Our Words Have Power
“Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.”
~ Gautama Buddha
A typical Thursday morning, sitting on my couch drinking my coffee, I reach for my phone and begin scrolling through my social media feeds. This post was shared by a friend and it lit a fire inside of me.
This letter was written by a middle school student in my home town of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Written with disgusting words of hatred and cruelty, a girl named Caitlyn, had to be subjected to this. This is not right. I don’t know Caitlyn or anyone involved but I knew I wanted to make my words heard in a positive way. Our Words Have Power is my platform within the Miss Idaho Organization. It’s a platform set out to educate and create change in the way people treat each other both on and offline. Living in a technology driven age, bullying has escalated into drastic attacks of written remarks through text messages and social media sites. Within our nation, communities, and educational systems, there is a need to promote media literacy through teaching appropriate online behavior and stressing the importance of respectable commentary through our words.
I know I couldn’t take the negative words off the bully’s paper so I decided to write my own for Caitlyn. As a child, I was bullied in school. I remember just wanting to escape the mean comments that began to pick away at my confidence and self worth inside. By writing this letter I hope that it not only stands as a wake up call that as a culture we need to change the way we communicate with each other, but as an image of hope that people can choose to heal with words rather than to destroy.
As a title holder, I am setting an example of treating others with respect through what I say and do both on and offline. You as a parent, a friend, a sibling or a peer, can stand up and make a difference as well. Teach words that will heal rather than destroy. Don’t let this behavior be accepted. It time to heal a culture destroyed by words.
#OurWordsHavePower
Miss Tri-Counties 2016
Kylee Solberg
Miss Boise: Don’t Rain on my Parade
Miss Idaho is an organization that has many things that set it apart from other pageants. If you enjoy keeping up with my blog posts like I enjoy writing them, you may be starting to see some trends. One is that I speak endlessly about the personal platform that I have been developing. Another is that I have, in the past, been terrified of failure. A few days ago I realized that there is a part of the competition that allows me to voice these things and my development because of them. I know what you might be thinking- interview, right? Wrong. For me, it’s my talent.. but I don’t even think I realized that until just now.
One area of competition that is wildly important in the Miss Idaho pageant is the talent. This portion of competition is unique to the Miss America Organization and cannot be over looked as it carries the most weight percentage wise. In order to prepare, I have been practicing my Broadway vocal, “Don’t Rain on my Parade”, on my own time as well as receiving coaching from a vocal instructor.
I’m going to be honest with you, ladies and gentlemen. The past few weeks have been stressful. The Miss Idaho competition is less than two months away, all of the paperwork and ad sales are due in about 2 weeks, college final papers are due this week, and I have also getting adjusted in a new internship. All of these opportunities I am so grateful for but, I’ll tell you, I go to bed tired. In the midst of all of this hustle and bustle, I forgot why I am here in the first place. That was until Friday, April 29, at 2:15 pm.
I had just gotten off work at my internship and went straight to my voice lesson. Carole, my voice coach, reminded me kindly as I was warming up and as I was practicing my talent song, “relax your arms”, “relax”, “relax”. My tense body was contributing to a strain on my voice and the missing of a couple notes. I was getting so frustrated thinking “why can’t I just relax?” and “why can’t I get this right??” Finally she said, “Brittany, let’s talk about what this song means to you”.
Of course I had thought about this before, but being consumed in the technicalities, trying to be perfect, and trying to be the best, I forgot why I loved this song. Well, I am here to make a document so that I never forget and so that everyone knows what it means to me. The song lyrics are bolded. My translation of the text is below:
“Don’t tell me not to live, just sit and putter. Life’s candy and the sun’s a ball of butter. Don’t bring around a cloud to rain on my parade”.
I think that I had always told myself that I was singing this particular section of the song for the judges and the audience- maybe even the “haters”. But, I have realized that I am singing that part to myself. It’s like the devil and angel on the shoulder picture. Part of me knows that I am capable of great things and that my heart is in the right place. But there is another part of me, the part I have from time to time listened to, that tells me that I am not enough to achieve what I want to. It’s when I sing these lyrics that I will boldly declare to everyone listening “I am enough. I am the best Brittany Lock in the history of the world”.
“I’m going to live and live now. Get what I want I know how”.
I have all of the tools to be successful. I have done all of the work to be successful. I just have to apply it and know that whatever happens, I have done everything in my power to make the world a little better.
“One roll for the whole shabang. One throw that bell will go clang. Eye on the target and wham. One shot one gun shot and BAM”!
You know what everyone says about Thomas Edison and how you have to find 999 ways to not invent a light bulb before you find the one way that works? That is what this phrase means to me. I am going to be unsuccessful- a lot. I’m not perfect. But I am going to try and try and try and put 110% effort into it. Then, eventually, there will be one time that it works and BAM. I DID IT!
