The 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant Week is coming up fast, and before you know it June 25th will be here and we will have crowned the next Miss Indiana!
Miss Indiana pageant fans have lots of great chances to come out and meet their favorite contestants and cheer them on during the multi-night competition at the Zionsville Performing Arts Center.
Families have two great chances to come out and meet the 31 contestants competing for the title of Miss Indiana 2011. There is a pet parade on Sunday, June 19 and the big Miss Indiana Pageant Parade on Saturday, June 25th. Immediately following the Saturday parade, all of the 31 Miss Indiana contestants will be doing free autographs.
The pet parade and main parade on Saturday are totally free to watch, so come out and bring your entire family! This is a great chance to talk to your favorite contestant, and autographs and pictures are free will all of the 31 contestants.
Click on my Road to Miss Indiana tab to find a complete 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant Week Schedule of Events!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Doctor helps Ohio boy overcome bullying that caused him to refuse kidney transplant
There are some pretty serious stories about there about bullying and the terrible effects it can have on children and teenagers. Recently the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the bullying Josh Frey of Ohio was experiencing was so bad that Josh turned down a kidney transplant he needed to survive. After some hard work by his doctor at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Josh changed his mind and hopes to get the transplant in June or even earlier if possible.
In a drastic move to try and help Josh deal with the bullying he was experiencing at school, Dr. Van De Voorde from Cincinnati Children's made a visit to Josh's school. During the visit, the doctor never directly confronted the bullies. Instead, he talked about Josh's condition and explained what Josh went through on a daily basis for treatment to keep him alive. After finding out how sick Josh was, the doctor said one of the bullies left the presentation. The doctor took the step of doing the school visit because Josh was so depressed from the bullying that he had last his will to fight and survive.
Certainly the story with Josh is an extreme situation, but it clearly shows how bullying can have severe consequences. Josh's doctor said during the school presentation that sick children can easily become targets of bullying because of their special needs and frequent school absences.
Bullying impacts about 1 in 7 children in the United States, and in some cases that number can be much higher. Some states report numbers as high as 1 in 2, while other groups estimate the number of children impacted by bullying to be between 15% and 25%. No matter what, these numbers clearly showt that bullying is a real problem in our schools and communities and it is time for everyone to take a stand.
You can learn more about anti-bullying programs by visiting the Happy Kids Safe Schools section of my blog.
In a drastic move to try and help Josh deal with the bullying he was experiencing at school, Dr. Van De Voorde from Cincinnati Children's made a visit to Josh's school. During the visit, the doctor never directly confronted the bullies. Instead, he talked about Josh's condition and explained what Josh went through on a daily basis for treatment to keep him alive. After finding out how sick Josh was, the doctor said one of the bullies left the presentation. The doctor took the step of doing the school visit because Josh was so depressed from the bullying that he had last his will to fight and survive.
Certainly the story with Josh is an extreme situation, but it clearly shows how bullying can have severe consequences. Josh's doctor said during the school presentation that sick children can easily become targets of bullying because of their special needs and frequent school absences.
Bullying impacts about 1 in 7 children in the United States, and in some cases that number can be much higher. Some states report numbers as high as 1 in 2, while other groups estimate the number of children impacted by bullying to be between 15% and 25%. No matter what, these numbers clearly showt that bullying is a real problem in our schools and communities and it is time for everyone to take a stand.
You can learn more about anti-bullying programs by visiting the Happy Kids Safe Schools section of my blog.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Maryland's First Lady Katie O'Malley takes a stand against bullying during state's second annual bullying awareness week
As the First Lady of Maryland, Katie O'Malley is trying to make an important point about bullying awareness, and this week she talked about how to rid our schools and communities of bullying.
Mrs. O'Malley said "The effects of bullying last a lifetime, and our goal is to keep our children safe and our families aware." This statement really sums up what I am working to achieve with my Happy Kids Safe Schools initiative. Many states including Maryland have passed antibullying laws, but Mrs. Omalley acknowledges there is still work to be done.
Recently in Minnesota, we saw in an MPR special report that as many as 1 in 2 children could be impacted by bullying. In Maryland, Mrs. O'Malley mentioned that over 3,000 instances of bullying were reported during the 2009-2010 school year alone - which is about 10 instances of reported bullying every single week in Maryland. We are making progress, and I'm glad to see the First Lady of Maryland take a stand against bullying and stand up for the kids in her state by promoting Maryland's bullying awareness week.
