Miss Illinois 2008 Farewell Letter (Printed in the 2009 Program Book)

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for an amazing year as Miss Illinois. The opportunity to represent our state and the Miss America Organization has been a privilege and an honor and I am so thankful to have been able to share it with all of you.

From the moment Alycia McCullough, my first runner-up, pointed at me and said “It’s you,” I knew my life was about to change. Since that fateful night in June, I’ve made over 230 appearances in the state of Illinois, filmed a reality show and competed for Miss America, spoke to 30,000 students on the importance of volunteering, visited over 105 schools to lead Character Counts! Assemblies, and kept in touch, personally, with 450+ students through email. I’m so blessed to have had these amazing opportunities and am thankful to the many Miss Illinois’ who have blazed the trail before me, unlocked doors, and inspired me to take the next step.

We’ve made great strides with our relationship with Children’s Miracle Network and I’ve absolutely enjoyed every moment with our CMN hospitals, volunteers, children, and families. From promoting the sale of Dairy Queen Blizzards, IHOP pancakes, and raffle tickets to participating in Radiothons (in English and Spanish!), fashion shows, and black-tie galas, I couldn’t think of another organization more deserving of these donations. What I most enjoyed, however, was my time at St. John’s and Children’s Memorial and seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter, and sharing in the joy when a child can forget they’re in the hospital.

I hope that my legacy will reflect a Miss Illinois who loved her job, worked hard, and served proudly; one who was an ambassador of goodwill and a spokesperson for the incredible young women who represent our communities through the Miss America Organization. One of my main goals this year was to be accessible, approachable and open to sharing this journey with anyone who wanted to join me. With my bi-weekly blog, I have kept followers updated on my appearances and have a Facebook account dedicated to all things Miss Illinois. I hope that you enjoyed reading them as much I enjoyed sharing them with you.

It’s still hard for me to believe that young and old alike look to me as a role model and, although I’ve taken this responsibility seriously, it’s only been recently that I can say I’ve felt like one. When a college student asks how I’ve dealt with body image or a student writes me for advice on bullying, I realize the power my words can have to turn their lives around. Now more than ever, I’m proud to shatter the titleholder stereotypes the media perpetuates and to provide a refreshing, honest, and real example of what our organization stands for.

I will be forever grateful for the privilege of representing the Miss Illinois Scholarship Association, our volunteers and sponsors, our contestants and titleholders, and all the wonderful people of the great state of Illinois. I want to thank each and every one of you for welcoming me into your homes, your communities and your lives and for sharing times of joy, sadness, pride and celebration. It's the time I spent with you I cherish the most.

Always Your Miss Illinois 2008,
Katie

Chicago Cares Serve-A-Thon

- 8,000 volunteers
- 39 schools
- Nearly $100,000 raised to revitalize the Chicago community

Saturday was the perfect example of the power of a volunteer and proof that positive and immediate change is possible when everyone lends a hand. At our site, we spent the day painting a Chicago elementary school while Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits played over the intercom. We cleaned the beige walls and covered them with bright paint like "Tango Tangerine" and "Seafoam Green" and muralists renewed the hallways with imagery of Chicago history and our nation's cultural leaders. The transformation was absolutely amazing and we were proud that the school's outward appearance could now reflect the positive attitudes and bright futures of the its students and teachers inside.

Check out more volunteer opportunities at www.chicagocares.org or use www.idealist.org if you're not in the Chicago area. An hour, a day, a week of your time devoted to service is more valuable than you can possibly realize.

A Quick Recap of the Last Two Weeks!

On Memorial Day, I traveled out to Hoffman Estates to honor our service men and women who died in action as well as to recognize those currently serving and our veterans. I enjoyed researching the history of the day and was proud to find that Illinois’ own John A. Logan was instrumental in garnering national attention and participation. I encouraged my audience to take this day as a reminder to ask our local heroes about their experiences and to share the stories of the fallen. It is through these stories that their memories live on and they shall not have died in vain. The reception afterward was wonderful and I was happy to meet so many patriots in Hoffman Estates!

Wrapping up the school year, I spoke at St. John’s Lutheran in Elgin and Pleasantdale Middle School in Burr Ridge. Great audiences as always but, even after all the schools I’ve done, these two still surprised me. At St. John’s, I did my first presentation ever in the pulpit of a church and at Pleasantdale I judged their amazing talent show! I have to give a “shout out” to “Four Bullets Left”, an 8th grade band that handed me a signed mini guitar afterward! (I remained objective in my scoring of course!) Thank you to Jennifer and Mike for a great lunch as well.

I was thrilled to be able to spend so many of my last days as Miss Illinois with our National Partner to raise funds for a Children’s Miracle Network hospital. I signed autographs and took photos at a Chicago Costco and participated in one of my favorite appearances to date. On Sunday, I spent the entire day speaking Spanish at the La Que Buena Radiothon in the Little Village of Chicago and loved every second of it. I signed autographs and took photos with the adorable children who came “por los ninos” and even conducted an entire interview on air in Spanish! I was terrified to go on stage to speak but everyone encouraged me to say what I could and to switch to English if I was at a loss for words. “El Pistolero” was the nationally syndicated host who interviewed me and I even got to meet one of the stars from “La Nuestra Belleza Latina”- a cross between a beauty pageant and a reality show that airs on Univision! It was wonderful to see the generosity of so many individuals and to see the community come together to support Children’s.

My path happily crossed with Joe Cantafio and the 101st Rock Division band at the Chicago Machine Lacrosse game. They were awesome, as always, and I found myself singing along with the great classic rock they played! I had a great time greeting the fans and was happy to attend my first ever lacrosse game AND my first trip to Soldier Field!

I wrapped up this week with the Little Miss Wonder Lake Pageant. In their inaugural year, the pageant was beautifully run and every detail was taken care of! I was head judge with two other community members and we listened as the 5-7-year-olds answered questions about themselves, their pets, and their annoying brothers and sisters. Little Miss Wonder Lake was the epitome of the kind of self-esteem and confidence building experience that children’s pageants should be (no makeup or crazy dresses) and I was happy to be a part of such a positive experience for these girls.

The Definition of Grilled Cheese Fridays

Woo Hoo!

All my blogs from the Miss Illinois website are now posted and ready for your viewing and reminiscing pleasure (or mine). ;) Thanks for your help Jason. :)

If you're not familiar with a Grilled Cheese Friday...let me fill you in. A Grilled Cheese Friday is one of the most honest, real, and good things this world has to offer. It is dependable, reliable, and a true friend that you can count on in good times and bad. A Grilled Cheese Friday is not just the pinnacle of culinary routine, it is hope on two slices of bread.

Grilled Cheese Fridays occur the sixth day of every week and consist of a mid-day meal of grilled cheese, tomato soup, and delicious chocolate chip cookies. You may choose white or wheat bread and always have the option of lemonade or water. Raps and poetry have been written about this favored day and travelers from around the world have ventured to the Delta Gamma kitchen to savor Dennis's delectables.

I really like grilled cheese.

Every Friday, the chef at my sorority would make grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch. We would all look forward to Grilled Cheese Fridays as a symbol that the weekend had finally arrived and saw it as a taste of our childhoods in this comfort food. Thank you to my mom for suggesting this name. :)

As always, thank YOU for reading.
KT :)

Follow My Blog After Miss Illinois! (5/24/09)

As my final days as Miss Illinois draw nearer, I wanted to make sure I had a way to keep in touch with you all on the web. I created my independent blog “Grilled Cheese Fridays” (You’ll have to log on to find out what on Earth that means) and you can find it here: http://grilledcheesefridays.blogspot.com/. I’ve archived most of my old blogs and hope to keep you updated on the latest and greatest happenings for me post Miss Illinois Land. Thank you for reading this past year and for taking an interest in my year of service – I’ve enjoyed it so much more knowing that I could share it with you!

Last Monday morning, I toured Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton and met with the Golf Outing Committee to discuss their upcoming event on July 13th. Gary Hasberger of Vulcan Golf generously offered to triple his donation to the Miss Illinois Golf Outing if I participated after my reign and I simply couldn’t turn him down! Marianjoy is a state-of-the-art facility and I was excited to see the ways this center helps patients of all ages rehabilitate in mind, body, and soul.

The next day, I drove over to Oak Park to participate in one of the many ceremonies for Marine Week. I was excited to meet up with Don Haines again (a retired Marine himself) and had my very own Marine escort, SGT Delgado, for the entire evening. I signed tons of autographs that day and spoke to the crowd about being thankful for the service of these brave men and women. We came across some familiar faces like the Patriot Guard Riders, USO members, and Gold Star Families and met many media outlets who were there to cover the event! My favorite part of the evening, however, was dining with the Marines in the “mess hall,” if you will, over delicious Buona Beef! A beauty queen, scores of brave men, and beef – what more could you ask for?



The weekend took me to Gurnee and Winthrop Harbor for a Pageant and a Fashion Show! Kristen Ruchti was kind enough to host me overnight at her home while I judged the Miss Winthrop Harbor Pageant on Saturday. I had a wonderful afternoon with the other judges and organizers and loved meeting the contestants of all age levels. The pageant was a first-rate show and thank you to Robin Ruchti for continuing the tradition with Miss Illinois as a judge!

The next morning I helped support the Miss Northern Suburbs Pageant as a model in their Fashion Show! Sherrie Gearheart, Miss Northern Suburbs, gave two wonderful performances and many local titleholders modeled the latest fashions from Kohl’s! (During my fitting earlier in the week I loved my outfit so much that I bought it right there!) The event was a huge success and thank you to the Ruchti’s, again, for having me.

I reached a nice touchstone this week when I was able to speak at the Chicago Financial District’s Rotary Club. This club has been with me throughout my entire journey as Miss Illinois from my very first appearance as Miss Chicago, to making me an honorary member as Miss Illinois, to having me back again to reflect on my year. I can’t thank them enough for their support and would like to encourage you all to participate, volunteer, or donate to their Race To The Finish to eradicate polio on Sunday, June 14th in Chicago – you can find out more information here: http://www.racetothefinish.org.