“Hey Mr. Ariensteen here I am”!
Yup. Here I am. In all of my flaws, in all of my glory, in all of my hard work, I am here to do my best.
“I’ll march my band out. I’ll beat my drum- and if I’m fanned out- your turn at bat sir. At least I didn’t fake it, hat sir. I guess I didn’t make it”.
Again, here I am. I am going to give it all I got. Even if I fail, I will fail knowing that I put my whole heart into this and that I was raw. I was Brittany Lock. Not someone that other people want Brittany Lock to be.
“Get ready for me love ‘cause I’m a comer. I simply gotta march my heart is a drummer”.
I have to compete and I have to compete to my best ability because this program, Miss Idaho, it makes me better. It gives me a platform to overcome my fears, to put myself in uncomfortable situations, to connect with people I never may have otherwise and learn from them. I also have the ability to share my message with others. I have the opportunity to utilize the talents of a group of people that are committed to my success (the Miss Idaho board). The Brittany that achieves greatness is the Brittany that I was meant to be.
“Nobody, no, nobody, is gunna rain on my parade”.
Not you, not me, not anyone can take away my power. Nobody can keep me from reaching my full potential. I can do great things and I am here to do them. Watch me, and then join me.
After I told Carole all of these things, I was a little emotional. I had been so caught up in trying to be what other people wanted that I forgot that this song and my Miss Idaho experience what my chance to challenge myself to be my best self. I was so focused on doing right by the program and by not failing that I forgot I am enough.. and not only just that but also that by being involved in this great organization, I CAN’T FAIL. All I can do is get better. There are a team of people that want to see me succeed and will do everything they can to help me. Even if I don’t come home with a crown on June 18th, I will come home knowing that I was a fearlessly Brittany.
Brittany Lock
Miss Boise 201
6 Things You Might Hear From Kids at Appearances
One of the best things about being a titleholder is the endless amount of little kid encounters you receive. They always make for good stories and great memories after you have to pass on your title. Here are a few of our favorite common questions along with some hilarious stories.
First things first, every single child wants to know about your crown. Why you have it, where it came from, how it stays on, if they can touch it... you get the idea. Miss Idaho's Outstanding Teen 2016 shared this story with us, "After explaining to a little girl why I was wearing a crown, her eyes widened as she had a moment of realization. She opened her mouth and exclaimed, 'See that silver tooth?! The dentist said I have a crown too! We're like, princess sisters!'"
Any and every princess reference. With a crown comes a million questions about why you have it on. The traditional questions range from, "Are you a princess?" and "Are you a Disney Princess?" all the way to "Do you live in a castle?" and "Where is your prince?". One local titleholder, Miss Meridian 2016, shared this story. "'Look Mom!! A princess,' a little girl said as she ran over. I bent down to hug her and she asks,"Do you know Cinderella?" I said yes, my sister works at Disneyland, I've actually met a couple Cinderellas in my day. She said," Well you should tell her to write me back because I wrote her a really nice letter and nice friends write letters back!" I tried not to laugh and her mom kept apologizing for her outburst.
Kids like to know who is in charge - and once you have a crown they want to know what you have authority over. Are you the queen of this town? Do you know so and so? The crown means a lot in their eyes. Not only are you a role model, but you have to be in charge of something when you have that on your head. Miss Boise 2015 shared about an experience she had with kids wondering what she was in charge of, "So are you like the president of Boise or something?' To which I responded, 'Basically.'"
They always want to know how old you are. Often when you are out in public little kids will be dying to know your age and within about a minute of the age question the guessing game starts, "Are you 12?" Followed by, "Are you 35?" Miss Idaho 2014 shared this story, "Kid one, 'How old are you Miss Idaho?' Kid two, '*gasp* *SMACK*DUDE YOU DON'T ASK OLD PEOPLE THAT!
Whenever you are out sharing your platform and you start taking answers from the audience there is a lot of great quotes. You never know what kids are going to say - sometimes their answers are perfect and insightful and sometimes they are just something you have to smile and nod your head. Miss Magic Valley 2011 shared a story from one of her assemblies, "My platform was anti-bullying. I always liked to start out with a question for the students. 'What does the word bullying mean to you?' During one assembly I asked and a kid raised his hand. After I called on him he said, "It's like... well, you know..." And he stood up and acted out bowling."
But of course, the best part after a long day of appearances and being your best is the compliments they give you. To make you feel like the queen of the world. Meeting kids is one of the best part of the job because they are always ready with compliments on what you are wearing, they tell you that you look like their favorite celebrity, they say you are nice and cool, and they ask for hugs. They are the reason most of us compete. Because if we can make a difference in at least one of their lives, then we did our job.
