.

Before we knew it, it was 3 pm, and the music was cued for “Dancin’ in the Aisles”. The girls did an amazing job. I went out and explained about the program, judging criteria, and the judges’ bios. Basically, I was killing time until the candidates could make it back for Parade of Candidates. I’m very proud of how much better I’ve gotten at improv time killer jargon in front of large groups of people. I used to get so nervous! I was at the mic a little longer than expected due to a zipper snafu in the dressing room. But all was fixed, and the show went on its way.

There were awards, and spirit letters, and Evalyn’s goodbye. Before we knew it, we had the top five in the secret booth with Sam, rolling on the walls like mental patients, gooing, gaahing, rolling their tongues, and singing nursery rhymes. It was really a sight to see! As silly as it is, it fulfilled its purpose, and the girls did not prematurely hear the question pertaining to social networking sites.

In the end, it was decided. Hayley Fisher is the new Miss Teen of Pennsylvania! Congratulations!

After lots of pictures, we headed to headquarters for new titleholder briefing. Judging by our talk with Hayley and her parents (and her adorable grandmother), we can expect some really great things from our new Miss Teen of Pennsylvania!

It was time for our favorite part of the weekend…staff dinner! (Just kidding, candidates! We love spending time with you!) We went to this delicious Italian restaurant in town, La Fontana, where Hayley’s family also ended up. We took staff pictures, with Hayley, in front of a beautiful fountain in the town square.

Dad, Eileen, and I packed up, and headed home. (That is, after Eileen mistook her reflection in a mirror packed in back of the Jeep for someone hiding in the back of the Jeep.) It was so sad to say goodbye…but we’re even more excited for Miss Teen of New York in a few weeks!

Australia Day Seven: Quest Judging and Wiggles-Relating

And, we’re back in Australia. Only in the blogging world, sadly, though.

Odd as it may seem, I only have one picture from that Friday because we were just so BUSY! And there’s no way I could ever, ever post that picture, because it shows Steffanie exaggerating the hay fever she got after we rode the harvestors, and she would absolutely fly to New York and murder me in my sleep.

But, on to the day’s events.

We woke up fairly early and headed over to the same hotel that the anniversary dinner had been held at for the final piece of the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest judging: interviews.

I was ushered upstairs to a conference room to meet with the other judges, while Steffanie and Deidre stayed in the lobby to welcome the candidates as they arrived for their interview appointment time, and to do some secret judging.

My fellow judges were very impressive. There were two people from the local business community, a former Miss Wagga Wagga, and an high up executive from Quantas, Australia’s largest airline and a long-time supporter of the Quest. Before the first interview, we went over the questions we would ask, divvied them out among ourselves, and agreed that we could ask whatever follow-up questions we deemed necessary. I was to ask each candidate how they would describe certain Australian current events and hot topics to foreigners, such as myself. Afterall, the Miss Wagga Wagga and Community Princess of this year’s Quest would be going on a trip to Germany!

The interviews soon got underway. Each interview was about 30 minutes long, which is quite a bit of time for these girls to get grilled! I felt very comfortable interviewing the candidates, seeing as I’ve had experience interviewing at Miss Teen and Distinguished Youth of Texas. It was a slightly different experience, seeing as the candidates weren’t teens or kids. But I could identify with their jitters and nerves, as I’ve gone through a similar interview process many times now.

The interviews were nice because I got to know the girls more. I had met most of them at official events throughout the week, but hadn’t gotten the chance to really talk to a lot of them. I got to know where they worked, what they supported, and what they thought about Wagga Wagga.

At the end of the day’s interviews, the judges and I had to deliberate. It wasn’t easy. There was a lot riding on our scores, as this was the final judging the girls would face before the next day’s Miss Wagga Wagga Quest ceremony. They had worked extremely hard from May until November, and whoever would win on Saturday could count on their life being greatly impacted.

Phillip met up with Deidre, Steffanie, and myself once judging finished. We headed over to a giant arts and crafts fair that was being held, featuring lots of products unique to Wagga Wagga. We then had to run some last minute errands to prepare for the next day’s big ceremony! Before heading home, we stopped at the pharmacy to get something to hopefully help Steffanie with her hay fever. As it turns out, the pharmacist was the mother of one of The Wiggles. (Rumor has it, the yellow one.) Only in Wagga Wagga, right?

We returned to the Tome home for a nice family night. We prepared some things for the next day, I worked on my speech for the final ceremony, and we just enjoyed each other’s company for one of the last times!