We have a lot of work to do in Indiana, and a big step forward will be getting a anitbullying law proposal that makes it to the floor for a hearing so we can hear testimony from kids, teachers and parents. Remember, you don't have to be a first lady to take a stand against bullying - try declaring this week bullying awareness week in your home, and use it as a motivator to talk to your school principal or school board member. Let them know you want safe schools and happy kids.
June is almost here and in less than a month the 31 contestants competing for the title of Miss Indiana will take the stage in Zionsville for the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant. I can't wait to see you there cheering us on! Don't forget you can still make a contribution to my fundraising goal for Children's Miracle Networking by searching for my name under Indiana online at the CMN Miss America fundraising page at www.missamerica4kids.org.
Mrs. O'Malley said "The effects of bullying last a lifetime, and our goal is to keep our children safe and our families aware." This statement really sums up what I am working to achieve with my Happy Kids Safe Schools initiative. Many states including Maryland have passed antibullying laws, but Mrs. Omalley acknowledges there is still work to be done.
Recently in Minnesota, we saw in an MPR special report that as many as 1 in 2 children could be impacted by bullying. In Maryland, Mrs. O'Malley mentioned that over 3,000 instances of bullying were reported during the 2009-2010 school year alone - which is about 10 instances of reported bullying every single week in Maryland. We are making progress, and I'm glad to see the First Lady of Maryland take a stand against bullying and stand up for the kids in her state by promoting Maryland's bullying awareness week.
We have a lot of work to do in Indiana, and a big step forward will be getting a anitbullying law proposal that makes it to the floor for a hearing so we can hear testimony from kids, teachers and parents. Remember, you don't have to be a first lady to take a stand against bullying - try declaring this week bullying awareness week in your home, and use it as a motivator to talk to your school principal or school board member. Let them know you want safe schools and happy kids.
June is almost here and in less than a month the 31 contestants competing for the title of Miss Indiana will take the stage in Zionsville for the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant. I can't wait to see you there cheering us on! Don't forget you can still make a contribution to my fundraising goal for Children's Miracle Networking by searching for my name under Indiana online at the CMN Miss America fundraising page at www.missamerica4kids.org.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Louisiana anti-bullying bill dies in House of Representatives
Louisiana House Bill 112, billed as the "Safe Schools Act," failed this week and was defeated in the Louisiana legislature. The current anti-bullying law in Louisiana seeks to prevent harassment, intimidation and bullying, but Representative Austin Badon proposed changes to the law that would increase protection from non-physical forms of intimidation.
Watching House Bill 112 fail in Louisiana was really disappointing - clearly there is a need in the United States to protect our children from bullying. Unfortunately, protecting kids from bullying often becomes a political issue. We need to focus on Happy Kids and Safe Schools.
In Louisiana, supporters of HB 112 proposed specific protection for GLBT students, and in the process of making that suggestion, the focus on safe schools seemed to have gotten lost in the political debate. No matter where you stand on many of these issues, we need to agree on a simple point: all students deserve to be happy and safe and school, and all students should expect to be treated with dignity and respect. If this proposal would have saved a single life it would have been worth putting on the books in Louisiana.
I am hopeful that parents and students in Louisiana continue to take a stand and push their representatives to create improvements in the laws that protect kids at school. Contacting your representative is normally as easy as going to the state government website and following the links for contact info. If you need help finding contact info for your rep in Indiana you can get in touch with me for help.
I will be a contestant at the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant in June, and while I'm there I hope I get a chance to tell the judges about my Happy Kids Safe Schools platform. No matter what happens in the interview room or during pageant week, I will continue to push for better laws to protect kids from bullying.
Meet the 2011 Miss Indiana contestants by visiting www.missindianapageant.com and don't forget to make a contribution to my fundraising goal for Children's Miracle Network by the end of May by searching for me at www.missamerica4kids.org
Watching House Bill 112 fail in Louisiana was really disappointing - clearly there is a need in the United States to protect our children from bullying. Unfortunately, protecting kids from bullying often becomes a political issue. We need to focus on Happy Kids and Safe Schools.