Taking on Finals – One Point at a Time
There are so many things to be excited about during this time of the year. Summer is about to begin, Miss Idaho is right around the corner, and I finally get to go HOME next week! Unfortunately, there are also a lot of things to dread during this time of the year… Massive essays (I have 2000 words due next week), assignments, and of course, finals. The worst part is that I have to complete all of these dreadful tasks BEFORE I can get to the exciting stuff.
This week is dead week at Washington State University, and to be perfectly honest, I am so ready to be done with school for the year. I have no motivation to study, I have very little time on my hands, and I miss my family… a lot. Today, I let my longing for home and lack of motivation get the best of me; I had a mini melt-down. After my melt-down, I sat in my room and scrolled through social media (avoiding my homework) for about half-an-hour before I randomly came across a picture of the Miss America crown on Facebook. To most people, this would have been an insignificant occurrence. However, as a woman preparing for Miss Idaho, this was a reminder of something very important...
Many people don’t realize that each point on the Miss America crown represents a valuable characteristic. The four points represent service, style, success, and SCHOLARSHIP. When I saw the picture of the Miss America crown earlier today, I was reminded that I represent scholarship as a TITLEHOLDER. I realized that young women are looking up to me every day, and it is my job to demonstrate studious behavior… whether I’m stressed or not. Because of one glance at the Miss America crown, I was reminded that I am a much better student than I was acting today. I am smart, I am motivated, and I am about to ACE my finals… and my 2000 word essay. I am ready to put my best foot forward and strive for the ultimate academic SUCCESS.
I encourage anyone who is struggling to finish the semester to find something motivating to look at. It could be something as small as a picture of a crown. Finish strong!
-Sarah Jensen – Miss Three Rivers
Miss Three Rivers: Tips on how to make your fundraising obligation your passion.
As a Miss Idaho contestant, I have the responsibility of raising funds for the Children’s Miracle Network. Although I have only been involved in the Miss Idaho Organization for two years, I have picked up some valuable techniques to help with fundraising. Using my experiences, I have compiled a list of tips that might help anyone who is struggling to fund raise. I hope that my advice is helpful for any current or future titleholders! Here are my tips on how to make a fundraising obligation a passion:
Tip #1: Do some research.
When I competed in my first local pageant, I made no effort to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network. At the time, I couldn’t help but feel burdened by the fact that I had to raise money for an organization that I knew nothing about. The feeling of “burden” continued for me until I took the time to research the organization. I learned that the Children’s Miracle Network (CMNH) was sending funds to benefit children’s hospitals all over the United States and Canada. The entire idea of CMNH is to bring awareness and attention to children’s hospitals, while raising funds and contributing to the health care of young people. Who WOULDN’T want to contribute to that!? When I realized all of the incredible things that CMNH did, I felt PROUD to raise money for the organization.
Tip #2: Connect your fundraising to an activity that you love.
I have a special love for baking. There is something so relaxing and rewarding about spending hours in the kitchen with my recipe books. Baking is just my thing. When it came time to plan my first real Children’s Miracle Network fundraiser, I wanted to do something simple, fun, and effective. My solution: BAKE SALE. The idea was perfect; it gave me an excuse to bake for two days straight… What could be better!? Needless to say, I had a great time during the entire fundraiser. People loved my treats and I raised more money than I ever would have expected. Because I enjoyed the experience so much, I had three more bake sales to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network (I might do another one when I get home from college). Whether you love dancing, singing, playing a sport, or baking, find a way to connect an activity that you love to your fundraising efforts. I promise, you will have the time of your life.
Here it is: my first Children’s Miracle Network Bake Sale!
Tip #3: POST ABOUT IT. A lot.
I probably drove my hometown NUTS with all of my Facebook posts before my bake sales. I posted every day, multiple times a day, for about four days leading up to the events. I had so many people come to my bake sales simply because they had seen me post about them on Facebook or Instagram. In addition to that, my posts caught the attention of a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital board member in Madera, California. Because of my fundraising efforts, he invited me to tour the Madera Children’s Miracle Network hospital and experience firsthand the organization that I was raising money for. THAT IS THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA. Use technology to your advantage!
I got to tour one of the largest Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in the country! Here’s a picture at the entrance of the hospital in Madera, California.
I found my passion in the Children’s Miracle Network because I started competing in the Miss America Organization. Fundraising for CMNH has bettered my life in ways that I never could have predicted. I hope that my tips are helpful to anyone who struggles with fundraising! LET YOUR FUNDRAISING OBLIGATION BECOME YOUR PASSION.
Sarah Jensen- MIss Three Rivers 2016