Tag Archive | miss nebraska

Can’t Stop The Feeling

It was one of those days where, from the moment I opened my eyes, I just thought ‘nope, not gonna do today.’ I should’ve just called a mulligan on this one, turned off my alarm, and gone back to sleep.

In our house, we’re big fans of the movie Trolls. I’d like to think I’m more Poppy than Branch.. and anyone who’s heard my car concerts on my daily commute will echo that this girl loves to sing (and scrapbook!) But sometimes, my inner Branch takes over and negativity, criticism, and pessimism cloud over everything and take hold of my attitude and psyche. The singing stops, the smile fades, and I a) eat my feelings and/or b) pout, feel sorry for myself, and waste away what might have been a great day.

It’s a life lesson that, at 36 years old, I still haven’t mastered. How do you take life’s hits, rise above and prove to the world you are a BOSS? At just 18 years old, a high school student in small town Nebraska has made it her mission to do just that.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss Chadron 2017 Shaniah Freeseman

“I’ve learned over the years that it’s okay to not sweat the small stuff, and to just enjoy life,” Shaniah told me recently. “It’s too short to waste time away with worries and regrets.”

Shaniah has faced some tough choices over the years, namely her decision several years ago to move from one parent’s home hundreds of miles away to another. As Shaniah described to me last year (click here to read more!), this move didn’t just include changes at home; everything in her life was new and different.

“Leaving wasn’t easy; I moved to a new school, with all new people, and was the ‘new girl’ in a small town,” said Shaniah. “It took a lot out of me emotionally and multiple problems arose. I didn’t truly find myself until I was a sophomore in high school when I was tired of being the one who no one really knew.”

It was around that same time Shaniah discovered something called the Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Organization.

“The minute I heard about it, something sparked my interest,” said Shaniah. “It wasn’t the dresses or the makeup, it was more of what the organization offered. I have always loved to help people and I’ve always had a drive to share my statement with others. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to help build my own character and find my true self, along with helping others throughout it all.”

Shaniah served as Miss Alliance’s Outstanding Teen 2015, Miss Panhandle’s Outstanding Teen 2016, and in this, the first year she was eligible, was crowned Miss Chadron 2017 and an official contestant in the Miss Nebraska Pageant.

“At state, I’m going to have the best time ever, make amazing friends and endless memories,” said Shaniah. “No matter what the outcome, it’s the experience that’s important to me and gaining experience will help me and my future as I continue this journey.”

A journey Shaniah is taking full advantage of, and appreciating, every step of the way.

Shaniah has volunteered from one end of city limits to the other in her adopted hometown of Gordon, Nebraska. She visits classrooms and civic groups, hoping to connect with everyone she meets with, especially children. She shares her platform, ‘Overcoming Adversity in Order to Be Your Best’, and uses her own story to ensure her message resonates with everyone.

“In addition to emotional and social adversity, I’ve also faced physical adversity,” said Shaniah. “I was a three sport athlete and I’ve overcome two significant injuries in basketball that set me back, one almost ending my athletic career for good. It was a hard decision for me, but I chose not to play basketball my senior year. As tough as [that decision] was, through hard work, exercise and nutrition, I have gained everything back from my injury. I am at full strength and have received a full ride volleyball scholarship.”

And for Shaniah, there’s no coulda woulda shoulda. The time she might have been on the basketball court, Shaniah spent focusing on her new title and preparing for Miss Nebraska.

“I am a firm believer that pageants give young women the opportunity to gain many lifelong skills and attributes,” said Shaniah. “From personal experience, I can honestly say that I have become a more well rounded person, enhancing my poise, confidence and leadership skills from my years of competing.”

At the end of Trolls, after countless displays of love, perseverance and bravery, Poppy is named Queen. Shaniah, who describes herself as confident, driven and compassionate, already has her crown… and her journey is just beginning. Sometimes, all any of us needs is a reminder we all have happiness inside, a light brighter than any dark. Poppy, and Shaniah, remind me to crank up my radio and put Can’t Stop The Feeling on repeat.

“My mission is to share my story of struggle and strife with those who have some sort of adversity they’re facing,” said Shaniah. “There is always a person there to listen and there is always a way to get through something even if it seems like it’s impossible. I understand firsthand how hard it can be to have the confidence to overcome something that seems impossible. But with my continued faith and my determination to become better, I have achieved the goals that I set for my life and continue to reach every opportunity I can.”

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Click here to follow Miss Chadron 2017 Shaniah Freeseman on Facebook!

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SHANIAH?

CLICK HERE * 2016 * Divergent

CLICK HERE * 2015 * Nebraska’s Top Model

For more information about the Miss Chadron/Miss Northwest/Miss Fur Trade Days Pageant or for information about becoming a contestant, CLICK HERE to follow the organization on Facebook. You can also email Director Sara Smith at misscnwdirectors@gmail.com or by calling (308) 430-2613.

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The Miss Nebraska Pageant takes place June 7-10 in North Platte, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook.

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PREVIOUS.. The Perfect 10: Recap of the 2017 Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant

NEXT.. Miss Queen City of the Plains 2017 Jaicelyn Shakespare

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

Beachbody Or Bust

Apr30

I’m not fitness expert (and I don’t play one on TV) but I’m on a mission.. to hold my own at this summer’s Miss Nebraska pageant, the two weddings we’re attending this summer, and my good friends Adrian and Emily’s beach wedding in the fall! If Christie Brinkley can pose in a swimsuit in Sports Illustrated at 60, I can certainly eat healthier and rock a suit at the pool this summer!

With the help of my Beachbody Coach Amanda Soltero, I’ve been meal planning using Fixate; recipes focused on clean eating and portion control. The food is great and I’ve really enjoyed the recipes! If nutrition is 80% of the battle in health and weight loss, I’m hopefully taking the first important steps in the journey to become the me I’m more proud of. It’s not perfect, but I feel good about the results I’m seeing. Here’s hoping this meal plan benefits you as well, and please, give me your feedback!

