Reason for the Reign

     Many times people think of pageant girls simply as beauty queens - beautiful women with not much more to give. In nearly every interview I am asked how I will show the world that pageant girls have so much more to offer. All people have to do is look at a day in the life of one of us.

     This last Monday I began my day with classes at the University of Nebraska - Omaha where I am a senior elementary education major. After turning in a lesson plan and some objectives and completing some Halloween projects with pre-school children, I sat down to study for an upcoming exam in classroom management.

     A little before one, I packed up my school things and headed over to the Children's Hospital where I met with Kaylee Carlberg ( Miss Gering) and Mariah Cook (Miss Nebraska).

    We were fortunate enough to participate in craft time with the children where we got to help them color pictures and decorate pumpkins and picture frames! It was such an incredibly amazing and rewarding opportunity. The children seemed genuinely excited to have a bright spot in their day in which they were able to do crafts and hang out with three "queens." While several of the kids were shy at first, many opened up and enjoyed chatting with us about their friends, families, school, and the upcoming holiday! Knowing that we could be a bright spot in what may have been an otherwise sad and scary day is beyond fulfilling and wonderful.

 

One of the patients we met who was extremely kind and outgoing! It was a joy to talk to her :)

 I wasn't able to talk to Ella much but she followed us around all afternoon smiling and trying to play with the stuff we had out - what a cutie!

Sam was an adorable little boy who was exceptionally excited about Halloween and the monster stickers we had for decorating!

Carly is truly an inspiration. She sat with us working on our projects and chatting away for awhile. Like any normal 10 year old girl, Carly talked with us about her friends and her boyfriend. She told us how her boyfriend gives her flowers and kisses on her cheek and takes her on many dates. Carly told us all of this with the biggest smile on her face and showed obvious pride in those little details. At one point the comment was even made that Carly was a lucky girl; she simply nodded and smiled in response. You would never guess that Carly has spent her last four birthdays in the hospital and has no use of her arms.

Carly is my reminder to face life with a positive attitude and to put good into the world. If she can be that brave and positive, there is no reason for me not to.

This is what the pageant experience is all about. Not only do we have the wonderful opportunity to go out in our communities and change the lives of those around us, but we also grow close and form friendships that truly feel like they will last a lifetime. I would be there in a heartbeat if these girls needed me and I know they would be there for me too.

The next time you see a pageant girl...look for this crown. The four points of the crown symbolize four S's - Style, Scholarship, Service, and Success. A day full of school, community service, working with kids, and spending time with such fabulous young ladies certainly sounds like a day of style, scholarship, service, and success to me.