Last but not least, we had our Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen and Preteen Competitions as well as our Illinois Talent Competition! All the shows were a huge success and a big “thank you” and “congratulations” are in order for Scott Billadeau, Tiffanie Rafdahl, Rebecca Cutler, and our many volunteers for their hard work making these events possible! Congratulations to our new MIOT Andrea Novak, our very first MIOPT Peyton Tucker, and our talent winner Cole Bossong! One of the highlights for me was being able to perform with my Princess – Jessica Durante (J. Dur). After two months of practices at the Durante’s home, we did a duet to “Popular” from Wicked. We had so much fun with this musical theatre number and we’re still receiving compliments! Thank you to Laura Durante for letting us dance around your basement, eat your food, and, of course, for your costuming, ideas, and inspiration.

Less than a month until we have our next Miss Illinois – ah! Good luck girls!

KT :)

Over 200 Appearances, 100 Schools, & 30,000 Students!!! (4/30/09)

My appearance tally hit two exciting marks this week including over 200 appearances and 100 schools! Through those school appearances, I’ve been able to address over 30,000 students, one assembly at a time, on the importance of character and volunteering. I’m humbled by the numbers and hope that, somewhere in there, students’ life paths have been positively affected or changed as a result of my efforts. A huge thank you goes to Jason Pawlowski, Glen Schwerdtmann, Amalia Schwerdtmann, and Amber Hill who have all been instrumental in securing appearances the past few months – I couldn’t have done it without you!

I started the week after Easter at the Harlem Globetrotters Game/Show at the United Center in Chicago. They introduced me to the nearly packed crowd and I had courtside seats next to the performers. The show was SO much fun to watch and the players even interacted with me during the show! I took lots of pictures with the crowd and signed autographs on basketballs for the first time!

Thank you to Field School in Elmhurst, Kennedy Jr. High in Naperville, and Christ the King School in Springfield for three wonderful assemblies! Special thank you's to Jill Riecker, Don Perry, and Walter Loague for your support!

For the past five years, Miss Illinois has been a mainstay at Girls Spa Day in Lemont. When a four-year-old greeted me with “You look hot," I knew I was in for a fun afternoon. I greeted the 100 or so girls with an autograph signing and later spoke to them about reaching for their dreams, setting goals, and not getting discouraged by setbacks. We posed in a photo shoot together and walked the runway for their parents in the grand finale. The event created such a positive environment for girls to express themselves and I was so thankful to have played a small role – thank you to Jenni Keating and Calvary Church for supporting young girls and our organization!

Thursday the 23rd was “Take Your Child to Work Day” and Sears Holding in Hoffman Estates included me in a jam-packed day for their employees’ children. After they visited TV studios, gave their input on new products, and taste tested new cookies, I talked to the group of 250 kids about character and taking care of our environment! They had a ton of questions and, before they headed off to their next adventure, all 250 got a high-five or hug from yours truly. Special thank you to Becky Bonnis for letting me stay late to sign autographs!

Children’s Miracle Network will always have a special place in my heart after having seen the amazing works this organization does for kids and their families in need. I visited St. John’s Children’s Hospital in Springfield and toured their state-of-the-art facilities while chatting with patients and meeting CMN officials. To protect the privacy of the families, I won’t go into too much detail but I have story upon story about hope, perseverance, the power of laughter, and the simplicity of a smile. Suffice it to say, I was touched and extremely thankful to have the honor of meeting these incredible children and their families.

My day with CMN continued with the American Girl Fashion Show at the Springfield Hilton (thank you for my beautiful room!). The room was adorably decorated and moms, grandmas, and daughters filed in to watch their favorite American Girls model the latest fashions for young girls and their dolls! I emceed for part of the show and played Telephone, Simon Says, and “Let’s try on Miss Illinois’ shoes," for the remainder of the event. Claire Thorpe Klinsky, Miss Southern Illinois, was also in attendance and I loved catching up with her on her road to Miss Illinois! Thank you to Molly Sorrell and Denise Pope for a great day with CMN and to WTAX and WDBR for hosting me on air!

One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed about myself this year is my ability to speak extemporaneously. I was decently proficient before becoming Miss Illinois but this year has certainly tested my abilities time and again. Three such occasions happened this week…

I attended the Heartland International Tattoo (no, not that kind of tattoo – a military tattoo) in Hoffman Estates to sign autographs and pass out information about our program. I met dozens of members of our military with a special “shout out” to our Air Force Cadets and Marines! I learned about a great organization called “We Do Care” and I’d like to encourage you to check out their website at www.we-do-care.org for more information on how to support our troops!

Now, imagine this, two (handsome) Marines escort me to the center stage where I’m told I’ll be briefly introduced and should just wave from the sidelines. Thirty seconds before the second half starts, an organizer approaches me and says “Why don’t you talk for a few minutes about our troops? Ready? Go.” And I’m immediately standing in front of a thousand or so people ready to hear my address. Now there is certainly enough gratitude in my heart to recognize and thank our service men and women, but “be prepared for anything” was an understatement. One year ago, I surely would have faltered but my experiences with the Miss America Organization have definitely prepared me for anything.

Speaking of being prepared, the next two instances involved the Boy Scouts of America. In Springfield, I attended their 64th Annual Pilgrimage to the Capital to learn about the life and times of Abraham Lincoln and to take photos and sign autographs for the young attendees. On Saturday evening, I proved my rhinestoned relevancy to 150 scouts in New Salem’s outdoor amphitheater by relating my membership in the Girl Scouts and suggesting ways to make the most out of their time with their fathers, scout leaders, and new friends this weekend. Sunday brought me to the summit of Lincoln’s Tomb where I had the honor of addressing more than 4,000 attendees on Abraham Lincoln’s character and how we can model ourselves after this great man. Thank you to the Boy Scouts for taking a chance on a beauty queen!

Last, but not least, I want to thank Katie and John Frank, yet again, for hosting me in their home. I’m writing this blog from their kitchen table and reflecting on the immense amounts of ice cream we’ve eaten, how cute their grandchildren are (and creative – Al the Alligator lives in the park and his friends are Sal, Cal, and Pal), and how thankful I am to be able to stay with them. You guys rock!

Sorry this is so long!

KT :)

Miss Illinois 2008

Missillinois2008@gmail.com

Maza, Me, and a Pony Shoe (4/6/09)

During Miss Illinois Week, Hostess Sherrie Winters introduced me to a magical food known as the “horseshoe.” She spun a tale of a delicious meal only found in Springfield that consisted of two pieces of Texas toast, two hamburger patties (or another type of protein), meaty chili, handfuls of french fries, all smothered with a delectable homemade cheese sauce. I dreamed of the day that I would be able to eat such a meal and let me tell you, it was every bit as magnificent as I had hoped. Katie and John Frank took me to Darcy’s Pint for my first experience and, even though I chose to order a pony shoe (a “smaller” version – it was still gigantic to me), and I will never forget my first “heart attack on a plate” and will forever be grateful to them for taking me!

I spent the first week in April visiting central Illinois in the cities of Decatur, New Berlin, Springfield, Jacksonville, and Quincy. I started at Parson’s Elementary with a great group of students who had clearly had character education. After the assembly, the students presented me with owl socks in honor of their school’s mascot!

Katie and John Frank were kind enough to host me for the beginning of the week and we had fun swapping Pageant Land stories, touring New Berlin, and eating way too much good food. J Thank you to the Franks for looking out for me!

I drove about an hour over to Jacksonville to visit South Jacksonville Elementary and one of Franklin Elementary’s first grade classrooms. At South, I met my new friend Maza (pronounced Maze-ah) who actually “won me” in a Big Brothers Big Sisters raffle! From time to time, the organization will offer a school visit from Miss Illinois as a raffle or silent auction item and I was the lucky one to be able to come to South! At Franklin, I did my first CC! presentation to an entirely first grade audience and I was so impressed with the answers the students gave! Thank you to Lindsey Hess, Miss Gem City Executive Director, for welcoming me into her classroom and for arranging a wonderful stay in Jacksonville!

Friday night, I attended the Miss Quincy/Miss Gem City dress rehearsal and was excited to see my 2008 Miss Illinois sisters Casey Little and Amanda Delaney. It was nice to catch up with the two of them and I loved meeting the 2009 contestants as well! I taught the girls their swimsuit and evening gown walking patterns and I was excited to be able to spend some quality time with the girls. Thank you to Donna Haire, Miss Quincy Executive Director, for a great evening and for including me in the show!

Saturday morning was a memorable one as I started the day off in a limo! Joe from Executive Transportation LLC picked me up and we drove to Maza’s house to start our very special day. Maza and her grandmother, Georgia, greeted me with flowers and I crowned Maza with her very own crown. We chatted in the limo for the hour drive to Quincy and learned a lot about one another. After arriving at the pageant in style, we filmed a TV segment, did newspaper interviews, chatted with the Emcee on stage at the Princess/Pre-Teen/Teen pageant, ate dinner with the judges, and spoke at the Miss Pageant! We had great backstage seats and Maza soaked in every moment. She helped with the crowning of the new titleholders and the new Miss Gem City is actually her pom coach! We had a great day together and I look forward to a continued relationship with such a cool girl. Congratulations to Kellea Dietrich, our new Miss Quincy, and Ruthi Brooks, Miss Gem City!

I awoke early the next morning to prepare for a photo shoot with our new Miss Illinois sponsor – Limelight Studios out of Metropolis, IL. Sherie and Amy were awesome to work with and I recommend them for any of your photography needs! You can check out their website here: http://www.limelightstudiophotography.com and you may even notice some familiar faces! Thank you Limelight for a great shoot!

