Five things every contestant should pack for their week at the state pageant in Zionsville

State week is almost here, and in just a few days I will move into the official host hotel for a week of fun and excitement.  I can't wait to get settled in my hotel room, talk to my roommate and meet all of the 32 contestants competing for the state title and a chance to go on to the national pageant.

State week is an adventure and everyone has a different packing strategy, but the one thing everyone agrees on is that organization is key.  The 32 contestants have a busy schedule of appearances and preliminary competition and we want to look our best all week.  For those of you PresBlog readers who are on a contestant's support team, you know how things look on move-in day.  Lots of gowns and dresses, tons of suitcases, and pretty much just general chaos sort of like getting on a cruise ship.

Here is a list of my top five things every contestant should pack for state week:

1. Bottled water.  Staying hydrated is important no matter what you are doing, and state week is no different.  With temperatures in the 90s on check-in weekend, we can count on a hot summer week in Zionsville.  Make sure you have at least 2 bottles for everyday we are at the hotel.
2. Lip gloss.  We call carry it, but it is also easy to forget in the rush of getting out of the house to head to Zionsville, so be sure you pack at least one of your favorite lip gloss.  Not a bad idea to bring a few, so you can leave one at the hotel, carry one in your bag and leave one at the PAC.
3. Bandaids.  Bring a few bandaids in different sizes and keep a few at the hotel and at the pack.  These come in handy when you need to cover and cushion a blister.
4. Makeup removing wipes.  Cleaning your face and removing all of your makeup at night can make a huge difference for your skin, so love the skin your in by keeping it healthy and happy by removing all your makeup before you go to sleep.  Plus these handy makeup removing wipes are a great mid-day refresher.
5. Bobby pins and contour clips.  Shakespeare wrote "my crown is in my heart" and I believe that, but I also know my crown will come flying off my head if I don't have a couple pins or clips.  The 32 contestants make a lot of appearances, including my favorite at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, and those kids love to see all of us wearing our crowns.

Team Presley fans at state week should look for my family to get buttons, badges and signs to show their support at the PAC and around Zionsville.  It is going to be a great week and I can't wait to see all of you at state week 2012!

Jessica Barba and why her school suspended her for making a video to stop bullying

Fifteen-year-old Jessica Barba has been suspended from school for what school administrators say was creating "a substantial disruption to the school."  What did Jessica do wrong?  For an assignment in her business communications class at Longwood High School in New York, Jessica created a video about bullying.  She played a character in the six minute video who was bullied, got really depressed, and at the end takes her own life.  Jessica posted the video online, and the next day at school she says her peers were already talking about it.

Clearly, even though she included statements that the story was fictitious, school superintendent Allan Gerstenlauer says it caused a serious disruption and even caused one partent to contact police in fear that a child had actually hurt themselves.

What do we know?  We know that 1 in 4 college students have reported being bullied.   We know that bullying is repeated agressive and intimidating behavior that leads children and young teens to be depressed, and in some severe cases, take their own lives.

The sad truth is that suicide is a leading cause of death for children and teenagers.  One third of all suicides among young adults age 15-24 can be linked to bullying.

Jessica says she gave up the password to her online video to an assistant principal in the hopes of negotiating a shorter punishment, but national media, including credible sources like NBC, is reporting that Jessica is suspended for five days pending a school hearing.

Do you agree or disagree with Jessica's video?  Do you think it had a place online, or even a place in her school, and was it appropriate for a school assignment?

Millions of kids are impacted by bullying at school, and many of them are taking a stand and doing things to get the attention of school administrators.  To learn more about bullying and what you can do to keep kids happy and safe in your community keep ready my blog.

My advice for making your talent perfect at the state pageant

I'm really excited about the state pageant coming up in June.  Not only is it one of the best parts of being Miss Northwest Territory, it is also a chance for me to perform my talent on a big stage in front on a huge crowd.  Being on the state stage is exciting and there are a few things you can do to help be ready for your moment in the spotlight.