Every week I choose three meals, a breakfast, and two snacks. This gives me a little variation so I’m not eating the same thing at the same time everyday, but I’m only cooking once a week and then grabbing and going for work or at night when I’m juggling little guys’ dinners, too. If you don’t like something–don’t make it! If you’re like me, you just won’t eat it and hit up Runza instead. If I make a substitution or have an extra snack (like a much-need trip to Scooters!) I just make sure I’m within my calorie allotment for the day. (MyFitnessPal is a great, free app that shares what your magic number is based on your goals.)

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ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

Turkey Tacos

Fixate Chicken, Apple & Sweet Potato Salad w/ Four-Ingredient Drop Biscuits

Moroccan Carrot Salad w/ 1/2 Turkey Sandwich

Baked Oatmeal Cups

SNACKS: Fruit, Yogurt w/ fruit and granola

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TURKEY TACOS

Low Sodium Taco Seasoning Packet

4 cups shredded lettuce (I get the plastic containers of mixed greens – doubles for lettuce, salads, etc. and a healthier choice than iceberg lettuce)

1 LB ground turkey

salsa

corn tortillas (which taste like crap, but a healthier option than flour tortillas)

Fixate has a recipe for a healthy version of turkey taco meat. I just use a taco seasoning packet, but low sodium if I’ve got one. Prepare using 1 LB of ground turkey. Divide into four portions.

For each meal, use 2 corn tortillas, 1 Cup shredded lettuce and 2 TBL salsa (again, Fixate has a healthy recipe; until summer/Farmer’s Markets I just buy fresh salsa from the deli at HyVee).

Calories: 319 per serving. Recipe courtesy Fixate/Amanda Soltero

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CHICKEN, APPLE AND SWEET POTATO SALAD

Warning: this is a new one for me! I haven’t tried it yet, so fingers crossed!

Recipe 1

Calories: 176. Recipe courtesy Beachbody.

I’ll be eating this with FOUR-INGREDIENT DROP BISCUITS

Recipe 2

Calories: 104 per biscuit. Recipe courtesy Beachbody.

Total calories for meal: 280

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MOROCCAN CARROT SALAD WITH SPICED CHICKPEAS

REcipe 6

Again, you’ve been warned.. I haven’t tried this one yet. I don’t even know what the hell a chickpea is. Also, cut this recipe IN HALF if you only want four meals – otherwise you’ll be eating this all week long.

Recipe 3

Calories: 161. Recipe courtesy Beachbody.

I’ll be eating this with 1/2 a turkey sandwich, using whole grain bread, mustard, no cheese. Use 2-4 ounces of deli turkey (25 calories per ounce.)

Total calories for meal (based on 3 oz of turkey): 326

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BREAKFAST: BAKED OATMEAL CUPS WITH RAISINS AND WALNUTS

REcipe 7

I love breakfast recipes that all I have to do in the morning is grab them and go. I will bake these tonight and have them ready for the next two weeks. Cut the recipe in half if you only want 6 of them. I’m also using cranberries instead of raisins because I already have them in my pantry. NOTE: If you like the idea but are worried you’ll get sick of these after a few days, I’ve had a healthy cereal and unsweetened almond milk on hand to substitute here and there. Think Cheerios or something with little to no sugar. Almond milk is 30 calories a cup versus 80 for skim milk.

Recipe 4.jpg

Calories: 154 per muffin. Recipe courtesy Beachbody.

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SNACKS

A fruit every morning. I love apples and pears.

Greek yogurt with granola every afternoon. I feel like this gives me a protein boost when I’m dragging around 2pm, and I LOVE the extra crunch by adding granola to it. Fixate offers a yummy granola recipe I really like, but you can also choose a bag of granola at the grocery store to simplify it.

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Recipe 5

ALRIGHT, TEAM.. LET’S DO THIS! And again, please let me know if this works for you or if there is anything I can to make this easier or better for you!

Follow The Rainbow

Apr30

One of my favorite events I got to take part in during my time at KETV was Omaha Fashion Week. I know NOTHING about fashion (I’ve got a solid 5-outfit rotation and that’s it..) but I LOVE seeing it. OFW offers anything and everything you could envision, from swimwear, to children’s wear, to the most beautiful gowns to the craziest avant garde designs. CLICK HERE to read more about my adventures hosting Fashion Week while pregnant.. or about the time I became Fashion Roadkill in front of hundreds of people.

Photo courtesy Omaha Fashion Week

This is an event where the people are art as much as the garments. Every designer chooses different models based on that collection or their aesthetic. You will see rail-thin and plus-size women, translucent skin tones to the darkest ebony. This showcase is a spectacular rainbow of color and life, a display of the array of beauty God created in so many different types of people.

This year, you’ll see the same thing at the 2017 Miss Nebraska Pageant.

Bags

The Class of 2017 spans from barely 5-feet to almost 6-feet tall (without heels!). We have dancers and singers, a SLAM poet and a violinist, pianists and a sign language artist. They are young women with various backgrounds and ambitions, as different on the inside as they appear outside. It’s something one of these contestants is not just proud of, she’s made the message of diversity her mission during her time as a Miss Nebraska titleholder.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss Western Nebraska 2017 Devin Owens

“My platform ‘Representation Matters: The Importance in Being Present’, focuses on the importance of diverse role models/leaders/representatives in media, film, systems of government, our communities and beyond,” Devin told me recently. “With race, gender/sexuality, and religious issues being at the forefront of many of the national conversations/debates that we are having, it’s important to ensure that all are accurately, fairly and equally represented in various spaces.”

This is Devin’s first year as a Miss Nebraska titleholder, though she previously represented Nebraska in the Miss Black USA Ambassador pageant. Devin attracted media attention multiple times in that roll through her work to empower girls across the Omaha area.

“In the summer of 2015 I hosted the first ‘Queens For A Day’, which gave 20 young women from across the state the opportunity to feel like the queens they truly are,” said Devin. “Our day began at Memorial Park where we had a photo shoot with a professional photographer, and rode off to the spa in a VIP limousine. Once we arrived at the spa, each girl was able to get either a pedicure or manicure, we loaded back on the limo, and we went to decorate crowns.”

Queens for a Day 2015

CLICK HERE to read the Omaha World Herald’s story on Devin, or CLICK HERE to watch KETV’s story on her event!