In Louisiana, supporters of HB 112 proposed specific protection for GLBT students, and in the process of making that suggestion, the focus on safe schools seemed to have gotten lost in the political debate. No matter where you stand on many of these issues, we need to agree on a simple point: all students deserve to be happy and safe and school, and all students should expect to be treated with dignity and respect. If this proposal would have saved a single life it would have been worth putting on the books in Louisiana.
I am hopeful that parents and students in Louisiana continue to take a stand and push their representatives to create improvements in the laws that protect kids at school. Contacting your representative is normally as easy as going to the state government website and following the links for contact info. If you need help finding contact info for your rep in Indiana you can get in touch with me for help.
I will be a contestant at the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant in June, and while I'm there I hope I get a chance to tell the judges about my Happy Kids Safe Schools platform. No matter what happens in the interview room or during pageant week, I will continue to push for better laws to protect kids from bullying.
Meet the 2011 Miss Indiana contestants by visiting www.missindianapageant.com and don't forget to make a contribution to my fundraising goal for Children's Miracle Network by the end of May by searching for me at www.missamerica4kids.org
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Lady Gaga talks about being bullied when she was a teenager in MTV special
We know that bullying is a serious problem in the United States, and this week we find out that even big celebrities have been bullied as teenagers.
In the MTV special "Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside," Gaga tells about how she was bullied as a teenager. The example she gives is a story about how she went out for pizza and encountered a group of girls who bullied her, and she ended up being put in a trash can.
I know some people have trouble understanding the seriousness of bullying and the harm it does in our everyday lives. It is easy to believe that things like kids being stuffed into school lockers and tossed in trash cans happens only in the movies.
The truth is that bullying does happen, and physical bullying is very real and a common occurrence in many kid's lives. In Kentucky, the state legislature recently passed a stronger bullying law after hearing testimony from a teenager who described an escalating pattern of bullying that included physical bullying.
Lady Gaga's honesty and courage to talk about her own experience with bullying is important. I think celebrities have an obligation to be strong role models, and here we see Gaga telling her story in the hope that it might help a kid avoid a similar experience. I want everyone to take a stand against bullying - and everyone can take a stand in a different way to make a difference in their community. Gaga spoke openly about her personal experience during an interview. Parents can take a stand by getting involved in school policy.
Mark your calendars for the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant to be held in June in Zionsville. Come out and see 31 of Indiana's most talented and beautiful young women as they compete for the title of Miss Indiana! Be a part of my journey to the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant by contributing to my fundraising goal for the Children's Miracle network by searching for me and making a donation online at www.missamerica4kids.org
In the MTV special "Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside," Gaga tells about how she was bullied as a teenager. The example she gives is a story about how she went out for pizza and encountered a group of girls who bullied her, and she ended up being put in a trash can.
I know some people have trouble understanding the seriousness of bullying and the harm it does in our everyday lives. It is easy to believe that things like kids being stuffed into school lockers and tossed in trash cans happens only in the movies.
The truth is that bullying does happen, and physical bullying is very real and a common occurrence in many kid's lives. In Kentucky, the state legislature recently passed a stronger bullying law after hearing testimony from a teenager who described an escalating pattern of bullying that included physical bullying.
Lady Gaga's honesty and courage to talk about her own experience with bullying is important. I think celebrities have an obligation to be strong role models, and here we see Gaga telling her story in the hope that it might help a kid avoid a similar experience. I want everyone to take a stand against bullying - and everyone can take a stand in a different way to make a difference in their community. Gaga spoke openly about her personal experience during an interview. Parents can take a stand by getting involved in school policy.
Mark your calendars for the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant to be held in June in Zionsville. Come out and see 31 of Indiana's most talented and beautiful young women as they compete for the title of Miss Indiana! Be a part of my journey to the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant by contributing to my fundraising goal for the Children's Miracle network by searching for me and making a donation online at www.missamerica4kids.org
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Minnesota Public Radio's series on bullying gets more attention
Minnesota Public Radio has done a great job of reporting on the Minnesota state laws on bullying and the actual situation in their state's schools, and the reports have really got people talking. I touched on the MPR report yesterday in a blog entry, but what I read today is worth mentioning. The MPR reports on bullying are a week-long series, so there is likely lots more good information to come from this series.
From the Learning Curve by Beth Hawkins, Beth Hawkins writes "Turns out Minnesota's anti-bullying law is just 37 words long. Nationwide, a whopping four states have weaker laws."
