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!