This was the continuation of work Devin began in 2014 when she founded Project Poise, a leadership initiative for young women in need, focusing primarily on low income/needs based areas.

“Operating out of existing nonprofits, elementary and middle schools and after-school programs, I bring tailored programming to each site and work with young ladies on developing their core strengths,” said Devin. “Everyone has leadership potential, and my goal is to help these young ladies discover, embrace and grow within in their leadership potential. I’ve had the privilege of working with over 250 young women in the last three years, and I am looking to impact even more as we delve into 2017.”

Solomon Girls Center

Devin has studied at both the University of Nebraska Lincoln and Omaha campuses, she’s worked at 10/11 News and now at the Peter Kiewit Foundation. So why add to an already busy schedule by competing for Miss Nebraska?

Crowning 2

“Overall I was once again ready to utilize the platform to serve and lead that the Miss Nebraska Organization offered and pageantry at large offered,” said Devin. “Upon winning the title of Miss Western Nebraska, I am really eager to learn more about the western portion of Nebraska that I haven’t been able to see as much residing in Omaha and Lincoln most of my life.”

Devin hit the ground running, lining up school visits to speak to students from all areas and backgrounds. She’s also extremely active on social media, stressing not only the work she is doing, but spreading the word about Miss Nebraska Organization sponsors and opportunities.

“I want those who are skeptical to know that we work hard, really hard, and are all passionate about the communities we serve and the platforms we advocate for,” said Devin. “For many of us, we wear multiple hats; whether that’s as students, employees, entreprenuers and more. I personally balance a full time job, being a student while paying my way through school, my own nonprofit organization and pageantry, not even considering personal or social obligations. While the many roles often leave little time for a personal life, I wouldn’t have it any other way. One of my favorite quotes is, ‘Example is leadership’, and therefore I recognize the grave importance of my presence and activism in my community and state.”

Elementary School Visit

And while Devin’s main objective has been to empower others, she says she herself has been empowered by the experience, and the women she’ll compete with in just over a month.

“I am overwhelmed by the immense amount of opportunities to learn and serve my state,” said Devin. “One of the most important things to me when being a participant in a pageant is being able to walk away a better person than when you started the journey. Having the opportunity to compete in three very different pageant systems, I must admit my favorite thing about the Miss Nebraska Organization is the sense of family I get from my sister queens, volunteers and state directors. I was nervous to enter another pageant system so ‘late in the game’ as I am 22 years old, but never once did I feel alone or isolated in my journey. It’s been a blessing to be surrounded by such amazing women from across the state.”

Our goal as volunteers who recruit women to compete for Miss Nebraska is to find the best representatives of our state and reward them for their hard work, talents and service. We don’t consider race, how much money a girl has, where she’s coming from or where she’s going. We are blind to who a young woman is when she reaches out to us saying ‘I’d like to learn more’, and we are willing to help anyone and everyone to become the best versions of themselves.

Devin and girl

Still, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t warm my heart this year to see a rainbow of little girls look up to our titleholders, maybe thinking ‘she’s just like me… and I can be just like her when I grow up.’

Devin in class

“When I close my eyes and dream of being Miss Nebraska, it’s an opportunity that I’d be so blessed and humbled to have,” said Devin. “I think about the potential lives I could impact, and bringing awareness to my platform on a large scale, it’s kind of scary, but an opportunity of a lifetime. Each member of this Miss Nebraska class brings something so unique to the forefront when considering who will represent our state next, so in any circumstance, the outcome will be great!”

Photo courtesy Kathy Rae Photography

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Click here to follow Miss Western Nebraska 2017 Devin Owens on Facebook, click here to follow her blog, ‘DJ Writing Out Loud’, click here to follow her on Twitter, and click here to follow Devin on Instagram.

Devin was crowned at Crowns & Gowns 2017, Nebraska’s largest annual prom/pageant showcase. CLICK HERE for more details about the 2018 pageant and event! You can also email Director of the Miss Gering/Miss Western Nebraska Pageant, Heather Hayes, by emailing Heather.Hayes@charter.com.

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The Miss Nebraska Pageant takes place June 7-10 in North Platte, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen 2016 Hannah Miller

NEXT.. The Perfect 10: Recap of the 2017 Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

Finding Fate

Apr19

This year, the night before a new Miss Nebraska is crowned, generations of our royal family and their fans will gather to celebrate 80 years of the Miss Nebraska Scholarship Program. Our first recorded Miss Nebraska, Ruth Lenore Jones, was crowned in 1937. Each year, we have not only sent an incredible state representative to compete at the Miss America Pageant, we have united and celebrated a class of extraordinary women from all corners of Nebraska.

A clip from the Lincoln Journal Star, June 30, 1968.

As Miss Nebraska 1968 Diane Boldt was crowned, 1st Runner Up Charlene Warneke applauded alongside the rest of the Class of ’68. That year’s Miss North Platte continued to be involved in our program for years after, eventually passing on that passion to her granddaughter Alexandria.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss York County’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Alexandria Warneke

This weekend, 50 years after her grandmother finished as 1st Runner Up, Alexandria Warneke will compete to become Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen.

“I am passionate, committed, and will work hard to convey a positive image of Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen while promoting science education to girls,” said Alexandria. The 17-year old is a junior at York High School, who hopes to one day become an environmental attorney. That passion for science led Alexandria to focus her year as Miss York County’s OT on her platform, ‘Where a Beautiful Brain Can STEM From.’ Click here to read the York News-Times story on Alexandria!

“As a [female] student interested in science, I find myself in a minority at school,” said Alexandria. “Fortunately, I am lucky to have many female science teachers to look up to and parents who have helped me thrive in a world where girls are outnumbered. I strive to be a role model for young girls to show them how much fun they could have exploring new things in the world.”

Alexandria has visited science fairs and classrooms across her area to share her platform. She talks about Margaret Hamilton, who wrote the coding and invented the software in the 1960’s that helped get Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon. She talks about the 66% of girls in fourth grade who say they are interested in science and math, and the less than 18% who end up majoring in engineering, or the 0.4% (yes, less than 1%) that major in computer science. She also shares her own achievements in STEM fields; Alexandria has received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, she’s a member of the state champion Science Olympiad team, and she’s currently taking four college-level courses at York High School.