Don’t forget, Illinois’ Talent Competition deadline has been extended to April 30th!

Katie :)

Miss Illinois 2008

Missillinois2008@gmail.com

“I Wish You Were My Stepmom” (4/1/09)

My inbox was full this week after visiting 17 schools and doing over 20 presentations. I received some of the funniest, and most meaningful, emails from these students with topics ranging from being Miss Illinois and competing at Miss America to what kind of car I drive, my dog’s name, and if I believe in ghosts. A student at Arbor Park Middle School sent me the most heartfelt and sincere letter of thanks that I have ever read and one of my pen pals from Chicago Public Schools wrote back to tell me that, since meeting me, she’s raised her grades from C’s and D’s to A’s and B’s. I laughed out loud when a student professed “I wish you were my stepmom” and another wanted to know if I had a boyfriend and, if not, “what are my chances with you?” Corresponding with these students and sharing in their lives is one of the most rewarding aspects of being Miss Illinois and I’m so happy to be able to continue a relationship with these great kids.

Thank you so much to Prairiewood Elementary, Creekside Middle, Dean Street, Olsen Elementary, and Northwood Middle School in Woodstock for having me speak! A special thank you to Laura Argentine for hosting me for the day and for a great lunch with Woodstock administrators! Thanks are also in order for…get ready…Morton Gingerwood, Scarlet Oak, Hille, Kerkstra, Foster and Arbor park in Oak Forest, Deer Park, Ransom in Ottawa and Grand Ridge School in Grand Ridge, Fern, Goodwin (a young boy brought me daffodils from his garden!), and Hall in North Aurora and Aurora! This was a great two weeks of schools with some wonderful students!

On March 18th, I drove out to Roselle for a celebrity book reading! I read one of my favorite new titles, Pinkalicious, answered questions, and signed autographs for a classroom full of students and their parents. Nerge Elementary was having a book fair to recognize some of their published young authors and, as an English major, I was thrilled to be a part of an event that rewarded excellence in writing and the Language Arts!

I’d been looking forward to the 24th all week because that meant – Slumber Party! Miss Illinois Princess, Jessica Durante, and I had been planning a slumber party for a month. We had dinner in Chicago (Jess tried goat cheese – and liked it!), rode the EL, ate too much chocolate fondue, and watched Twilight until we couldn’t stay awake any more. Thank you to Durantes for letting me steal your daughter for a night and to Jess for a great time!

I had the great opportunity of speaking at Lewis University on my career and Miss Illinois experiences. I’ve received every job I’ve ever interviewed for as a direct result of my mock interview preparation with the Miss America Organization and I was so happy to be able to pass on what I’d learned to the undergraduate students there. Through the four points of the crown, Service, Scholarship, Style, and Success, I talked about how we all (ie non-pageant competitors) can improve our resumes, career options, and life experiences by bettering ourselves along these guidelines as well. I really enjoyed preparing this 45 minute long speech and thank you to Smret Smith for believing in me and having me out!

I experienced my first ever arena football game on Friday the 27th with the Chicago Slaughter. The team plays at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates and I was fortunate enough to be able to do the coin toss! I had a giddy grin on my face the entire time as I met the players, stood on the field, rubbed shoulders with the coaches, organizers, and former Bears players, and met dozens of Slaughter sponsors. I signed autographs in the club and was so thankful for a fun evening!

Last, but not least, were three pageants! Congratulations to Sherrie Gearheart, Miss Northern Suburbs (and winner of a $5,000 scholarship! Go Kristen and Robin!), my new Miss Chicago sister, Imani Josey, and $7,000 scholarship winner, Miss Macomb, Erin O’Conner. Bob and Nancy Foote celebrated 50 years of continuously running the Miss Macomb Pageant and awarded an amazing $11,000+ in scholarships to their contestants. The pageant was a beautiful celebration of this accomplishment and I was honored to share fellowship and a delicious meal with the judges as well as perform at the pageant. Congratulations to Miss Macomb 2008, Alycia McCullough, on all your accomplishments and thank you to the Footes for an unforgettable evening.

Say “no” to snow Illinois!
KT :)
MissIllinois2008@gmail.com

My Favorite Appearance (3/15/09)

When I started lessons a month ago, I had a hunch that Dancing with Chicago Celebrities would be an event I would never forget. I loved taking lessons at Arthur Murray Studios and my partner, Ben, made learning the cha cha so much fun. The black tie event was held in Chicago’s Hyatt Regency and I performed with Dana Kozlov of CBS, Daryl Hawks of NBC, Evelyn Holmes of ABC, Lourdes Duarte of WGN, Pat Cassidy from WLS radio, and Robbie Ventura , a cyclist on Lance Armstrong’s team. Our judges were Nick Kosovich of Dancing with the Stars, Snow Urbin from So You Think You Can Dance, and Rick Bayless from the delicious Frontera Grill – not that I’m name dropping. :) The Arthur Murray professional show was AMAZING and the instructors at all the Chicagoland locations were so encouraging and fun to work with – I’m going to miss them! To top it off, the event raised money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and I could “practice what I preach” by doing something that I love while helping a great cause. I could go on and on about this wonderful event but will suffice it to say that this one will be hard to beat!

I started last week in Peoria at Lindbergh Middle School. The students were preparing for ISAT testing and I was happy to provide a much needed break in the day for an assembly! As always, the students were extremely respectful and provided some wonderful examples on character!

After meeting earlier this year, I was happy to reunite with my friends from Sam’s Club to speak at the Streamwood store’s morning meeting. I’m absolutely obsessed with buying in bulk and, after professing my love for their three pound bags of gummy bears, they presented me with – a three pound bag of gummy bears. I look forward to a continued relationship with these stores and the opportunity to share with their employees more about our great organization!

I drove down to Indiana the 6th and the 7th to celebrate Miss America’s homecoming. It was so exciting to see Katie and the ten other state titleholders that came to support her and I loved rooming with Miss Florida, Sierra Minott. The Miss Indiana Pageant family was so kind and accommodating and the host city of Zionsville is a must-see town in our neighboring state! We performed at “An Evening with Miss America”, signed autographs for over 1,100 people, and attended a gala in Katie’s honor. Thank you to Michael Nash for taking care of us in the “beauty bus” and for making this weekend so memorable for everyone.

On Sunday, Scott Billadeau hosted me at my very first telethon! I was on the air with Marciana Lee, Miss Kankakee, Denise Hibbard, Miss Champaign Urbana, and Desiree VonWerder, Miss Powerboat National to raise money for Easter Seals. We interacted with children, encouraged viewers to call in, and shared stories on-air about this great organization. As a testament to what’s good in our community, four-year-old Tess rooted through her “pocket book” to produce six cents. She wanted to donate it to Easter Seals because she knew it would help out kids just like her. Her generosity brought tears to my eyes and is a real reminder of how, even in times like these, if we give what we can we can make a huge difference in the lives of others.

I can’t finish this blog without mentioning Dancing with Chicago Celebrities one more time! I was at the dance studio by 6AM on Wednesday to film promotional footage with ABC and go on-air live with WGN from 7-9AM. I don’t think I’ve ever danced so early in the morning but it’s certainly a great way to start the day!

I was happy to visit the Lake Zurich Community Expo on the 14th to do a mini CC! presentation and sign autographs for over 100 vendors and their patrons. I had spoken at some of the schools in the area and was happy to be reunited with some of the students I’d met earlier in the year. Thank you to Dale Perrin and the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce for hosting me!

I ended the week at our sponsor, Claddagh’s Irish Pub, in Geneva to help celebrate St. Patrick’s day at their Family Fun Day! I thanked patrons for coming and signed autographs for the many families that enjoyed the day together! Trinity Irish Dancers performed (and were amazing!) and they even took the time to teach me a jig! Thank you to Claddagh’s and Bruce for your continued support!

I’m up at 5:45AM tomorrow for a jam-packed week of schools! Until next time…
KT :)
Miss Illinois 2008

One...Two...Cha Cha Cha (3/1/09)

I have a new respect for the Dancing with the Stars celebrities you see learning new moves every week on the popular show. On March 13th, I'll be performing in Chicago's version of Dancing with the Stars and have been taking Cha Cha lessons with an Arthur Murray professional dancer! Ballroom dancing is a whole different ballgame than the dance training I've had and I almost feel at a disadvantage for having dance experience! I'm "un-learning" things like keeping my heels down (instead of always up!) or arching my back when my ballet teacher always wanted it straight! It's great fun and I can't wait to see the finished product in competition!

I drove five hours to Collinsville this week to perform at the Collinsville Area Recreation District's Daddy Daughter Dance. The event brought tears to my eyes when over 300 dads and their daughters dined, danced, and had fun together at this great event. Thank you to CARD for hosting me overnight and for your warmth and hospitality during the dance. I learned that Collinsville is, not only, home to the world's largest ketchup bottle, but also home of the national horseradish festival.

I had the privilege of attending, emceeing, and performing at two great pageants this month and I am proud to announce Denise Hibbard as the new Miss Champaign Urbana, Jamie Johnson as the new Miss Central Illinois, Jennifer Carr as the new Miss Heart of Illinois, and Molly Smith as the new Miss Heart of Illinois Outstanding Teen! It was a pleasure meeting all of the contestants and a huge "Congratulations" goes out to Troy Escamilla and Roni and Renee VanAusdall for a successful first pageant!

February 24th, was IHOP's National Pancake Day and I spent the morning and afternoon signing autographs and thanking patrons for their donations to Children's Miracle Network. I loved meeting IHOP's corporate team and, of course, enjoyed the free pancakes!

I visited Elk Grove twice this month to speak at Queen of the Rosary school and model in their fashion show! The students were some of the most respectful and well-behaved groups I have spoken to and I loved getting to see them again at the fashion show later in the week. I modeled fashions from Vanessa's Bridal in Arlington Heights and Sassy's in Bloomingdale and signed autographs on everything from cocktails napkins and place cards to helium balloons and skateboards. Thank you to Lisa, Debbie, and Larry for including me in this wonderful event!