Beth went on to say that "Never mind that half of all Minnesota students have bullied or been a victim, and up to 100,000 are believed to experience bullying on at least a weekly basis."
I know many of you hear me talk about bullying a lot, and you may be getting used to me tossing out statistics to try and drive home the point of how important this issue is to every family in America. If you've been around me long, you know I say that bullying is a problem in every single classroom in America. And here it is again - half of all students in Minnesota.
What does that mean? Half of all students means that if you go into any classroom in Minnesota, odds are if you grab two kids and talk to them, one of them will tell you a story about bullying. This is 1 out of every 2 kids you talk to about bullying. Half. Still, as Beth Hawkins wrote, even with the likelihood of 100,000 kids in Minnesota experiencing bullying each week, they still might have one of the weakest anti-bullying laws in the country.
There is no magic bullet for solving this problem. Bullying is a complicated problem, and while bullying may never completely go away, we can use laws and school policies to limit the serious negative effects, and put an end to the needless deaths of teenagers because of bullying.
Take a stand today! No matter where you might live, get in touch with your legislature and ask them about your state's anti-bullying laws. Ask your legislature to sponsor a proposal that increases protection for children being bullied at school. Call your school principal and school board members and ask them to tell you about the school's policy on bullying, and them ask them what you can do to make it better.
I will keep following the news from Minnesota, and I look forward to seeing you all at the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant in June. Don't forget to contribute to my CMN fundraising at www.missamerica4kids.org
From the Learning Curve by Beth Hawkins, Beth Hawkins writes "Turns out Minnesota's anti-bullying law is just 37 words long. Nationwide, a whopping four states have weaker laws."
Beth went on to say that "Never mind that half of all Minnesota students have bullied or been a victim, and up to 100,000 are believed to experience bullying on at least a weekly basis."
I know many of you hear me talk about bullying a lot, and you may be getting used to me tossing out statistics to try and drive home the point of how important this issue is to every family in America. If you've been around me long, you know I say that bullying is a problem in every single classroom in America. And here it is again - half of all students in Minnesota.
What does that mean? Half of all students means that if you go into any classroom in Minnesota, odds are if you grab two kids and talk to them, one of them will tell you a story about bullying. This is 1 out of every 2 kids you talk to about bullying. Half. Still, as Beth Hawkins wrote, even with the likelihood of 100,000 kids in Minnesota experiencing bullying each week, they still might have one of the weakest anti-bullying laws in the country.
There is no magic bullet for solving this problem. Bullying is a complicated problem, and while bullying may never completely go away, we can use laws and school policies to limit the serious negative effects, and put an end to the needless deaths of teenagers because of bullying.
Take a stand today! No matter where you might live, get in touch with your legislature and ask them about your state's anti-bullying laws. Ask your legislature to sponsor a proposal that increases protection for children being bullied at school. Call your school principal and school board members and ask them to tell you about the school's policy on bullying, and them ask them what you can do to make it better.
I will keep following the news from Minnesota, and I look forward to seeing you all at the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant in June. Don't forget to contribute to my CMN fundraising at www.missamerica4kids.org
Monday, May 16, 2011
Minnesota Public Radio discovers Minnesota schools may be "Weak on Bullying"
In a May 16th report by Minnesota Public Radio, MPR News found out that the state doesn't have the repository of individual bullying policies as required by the state law. So MPR News contact nearly 500 schools in Minnesota and asked for a copy of each school's bullying policy. The result: even with a clear state law requiring policies, there are still lots of inconsistencies.
So right away, let's talk about what Minnesota got right: they have a law requiring each school board to adopt a written policy prohibiting bullying and intimidation of any student, and the law requires that the policies address bullying and intimidation of all types, and even includes cyberbullying, which is really important given the recent rise in internet intimidation and bullying that can have tragic results.
Unfortunately, most schools in Minnesota relied on a state template to create their individual policies. While this did accomplish the goal of getting a policy on the books in most schools, the template missed a key component recommended by federal education officials which requires tracking of bullying incidents.
Bullying laws are really important to protecting children and teens, and given the rise in serious injuries and even deaths, it is time we take a hard look at our schools and our policies to see what we can do better to protect our students.
Take a stand today and get in touch with your representative - tell them that you want them to investigate this issue and create some dialogue in the legislature. In Indiana, our next big step is to put together a bullying law proposal that can get out of committee and into hearing.