“Currently, the world needs a lot of help from all of us to keep its natural resources and put a halt to further damage we cause,” said Alexandria. “As Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen, I will be able to be a role model for many more young girls, and together, women can do amazing things to allow the world a brighter future.”

Alexandria notes she wants all girls to hear they can be brilliant AND beautiful, something she’s demonstrating to everyone who’s followed her journey.

Alexandria was chosen as a Prom Ambassador for the Black Swan Dress Boutique in Lincoln, modeling designer gowns for the business’s annual showcase. She is also an award-winning dancer who has performed for the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company. At school, Alexandria also participates in FBLA, Mock Trial, Show Choir, York Dukes Dance, Musical and Speech.

“I am beautiful, I am smart, I am outstanding,” said Alexandria.

Agreed. And I guarantee one of the proud women who would echo all of this and be one of Alexandria Warneke’s biggest cheerleaders… her grandma, Charlene, who paved the way for this fateful journey 50 years ago. Charlene Warneke died in North Platte in 2010, but last weekend, her granddaughter took a few minutes to take in all of her grandma’s accomplishments, and reflect on what’s to come in her own future.

“I had an emotional talk with my family over Easter lunch, about my grandma Charlene Warneke,” Alexandria posted on Facebook. “I’m so proud to be following her footsteps by competing for Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen next week! The Miss America system is in my blood, so Grandma, I will have you in my heart and mind during this amazing experience.”

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The Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant takes place April 21-22 in Omaha, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook. For more information about becoming a contestant, email Director Heather Edwards at heatheraloseke@gmail.com

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Fur Trade Days 2017 Courtney Pelland

NEXT.. Miss Western Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Whitney Miller

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

College Ready

Apr19

I have been so honored, as of February 3, to be Co-Marketing Director of the Miss Nebraska Organization. From the get-go, our Board has had several clear goals for this year: to set a new record in scholarships for our contestants, to provide new opportunities for Miss Nebraska and all of our titleholders, and to host one heck of a pageant in just a few short weeks! That said, we could barely hold back our excitement at Orientation as Executive Director Rachel Daly told all contestants, their directors and their families that this year, we were proud to offer an estimated $1.3 million dollars in cash and college scholarships.

$1.3 MILLION DOLLARS

Yeah, that is worth the jumbo font. One of our key contributors, Midland University, is offering every single contestant, regardless of how they finish, $15,000 annually. That’s a guaranteed $60,000 for every, single Miss Nebraska contestant if they are accepted into Midland University. One young woman’s mother approached us to confirm this was all true, and when we said yes, she said she almost cried. Her daughter, Courtney, is going to Midland next year.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss Fur Trade Days 2017 Courtney Pelland

“I want people to know the Miss America Organization is not based on how beautiful we are,” Courtney told me recently. “Overall, this organization provides scholarships for the girls who compete to help with college debt. That is a huge deal.”

Courtney, a senior at North Platte High School, has witnessed the positive attributes of the Miss Nebraska Program for most of her life. As she told me last year (click here to read more!) she and her family have been involved with nearly every facet of the program including Host Family, Little Sister, Teen titleholder, and now a Miss titleholder. Courtney has also been mentored by several Miss Nebraska’s, including Miss Nebraska 2009 Brittany Jeffers and Miss Nebraska 1999 Becky Smith.

“When I was 14, I wanted to start competing, but the only issue [I faced] was my shyness,” said Courtney. “Halfway through my freshman year of high school, my Nana (my dad’s mother) passed away, five days before my birthday. My Nana always loved pageantry and wanted me to one day compete for the title of Miss Nebraska.”

Now she will. Courtney was crowned Miss Fur Trade Days last fall, in her first year eligible to compete for Miss Nebraska (click here to read an article about her win in the North Platte Telegraph!). Volunteering has been a key element for Courtney in both her Teen and Miss roles, because she knows personally the impact one person can have. In January of 2015, Courtney was admitted to the hospital, in dire need of blood.

“I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia; I was given two units of blood that day,” said Courtney. “Eventually I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, but I also realized how important it is to donate blood.”

And Courtney has been taking that message across her hometown and beyond. She’s spoken to students and groups, she’s organized blood drives in North Platte, she’s partnered with the American Red Cross to strengthen her impact, and she shares powerful statistics and stories on social media, hoping to compel others to donate. Click here to read the North Platte Telegraph’s story about Courtney!

“My favorite part of the organization doesn’t have anything to do with the actual competition,” said Courtney. “My favorite part is being able to give back to my community in a different way. A crown and sash don’t define someone, it’s about all of us girls making an impact on someone. I have a friend who says the reason he donates blood is because of what I had to go through. I am involved with this program because I want to make a difference in this world and help others out.”

Courtney makes appearances and volunteers at events in addition to an incredibly active personal schedule. She works, takes part in musical, is a member of the Pacers Dance Team, trains with the Dance Factory in North Platte.. and she’s preparing for high school graduation next month! Courtney was named her high school’s Bulldog of the Month in December, click here to read more!

“I am a very busy girl and always on the go,” said Courtney. “Being this busy I have to be very organized with the things I have decided on. Once I put my mind to something, nothing can stop me. If I want it I will do everything in my power to achieve that goal or get to where I want to be.”

Courtney credits the Miss Nebraska and Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Organizations for helping her meet those challenges, and find support along the way.

“This organization has pushed me out of my comfort zone and into this bubbly, caring girl,” said Courtney. “I have learned that it is okay to state your opinion, ask questions and show the world who you truly are. I am now able to go up to random people and hold a conversation without even thinking about it.”

“On top of me finding my true self, I have formed some incredible friendships across the state,” said Courtney. “Miss Chadron Shaniah Freeseman and I are sister queens this year, and I have been blessed to have a girl like her by my side. She has become a sister to me. This type of friendship is the one I hope every girl is able to form.”