Stay warm Illinois!
KT :)

"Soulja Boy" Rapport (2/1/09)

How do you build instant rapport with 300 middle school students in a Westside Chicago Public School? Why, do the Soulja Boy of course! Before a Character Counts! Assembly at Kellman School in Chicago, a few of the students had heard that I was a dancer. Instead of asking to see ballet turns or proof of flexibility, they first wanted to know: "Can you do the Soulja Boy?".

For those of you estranged from the pop music scene, "Soulja Boy" was a hip hop song that swept Top 40 radio stations two summers ago with its catchy lyrics and "How To" YouTube dance video. I spent a good hour with that video and have taught dozens of people (I kid you not) how they, too, can participate in the craze.

I never in my wildest dreams thought that my pop culture prowess would have come in so handy. After dancing to an acapella version rapped by the students, the group erupted with applause and I couldn't stop smiling. I had earned a small piece of respect and the students showed it to me in their attentiveness to my presentation.

While I didn't do any dancing, I did have a great time at Jane Addams Jr. High in Schaumburg. The students and staff were so welcoming to me and I love the emails I've received from so many of their students!

I've been so thankful to have worked with Children's Miracle Network and Children's Memorial Hospital on multiple occasions this month to help promote a number of their events! I flipped pancakes in their cafeteria to help promote a preview to IHOP's National Pancake Day and visited children upstairs to sign autographs and take pictures. I got a sneak peak at the auto show during First Look for charity and helped Children's Memorial sell raffle tickets and effectively double their earnings from last year. A HUGE thank you to Morgan, Jenny, Angela, Erin, & Beth! I so admire the work you do and am proud to call you friends. :)

Valentine's day was a whirlwind for me and I started it out in Aurora with Triple Threat. Triple Threat is an organization dedicated to empowering urban youth to develop confidence, character, and life skills and I was proud to help out at their basketball tournament! I handed out awards, took pictures, played bags, spoke a little Spanish, got a tattoo! (washable, I promise), and called out numbers in a Valentine's version of Bingo. The volunteers and organizers there were nothing short of awe inspiring and I thank Caleb and his team for sharing their passion for the kids with me.

I ended the night at the Zebra Ball in downtown Chicago to raise awareness for Carcinoid Cancer. This was a beautiful, black tie event that included a silent and live auction, dinner, dancing, and a few words from yours truly! It was a wonderful Valentines Day and I'm happy to spent it with the dedicated volunteers at the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation.

Until next time! KT :)

Miss America! (and Mario Lopez Smells Good) (1/31/09)

It’s hard to believe that a week ago Katie Stam, Miss Indiana 2008, was crowned Miss America 2009. She’s already doing an amazing job and I’m so proud to call her one of my Miss America sisters. I had such a phenomenally positive experience at Miss America and am so thankful to have had the opportunity to, not only compete on the Miss America stage, but also to be able to spend three weeks with my fellow contestants while filming Countdown to the Crown. Sam Haskell, Chairman of the Board, attests that our class is his all-time favorite and I can definitely see why!

I’ve written and deleted paragraph after paragraph of mushy reflection and I’ve decided, in true Katie fashion, to “keep it real”. I had a great time at Miss America, sure, I was disappointed about not making Top 15, but was more disappointed that everyone in the audience and everyone watching on TV didn’t get to hear Illinois called! I have no regrets about what I put on that stage and set out and accomplished my number one goal – to do my best. Thank YOU for all of your support during this wonderful journey and I cannot wait to see what the next five months as Miss Illinois bring!

A few highlights:

- Mario Lopez smells amazing. While my interaction with him was limited, I did have the pleasure of knowing when he was near due to the beautiful aroma that wafted around him.

- I rock at arcade basketball. During one of our outings to the Pole Position Raceway, I played, and beat, every contestant that went up against me, our security guard Louis, and one of the owners (From Buffalo Grove!) of the raceway. My triumph actually made the paper and people were challenging me to play them all week!

- Loved the opening number, Phantom of the Opera, the Spice Market Buffet (breakfast, lunch and dinner!), our amazing hostesses, Norm from Vegas Confidential and his piece on me and Miss DC!, Planet Hollywood, sunshine, and my wonderful friends, family, and pageant family for their support.

Looking forward to the months to come!

Me, The Media and The Queen Mary (1/11/09)

If you ever have the chance to watch yourself on national television – I highly recommend it. I have gotten such a kick out of watching Miss America Countdown to the Crown and am truly amazed at how three weeks of filming can neatly wrap into four, one-hour episodes.

First things first, I am on the red team. I loved getting to know my teammates and was surprised to find that my childhood friend, Miss Michigan, was on my team. My roommate was Miss Virginia and I loved getting to know her as well! While we spent hours and hours (literally, we had a lot of down time) trying to figure out why we were on a team together, it was revealed that the teams were 100% random!



Watching the show has definitely been fun, but I love knowing “what really happened”. My favorite story is one people have been asking me about non-stop – why did I walk by the curtain? That scene happened the first day we were on the ship and we were still very naive to the ins and outs of filming a reality show. In order for us to be truly surprised, the producers had to mislead us into thinking we were going somewhere we really weren’t. In my case, they told me I was going to meet a woman that would look at my wardrobe for continuity. I had no idea what this meant and as I was walking down the hall asking questions about this, they shoved me into a room where at least three cameras were focused on me. I thought this was strange, but kept walking down a hall looking for this “continuity woman”. When the curtains opened to my left, I, of course, kept walking in search of that lady! When they called “Miss Illinois”, I was completely surprised and peeked around the curtain to see if they, indeed, were calling me. Being that there is no other Miss Illinois 2008, I realized I had been duped.

The rest of my week has been filled with Miss America preparations and media appearances and interviews. Thank you to CBS 2, Steve Cochran & Jim Wiser at WGN AM 720, Don Wade and Roma at WLS AM 890, WBIG AM, and WRMN for having me on your shows and to the Chicago Tribune, Factio Magazine, and Cheeky Chicago for doing pieces on me!

I leave Thursday, January 15th for Miss America – ah! I am so excited, so nervous, but mainly overwhelmed with anticipation waiting for this day to come! Thank YOU for reading my blog and I promise to take detailed notes to share the entire Miss America experience with you when I return!

Ah! Countdown to the Crown is Here! (1/2/09)

I have never been so popular. My phone has been buzzing like crazy with calls and texts, my inbox is quickly filling up with emails, and my Blackberry is constantly flashing with new Facebook messages. Countdown to the Crown airs tonight and I’m not the only one who’s excited!


I wanted to do a quick blog before the show airs to share with you some of the anticipation that comes before watching oneself on national television. Sure, I’ve done plenty of television and radio interviews before (two today!), but gearing up to watch this is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I’m excited, I’m nervous, I’m scared, and I’m really just plain curious to see what the production team has put together. Like you, tonight will be my first time viewing the fully edited show and I can’t wait to see what footage made the show and what was left on the cutting room floor. I had a phenomenally positive experience filming in L.A. and know that the production team and the Miss America Organization have put something together we can all be proud of. I’ll be sure to give you my observations after the show and can’t wait to break the “behind the scenes” silence we’ve had to keep for so long!

Happy New Year and Happy Watching!

KT

P.S. TLC has been showing some clips of me in the trailer they’ve been running all over the internet, in malls, movie theaters, and on TV. I’m thinking that “scene” might make the show…we’ll have to see…

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...Not! (12/21/08)

I love Erika Harold. She is the coolest of the cool, the nicest of the nice, the smartest of the smart, the genuine-est of the genuine, and the most down-to-earth person I have ever met. I’m in love with Miss America 2003 and I’m not afraid to admit it.

This past Monday, I spent an amazing four hours with Miss America 2003, Erika Harold, and Miss Illinois Executive Director, Amalia Schwerdtmann, over sushi and coffee (not at the same time…that sounds kinda gross). Erika dispensed invaluable advice about competing for Miss America and calmed my fears that becoming Miss America means losing one’s identity outside of the crown. (Miss America can still go to the movies, the mall, and out to dinner with her friends! I didn’t know that!) Our conversation reminded me of the power of the Miss America Organization (at 24-years-old, I was still giddy with excitement while waiting for Erika to come into the restaurant) and why I’ve had such a fervent desire to represent it on a national scale.

December was a month of many school appearances and my tour of Chicago Public Schools included 16 schools in 5 days – 3 of them with 4 schools a day! All the schools I visited this month had great groups of students but I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed speaking with students in my city. I addressed students and parents in Spanish, received the warmest of welcomes including roses, school apparel, a gift basket, and a gym filled with posters, and empowered two students with the knowledge that they could help their older siblings stay in school. Thank you to Brenda Vera and Ron Ragland from CPS’s AVID program for hosting me – I look forward to continuing our relationship in the future!

As promised, “Shout Outs” are in order for:

Baum Elementary - Decatur
Jerling Jr. High - Orland Park
Crown School - Chicago
Coleman School - Chicago
Joplin School – Chicago
Tanner School – Chicago
Lenart School – Chicago
Clark School – Chicago
Little Village School – Chicago
Christopher School – Chicago
Talman School – Chicago
Jahn School – Chicago
Andersen School – Chicago
Durkin Park School – Chicago
Coles School – Chicago
Lara School – Chicago
Castellanos School – Chicago
Pope School – Chicago
Goudy School – Chicago – Phew!