You can learn more about programs to prevent bullying by clicking on the Happy Kids Safe Schools tab at the top of my blog.
And don't forget the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant is coming up in June in Zionsville. Get in touch with me right away if you need tickets to sit in my cheering section, and please contribute to my fundraising goal for the Children's Miracle Network by May 30th by searching for my name at www.missmerica4kids.org
So right away, let's talk about what Minnesota got right: they have a law requiring each school board to adopt a written policy prohibiting bullying and intimidation of any student, and the law requires that the policies address bullying and intimidation of all types, and even includes cyberbullying, which is really important given the recent rise in internet intimidation and bullying that can have tragic results.
Unfortunately, most schools in Minnesota relied on a state template to create their individual policies. While this did accomplish the goal of getting a policy on the books in most schools, the template missed a key component recommended by federal education officials which requires tracking of bullying incidents.
Bullying laws are really important to protecting children and teens, and given the rise in serious injuries and even deaths, it is time we take a hard look at our schools and our policies to see what we can do better to protect our students.
Take a stand today and get in touch with your representative - tell them that you want them to investigate this issue and create some dialogue in the legislature. In Indiana, our next big step is to put together a bullying law proposal that can get out of committee and into hearing.
You can learn more about programs to prevent bullying by clicking on the Happy Kids Safe Schools tab at the top of my blog.
And don't forget the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant is coming up in June in Zionsville. Get in touch with me right away if you need tickets to sit in my cheering section, and please contribute to my fundraising goal for the Children's Miracle Network by May 30th by searching for my name at www.missmerica4kids.org
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A big congrats to Emilee Kottkamp who will compete as Miss Collegiate North 2011 at the Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant in June!
Congratulations to Emilee Kottkamp, Miss Collegiate North 2011!
The Miss Collegiate North local program recently announced Emilee as their 2011 titleholder on their Facebook page, and while I love Facebook, I can't wait to meet Emilee in person when we all check in at the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant in Zionsville.
I am so excited about the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant and I want all of you to come out and cheer for me, Emilee and all of the 31 young women competing for Miss Indiana. I'd love to have you sitting in my cheering section, so get in touch with me right away if you need tickets.
Tickets are available through the Miss Indiana contestants and can also be ordered online on the official Miss Indiana website. Don't worry if you don't get tickets in advance - the ticket office will be open at the PAC the week of the pageant. For those of you who might be new to this Miss Indiana stuff, the PAC is the Performing Arts Center at Zionsville High School in Zionsville, Indiana. Zionsville is on the north side of Indianapolis, so I hope many of you will come out and enjoy the week with us.
Keep watching my blog for updates about the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant, and to support my Miss Indiana fundraising for the Children's Miracle Network, search for me on the Miss America CMN website at missamerica4kids.org
The Miss Collegiate North local program recently announced Emilee as their 2011 titleholder on their Facebook page, and while I love Facebook, I can't wait to meet Emilee in person when we all check in at the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant in Zionsville.
I am so excited about the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant and I want all of you to come out and cheer for me, Emilee and all of the 31 young women competing for Miss Indiana. I'd love to have you sitting in my cheering section, so get in touch with me right away if you need tickets.
Tickets are available through the Miss Indiana contestants and can also be ordered online on the official Miss Indiana website. Don't worry if you don't get tickets in advance - the ticket office will be open at the PAC the week of the pageant. For those of you who might be new to this Miss Indiana stuff, the PAC is the Performing Arts Center at Zionsville High School in Zionsville, Indiana. Zionsville is on the north side of Indianapolis, so I hope many of you will come out and enjoy the week with us.
Keep watching my blog for updates about the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant, and to support my Miss Indiana fundraising for the Children's Miracle Network, search for me on the Miss America CMN website at missamerica4kids.org
Monday, May 9, 2011
Indiana Senate approves bill for increased training on suicide prevention for school personnel
Earlier in the Indiana legislative session, many of us were surprised when Indiana House Bill 534 that proposed changes to Indiana's bullying laws got defeated at the committee level. I am happy to see that Indiana Senate Bill 4 on suicide prevention has been approved and is headed to the governor for his final approval and signature.
While I think it is critically important that Indiana have strong laws to protect children and prevent bullying in our schools and communities, Senate Bill 4, a bill that supports increased training for school teachers and staff members on suicide prevention, is a big, big step in the right direction.
