Hello!

Hello and welcome to my blog! Ever since I was announced Miss Capital City 2010 on November 22, 2009 in Springfield, IL, I have been very busy making appearances and preparing to compete for the job and title of Miss Illinois this June. My family was there to support me, and Limelight Studio Photography captured every moment of the competition and crowning. (They are the official photographer for Miss Illinois, and having had great experiences with them in the past, I would definitely recommend them! Their website is: http://www.limelightstudiophotography.com/) It's such an honor to be representing our state's capital, and my excitement about competing for Miss Illinois is through the roof! This has been a goal of mine since I was a little girl, although I now have a true understanding of what it really means to be Miss Illinois and what the Miss America Organization (MAO) is about.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the MAO:

"Rich in history and social significance, the Miss America Organization is a not-for-profit organization that has maintained a tradition for many decades of empowering American women to achieve their personal and professional goals, while providing a forum in which to express their opinions, talent, and intelligence. The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance." Also, "..on an annual basis, Miss America state and local titleholders, along with the Organization's network of volunteers, participate in more than 12,000 community service projects, providing in excess of 500,000 service hours to worthy causes." (Read more by visiting the Miss America website: http://www.missamerica.org)

At each level of competition (local, state, and national), each contestant must compete in five areas of competition: Interview, Talent, Evening Gown, Swimsuit, and On-State Question. As titleholders at any level, we represent confident young women who are talented, intelligent, poised, relatable, and beautiful inside and out.
Holding the title and responsibilities of Miss Capital City is an honor that I cherish. I am humbled and thankful to have received this opportunity, and I'm so glad to be working with the wonderful director of the Miss Capital City pageant, Rachel Johnson. Thank you so much for your encouragement and help so far!

I look forward to keeping you updated! Thank you for your support, and please visit again soon! For more information about Miss Illinois, please visit: http://www.missillinois.org/.