Here is my advice for talent at the state pageant:

1. Drink plenty of water.  This is important all week during the state pageant, but it is especially important that you are hydrated for talent.  Talent takes a lot of energy and endurance, and being dehydrated will keep your body from letting you give your best performance.  You don't have to go overboard with the water.  Just be sure you are drinking enough for you to stay healthy and hydrated.
2. Avoid caffeine.  We all need a little boost now and then, and heaven knows the scent of the coffee pot can be addictive.  Red Bull might give you wings, but it can also give you jitters, cause headaches and lots of other problems when your artificial high starts to crash.  We should all drink caffeinated beverages a little less, and you should definitely avoid them the day you perform your talent.
3. Stretch and warm-ups.  Make sure you do a little warm-up before your talent performance, and don't forget to stretch.  Most of us have a little routine of how we like to get ready, and sticking to that routine is how we are successful.  With all the excitement at state it can be easy to skip your warm-ups, but make sure you are ready to give your best performance of the year by sticking to your warm-up routine.
4. Extra copies of your sheet music or choreography.  Back-ups are a good thing, so be sure to bring an extra copy of your sheet music or the notes on your choreography.  I sometimes like to tape things up where I can see them, so you might want to bring an extra copy just for that.  Getting your talent perfect on stage is what is most important, so there is no shame in studying.
5. A little extra bling.  We focus so much on the talent performance itself that sometimes we forget that little extra something that helps us shine.  That extra bling is important for two reasons.  First, a little sparkle can help you shine on stage.  Maybe it helps the judges see your movements a little better or helps them keep their eyes on you for the entire performance.  The second reason is just as important.  Find a piece of bling that makes you feel really good about yourself, and when you put it on you'll feel like a rock star.

I can't wait to see everyone at the state pageant in June!  Look for Team Presley starting on the first night of prelims and be sure to get your signs and buttons!

What you should know about Alex Boston and her fight to help protect kids from cyberbullying

Alex Boston is a fourteen-year-old student who was cyberbullied by her classmates and has filed one of the first cyberbullying lawsuits in Georgia.  Basically, some of Alex's classmates created a fake Facebook page about her and used it to bully her at school.  But because there is no bullying law that protects kids when they are not at school, Alex and her family have sued based on a defamation of character and infliction of emotional distress.  And they hope to hold the parents accountable because the parents are the ones providing the computers and internet service.

Pretending to be Alex on Facebook, her classmates would make racist and hurtful statements online.  When Alex showed up a school, her peers were really upset, and Alex went through a very difficult time.

Alex's lawyer said in a recent radio interview that she would like to see a new law in Georgia that would allow schools and juvenile courts the power to address cyberbullying.  Alex's motive is to change the reality for the next kid, and if she is successful, this lawsuit might go a long way to protecting kids.

The End of Cyberbullying Act was sponsored by six legislatures in Georgia, but it never made it out of the education committee.  Alex's father says the ultimate goal is to get a law passed, and one of the first steps is creating enough awareness that parents push for proposed legislation to at least get through committee where it can be reviewed and debated by the full legislature.  Often times, hearing testimony from kids who have experience bullying is critical to getting laws passed.  That was reason a law passed in Kentucky and the proposal never made it out of committee in Indiana.

Keep reading the PresBlog to find out what happens with Alex Boston and her fight to get a law passed in Georgia.  I'm getting really excited about the state pageant in June, and I'm really looking forward to the chance to talk to the judges about why we need a bullying law to protect our kids.  If we all take a stand and work together we can create communities full of Happy Kids and Safe Schools.

Getting ready for June and my trip to the state pageant

Being a local titleholder in the Miss America Organization is a great way to spend a year, and one of the best parts of being Miss Northwest Territory is getting to compete at the 2012 Miss Indiana Pageant in June.

As many of you know this will be my second trip to the Miss Indiana Pageant.  My state week experience last year was filled with great memories and I can't wait to find out what is in store for this year.  My most important memory from last year is of Faith, a little girl I met when the Miss Indiana contestants visited Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, which is the only Children's Miracle Network hospital in Indiana.  You can read all about my adventures at the state pageant in 2011 by searching the PresBlog for my entries about state week from last June and July.

This year will be filled with multiple nights of preliminary competition, the state teen pageant, and finals at the end of state week, so be sure to let me know if you need tickets.  Don't worry if you wait till the last minute to go because I've got you covered.  During state week look for my signs on my hotel room door and at my autograph sponsor for a complete pageant schedule and ticket information.  Northwest Territory fans can get buttons and signs from Team Presley, so don't be shy about showing your support because I will make you proud.

You still have time to contribute to my CMN fundraising goal, so get in touch with me or search for me on the missamerica4kids.org website.

Support the Bully Project and be the change you wish to see in the world

Bully, a documentary film that chronicles the lives of families impacted by bullying in communities across America, opens Friday in LA and New York and will be released unrated after teen activist Katy Butler collected over 485,000 signatures through an online petition.  Indianapolis is one of the target markets for the project so I hope to see Bully in theaters in Indiana soon, but until then I hope each and every one of you will take a few minutes and watch the full movie trailer online.

Bully tells the story of five families over the course of the 2009-2010 school year and is directed by Lee Hirsch and Sundance so you know this is going to be worth watching.  I have a feeling the trailer, as good as it is, only scratches the surface.