Independence Day

I hope everyone had a happy Fourth of July!

This was my last Independence Day as a Miss Teen. From here on out, the sentimental lasts are really going to keep on coming.

This Fourth of July was very reminiscent of last year’s. I had such a great experience at the Friendship Festival last year, that I contacted the festival organizers once again to see if they wanted me to help out at all. For those who missed my blog about last year’s July 4th Celebrations, the Friendship Festival is held in Buffalo, New York and Fort Erie, Canada every year, to commemorate the long-standing peace between the two cities just barely separated by Lake Erie. (Before the current friendship, the Americans and the Canadians used to really go at it.)

Early Sunday morning, dad and I drove down to Riverside Park. There I got to get to know the Friendship Festival Queen Ashley, Princess Genie, and Duchess Trish. The three girls were all teens who had grown up in and around the area. The four of us lead the Kiddie Parade. This year’s parade had an even better turn out than last year’s. There were decorated strollers, wagons, bikes, boys dressed up as army men, and little girls covered head-to-toe in red, white, and blue. At the end of the parade, the Friendship Court and I awarded prizes to the participants in every category, and then to all the participants. We also stopped to take a few pictures.

At noon, line up began for the Grand Parade. Line-up pretty much followed the same procedure as last year, except that this time around we had to manage in the scorching heat. All the weather people were saying that this was the hottest Fourth of July Buffalo had on record. I felt better knowing I was only in a light dress. My friends on the Friendship Court weren’t so lucky. They had to wear their evening wear from the pageant. That’s a lot of tulle and satin in 99 degree heat. Plus, they had tiaras. (Miss Teen titleholders really get off easy sometimes.)

The four of us piled into the convertible, and following Mayor Byron Brown, began the parade. Knowing how popular the parade was from last year, I made sure to bring extra candy. But, alas, we still ran out half way through. The girls and I did a lot of waving, smiling, and candy-throwing along the parade route, and it really seemed to make the community, especially the kids, happy.

At the end of the route, the girls and I quickly jumped out of the convertible and ran to the judges booth. We were put in charge of judging the floats, dance troupes, and twirlers. I’m obviously sworn to secrecy about my votes, but I can say that there were some really great entries.

When the parade was completely finished, I said goodbye to the Friendship Court, as well as the coordinators. I was really sad that this was the last year I’d be able to help out in this capacity. It was starting to be such a nice tradition!

On our way to the car, Dad and I also ran into Assemblyman Sam Hoyt. It’s an election year, so Hoyt and his volunteers were a big part of the parade. You may or may not remember that I presented Hoyt with an award in Albany back in March. I was happily surprised that he remembered me, and he asked me about what I had been up and what my college plans were.

I took it easy once I got home, resting up until I went to fireworks at the University at Buffalo.

The Fourth of July seemed to mean a little more this year. I think I felt a little more connected to and a little more appreciative of the veterans at the parade this year, because of some personal experiences. Just a few days ago, a really good friend of mine went off to basic training in the Army National Guard, and she’s preparing to eventually deploy to Afghanistan. She would kill me if she knew I was writing all of this mushy stuff, but she’s without internet for the next few months, so I don’t care! Anyway, she’s the just the bravest, most giving person I know, let alone one of the smartest girls in my graduating class, and it’s people just like her in our armed services that allow us to experience these peaceful July 4ths.

Thank you to everyone who has ever given of themselves and their lives to support our nation.

P.S. - On a lighter note, guess what? I graduated high school! If you want to check out my Salutatorian Speech, you can see it here. Please excuse the awful sound quality. I’m hoping to have a better version soon.

Remembering Alden

Back in June 2009, I wrote a blog about how I met a little girl named Alden.

Way back in November 2008, Steve Malachowski sent an email to my school, Alden High School, about his daughter, Alden, who was then undergoing treatment for leukemia. To cheer her up, he was hoping to purchase some t-shirts with the world “Alden” on it from our school. My principal, Mr. Ryan, figured we could do better than that and passed the task off to our Student Congress. Members of Student Congress immediately began collecting Alden paraphernalia, in the hopes of sending it to her home. That is, until I discovered where Alden lived. As it turned out, the Malachowskis lived in Austin, Texas, where I was headed in but a few weeks time to receive my title and staff the Distinguished Youth of Texas pageants. I offered to take the gifts with me. To read more about my meeting with the Malachowskis visit this blog.