Making long-lasting friendships is one of Courtney’s ultimate goals for her experience this year leading up to and at the Miss Nebraska Pageant. She wants to network, make her hometown proud, and use the life lessons she’s learned on this journey as she attends Midland University to major in Fine Arts Management this fall. She’ll also have a little help every step of the way… some extra cash in her pocket thanks to the Miss Nebraska Organization, and some extra love in hand as she competes for her state title.

“Every time I compete in a pageant, I have a buckeye to remind me of Nana, and I always carry it around before my interview,” said Courtney. “Knowing that she is by my side drives me to compete and to make a difference in this world.”

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Click here to follow Miss Fur Trade Days 2017 Courtney Pelland on Facebook!

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COURTNEY?

CLICK HERE * 2016 * Everyday America

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The Miss Nebraska Pageant takes place June 7-10 in North Platte, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Chadron’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Brianna Little

NEXT.. Miss York County’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Alexandria Warneke

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

Getting To Know You

Apr14

This afternoon, I was honored to be interviewed by one of Westside’s incredible high school students, Emily Kutler, who is writing an essay on the sexualization of women in the media. We discussed my experiences working in broadcast news, my observations of national media.. and almost naturally, my time with the Miss Nebraska Organization surfaced. I explained to Emily how my hope lies within our titleholders and the women they inspire… that the key to ‘girl power’ is to do what we love. To be confident. To do good and share good in our world. And if you feel good wearing lipstick and high heels while you dominate life, then so be it 🙂

There’s always more to the story, the ‘behind the scenes’ element that isn’t always shared. The 34 women competing for two state titles this year aren’t just girls slapping on makeup and waving in parades, they are role models and leaders driven by 34 compelling stories. For a teenager out west, her journey and mission include a medical diagnosis she refers to as the forgotten disability.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss Fur Trade Days’ Outstanding Teen 2017 Cherokee Purviance

“I have Dyslexia and I know what it means to have it,” Cherokee told me recently. “I know what accommodations need to be made and I know the benefits of it as well.”

Cherokee shared her personal story with me in 2015 and last year; as both Miss Northwest’s Outstanding Teen and Miss Alliance’s Outstanding Teen, she worked to spread awareness about Dyslexia and to support children and teens facing the same diagnosis. That mission continued this year when she won the title of Miss Fur Trade Days’ Outstanding Teen.

“I love my time as a local titleholder building up to state!” said Cherokee. “All of the girls are so kind and fun to be around. These are the girls everyone loves. So why wouldn’t I love them just as much?”

The character of the young women who compete is what initially drew Cherokee to Miss Nebraska in the first place. She grew up idolizing the contestants who competed every summer and served all year long, and knew when she was eligible, she wanted to be just like them. The Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Organization provided Cherokee that opportunity.

Cherokee has visited schools, childrens’ groups and charity events, in addition to her studies at Alliance High School. The 17-year old is an accomplished pianist and performer, winning the recent Alliance Stars of Tomorrow competition’s Overall Star of Stars Award and a $1000 cash scholarship.

The ‘Miss Fur Trade Days’ OT’ title has not only offered Cherokee more opportunities to perform, but experiences to hone in on communications and networking skills.

“I’ve become more well-spoken, made some great friends and developed a greater love for serving my community,” said Cherokee.

Get to know a ‘pageant girl’ like Cherokee.. and you’ll meet a young woman with goals, willing to work hard to make those dreams happen. Throughout this journey, Dyslexia hasn’t been a curse Cherokee has tried to hide from. Rather, she shares her story and advice for others, like how the Orton-Gillingham reading program benefited her. This self described initiator, a devoted and methodical young woman, has a plan and vision that extends beyond a diagnosis. She may be a ‘beauty queen’, but she, like all of her pageant sisters in the Class of 2017, are proving what that title really means.

These are people you want to know.. they are the women who are changing the world.

“Whether or not I win the state pageant, I want to be remembered for changing the way people view Dyslexia,” said Cherokee. “It isn’t just an excuse. You can’t cure it. You have to deal with it.”

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WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEROKEE?

CLICK HERE to follow Miss Fur Trade Days’ Outstanding Teen 2017 Cherokee Purviance!

CLICK HERE * 2015 * Girls And Dolls

CLICK HERE * 2016 * When I Grow Up

For more information about the Miss Chadron/Miss Northwest/Miss Fur Trade Days’ Outstanding Teen Program or for information about becoming a contestant, CLICK HERE to follow the organization on Facebook . You can also email Director Amanda Vogel by emailing maoteenchadron@gmail.com or calling 308-665-5595.

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The Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant takes place April 21-22 in Omaha, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook. For more information about becoming a contestant, email Director Heather Edwards at heatheraloseke@gmail.com

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Twin Rivers 2017 Emma Wilkinson

NEXT.. Miss Chadron’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Brianna Little

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

Courage With a Smile

Apr13

Each of us has a hidden story.. something we don’t openly share with others because it’s embarrassing, something we can’t change, something we wish would just GO AWAY.

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I’ve performed the national anthem DOZENS of times in the Omaha area for crowds of a few hundred to 15,000+. Last fall, I waited off-ice at UNO’s first hockey game of the season, ready to perform once more. I was running through the lyrics in my head, and about two minutes before I was up… I BLANKED. I got to a middle stanza in the anthem and could not come up with the words. In a panic, I googled the lyrics on my phone, just to have them ready in my pocket if my memory didn’t kick back into gear.

It didn’t. In front of 5,000 fans, I had to pull out my phone in the middle of our country’s anthem and look down for help. I LOVE MY COUNTRY. I KNOW THIS SONG. AND I WAS MORTIFIED.

I still shudder when I think about it… because to anyone who HADN’T heard me sing before, I will forever be the idiot who didn’t know the words to the national anthem. I’ve only performed the anthem once since then… terrified this could happen again.

Now, an example of COURAGE. A woman who not only accepts mistakes, she shares them to empower others to shrug their shoulders, learn and move on.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss Twin Rivers 2017 Emma Wilkinson

Though I had interviewed Emma last year during her time as Miss Chadron’s Outstanding Teen, I had never heard her perform. When she sang at the 2016 Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant.. this was me in the audience.