The sad fact is that suicide among America teens is a real problem, and Indiana needs this law to increase education at the community level. I remember how sad everyone was when we learned about Billy Lucas. Now this law lets us take all that sadness and go in a positive direction, a direction that helps parents and teachers learn more about teen suicide and what we all can do to prevent it from happening.
Learn more about what you can do to stomp out bullying in your school by clicking on the Happy Kids Safe Schools section on my blog. Take a stand today!
While I think it is critically important that Indiana have strong laws to protect children and prevent bullying in our schools and communities, Senate Bill 4, a bill that supports increased training for school teachers and staff members on suicide prevention, is a big, big step in the right direction.
The sad fact is that suicide among America teens is a real problem, and Indiana needs this law to increase education at the community level. I remember how sad everyone was when we learned about Billy Lucas. Now this law lets us take all that sadness and go in a positive direction, a direction that helps parents and teachers learn more about teen suicide and what we all can do to prevent it from happening.
Learn more about what you can do to stomp out bullying in your school by clicking on the Happy Kids Safe Schools section on my blog. Take a stand today!
Congratulations to Erica Eisenhut for running her first 500 Mini Marathon
Congratulations to Erica Eisenhut for running in the 500 Festival Mini Marathon in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 7th! May has been a big month for Erica because she graduates this month with a masters degree from the IU School of Education.
Erica held several local titles in the Miss America Organization and competed at the Miss Indiana Pageant. She was Miss Indiana State University and Miss Crossroads. In 2010 she served as the first and only Miss Collegiate South, which I think is really special. Erica left quite a legacy as Miss Collegiate South 2010 and she spent a lot of time making appearances. One of the best parts of being Miss Collegiate South is that her local program did a holiday card drive for Riley Hospital every year, and Erica set a card collection record. As a local titleholder I will be following in Erica's footsteps and doing good work in Southern Indiana.
So congratulations to Erica on running the 500 Mini, and for all the other wonderful things she is doing to reach her dreams.
Don't forget the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant is coming up soon, and you can contribute to my fundraising goal for Children's Miracle Network online by searching for me at www.missamerica4kids.org.
Erica held several local titles in the Miss America Organization and competed at the Miss Indiana Pageant. She was Miss Indiana State University and Miss Crossroads. In 2010 she served as the first and only Miss Collegiate South, which I think is really special. Erica left quite a legacy as Miss Collegiate South 2010 and she spent a lot of time making appearances. One of the best parts of being Miss Collegiate South is that her local program did a holiday card drive for Riley Hospital every year, and Erica set a card collection record. As a local titleholder I will be following in Erica's footsteps and doing good work in Southern Indiana.
So congratulations to Erica on running the 500 Mini, and for all the other wonderful things she is doing to reach her dreams.
Don't forget the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant is coming up soon, and you can contribute to my fundraising goal for Children's Miracle Network online by searching for me at www.missamerica4kids.org.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Texas House passes bill to help kids from being bullied at school
Good news from Texas as the Texas House approved a bill to help kids from being bullied at school, and creating new requirements for schools to help prevent bullying. The Texas House Public Education Committee worked hard to get this important bill passed, and I am hopeful we might see something similar happen in Indiana soon.
Texas Representative Diane Patrick was quoted in the Star-Telegram newspaper saying that "Parents deserve to know that their children are within safe walls at school."
I couldn't agree more, and what Representative Patrick said this week is really why I work so hard to promote my Happy Kids Safe Schools platform. The prevention of bullying in Indiana schools really does start with safe schools, and I am eager to see the Texas Senate approve the measure that the House approved in a 94-41 vote.
I think this 94-41 vote is really telling, and it shows us that everyone really cares about Happy Kids and Safe Schools. Take a stand today and learn more by clicking my Happy Kids Safe Schools tab at the top of the blog.
Don't forget, the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant is coming up in June. You still have a chance to support my journey and contribute toward my fundraising goal for the Children's Miracle Network. Make a contribution today online by searching for me on missamerica4kids.org.
Texas Representative Diane Patrick was quoted in the Star-Telegram newspaper saying that "Parents deserve to know that their children are within safe walls at school."
I couldn't agree more, and what Representative Patrick said this week is really why I work so hard to promote my Happy Kids Safe Schools platform. The prevention of bullying in Indiana schools really does start with safe schools, and I am eager to see the Texas Senate approve the measure that the House approved in a 94-41 vote.