Following out brief visit, Alden got better. For a few months, the leukemia was gone, and she got her life back, in her own terms. She started school again, got a lead in her school play, and was even named Prom Queen at the kid’s oncology prom.

Then, in June 2009, things turned for the worse. The leukemia returned, and Alden’s condition continued to worsen. She passed away on Sunday, December 13, 2009. She was 13 years old.

At the end of our visit in Austin, the Malachowskis told me how they hoped to take the whole family and visit Alden, New York someday. While they wished Alden could have been with them, Mr. and Mrs. Malachowski did just that on Tuesday, June 29th.

The former Student Congress president, two current Student Congress members, and I went to greet Steve and Shelley Malachowski at the Buffalo-Niagara Airport. We waited for them right in front of security with a sign that read “Alden Welcomes Mr. and Mrs. Malachowski”. We caught the attention of quite a few people in the airport. I was really excited to see the Malachowskis again, and also a little anxious. I wasn’t sure what feelings might reemerge once I actually saw them with my own eyes again.

When I finally saw them walk through the crowd of other passengers from arriving flights, I just had to smile. I alerted the girls that it was them, and they immediately got excited as well. The Malachowskis seemed so thrilled to see us, and immediately began to get to know the girls. I hugged each of them. They’re such warm, wonderful people.

A local limo service had volunteered to escort the Malachowskis to Alden High School in style. On the ride from the airport to Alden, the girls and I acted as tour guides, pointing out little places that were big parts of our lives. I gave random snippets of history lessons. Once we actually got into the village of Alden, the Malachowskis began to recognize a lot of places from the pictures and postcards they had been sent over the last two years. They could point out the bank, the pharmacy, the library, and Henry’s Candy, which we sadly had to inform them that it was closed for the summer. They really seemed to be enjoying themselves.

The limo pulled up next to the side of the high school, where a tent and chairs had been set up. A local teen band was softly strumming acoustic guitars, and a fairly large group of Aldenites were crowded around applauding as the Malachowskis stepped out of the limo.

Once everyone was seated, the memorial service began. Lindsey Winiecki, the former Student Congress president, spoke through her tears about starting the Alden Connection project. It was extremely moving to hear the care and love behind her words.

I then got up to describe my meeting with the Malachowskis back in November 2008. I had typed out a speech, but when I got up there to speak, I found I just couldn’t read it. I just looked at the Malachowskis, and started to talk from my heart, the best I could. Thinking about Alden stirred up quite a bit of emotions, and I made sure to hug the Malachowskis again after.

Next, Student Congress Treasurer Chris Dorminy spoke. He had been instrumental in planning Alden’s memorial, and working with the Malachowskis to get them to Alden. Later that night, the Malachowskis were able to attend Chris’ Eagle Scout award ceremony as guests of honor.

One of Alden’s art teachers, Mrs. Kozinski, said a blessing to memorialize the small tree, wrapped in pink ribbon (Alden’s favorite color), that had been planted in her honor, as well as a small, beautiful bench.

Alden High School’s choral group, Park Street Voices, sang “Prayer of the Children”, in a very, very fitting tribute. It was truly haunting, but in a good way. Everyone in the audience was crying, but their was this cleansing, freeing sense about it. Park Street Voices’ own Val Uebelhoer, who struggled with her own health problems this past year, helped the Malachowskis release a box full of butterflies. (Though the butterflies didn’t seem to want to leave their cozy box for the cool Alden night!) Park Street Voices then sang “Seasons of Love”, which launched everyone into another round of tears.

Mr. Malachowski then stood up and thanked everyone for all of their support. To show their appreciation, they wanted to donate a gift to the school. On the ride to school, I had seen they had been carrying a volleyball with them. This made sense, as Alden had loved volleyball, despite her short stature, her dad pointed out. The whole crowd gasped when Mr. Malachowski explained that the ball had been giving to Alden just days before she passed away, and he felt the Sharpie inscription on it was just as fitting for the Alden community. The inscription read “To Alden: LIVESTRONG, Lance Armstrong.”

Everyone walked to the auditorium for a short video that had been assembled in tribute to Alden. There were interviews with people who had been involved in the Alden Connection, as well footage from Alden’s visit to Distinguished Youth of Texas. The evening finished with a true Buffalo dinner of pizza, wings, and beef on weck.

I’m hoping to have pictures of this beautiful event up on the blog soon, so keep posted. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to learn more about Alden’s story and leave a message for the Malachowskis here.