Emma won 1st runner up, an honor in large part due to that extraordinary vocal performance. It’s something she’s quite accustomed to; a senior at North Platte High School, Emma’s earned the lead role in school productions, she’s a member of the NPHS Pacers dance team, and and she’s competed in multiple vocal and dance competitions. CLICK HERE to read the North Platte Telegraph’s article on Emma when she was crowned in February.

Just this week, Emma shared a clip of her performance as part of a high school music contest. (CLICK HERE TO WATCH!) BUT… she also noted on the same post, ‘this was before I forgot the words.’ She wrote: After working for a month, I let myself down when I forgot many of the lyrics due to nerves and poor confidence. I walked away extremely upset with my performance. • I have chosen to take this experience as a lesson. All I can do from here is work harder next time, show up with confidence, and hope that I prove my worth. • Always take each experience as an opportunity to become a better you, no matter the end result. #motivationmonday#missnebraska2017“

Emma Wilkinson will turn 18 years old tomorrow.

An amazing display of maturity, acceptance and understanding, the result of a personal journey that Emma bravely speaks about as Miss Twin Rivers 2017.

“My platform, ‘Rethink Your Drink’, is focused on informing children of alcoholic parents that they are not alone,” Emma told me recently, noting alcoholism has touched her family as well. “Once I reached the fifth grade, I made a best friend with similar experiences to my own. We shared our struggles and helped each other cope with the pain brought about by alcoholism. Addiction does not have to debilitate a child’s aptitude to achieve success and I want to spread those words like wildfire, especially to those who need to hear them most.”

Emma class

Emma has visited several schools throughout the North Platte area to share her story, her message carrying extra weight as a local girl who will compete right in her city at this summer’s Miss Nebraska Pageant. As she told me last year, it was those former Miss Nebraska’s (namely Brittany Jeffers and Becky Smith-Wagner) who greatly impacted her life as she grew up.

“I hope to reach every person when making appearances by sharing the negative effects that alcohol can leave on everyone,” said Emma. “Children are often informed about alcohol in elementary school, but I feel like they forget about the dangers of alcohol once they are surrounded by it in high school. This is about spreading awareness of alcoholism in order to make people realize that it is not a rare occurrence.”

Emma is also already taking her title statewide, including a 8-hour roundtrip trek to Omaha to take part in the Miss Nebraska Princess Party fundraiser last month. Emma and Miss Fur Trade Days Courtney Pelland left North Platte early, met dozens of little girls at the event, and drove BACK to North Platte the same day to take part in a dance team gala the same night.

“The amazing thing about the Miss Nebraska Organization is that it brings together poised, confident and beautiful young women from all over the state to catalyze positive change,” said Emma. “Whenever I see one of our girls at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital visiting patients, I hold a huge smile on my face because this is what we’re about; making a positive impact within every life we can.”

Photo courtesy Kamie Stephen Photography

And that includes their own lives. Emma notes her own growth within the last year alone, crediting it to her time as both a teen and now miss titleholder.

“My social skills and confidence have improved the most through appearances and performances,” said Emma. “My main goal is to use my platform as a tool to serve as a mentor to those who are affected by alcoholism, but I also want to continue to grow as a person through this organization. I am one of the youngest in the pageant this year; I have so much more to learn and I trust this will help me become the best woman I can be.”

Emma with girl

A woman who aims to be warm and open to others. A woman who is open-minded and remains positive, despite challenges and hurdles she has come across throughout her life.

“I do not judge someone based upon their values and beliefs,” said Emma. “Everyone has been raised in different ways and has gone through different struggles; it is incredibly important to me that we accept people as they are.”

Someday, I want to sing the anthem again just to prove to myself that I will not let one embarrassing moment define me. And if I feel those nerves, that fear, bubbling up again… I will remind myself of this amazing young woman, suck it up, smile, and rock every single lyric. Here’s hoping I make my hometown as proud of Emma Wilkinson is making hers.

Photo courtesy Brooke Butterfield Photography

“I sometimes get upset when people think that our pageant is all about beauty, but I’ve realized, maybe it is about beauty; the beauty found within,” said Emma. “Through any circumstance, I try to remain as positive as possible. Any challenge can be overcome and I like to live through those words within every aspect of my life.”

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Click here to follow Miss Twin Rivers 2017 Emma Wilkinson on Facebook!

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EMMA?

CLICK HERE * 2016 * Sister Act

Emma was crowned at Crowns & Gowns 2017, Nebraska’s largest annual prom/pageant showcase. CLICK HERE for more details about the 2018 pageant and event! For more information about the Miss Twin Rivers/Miss Sandhills Pageant or for information about becoming a contestant, CLICK HERE to follow the organization on Facebook.

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The Miss Nebraska Pageant takes place June 7-10 in North Platte, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Old West Balloon Fest’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Sheridan Blanco

NEXT.. Miss Fur Trade Days’ Outstanding Teen 2017 Cherokee Purviance

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

She Thinks She Can

Apr11

This year, 16 incredible women will compete to become Miss Nebraska 2017. 18 hope to become Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen. Every one of them is already making an impact on people and the world around them and for decades, visiting schools has been a constant thread linking generations of contestants.

Classrooms are hotbeds for knowledge and learning; about the 3 R’s, about social skills, about the arts and more. It’s no different when Miss Nebraska titleholders visit schools and share their messages.. but how do you talk to a first grader about the serious issues these women are trying to impact? How do you write a lesson plan about sexual assault, cancer, or in one teen’s case, a chronic health diagnosis?

It’s a challenge Sheridan Blanco has eagerly accepted.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss Old West Balloon Fest’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Sheridan Blanco

“One challenge I face everyday is Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis,” Sheridan told me recently. “I have not let this affect or limit what I accomplish.”

Sheridan served as Miss Harvest Moon Festival’s Outstanding Teen last year and competed for Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen. Almost immediately, she jumped back in to try again, winning the title of Miss Old West Balloon Fest’s Outstanding Teen over the summer.

Sheridan crowning

(Side note: Old West Balloon Fest is a huge, annual event in Mitchell, Nebraska. 16+ hot air balloons go up simultaneously to coincide with the historic Old West weekend!)