I also had some great appearances this month with a number of wonderful organizations and sponsors. The Vernon Hills Barnes and Noble hosted me in conjunction with the United Way to do a Christmas reading for young shoppers, I attended two holiday events with my official chaperone KL Robertson Daly (and did some serious shopping as well), helped judge the Chicago Rush’s Arena Football dance team auditions at the House of Blues in Chicago, signed autographs and took photos at a wonderful Meet and Greet with Santa for Easter Seals children and their families, and spoke to 1,000 teachers and administrators about the importance of Character Education as a keynote speaker at the Raising Student Achievement Conference in St. Charles. IRIDESSE, the pearl division of Tiffany’s, was kind enough to host a fundraiser for CMN where 10% of the day’s profits went to our cause. I also modeled the season’s hottest dresses at Le Dress’s 12 Days of Dresses event, and showed off my wardrobe and reconnected with my Miss Illinois family at my Send Off at the Schwerdtmann’s. It was a crazy month but so much fun!

It is officially less than a month until Miss America and I am in full preparation mode! I’m updating once a week so get ready to come along on this crazy ride with me!

Merry Christmas! Happy Hannukah! & Happy Holidays!

"I Didn't Eat the Pizza" (12/1/08)

There comes a time in every Miss Illinois’ life when she must forgo the pizza. By this, I mean the inevitable period when Miss America competition looms too closely in the future for 300 calories to be frittered away on just any protein or carb. As a woman who dearly loves this saucy complex of cheese and toppings, it was quite a feat for me to “just say no” to the free pizza offered at one of my appearances. I assure you this trend will certainly cease after January 24th – but – until then, I’ve vowed to a life of “clean eating” to be swimsuit ready!

Staci Boyer, of Motiv8n U Personal Training, has shown me the benefits of eating clean and why choosing lean proteins, green veggies, and complex carbs will help my body to optimally function. As I kick up my workout routine and dance practice in these last weeks, it’s so important to be giving my body the fuel it needs to perform instead of slowing it down with artery clogging pizza. I feel great on this plan and am loving the results!

Thanksgiving was a truly memorable one as I got to spend my morning with thousands of my closest friends in downtown Chicago’s McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Jessica Durante and I rode in a horse drawn carriage down State Street and learned the secrets of a nationally televised parade! Volunteers held up signs that alerted us we were entering the “TV Zone” and the droves of people lining the street turned into a dozen or so cameras on the left and risers of people on the right. If we wanted to wave at the cameras – we had to ignore the people and vice versa! I had friends across the country emailing and texting me to tell me they saw us on TV and were surprised at the amount of time they talked about the program! Amalia and my parents even admitted to waving back at the TV – I love it! It was definitely one of my favorite appearances.

I bundled up on Saturday for St. Charles’ nighttime parade where every float or car was decorated with hundreds of Christmas lights. Jess, Jason, Don and I sang Christmas carols to keep warm and there may or may not be video evidence for Jason to use as blackmail someday…Should this ever surface, it will be clear why I am a dancer. The city of St. Charles (and the home of Miss Illinois) was a wonderful host and I was honored to be a part of such a wonderful tradition!

I hope you all had a blessed holiday and fruitful Black Friday!

To the South and Back (11/24/08)

Once again, the past two weeks have been jam-packed with appearances and Miss America preparations. I experienced Southern Illinois hospitality, had 3 Focus Groups/Mock Interviews, learned my Miss America choreography, visited 11 schools, auctioned $8,000 in pearls, strutted a runway, raised $400 for CMN, signed autographs on Michigan Ave, and helped crown 2 new titleholders – phew!

In the interest of my time – and yours – I must resort to bullets. Expect a thoughtful, eloquent, and erudite blog over the Thanksgiving holiday!

Yorkville High School Achievement Awards - Yorkville
- Keynote speaker for the 300+ crowd of students (& their proud parents) who achieved a 92% or higher

Assistance League of Chicagoland West Luncheon – Glen Ellyn
- The Assistance League is a national nonprofit organization that facilitates community-based philanthropic programs
- Sold raffle tickets for a GORGEOUS one-of-a-kind pearl necklace from Iridesse
- Thank you to Aunt Sheila for making this connection!

Southern Illinois – Marion, Metropolis, & Goreville
- Visited Crab Orchard School, Goreville School, Metropolis Elementary, Brookport Elementary, & Jefferson Elementary
* Every school had wonderful participation and Crab Orchard had an entire wall of pictures for me (of me!) to welcome me to their school
* Miss Metropolis, Kaylee Little, & Miss Illinois’ Outstanding Teen, Emily Travis, assisted with one of my presentations!
- Thank you to Jane Anne Cruse, Carrie Neely, and Caroline Jones for opening their homes (and refrigerators) to me. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed my stay and I can’t wait to enjoy “real” Chicken & Dumplins after Miss America J
- I also had an extremely helpful mock interview at John A. Logan college. Thank you to all my mock interviewers for your insight and honesty!
- Thank you to Debbrah’s for the amazing gowns to take to Miss America and to Jane Anne and Cindy Hunt for your critiques!


How Lakeview Looks Fashion Show – Chicago
- Modeling the latest fashions from Cerulean 1 to help support local Lakeview businesses and charities
- This was a truly great event that gave me the full star treatment – hair, makeup, & cute outfits!

Sycamore Trails Elementary & Eastview Middle School – Barlett
- Probably one of my favorite school appearances yet!
* Sycamore Trails is Joey Durante’s school and Eastview is Jessica Durante, Miss Illinois Princess’s school
* Jessica helped with my presentation and did an excellent job speaking about our program. She even took over when it came to choosing the best volunteers!
- Thank you to Laura Durante for contacting the schools and to Don Haines for chaperoning!

Children’s Miracle Network Fundraiser – Chicago
- We had a wonderful event at the Kerryman in Chicago to help raise money for CMN
- Amalia and Laura made some fun baskets to raffle off and Jessica wowed us all by selling ALL 90 tickets – look out for Jess!
- Thank you to everyone who came, donated to the cause, or both! Special thank you to my parents for driving all the way from Michigan to be there. J

Hooper, Pleviak, & Palombi Schools – Lindenhurst & Lake Villa
- Three great schools who already knew a lot about character!
* Many past and present Lindenhurst & Lake County titleholders helped me present at Hooper!

USO/Operation Send Support - Freedom Museum – Chicago
- I encouraged attendees of the Festival of Lights to warm up inside the Freedom Museum and show their support for our troops
- With the USO, I signed autographs, took photos, collected donations, & urged families to show their support by writing a postcard or signing a banner to be sent overseas


Miss DuPage County – Naperville
- Chris Negron put on an awesome show for 10 Miss and Teen contestants
- All the girls were raving about his program and how much fun they had preparing for competition. I loved hanging out with them backstage and can’t wait to see each of them as they continue to grow in this organization!
- I performed my talent and crowned the new titleholders with Jessica Durante (who performed an AWESOME baton routine to – of course – the Jonas Brothers)
- CONGRATULATIONS to Miss DuPage County, Aubry Bozzano, and Miss DuPage County’s Outstanding Teen, Andrea Novak!

That’s all for now. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving and look for me on TV in Chicago’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!!!

Our President (elect) is from the Chi (11/9/08)

I had the distinct pleasure of working the polls on November 4th as a Polling Place Administrator. It was amazing to see the voter turnout and the surprisingly pleasant demeanors of people waiting in line as long as three hours. I chatted with voters in line, helped them to understand the ballot and how to cast their vote, and dealt with any equipment malfunctions. I even got to assist some Spanish speaking voters cast their ballot. While I didn’t make it home in time to get to Grant Park, my roommates and I swear we could hear the excitement of the crowd from our apartment. It was an honor to be a part of this historic election and I’m proud our President elect calls Illinois home.

The past two weeks brought me to three schools: Albright Middle School in Villa Park, Cumberland Elementary in Toledo (not Ohio!), and Hadley Middle School in Homer Glen. Each school had some phenomenal examples of character (one student described “Responsibility” when she told her parents her cousin had run away from home, even though she promised her cousin she wouldn’t tell) and it was wonderful to see the variety of answers in my three presentations in Homer Glen for each different age group.

As it gets closer to Miss America, my interview prep is also intensifying. Amalia has set up some wonderful “focus group” sessions where I’m able to interact and have mock interviews with people from different backgrounds. Wednesday was my “mom” group and Laura Durante graciously hosted a handful of women to quiz me on issues facing parents today. They brought to light some different perspectives for me and I’m so grateful to have had their feedback!

For one of the first times, if not the first time, in Miss America history, two state titleholders will be competing at Miss America having started out from the same local. In 2004, while I was attending the University of Michigan, I won the title of Miss Washtenaw County and really and truly developed my love for the Miss America Organization under the direction of Executive Director, Laura Bloomensaat. My successor was Ashlee Baracy, a close friend I’ve known since we were mice in the Nutcracker (a long time), who is now Miss Michigan 2008. The two of us were able to share the stage at Miss Washtenaw and perform a duet we choreographed while filming the reality show. It was a wonderful experience and showed the true spirit of this organization – celebrating dedicated volunteers, competing states working together, and recognizing the huge support system of friends, fans, contestants, and volunteers that form our Miss America family.

The Miss Kankakee and the Miss Kankakee River Valley pageant (a surprise double crown!) was held on Sunday, November 3rd at the Holiday Inn in Kankakee. I dined with the judges, performed my talent, was interviewed by the emcee, Ashley Hatfield, Miss Illinois 2007, and hung out with the six contestants back stage. It was a great competition with a distinguished judging panel and I’m sure any woman could have come out on top that night. Congratulations to Miss Kankakee River Valley Janiece Fleming and Miss Kankakee Marciana Lee!

I ended this week with a phenomenal charity dinner aptly named “Canvases and Corks” to benefit Rainbows Children’s Charity. Rainbows is an organization (present in 48 states and 16 countries) that provides curricula, games, and teaching tools for over 2 million students who have suffered a death in the family, divorce, or separation from a loved one and need help working through their grief. The stories founder, Suzy Marta, shared brought tears to my eyes and I was inspired to hear this international organization started on her kitchen table. Thank you to Gina McAndrew for inviting me to this eye-opening event and for letting me “work” the diamond earring raffle and live auction!