I believe in the Bully Project and I believe every single child in America has the right to be happy and safe in their schools and communities.  It is why I champion my Happy Kids Safe Schools platform as a local titleholder and why I share my own story in the hopes it might make a difference in the life of a child.

This movie shines a spotlight on a critically important issue in America.  We have a choice to make.  We can accept peer on peer violence as kids being kids, or we can take a stand together and make sure that the millions of kids that stay home from school every month in America have a real chance to be successful.

I wish I could show this movie trailer during my interview at the 2012 Miss Indiana Pageant in June because I know it would help the judges understand how important this issue is on a national level, and it would show them how bullying projects need national advocates to stay in the media, keep school safety on the minds of parents, and help be the leader of change we all wish to see in the world.

And speaking of the state pageant, don't forget you still have time to sponsor my bowling team or contribute to my fundraising goal for the Children's Miracle Network!

Why 'kids being kids' is no excuse for bullying

Just like many of you I have been following the Rutgers University case, and the conviction last week of Dharun Ravi in the death of Tyler Clementi has created a lot of dialogue online.  I read today that Matt Comer of Campus Pride said there is little time to savor the verdict when so much work remains to be done.

Bullying happens for a lot of different reasons, and we know that millions of kids under the age of 18 are bullied every year online, particularly on social networks like Facebook.  Bullying is a problem in every classroom in America and most colleges still fail to create specific policies to protect students from hurtful and discriminatory behavior.

I think this is the most important takeaway from the Rutgers verdict:

"We do believe this verdict sends the important message that a 'kids will be kids' defense is no excuse to bully another student.  As for all of us, we must continue our focus on building a better world, one free from bullying of every student, so that a tragedy like this never happens again."   - Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality

Don't forget, you still have time to be one of my sponsors for Miracle Bowl for Kids or to contribute to my Children's Miracle Network fundraising goal.  Help me raise money that benefits kids right here in Indiana at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, the only CMN hospital in Indiana.

Having the Style to do what is Right

In the Miss America organization, we value style.  Style is one of the fundamental values of the organization, and it is represented by one of the four points of the crown.  Every crown in the Miss America system has four points, and each of those points represents one of the fundamental values of the organization.

Style can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but when I think about the point of my crown that represents style, I really believe how a a titleholder embraces the value of style in her life might be most important.  Style isn't just about the clothes we wear or how we do our hair.  It is about how we carry ourselves, how we demonstrate that we are responsible members of our communities, and how we contribute to society.

With so many young women working so hard to become leaders with style and grace in their communities, I wish I didn't see some teenagers taking a step backwards.  One of the examples I've seen recently is a story about teen girls on Twitter during the Grammy Awards talking about Chris Brown.  I'm sure we all have opinions about Chris Brown and Rihanna, but it should be a no-brainer for us all to agree that violence against young women is bad for everyone.  When girls say that it is okay for a man to hurt them because he is attractive and popular, we all take a big step back, no matter how cool and stylish we might be on Facebook and Twitter.

I want every woman in America to have the style and self-respect to stand up for herself and do what is right, even in the midst of social pressure.  Miss America is about using style in a positive way and not letting our physical attributes be a weakness.

So the next time you are on Twitter, take a moment to think about what you are posting, and have the style to say what you really believe, even if that means sometimes disagreeing with the popular viewpoint.  Sometimes, like with Chirs Brown and the Grammy Awards, those statements need to be challenged.

With the state pageant coming up in June, don't forget one of the best ways to show your style is to take care of children in your community!  Help me reach my fundraising goal for the Children's Miracle Network by searching for me on the missamerica4kids website!

My life as Miss Congeniality

February has been a busy month, and I am really starting to get excited about the state pageant coming up in June.  I am now in my second semester of college at Vincennes University where I am studying law enforcement and homeland security.  Studying law enforcement has been really interesting, and I'm still getting questions from friends and family about why I chose to study law enforcement instead of music.  I have some ideas about where I hope a law enforcement degree might help me in the future, maybe as a detective who helps solve complex cases or even diving into the water to save a child.  Most readers of the PresBlog know about my Happy Kids Safe Schools personal platform, and I feel good knowing that a degree in law enforcement will help me keep people safe in my community.

With the state pageant coming up, you can imagine I've been getting my fair share of Sandra Bullock and Miss Congeniality questions in my practice interviews.  I have to be honest - I don't mind being compared to Sandra Bullock.  Not only was Sandra Bullock on People Magazine's most beautiful people list two times, she has had an amazing career as a movie star.  Equally impressive is that she actually displays several important qualities of a titleholder, so maybe those pageant movies were a good fit for her.  Sandra Bullock actually owns her own production company and has been an active supporter of the America Red Cross, donating millions of dollars to help people around the world.  Years from now I sure hope I can look back and have such a track record of success.