I think this 94-41 vote is really telling, and it shows us that everyone really cares about Happy Kids and Safe Schools. Take a stand today and learn more by clicking my Happy Kids Safe Schools tab at the top of the blog.
Don't forget, the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant is coming up in June. You still have a chance to support my journey and contribute toward my fundraising goal for the Children's Miracle Network. Make a contribution today online by searching for me on missamerica4kids.org.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Miss Indiana Kick Off, my spring choir show and one big month
I am so excited! Sunday, May 1st was the official kick-off day for the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant, to be held the last full week in June in Zionsville.
I had been to kick-off for the Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen Pageant, but this was my very first time being there as a Miss titleholder. I had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Being a local titleholder in the Miss America Organization at the Miss level has always been my dream, and I am very blessed to have held several Outstanding Teen titles while I was finishing high school and waiting to qualify at the Miss level.
For all you potential contestants out there, you have to be at least 17 and graduating from high school to be eligible at the Miss level. Younger teens can compete in the teen division, which is what I did for many years. And a big shout out to Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen Katie Marak who was a top ten finalist at the national pageant in Orlando. I was lucky enough to be a runner up to Katie at the state pageant last June.
But this year I will be competing in the Miss division, and I have now been to kick off and turned in all my official paperwork so I am ready to go. I have been working very hard in the last few months to get ready for the state pageant. I can promise everyone who has supported me and my journey with the Miss America Organization, I will make you very proud at the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant.
Also on kick-off day was the second annual Miss Indiana Miracle Bowl for Kids. Every one of the 31 Miss Indiana contestants each raised $250 to benefit the Children's Miracle Network and the Miss Indiana program at the state level.
The good news is that you still have time to support the Children's Miracle Network by making a donation toward my fundraising goal for Miss Indiana. Each of the 31 contestants at the Miss Indiana pageant must raise at least $250 for CMN, and I would love to have you supporting my goal or the goal of one of the amazing young women at the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant.
Please take a moment to visit the missamerica4kids.org website, search for my name under Miss Indiana and make a contribution. Every dollar helps kids in the Children's Miracle Network, so donate early and often!
After kick-off in Indianapolis I raced back home for my big spring choir show. I've had an amazing experience with my school choir and I am really looking forward to singing on the Miss Indiana stage!
The 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant is only about month away, so get in touch with me for tickets, and to support my CMN fundraising goal, search for me on at missamerica4kids.org!
I had been to kick-off for the Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen Pageant, but this was my very first time being there as a Miss titleholder. I had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Being a local titleholder in the Miss America Organization at the Miss level has always been my dream, and I am very blessed to have held several Outstanding Teen titles while I was finishing high school and waiting to qualify at the Miss level.
For all you potential contestants out there, you have to be at least 17 and graduating from high school to be eligible at the Miss level. Younger teens can compete in the teen division, which is what I did for many years. And a big shout out to Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen Katie Marak who was a top ten finalist at the national pageant in Orlando. I was lucky enough to be a runner up to Katie at the state pageant last June.
But this year I will be competing in the Miss division, and I have now been to kick off and turned in all my official paperwork so I am ready to go. I have been working very hard in the last few months to get ready for the state pageant. I can promise everyone who has supported me and my journey with the Miss America Organization, I will make you very proud at the 2011 Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant.
Also on kick-off day was the second annual Miss Indiana Miracle Bowl for Kids. Every one of the 31 Miss Indiana contestants each raised $250 to benefit the Children's Miracle Network and the Miss Indiana program at the state level.
The good news is that you still have time to support the Children's Miracle Network by making a donation toward my fundraising goal for Miss Indiana. Each of the 31 contestants at the Miss Indiana pageant must raise at least $250 for CMN, and I would love to have you supporting my goal or the goal of one of the amazing young women at the 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant.
Please take a moment to visit the missamerica4kids.org website, search for my name under Miss Indiana and make a contribution. Every dollar helps kids in the Children's Miracle Network, so donate early and often!
After kick-off in Indianapolis I raced back home for my big spring choir show. I've had an amazing experience with my school choir and I am really looking forward to singing on the Miss Indiana stage!
The 2011 Miss Indiana Pageant is only about month away, so get in touch with me for tickets, and to support my CMN fundraising goal, search for me on at missamerica4kids.org!
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