I’m heading South next week and look forward to a busy schedule! Stay warm!

And Now a Word From Our Sponsors...(11/5/08)

The Miss Illinois Scholarship Association is fortunate to have many, many sponsors that help our organization (and me!) cover the costs of running a not for profit. I’m so thankful to have the support of these organizations and would not be able to do my job as Miss Illinois without their help. These people give so much to this organization and I ask that you’ll take the time to visit our Sponsors' Page and consider giving your business to one or more of these great businesses.

I’d like to highlight two of our newest sponsors – Chazio’s in Lake in the Hills and XSport Fitness in Chicago. Both groups have helped immensely with my Miss America preparation and, I’m sure, would appreciate your business!

Thanks for reading!


KT
Miss Illinois 2008
MissIllinois2008@gmail.com

Red Ribbon Week & Go Vote (Early)! (10/26/08)

I did some number crunching this week and a rough estimate says I’ve spoken to over 10,000 students since August. I can’t believe I’ve already hit that number and am looking forward to the many more lives I’ll be able to touch as Miss Illinois! This blog is ridiculously long, but I wanted to be able to share some stories from my presentations and fill you in on the past two weeks! Thank you to Jason for keeping my schedule full!

During my Character Counts! presentation, I crown six volunteers (with Walgreens tiaras – surprisingly they think these are cooler than my crown…) who can share a personal story about one of the six pillars of character – Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, & Citizenship. While every school has some amazing stories, three examples touched my heart this week while I was in Northern Illinois:

For “Caring” a student shared a story about his mother taking care of his ailing grandmother. He pointed out that while his mom was taking care of his grandmother, someone needed to take care of her and he cleaned the house (without being asked!) while she was away. Another student for “Citizenship” talked about encouraging (she used the word “forced”) her mother to register to vote because she knows how important this election is. Another student, for “Citizenship” emailed her example to me that she didn’t get to share in the assembly. Every year she has a garage sale that benefits a charity of her choice. She came up with the idea after her parents said “no” to a regular garage sale but couldn’t turn her down when she offered to donate the money.

It’s amazing to hear stories like these every day and I’m so thankful to be inspired by these students!

Polling Place Administrator Training - Chicago
- This five hour training taught me how to work the polls on November 4th
- We’ve already received some great press (Chicago Sun Times) and other outlets will cover the story closer to election day!
- It’s extremely important to participate in our government and I hope that by bringing visibility to my polling place (I’ll receive my location in a few days) we can encourage more people to vote!
- YOU can vote early and miss the lines (I already did!) now through 10/30

Northern Illinois Red Ribbon Week – Rockford, Belvidere, Freeport
- 12 schools (Belvidere Central Middle, Washington Elementary School, Belvidere South Middle, Christian Life Elementary, Freeport Aquin Middle , Immanuel Lutheran, Freeport Jr. High, Carl Sandburg Middle, St. James School, Gregory School – phew!)
- 17 presentations (including a Homecoming Pep rally!)
- 10 media appearances (TV, radio, print – you name it!)
- 1 limo (the kids went crazy when I pulled up to their school!)
- 1 hotel (pool, gym, great breakfast – what more could a girl ask for!)
- A tour of the General Mills Plant (I now have pictures with the Jolly Green Giant, cases of Nature Valley & Caribou Coffee granola bars, and a HUGE appreciation for the detail, precision, time, and sanitation needed to make our favorite General Mills products!)
- 1 Red Ribbon Awards Ceremony & Fun Fair (a safe environment for kids to play games and discuss the importance of being drug free)
- Special thank you to Paul Perrone and the Red Ribbon Committee. I felt so welcome in their care and was really treated “like a queen”. Paul made sure every detail was taken care of and I was honored to be a part of a tradition that has had every Miss Illinois since 1991

National Guard Freedom Salute - Chicago
- My second Freedom Salute ceremony with the National Guard
- Held to honor Company B, 935th Intermediate Maintenance Company for their service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- Check out the pictures of some male Miss Illinois wannabes on the “Appearances” section of the site

Kids Fight Cancer Fundraiser - Rosemont
- An awesome event that raises money children fighting cancer (Kids Fight Cancer is the name of the organization – found here: http://www.kidsfightcancer.org)
- Jason and Glen Schwerdtmann chaperoned me to this beautiful event in Rosemont
- I mingled, danced, took photos, helped with the raffle, and did some excellent schmoozing with the “who’s who” of Chicago

St. Dominick, Link, & Hoover Schools – Bolingbrook, Elk Grove, Schaumburg
- Three great schools with some smart students!
- I met the principal of St. Dominick’s at my Character Counts training this past July. Thank you to Bill Eggebrecht for having me out!

Red Ribbon Week – Vernon Hills
- 4 Schools: Elementary North, Townline Elementary, Aspen Elementary, Elementary South
- My largest presentation yet! 950 students (and you’d never know it – they were extremely well-behaved, respectful, and good listeners!)

Elmhurst Jr. Women’s Club Breast Cancer Fundraiser – Elmhurst
- A WONDERFUL mother-daughter event to raise funds for local breast cancer research, prevention, and care
- I taught a dance to 20 or so girls, signed autographs, and participated in some of the fun activities and the trade show
o Special thanks to Miss Illinois’ Princess, Jessica Durante, for the song selection – “Burnin’ Up” by the Jonas Brothers was a big hit

Life Changes Disability Expo – Bartlett
- A great event to raise awareness about special needs issues
- The highlight was keynote speaker, Maurice Snell, and his story about living with autism and excelling against the odds
- Thank you to Easter Seals for hosting me! It was a pleasure meeting you all!

Fashion Week Naperville Finale – Naperville
- Woo! So much fun! The grande finale fashion show to close Naperville’s Fashion Week benefiting local charities
- After getting my hair and makeup done by Frank Gironda Salons (loved my look!) I mingled with guests, met the Mayor of Naperville, and watched the first half of the fashion show
- I was fortunate to model the last design by Orlando Espinoza and close the show with him!
- I signed autographs at the VIP after party and was ecstatic to learn that Naperville is truly a city of devoted volunteers. Thank you to Kristen Frederick and Kristi Berezinsky of Two K Productions for organizing and inviting me to this wonderful event!

But wait…there’s more! Look for my next blog thanking our great sponsors!

Thanks for reading!

Back to Reality (10/9/08)

I’m sitting in seat 21C (aisle) on flight 1753 to Chicago. The man in front of me has reclined his chair inexplicably farther than designed and I now have a perfect view of the bald spot on top of his head. There are no cameras, no props, no producers asking questions, or battery packs for microphones strapped to my leg. There are no lights or elaborate sets and the only “challenge” I’ll be undergoing today is hefting my suitcases up three flights of stairs. I am completely ordinary, completely normal, and completely happy to be back to reality.

The past three weeks have enveloped some of the most amazing, unique, exciting and eye-opening experiences of my life. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that filming a reality show would promote my own introspection into my capabilities and limitations as well as help me to understand the true meaning of teamwork. (You’ll see what I mean when it airs…) Being surrounded by 51 other contestants certainly tested my patience (and I’m sure I tested theirs) but the “drama” was surprisingly tame given the circumstances. Of course, we didn’t all get along, but we worked together when we needed to and produced, what I think will be, a great TV show (airing Fridays on TLC in January – tune in!).

While the filming was great (and to be detailed below) the really wonderful moments happened off camera. From breaking out into spontaneous song and dance to making up games to pass the time, (“I’m going to Miss America and I’m going to bring…”) somewhere along the lines, we formed an unspoken sisterhood. Without getting too incredibly sappy and sentimental, there are only 51 other women this year that truly understand what being “Miss State” is like. Our shared time at the reality show brought us that much closer and I feel as though I could call on any of them if I ever needed them.

While no day was typical, I wanted to give you an idea of what a day in the life might look like. I’ve concealed a few details regarding wardrobe, but for the most part, this is all the information we were given each day:


10:30am: Breakfast (off-camera)
11:45am: All ladies camera ready for mic’ing
1-6pm: Shoot Reality
6pm: Lunch (that’s not a typo)
7pm: Wardrobe change & re-mic’ing
7pm–12:30am: Shoot Reality
12:30am: Wrap
12:30am: Dinner (off-camera)

Or another day...

6:00am: Breakfast (off-camera)
7:30am: All ladies camera ready for mic’ing
1:30pm: Lunch
5:00pm: Wardrobe change & re-mic’ing
7:00pm: Wrap
7:30pm: Dinner (off-camera)

Nearly everything we did was kept secret until the last minute and we didn’t receive our schedules until late at night when they were slipped under our door. At first I was frustrated by this, but the element of surprise actually made each day even more exciting as we anticipated what was to come.

Overall, I’m so thankful to have had this experience and to be able to share it, not only in this blog, but with the millions of viewers that will be watching the finished product in January. While I’m sure my opinions will change after I see the show, I hope it will only reinforce the power of this organization and the inspiring people who are a part of it. Thank you to the Miss America Organization and the Miss Illinois Scholarship Association for this once in a lifetime opportunity!

"We Sing This Tune-y for Mr. George Clooney" (9/28/08)

Well let me tell you…reality TV definitely isn’t real. After a week of filming I can see why four episodes takes three weeks to film! I obviously can’t divulge the details of our experience so far but you can catch up on our L.A. adventure on TLC starting this January. What I can tell you is as follows…

- Hanging out with 51 other contestants every day has been amazing. We’ve had a lot of down time to get to know each other (we’ve played a lot of “hurry up and wait”) and I love hearing and sharing stories from each of our states.

- Getting mic’ed every day is a process and it’s not uncommon to spend the entire day with a battery pack strapped to your inner thigh. It’s such a strange feeling knowing that every word you say is being recorded!

