Alderson's Miss Fireworks Pageant

Alderson 4th of July is one of the largest celebrations in the state of West Virginia....but they compete with Ripley for the "Largest Small Town 4th of July Celebration."  So, when I was asked to emcee and sing at their queen's pageant, I was ecstatic to see how they host their pageant as well as what fun options they participate in during their 4th of July festivities.  


When I walked into the community center I was blown away by the decorations for the pageant, the space, and the amount of townspeople that come to support this endeavor.  
  

                  

During the pageant I was able to serve as emcee alongside a well known TV correspondent and former meteorologist.  For changing fillers, I also sang a few songs, one of which I used one of the boys from the boys choir that came to perform also, and one lucky young man in the audience as my "props."  I was singing "Gonna Getcha Good," by Shania Twain and I had them sit in the chair while I sang out the song lyrics and "hammed it up" some.

One of the boys used in the song  from the crowd.  

Other than the director of the pageant and the contestants, the boys choir was my favorite. They were phenomenal performers and all were still in high school at Greenbrier East.  One was going on to continue his education at Yale if that tells you anything about these guys and their abilities inside the choir room and outside.

All in all, it was a wonderful time spent with the contestants, director, boys choir and those at the family-owned motel that provided me a very comfortable night's stay in the heart of Alderson.  

Artistry Event

Miss America became a partner with Amway Global who features products from the Artistry Skin Care and Cosmetics line.  A friend from college had started a business through Amway and wanted to know if I would be willing to host a party.  With the schedule I lead, a home party wasn't really possible, but an event would be.  So together we started planning and decided on a date and location for the "Beauty Break by Artistry."

Some from out of state that are also associated with the business came to support this endeavor by the Pauleys and although we didn't have the turnout that we were hoping for, it was all worth it in the end.  I was able to become closer with Mark and his wife Crystal as well as meet some other wonderful people that are also associated with Amway Global.  So, in the end it was a win-win situation.



PS:  Women, I was able to try out some of the products and I fell in love with the Time Defiance Skin Care line.  Sp if you too are interested in using the AWESOME Artistry products please do contact Crystal and Mark Pauley at: cng2121@gmail.com.  

Electric 102.7

One of the things I wanted to do before my year concluded was to be on Electric 102.7's morning radio show.  They have a HUGE audience and fan base, especially in the mornings, and there I wanted to be able to talk about my year as Miss WV, the Monarch Miss program, Miss WV pageant, and my platform.  

So...my wish was granted and I spent time in the studio with Rusty Bumper, Coach Kid, and Libby Joe.  Picture above are both Coach Kid(on left) and Rusty Bumper (on right).

Libby Joe, pictured in the yellow, is hosting a fairs and festivals pageant - Miss Kanawha County Fair - and I was asked at the Habitat for Humanity Slam Dunk 600 to come and speak to her contestants.  But....prior to that she was able to have a guest host in the studio and she chose me!

So girls, if you are interested in getting dressed up, making new friends, possibly being the queen of a festival, competing on a state-level stage and possibly holding the title of Miss WV Association of Fairs and Festivals, please contact Libby Joe at either the Electric 102.7 Facebook Fan Page or go to www.electric1027.com and you can find out information about the pageant there as well.

Fairs and Festivals is where I started out and was privileged to hold the title of the State Fair Queen in 2007, now have been able to accomplish one of my biggest dreams inside and outside of pageantry, to be Miss West Virginia.  You have to start somewhere and why not start with the Kanawha County Fair Pageant?

Marmet Elementary

Marmet, a town near my hometown and down the street from where I attended college, hosts a school with the BEST kids and BEST Mayor!  I met Mayor Bill when I was working at the WV State Legislature as a Legislative Analyst for Senate Minority Leader, Don Caruth.  He was my lunch buddy and served as one of the doormen.  Both he and the others let me each lunch with them each day and that was the highlight of my time working at the State Capitol.  So, after my school visit, I went over to the city building and was able to visit a few minutes with my old Capitol friend.  

This school was close to one of the last and they always say "Save the Best for Last."  I will never forget this school.  When I walked in, I went straight to the office.  Outside the children were lining up but the cafeteria wasn't cleared for them yet.  So after a few minutes of waiting, they dropped to the floor and sat along the wall.  When I walked out to run to the bathroom before the presentation, the kids were all looking up with their mouths open and fingers pointed at me.  As soon as I reach the bathroom and went in, I heard a little girl go "OH MY GOSH! That was Miss West Virginia that just went into the bathroom."  The kids went wild....all over me going to the bathroom!

From there we all gathered in to the cafeteria and I read a book to the K-2nd graders.  Then after that we sang a song.  They wanted to sing "The Climb", "Bad Romance", and "Baby" but when it came time for the volunteers to sing with me, they came up but wouldn't sing.  So, needless to say it was a bunch of loud bad humming on my part.  

Then the 3rd-5th grades came in and we did the normal presentation of overcoming obstacles and adversity to achieve your goals.  This school was one of the most fun and will always be remembered!

Dunbar Kids Day

This appearance was unique because I got to be "Daddy's Little Girl."  My dad has been a part of the Search & Rescue Dog Team for almost two years now.  He has a bloodhound named Ellie May and has worked with and trained her to find missing people.  So far, both Ellie and Dad have gone on a few trips and even retrieved an elderly man that had lost his way when walking around in the woods.  After four days, he was still alive and well and didn't even have to have much done in the hospital other than fill him with some fluids.

The Dunbar Kids Day was put on by the Mayor of Dunbar.  He wanted a day dedicated to each aspect of safety before the kids were let out for school.  A participant on the Search and Rescue team is a great friend of the mayor and she was asked to have the dogs and their owner/trainer come an set up an exhibit as well.  