Sheridan balloon

After the annual ride into the clouds, Sheridan got back to work sharing her story. She focuses on the bigger picture, calling her platform ‘Conquering Challenges.’

“Many challenges people face can be unknown to others,” said Sheridan. “Since we do not know what people are going through, we need to show empathy and be kind to everyone around us to help them through their challenges. I have taken this opportunity to overcome my own challenge and turn it into an opportunity to strive to be a positive role model and an inspiration to others.”

Sheridan National Night Out

Sheridan, a Gering High student and Gering native, volunteers throughout her community at events. Often times, she joins forces with her sister queens in Western Nebraska to make an even bigger impact.

“Pageants bring out the strengths of the young women involved,” said Sheridan. “We may not know each other when we first arrive, but by the end of the competition many of us become very close. Some of my best friendships came from doing pageants. [They] give young ladies an opportunity to present a platform and to represent the values, integrity and scholarship that is an integral part of the pageant process.”

Sheridan and girls

And terrific attributes for a maturing young woman learning more about the world around her. Sheridan has been selected for All-State Band, Doane Honor Band and Chadron Honor Band. She’s a state speech qualifier, and a national DECA qualifier. She has been selected for the All-State Academic Team for Tennis two years running, and is a dancer on the Gering High POMS team. She’s an Honor Roll student, a member of the National Honor Society, and a Best Actress Award recipient.

Sheridan final

“This organization helps young women gain confidence, poise, and public speaking,” said Sheridan. “These are important skills to have for the future no matter what occupational path is taken. The benefits are for a lifetime and provide a remarkable experience.”

One that’s taking Sheridan to Omaha next weekend to once again compete for the state title. No doubt she’ll stop at a few classrooms along the way… which brings us back to that challenge about the message. How do you help children understand the deeper meaning behind the sparkly crown?

“When I go to schools I read ‘The Little Engine That Could’,” said Sheridan. “This way the younger kids can see the challenge that the train faces and how friends around him help him to conquer his challenge of getting up the hill. I usually tell kids that the best way to get through the day is to wake up and be positive!”

Sheridan christmas

She thinks she can, she thinks she can, she thinks she can… and Sheridan Blanco plans to show everyone at Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen.

“The main goal is to do the best you can, have fun, and hopefully win,” said Sheridan. “My mission is to be the best representative for the Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Organization. It would be a terrific honor to promote this organization and its high standards to other teens across the state.”

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WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SHERIDAN?

CLICK HERE * 2016 * Let’s Dance

For more information about the Miss Old West Balloon Fest Outstanding Teen Pageant or to become a contestant, CLICK HERE to visit their website, or CLICK HERE to visit their site on Facebook! You can also contact Director Cheryl Engelhaupt by email at cengelhaupt@fnbnp.com or by phone at 308-783-2940.

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The Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant takes place April 21-22 in Omaha, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook. For more information about becoming a contestant, email Director Heather Edwards at heatheraloseke@gmail.com.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Twin Rivers’ Outstanding Teen 2017 Katy Greene

NEXT.. Miss Twin Rivers 2017 Emma Wilkinson

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

Homegrown

Apr10

When I competed for Miss Nebraska my first time, I remember making the long trek to North Platte and thinking ‘why North Platte? Why isn’t this pageant thing just in Omaha?’ I got my answer during those first trips west for Orientation and state competition in 2001.

This town LOVES Miss Nebraska and treats every, single titleholder like a queen. North Platte has hosted the annual Miss Nebraska pageant for 33 years. Local families ‘adopt’ titleholders during the week of state competition. Businesses offer cash donations for scholarships and services for the winners. The Little Sisters program, partnering little girls with the young women they idolize, has a waiting list every year. And for many of those girls growing up in North Platte, the Miss Nebraska Pageant is an annual can’t-miss event.

One of those ‘little girls’ is now a teenager and competing on her own.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss Twin Rivers Outstanding Teen 2017 Katy Greene

“I want to be the same role model for kids that I looked up to when I was little,” Katy told me recently. “Those big girls meant everything to me and I always knew I wanted to be just like them!”

In February, Katy earned that chance.

Katy crowning

She was crowned Miss Twin Rivers Outstanding Teen in her hometown of North Platte.

“Any opportunity I receive I take it and give it my all!” said Katy. “I always want to put my best into everything that I do.”

One glance at her social media, and it’s clear this teenager does exactly that.

She’s already busy, an Academic letter winner and cheerleader at North Platte High School. But Katy immediately committed to her community, knowing the extra significance of being a titleholder in Miss Nebraska’s home base. She’s taken part in charity events, visited schools, and helped with fundraisers to help people and families throughout the area.

“I absolutely love being out in the community and spending time with others,” said Katy. “The kids in particular are my favorite! They always have adorable things to say and nothing is better than seeing the joy on their faces, as well as the impact that a strong role model has on them. I always take the time to talk to each child, adult or anyone else who I meet at appearances. I feel that personally talking to people is what creates such good relationships.”

Katy also uses those moments to spread the word about her personal platform: ‘Unplug and Enjoy the Arts’.

“This generation of children spend a lot of time on technology and I feel that too much of this is going to, over time, take away from both their creative thinking and social skills,” said Katy. “By minimizing their time on technology and substituting it for other activities, such as the arts, we can find that happy medium between the two.”

Katy with kids 2

“There isn’t a day that I don’t have some kind of activity,” said Katy. “The pageant word is full of amazing opportunities and experiences. It allows young women to become involved in their communities, build strong relationships with their sister queens, and to show others how young people CAN make a lasting impact.”

Katy with girls

Next weekend, Katy will be taking the same trip I did.. in reverse. With the people of North Platte behind her, she’ll head east to Omaha to compete for the title of Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen. Directors Heather Edwards and Kali Tripp have done a FANTASTIC job drumming up the same support from the community, businesses and little girls in our neck of the woods.. all to cheer on this new generation of young women. Katy Greene is ready and willing to be the girl that ties it all together.