- We’ve had a few “days off” (meaning days with no reality show cameras) and we…
o Toured the WB studios (my group met Simon Baker from The Mentalist)
o Appeared on Ellen (we met both Ellen AND Mario Lopez and tried to “capture” George Clooney while chanting the song “We sing this tune-y for Mr. George Clooney”)
o Appeared on the KTLA morning show
o Promoted National Pancake Day (February 24th) at IHOP to benefit CMN
* Miss Arizona and I competed in a “pancake stackoff” representing the two presidential candidates’ states. I came out victorious and was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight and ABC 7 in LA.
o Went to the Los Angeles Zoo!
o Ate sponsored meals at some of the nicest restaurants Southern California has to offer. I shared a table with Miss America, Kirsten Haglund, one night and loved hearing stories about her travels.
o Went to a Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim game!

I am so blessed and thankful to be able to have this amazing experience. I’m trying to savor every moment and having the opportunity to reflect and share this adventure with you makes my time even more special. I love representing Illinois and can’t wait see what the finished product, Countdown to the Crown, will look like. I can only hope that the camera captures what we all know the Miss America Organization produces – intelligent, well-spoken, outgoing, talented, driven, and passionate young women ready to take on the world!

I probably won’t have email access before I return on October 9th but I will be sure to update as soon as I’m able!

Missing Illinois but loving L.A.!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane (9/20/08)

Twenty-four hours from now you can find me in an undisclosed Los Angeles location, along with 51 other Miss America contestants, shoes, clothing, & accessories to last 19 days, (52 women X 3 bags a piece = 156 suitcases…enough to clothe and shoe a small country…) and a camera crew poised and ready to capture the whole thing. Miss America’s Countdown to the Crown starts tomorrow and I couldn’t be more excited to begin on this journey.

Earlier this month I signed a contract detailing the specifics about what I will be able to disclose about my experience and what must remained sealed in my mental vaults until the show airs. Unfortunately, any slippage of the smallest degree could result in me owing $2,000,000 to TLC – that’s right…2 million dollars. So, as you can probably guess, my lips are sealed. I do want to share as much as I’m able and hope that I’ll be able to blog from L.A – we’ll see.

A few quick recaps from the week and I’m off to finish packing!

Thank you to Franzen Intermediate School in Itasca for having me speak at your school this week! The students were amazingly well behaved and well-versed in Character Counts!

I spent two days in Dale Carnegie training this week at the seminar “How to Win Friends and Influence People in Business”. The course was amazing and I walked away with so many tips and tricks to apply to my Miss Illinois appearances. We studied with one of the top Dale Carnegie trainers and my peers were from Fortune 500 companies across the nation. I’m so thankful to have gone and can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned!

As I ran my final errands today, I found myself flipping through Michigan Avenue magazine – a Chicago society magazine with Cindy Crawford on the cover and an article by Michelle Obama inside – on one of the store’s coffee tables. As I scanned the pages, I was excited to see some of the men and women I’d met at a fashion show hosted by Chicago’s Service Club in August. Feeling special for having “known” someone on these pages I continued perusing and was shocked to find my own face staring back at me on page 146. I let out a tiny squeal, scaring the people around me, and realized that the photo was from that same fashion show I’d met my fellow glossy-paged friends. That moment was such a thrill for me and, thinking on it now, I hope Barack Obama, while reading his wife’s article, happens to glance on page 146 – I think we could work well together. ;)

L.A. Here I come!

The Deluge (9/14/08)

This week brought a deluge, not only of rain, but of appearances, information, and emotions. Jason secured four school appearances in one day (Jason you rock!), I found out my number and contestant grouping for Miss America, and the reality of leaving for three weeks to film Miss America Reality Check is finally settling in. After anxiously waiting for “Illinois” to be called in the online contestant lottery, (a simple program where all 52 contestants log in to randomly choose their numbers and placement) I was one of the last to be called and ended up with #4 in the Sigma Group. Overall, I’m very pleased with my placement and will have interview, evening gown, and swimsuit on Tuesday, talent on Wednesday, and on-stage question on Thursday.

I visited nine schools in two weeks and had a great time interacting with the students and staff. At Harper Elementary in Wilmette, I had the pleasure of meeting another “Katie Lorenz”. Even though we’re not related (at least not directly) it was fun talking about our name’s history and Katie’s mom even shares the same name as my grandmother! Thank you to May Whitney Elementary and Isaac Fox Elementary in Lake Zurich, Harper Elementary in Wilmette, Oak Terrace in Highwood, Fernway Park Elementary, Christa McAuliffe, Helen Keller Elementary, Grissom Middle School, and Prairie View Middle School in Tinley Park for welcoming me into their districts!

After numerous appearances on behalf of Children’s Memorial Hospital, I finally had the opportunity to visit the actual hospital. As one of the world’s premiere Children’s Hospitals, Children’s Memorial has been able to create an atmosphere of fun for the children despite the fear naturally associated with hospitals. I colored, played video games, signed autographs, and took Polaroid pictures during my fun afternoon there.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the American Lung Association both had events in Grant Park this weekend and the rain, unfortunately, kept the Lung Association’s event, Blow the Whistle on Lung Disease from happening. I was able to attend Light the Night with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and was amazed at the dedicated, yet wet, volunteers who braved the storm to walk for their loved ones and friends effected by cancer. The gesture was truly beautiful as hundreds of (last year almost 4,000) people walked through Chicago with glowing balloons in memory and in support of those affected by the disease. I was most inspired by the teams who were walking for people who had battled the disease decades ago. Even though their loved ones had passed many years ago, they were still there, sharing memories of the person and raising the much needed funds to ensure that other families wouldn’t have to experience the devastation that they went through.

Special thank you to Gina McAndrew of McAndrew Coaching and Training Services (http://www.mcandrewcoaching.com/svcleadership1.html) for working with me on my Miss America preparation. I can’t even begin to speak to her level of expertise and personalization but highly recommend her for both your business and personal needs. My favorite bit of advice: 10% of your life is what happens to you – 90% is how you react to it.

Back to School and "I'm Famous"! (8/30/08)

“How did you become famous?”, “How did you become a star?”, “Is your last name Illinois?” “Can I wear your crown?”– These, and countless others, are examples of the many questions I’ve received in my first Character Counts! and Right Decisions Right Now presentations. I’m quickly learning how to cater my presentation to the different age groups I encounter and “criss cross applesauce” (a term used to tell students to sit cross-legged) and “Which Jonas Brother is your favorite?” are now part of my vernacular. It’s been a fun-filled week and I love learning from each experience. I feel confident about my presentation but I can’t wait to see what it will look like six months from now!

I’ve made five presentations so far with audiences as small as 50 and as large as 650. Thank you to Alden-Hebron Middle and High schools, Garfield Montessori and Phoenix Academy in Decatur, and Millennium Elementary school in Tinley Park for having me in to help start the new year.

A quick side story that I must share with you all. The English major in me tried typing this out with theatrical suspense and dialogue – bad idea. Here’s the gist – someone asked me “Are you Miss Illinois?”!!! and it absolutely made my day. A young woman recognized me in a Starbucks and I probably scared her away by how excited I was. Subsequently, I’ve run in to a number of different people this week who have seen my picture at one of the (many) Dairy Queens I attended on Miracle Treats day, saw me at an appearance, or I met, of all places, at Disney World. It is such a small world and I’m excited that I’m starting to have a big enough presence where I can come across people twice!

As I begin my third month as Miss Illinois, I’m also excited to develop deeper relationships with the organizations I work with. Operation Support Our Troops (Rockin’ for the Troops) had me out to their facility and Annette Riegel showed me how every item is meticulously packed before being sent over seas to our troops. I had a wonderful time meeting the volunteers and signing autographs to go into the care packages – if you’re ever looking for a fun way to volunteer on a Saturday morning this is the place to go! Visit www.osotil.org for a list of items you can donate, drop by their many locations across Illinois to help pack boxes, or simply write a letter of thanks to be included in a package. After speaking with some of our soldiers who received these letters you’d be surprised at how much a simple “thank you” from a stranger can brighten their day.

In keeping with the theme of familiar faces, I got to see Sofia Spentzas of Spiral Art Design three times in two weeks at both her studio and at Greek Fest. She took some amazing photos in my crown and Bella Bridal apparel and we gave out more than 250 autographed photos at her Greek Fest booth. Special thank you to Sofia for my beautiful pictures that I’m in love with, Tessia (I hope I spelled that right!) for the amazing hair and makeup, and Ryan for making sure every detail was perfect. I had so much fun with them and recommend this team for any of your portraiture or professional photography needs!

The Women of AT&T Northern Illinois Chapter hosted me during their lunch hour to talk about the Miss America Organization, Character Counts!, and my platform. I participated in my first video conference and could actually see and interact with the women listening to me in another city! As a young woman coming from the corporate world, it was inspiring for me to see another company that was vested in and encouraging of women in business and it was particularly exciting to see this group in action.

I went back to Indian Lakes Resort on Saturday for the Tyler Volenec Golf Outing sponsored by Tyler's Touch. Celebrating its 10th year, the volunteers for this organization were every bit as passionate and excited about raising money for families of children with pediatric cancer as they were their first year. I helped sell raffle tickets, interacted with guests, and signed autographs throughout the outing and dinner and was amazed by the generosity of the guests and the gratitude shown by the organization. “Shout out” to Jessica and Sarah – my fellow young raffle ticket sellers who I promised to put in my blog. J

I closed out the week with a trip to Hoopeston for the Miss National Sweetheart pageant. Erin Madden, Miss Greater Lakes, did a wonderful job representing Illinois and looked FANTASTIC on stage with her new haircut. I loved hearing about the history of the pageant and was proud that such a wonderful tradition takes place in our state! We had great representation from the MISA in the audience and there was no doubt that Illinois was the crowd favorite – hey we’re a little biased! Congratulations to the week’s Miss Arizona for winning the 2008 title.

