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:)