Being that my dad wanted to have "Father-Daughter Day" as well as give me an opportunity to speak to the children in attendance on the topic of safety, he asked me to join him.  All in all....I was Daddy's  Girl....at least that day!

Mission WV Walk Me Home

The Walk Me Home event is put on by Mission WV, the non-profit organization I have been able to partner with this year.  The goal for this event is to raise awareness of those children in foster care that are eligible for adoption, in hopes that those who participate will walk home with a child needing that "Forever Family."

            
There were about 50 people in attendance and various different non-profit organizations that are associated with Mission WV.  In Morgantown, there is a Mission WV employee that has adopted at least three children, that I know of, and we all danced to Justin Beiber and Miley Cyrus while the parents and other adults walked the track surrounding the Power Park Baseball Field.  

Along with the DJ service, face painting, balloon animals, and tattoos were a huge hit!  

                      

There are currently 4,000 children within the West Virginia Foster Care System and 1,000 of those are eligible to be adopted TODAY!  That Saturday alone, thousands of dollars were raised as well as the awareness of those awaiting children.  

Doddridge County Schools

 During my stint in Harrison County, I visited some of the surrounding county schools, Doddridge Middle and Elementary being two of them.  The Elementary appearance was a more low key appearance than many other schools.  I walked around to each 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classrooms and talked about the importance of doing well on the WesTest.  

After that school appearance concluded, I walked across the street to the Middle School where the entire gym was packed and waiting on me.  As you can see from the picture below, there were a few boys that made a sign BY THEMSELVES out of printer paper and taped it all together so that it would stay up.  I was flattered and impressed that they would go to such lengths, and honestly, for boys work....it was really neat and organized!

VERY EXCITED!!!!

There we had a great time with the question and answer session and after the school counselor said it had been many years since they had had a Miss West Virginia visit their school.  She was so impressed with my presentation as well was the Miss WV Scholarship Organization, she asked when they could have myself or the new Miss WV back to their school!  So Rose...looks like we won't have to scramble to get Doddridge County back on the schedule for next year :)

Miss Ability Pageant

The Miss Ability pageant was started by a former Miss WV contestant during her years of involvement in the program.  Dea Simpson had a passion for those individuals that were involved in the Stepping Stones program, a program for those individuals that need a little more special attention and guidance.  She had worked as a volunteer at Stepping Stones for many years and a few years into her journey toward the Miss WV crown, she opened up a statewide pageant for those girls that longed to be on a pageant stage.  

Much like the Miss America/Miss WV Organization, the Miss Ability contestants competed in personal interview, onstage interview, evening gown, and talent.  I was there to help Dea and the others who had helped take over the pageant and encourage its growth.  They had around 15-20 contestants competing in both the Miss and Teen pageants.  


I had worked with "Viking Buddies" during high school and always enjoyed my time spent with, Brandon Milhoan, my buddy.  So when I was asked to attend and help out with the Miss Ability contestants, I was ecstatic.  My job was to encourage the girls, make them laugh, but more make sure their makeup, nails and hair was fit for a Queen.  


Each girl was able to pick out her own makeup colors, as well as nail polish.  There were many different helpers and former/current queens there to help the Miss Ability contestants.    

These contestants are the sweetest girls I have ever met.  They were helping each other out, asking one another what looked best, and encouraged each other after they finished or began their talent. They truly are special to each and every person they meet.  

When it came time to practice their talent, I just cried.  One girl did the ENTIRE Miley Cyrus "Welcome to the Hoe-Down" dance, complete with the pop it, lock it, twist it and drop it!  Others sang, a few read a poem, but each were AMAZING!  I just kept thinking...did I ever have that much confidence in myself, in who I was?  I was so impressed and walked away from that pageant/experience a changed person.  

Harrison Co. Schools

In the month of May, I spent 2.5 weeks in Harrison and surrounding counties.  I had the best time staying with the Olivio family - Christian and Samantha are officially my favorite kids of the year!  I visited 25 schools during my stay and was able to use some of the nicest technology. 

- Presenting at Bridgeport Middle School -

During my stint, I was able to put my powerpoint and video presentation up on the BIG screen in school classrooms and auditoriums and run from the nice Mac database.  That was kinda cool seeing your presentation on three different LCD screens all over the room while presenting.  I also had a friend come and watch me at a few different schools and that helped when taking pictures.

As many the other schools requested, I presented a great deal on why testing is so important in preparation for the WesTest.  There were a few schools I were able to stick to my standard platform presentation, but most of them had to be modified.  

                        

I would have more pictures of the students during my various different school visits, but Harrison County has one stipulation that applies to pictures on the internet: without a signed consent form from EVERY parent in the school, the student's picture is not allowed to be posted on the web.  So, for this one, it is just me :)  

 

Dancing with the Community Stars

Dancing with the Community Stars is an event that Miss WV hosts and participates in to raise awareness of the program and scholarship dollars for the contestants.  This year there were six couples that took to the stage.  Jackie Riggleman, Miss WV’s Outstanding Teen, is a dancer.  She and her dad did the waltz and it looked like something off of Dancing with the Stars, but better!  I attended the event, danced with the other contestants and had a great time catching up with Kayla Lynam, Miss WV 2008.

Mon County Baseball Association

West Mon Baseball Association was in need of a singer for the National Anthem and I was recruited.  They were having a FULL DAY of championship playoff games ages 4-18.  Pictured above is the "brains" behind the Baseball Association and Sheriff.  Because of his many hats and status, I was escorted by the police!  That is…for something good:)