Finally, congratulations are in order for Claire-Thorpe Klinsky, Natalie Scherer, and Brooke Judy for winning Miss Southern Illinois, Miss Shawnee, and Miss Hoopeston respectively. (Brooke gave her farewell speech at Miss National Sweetheart but will be representing Hoopeston in the 2009 Miss Illinois pageant) Good luck ladies!

Thank you for reading and promise me you’ll enjoy the last days of summer weather – I know I will!

Miss America's Outstanding Teen Competition (8/18/08)

I had the opportunity to spend five days in Orlando, Florida with 45+ of the other Miss America contestants; cheering on our teens at the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant! We started off with Tuesday’s Preliminary competition and Emily was the first contestant to compete in talent. Her piano piece was the best I’ve ever heard it and she definitely set the bar high for the rest of the girls to follow.

Wednesday was full of meetings but it gave me the chance to meet some of my fellow contestants. I’ve known Miss Michigan, Ashlee Baracy, since grade school and was so excited to catch up with her and share this experience together. I must say, you can’t beat the hospitality of the Midwest and, as such, Miss Minnesota, Miss Iowa, & Miss Wisconsin & I all became fast friends. Wednesday night, we headed to a fundraiser hosted by the Siegle family. After watching Tiger Woods putt from his backyard and wondering whether or not Shaq was home, we knew we were in the right neighborhood. The event was absolutely amazing and, after sampling five star cuisine from some of the area’s top restaurants, mingling with the Who’s Who of Orlando, and taking an endless amount of photos, we watched as the silent and live auctions raised tens of thousands of dollars for our organization. If that weren’t enough, a $50,000 check to Miss America was presented at the end of the night to go directly into our scholarship fund.

Thursday was our Disney day and we had the opportunity to take some promotional photos and videos with Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse! We spent the rest of the afternoon on a private tour of the park where we were so spoiled and never waited in line for a thing. We had a wonderful dinner at Maggiano’s and got to eat with the MAO Board of Directors. Thursday’s preliminary was fun to watch and Emily looked as strong as ever in Active Wear.

Friday was a ton of fun and we got to spend the entire day at Sea World. It was also an off night for the Teens and we celebrated together at a 50’s style Sock Hop – complete with 50s music and All-American food. I had a great time chatting with Nancy Lee, Executive Director for Miss Blackhawk Valley, and enjoyed swapping ideas and pageant stories.

Saturday was the day we had all been waiting for – the meeting with Miss America Reality Check (the reality show) producers. After an hour and a half meeting where just about every contestant asked a question – or two – I’m still not sure of what to expect in September. They are certainly keeping the element of surprise in tact but I’m confident I’m going to have a great time in L.A. To answer your question – Yes…I’ll let them cut my hair…just as long as it’s not too short.

Right before the pageant, I met with Jim and Joy Robbins for some quick interview prep. I’ll be meeting with them a few more times before Miss America and can’t stress how wonderful their expertise, critiquing, and advice is. Please email me if you’d like to get in touch with them – the past two Miss Americas have worked with them…pretty good track record if you ask me!

After an autograph session outside the theater, the Miss America contestants and I headed in to cheer on our girls. It’s safe to say that we all know each other by state but not necessarily by name. It’s wasn’t uncommon to say “Love your dress, Delaware” or “Hey Kentucky, How’s it goin’?” and only added to the surrealism that we’ll all be competing for Miss America in just a few short months. Emily looked fantastic on stage once again but we were definitely disappointed when we didn’t hear her name called into the Top Ten. MAOT did a great job of bringing the non-finalists back on stage for production numbers and walk-ons so we did get to see Emily a few more times on the National stage. Miss South Carolina’s Outstanding Teen, Taylor Fitch, took the crown and was amazingly well-spoken and articulate both in competition and in her speech at the afterglow. Caroline and Angie from Metropolis and I had a lovely breakfast (the afterglow was at 12:00AM!) and were happy to hear Emily had had such a great time with the girls. It was wonderful seeing the Travis’s again and I look forward to seeing them the next time I’m “down South”! Congratulations Emily on your amazing achievement.

I almost forgot – I learned this week that, at least when traveling with Glenn Fox, I must always be prepared to “be” Miss Illinois. On our flight to Orlando, Glenn, a Southwest Flight Attendant, announced to the entire plane that I was Miss Illinois and had me pass out pretzels and take pictures with the passengers on the plane – crown and all. I had a ton of fun but was definitely surprised to be taken “out of cognito”.

I have my first school appearances this week, a keynote speech, golf outing, and Greek Fest – can’t wait!

Three Weeks of Appearances - Part Two (8/10/08)

McHenry County Fair Pageant – McHenry
- 18 contestants – every single one of them talented, well-spoken, and beautiful representatives for their communities
- I spoke about the Miss America Organization and performed my talent on stage
- Amalia judged and helped choose the winner – Carly Dikun, 19, from Harvard. I had the chance to chat with her and she is an amazing woman! Congrats Carly!
- Beautiful country stage and delicious fair food!

Fashion Show at the Peninsula Hotel – Chicago
- Modeled some of the latest fashions for the Service Club of Chicago – one of the oldest philanthropic organizations in the city
- Helped raise money for a variety of different charities and gave great visibility to the Miss Illinois Scholarship Association all while mingling with the “Who’s Who” of Chicago!

Children’s Memorial Hospital/CMN/101.9 FM – The Mix Radiothon Party
- Event to thank all the children and parents who collected change for Eric & Kathy’s Radiothon which benefited Children's Memorial Hospital
- I signed autographs, took pictures, and worked on an activity with the kids to be displayed in CMH
- Saw the biggest cake I have seen – 8 feet by 4 feet!!! (it was delicious)
- All the kids had amazing stories about how they raised their money and why they felt it was important to help other kids in need. It was truly inspiring to hear stories from all sides (donors, recipients, participants etc.) of this great event.

Mooseheart Fundraiser at the Claddaugh – Geneva
- The Claddaugh donated 20% of all sales to Mooseheart – an organization that provides a home for children & teens in need whose families are no longer able to take care of them.
- I signed autographs, took pictures, & interacted with customers in the lively environment (with a live band!) at Claddaugh’s
- Thanks to Glen Schwerdtmann for chaperoning!

DuPage Dragons Fundraiser
- After spending an afternoon with Emily Travis, Miss Illinois’ Outstanding Teen, we drove to Lisle for a DuPage Dragons vs. the Quincy Gems game and the Woodridge Police Dept vs the Lisle-Woodridge Firefighters Dept. game
- We signed autographs and greeted fans until the stormy weather came in and the game was cancelled
- Emily and I waited out the storm in a McDonald’s and enjoyed free food from the employees while conversing with them in Spanish – an eventful night indeed!

National Night Out – Bartlett
- A wonderful community celebration hosted by the Bartlett Police Department that encourages neighbors to come out of their backyards and meet each other!
- Miss Illinois’ Princess, Jessica Durante, was on hand to sign pictures and speak to the media!
* I’m so impressed every time I hear Jessica speak about our Princess Program. She explains everything so completely and succinctly and I truly feel that we’re recruiting more and more girls each day as families are able to hear about the positive experiences she’s had with our organization. Way to go Jessica!
- We also participated in a cake eating contest – we lost.
- Thanks for Eric Tavolacci and the rest of the officers of the Bartlett Police Department for keeping us safe.

Emily’s Send-Off! – Oak Park
- Glen Fox hosted a wonderful celebration to send Emily on her way to Orlando
- We chatted, relaxed, and mingled with Emily’s many supporters and sponsors one last time before seeing her on stage!
- I can’t wait to see Emily perform at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen and am excited to hear about the amazing experiences she’ll have at national competition!

Miracle Treat Day – Chicago, Des Plaines, & St. Charles
- Two days of fun with Dairy Queen and Children’s Memorial Hospital
* Blizzard pickup, Polaroid logistics, and texting with CMH’s Beth Wolcott
* Celebrating Miracle Child Kelly’s 6th birthday with Miss America, Kirsten Haglund!
- I made Blizzards and greeted guests at three separate Dairy Queens to promote Miracle Treat Day – 100% of the proceeds from every Blizzard went to CMN!
* Special thanks to DQ owners Dave Zardzin and Bob Cahill for hosting me and for free Blizzards!
- Three media interviews – So fun!
* 103.5 Kiss FM
* NBC 5
* Fox 32

Patriot Guard Riders – Marine Welcome Home Reception – McHenry
- 70+ bikers, dozens of American flags, 3 police cars, a fire truck, and a beauty queen
- An awesome show of support for Joe Salgado, returning soldier of McHenry who was in Iraq for 14 months

Barnes & Noble/United Way Book Drive – Vernon Hills
- Served as a “Celebrity Reader” to help United Way raise money for Waukegan Schools
- Read five books (complete with voices and audience interaction ;)) to an extremely intelligent and talkative young crowd. (Charlotte wanted to be a Fighter Pilot AND Miss America – how cool is that?!)
- Signed autographs, took pictures & even got to use my Spanish with a few customers!


I wanted to give a public “Thank You” to my Executive Director, Amalia Schwerdtmann. She has been working so hard to find great sponsors, fashion, hair, and makeup consultants, new and exciting appearances, and the perfect team for my Miss America preparation. We’re working well together and I wanted emphasize how much I appreciate her hard work! Thank you Amalia for all you do!

Phew! Combine this with Orlando wardrobe shopping, Miss America paperwork, new car/rental car logistics (Thanks Mom & Dad! I love you!), working out, dancing, choreography/music production coordination, photo shoots, makeup sessions, hair sessions, Miss America wardrobe prep, Loyola & Starcom “wrap up”, moving to a new apartment and I’m sure…much, much more…you now have my past three weeks.

Thanks for reading!

Love,

KT
Miss Illinois 2008