I know Miss Congeniality was a comedy, but I think there are some important lessons in the movie that apply to my journey in pageants.  In the movie, Sandra Bullock really had to push herself to go outside of her comfort zone to achieve her goals.  She had to put herself in uncomfortable situations, and in some cases, she had to transform herself into a person who connected and related to her environment.  I've been pushing myself really hard this year, and I am very proud to be Miss Northwest Territory.  I can't wait for everyone to see how much I have grown and changed when I hit the state stage in June, so be ready to cheer for me!

Don't forget that you can support my fundraising efforts for the Children's Miracle Network by helping me reach my goal for the state pageant!  Search for me on the missamerica4kids website or get in touch with me for more information.

Is it cool to be on Facebook with your parents and teachers?

With approximately 800 million users on Facebook, you are bound to bump into people you know, and that is really the point of any social network.  But now that our parents are on Facebook, and our grandparents, and our aunts and uncles, teachers, principals, and even the gray-haired manager of the local Piggly Wiggly, is Facebook still a cool place to hang out as a teenager?

This week the Pew Internet and American Life Project released a report about how some teenagers seem to be moving to Twitter and using their Facebook accounts a little less.  The Twittering teens say they like the ability to post things fast on Twitter like a text message, plus the ability to have multiple accounts and remain anonymous, things that are difficult to do on Facebook.  Even with policies in place, teens have long lied about their age and identity when creating Facebook profiles, and it sounds like these young users might be a bit turned off by the aging population now active in the world's most popular social network.

I use Facebook, Twitter and the PresBlog to share my thoughts with the world, and I whenever I am online I think about my Happy Kids Safe Schools platform, because I know Facebook can be a dangerous place for young kids how are the victims of cyberbullying.  As I've said before, Facebook and social media sites can be a lot of fun, but we have to be as responsible online as we are in real life.

This month I started my second semester in college at Vincennes University, and I am excited about finishing the semester and heading to Zionsville in June.  This spring I'm hoping to take a really fun class, something that might have me feeling like I'm in the deep end of the pool, so keep reading the PresBlog to hear more about my adventures at VU.

Don't forget to contribute to my Children's Miracle Network fundraising goal, and remember to find me and follow me to learn about how you can sponsor my trip to the state pageant.

Is the internet a vanity press for the demented? Solove's new book on Gossip, Rumor and Privacy on the Internet should inspire us toward a better 2012

The internet can be a fun place, but it can also be a place that can cause a great deal of trouble in your personal life and professional career.  After all, nothing is off limits on the internet, and even when there might be some legal remedies for things like slander and libel, once it is posted on the internet the cat is out of the bag and the damage is almost immediate.

Daniel J. Solove talks about this and many other issues about the internet in society in his new book "The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet."

As a local titleholder in a national organization I take my job very seriously.  I know that my title comes with a year of service that last far longer than my moments on the stage, and it is during that term of service that I get the chance to promote Happy Kids and Safe Schools, and with any luck, convince people that they are self-empowered to make a difference in their school's and communities.

Recently I was in a conversation about Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan and how the public, despite all the drama with Charlie and Lindsay, seem to have a higher tolerance for bad behavior for celebrities than they do for every day citizens.  Clearly if I pulled a stunt like one of these celebrities, I doubt my friends would stick around even if I went on later to be in a movie or sitcom.  But for people we don't know, we seem to be more forgiving.

But the internet gives us a chance to be hurtful to people we know, even the people closest in our lives, and do it anonymously with such speed and convenience that the damage is almost instant.  Joseph Epstein had this to say in a recent column:

The internet has been splendid in the freedom it has given people to express their opinions, in catching out politicians in egregious lies and journalist in shoddy practice, and in som much else.  But it is the other side of that freedom - the freedom to libel, to invade privacy, to wreck lives - that has gotten so little, though greatly needed, attention.

Being a role model is an incredible responsibility, so I hope in 2012 we will all be a little more careful about our activities online.  Even if unintentional or caught in the heat of the moment, what we post online can have longterm consequences.  So let's spend this year being a little more aware of the people around us and use our time on the internet to advocate for the things we wish to change in the world.  If you see my in cyberspace, I'll be encouraging people to take a stand against bullying in their communities.  What will you do online in 2012?

P.S. Don't forget to join me during my year of service and support the Children's Miracle Network by looking for me online at missamerica4kids.org.