Pinch Me... I Must Be Dreaming!

Wow, time sure does fly! I can hardly believe it has already been a week since I was crowned Miss Missouri Teen USA 2014. It seems like just yesterday I was waking up at the crack of dawn for a fun filled day of rehearsals and competition with my fellow contestants from all across the great state of Missouri. Pageant weekend was definitely one I will never forget, and little did I know that after all was said and done, my life would be changed forever.

The very next day after I was crowned, I signed the official Miss Missouri Teen USA contract with my wonderful director, John Vannatta! I also got to do a photo shoot with the amazing Rachel Imdieke, with hair and makeup by Aquilla "Q" Vang! They have both been previous titleholders themselves, and it was really neat to get to work with them. My sister queen, Erica Sturdefant, and I spent all day moving around to different locations to get the perfect shots. Despite the freezing cold weather and blisters on my feet, I had a blast and will never forget my first day as the new titleholder!

 

 

I am going to start off by telling a little bit about myself! I am a senior at Harrisonville High School, and there I serve as President of Students Against Destructive Decisions, Secretary of my senior class, a member of National Honor Society, and a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Throughout my years at HHS, I have played on the volleyball, soccer, and basketball teams. Sports have always been a very big part of my life, and I am so thankful to have had the experiences I have had with these teams. After graduating high school in May of 2014, I plan to attend a University and work towards obtaining a degree in Broadcast Journalism as well as Dietetics and Nutrition. It has always been my dream to have my own healthy cooking show on the Food Network... Move over Rachel Ray! ;) I have a love for nutrition and I look forward to inspiring others to be the best they can be by living a healthy lifestyle.

I entered my first pageant about two years ago, and instantly I had caught the "pageant bug". Right away, I knew that my ultimate dream was to walk across the Miss Teen USA stage. It feels amazing to know that all of my hard work and dedication has paid off and now I will be living the dream in just several short months! Pageants have taught me self discipline, a hard work ethic, interview skills, how to carry myself with grace and poise, given me more self-confidence, and taught me that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. I know that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to, and I want to inspire others to feel the same way!

This year is going to be the year of a lifetime, I can already tell! I have LOTS of things listed that I want to accomplish this year. I plan to do a lot of volunteering all across the state of Missouri, and while doing so I hope to inspire others to get involved in their community. I have recently developed a passion for self esteem of teenagers, and I plan on traveling to schools to speak about the importance of healthy relationships, self respect, self esteem, and anti-bullying. My ultimate goal for this year is to inspire young people to dream big, feel confident with themselves and to never doubt their abilities.

I am BEYOND blessed to have this amazing opportunity given to me, and I am so excited to see what this year has in store! Stay posted to read all about my appearances, volunteer work, and upcoming events. Also, don't forget to "like" the Miss Missouri Teen USA Facebook page, follow me on Twitter at @RealMissMOTeen, and follow me on Instagram at @missmoteenusa. :) It's going to be one great year!