Katy header

“During the state pageant I hope to make a lot of new friends,” said Katy. “I want to go into my interview and out onto that stage and perform as best as I can and just show everyone what I have to offer. Also, I really want to get my platform out there and share my ideas with others! Beyond, I wish to be the role model that young children look up to and always give them the opportunity to see that dreams do come true!”

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Click here to follow Miss Twin Rivers Outstanding Teen 2017 Katy Greene on Facebook!

For more information about the Miss Twin Hills/Miss Sand Hills Outstanding Teen Pageant or to become a contestant, CLICK HERE to visit their site on Facebook!

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The Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant takes place April 21-22 in Omaha, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook. For more information about becoming a contestant, email Director Heather Edwards at heatheraloseke@gmail.com.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Alliance 2017 Kaelia Nelson

NEXT.. Miss Old West Balloon Fest’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Sheridan Blanco

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

From The Heart & Mind

Apr10

I have a book called ‘What’s In a Name?’ I picked it up at the Afternoon about 10 years ago, and literally got chills as I read my description.. ‘creativity’, ‘future in speaking or singing in front of people’, ‘like to feel appreciated.’ Yeah, I bought that book.

How much of who we become is based on our decisions and the influence around us, and how much is driven by the first gift our parents’ gave us.. our names?

Madonna once said: “I sometimes think I was born to live up to my name. How could I be anything else but what I am having been named Madonna? I would either have ended up a nun or this.”

Kaelia Nelson was born with a mother and grandmother deeply invested in the Miss Nebraska Organization, so it seems fate that 20 years later, the girl with the name that means fortune, health and spirituality will compete for that title.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Miss Alliance 2017 Kaelia Nelson

“I have attended every Miss Nebraska Pageant since I was born,” Kaelia told me recently. “My mom was the director of the Miss Alliance Pageant for many years and would have the state titleholder come to our town and speak at schools. I was lucky enough to get to spend a lot of time with them.”

Kaelia admired each young woman through the years, in particular, Miss Nebraska 2001 Tina Foehlinger.

“I connected with her,” said Kaelia. “I looked up to her so much and realized I wanted to have the opportunity to have that impact on young girls and be a positive role model in their lives.”

So Kaelia set out to follow the same path; she served as Miss Alliance’s Outstanding Teen 2012, and represented Nebraska at the America’s Homecoming Queen competition in 2015. Just as Tina traveled the state with a message, Kaelia also used her titles to make a difference about a topic that is extremely personal.

Kaelia shirts

“‘Stomping the Stigma: Creating Conversations about Mental Illness.’ I live with anxiety, depression, bipolar and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD),” said Kaelia. “People are afraid to step forward and admit to having a mental illness because society has made it such a taboo thing to the point where people are afraid to even talk about it.”

Kaelia has produced and distributed shirts, she’s spoken to classrooms all over her area about mental illness, and she’s caught the attention of local news agencies who have helped her spread her message.

Click here to read the Alliance Times-Herald’s story on Kaelia!

With each visit, there are smiles and laughs, but there is also a serious story.

“On June 5, 2016, I tried to take my own life,” said Kaelia. “I felt extremely alone and hopeless in the battle against my own illnesses. Individuals are scared of what people may think of them and therefore, do not seek treatment. The consequences can be life threatening. I never want anyone else to feel alone or ashamed like I did, especially not for something they cannot control. This is why I have made it my mission to speak out and share my story in hopes that people will see and understand that it can happen to anyone and it definitely not something to be ashamed of.”

Kaelia shares the stats: that suicide is now the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, with 90% of individuals facing mental illness. She shares what works: treatment, medication, and focusing on passions. For Kaelia, that’s dance.

Photo courtesy the Miss Alliance Pageant

“I have been dancing since I was three years old,” said Kaelia. “The feeling I get when I’m on stage dancing and hear the crowd cheering is something so amazing and thrilling for me.”

Kaelia dances at Nebraska Wesleyan University, where she’s a member of Delta Zeta- Beta Tau. She also works at CEDARS in Lincoln, a facility dedicated to helping children in crisis. She’s surrounded herself by support, and reciprocates by offering that same guidance and compassion whether she’s volunteering as Miss Alliance, or working and studying as simply, Kaelia.

“I used to be very shy and absolutely hated talking in front of people,” said Kaelia. “Due to bullying I faced throughout growing up I was very self-conscious and thought that I wasn’t as good as others because of things that made me ‘different’, but thanks to be involved in pageants I became very confident in myself and what I am capable of. I know exactly who I am and that my differences, along with everyone’s differences, are what truly make us all unique and special in our own ways. In fact, the world would be quite boring if we were all the same.”

So who is Kaelia? A self-motivated dynamo packed into a 5-foot frame. A determined student and volunteer from Hemingford, Nebraska inspired by the same young women she’ll be competing against in just a few short months at Miss Nebraska. A smart, confident woman admired by the same little girls she was once like not so long ago.

Back to Madonna. She’s now in her fourth decade as one of music’s biggest stars. She’s sold millions of records and performed around the world. She once said, “I have the same goal I’ve had ever since I was a girl. I want to rule the world.”

Each of us given a name. Perhaps we take from those book definitions the things we see within ourselves, or want to see. Another meaning behind the name Kaelia: victory. THIS Kaelia’s definition of that word comes from what she sees in every person she meets along life’s journey.

Kaelia Nebraska

“I would absolutely love to win Miss Nebraska and get to represent this amazing state, but my main goal isn’t about the crown on my head,” said Kaelia. “Instead, the message I have to share and the people I get to meet because of it. It’s what you set your mind and heart to that will count in the long run.”

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Click here to follow Miss Alliance 2017 Kaelia Nelson on Facebook.

For more information about the Miss Alliance Pageant/Miss Harvest Moon Festival Pageant or for information about becoming a contestant, CLICK HERE to follow the organization on Facebook. You can also email Director Riki Cornish Hunter at riki.hunter@farmcoop.com or miss.alliance.pageant@gmail.com or call 308-430-4355.

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The Miss Nebraska Pageant takes place June 7-10 in North Platte, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Northwest’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Makenzie Davies

NEXT.. Miss Twin Rivers Outstanding Teen 2017 Katy Greene

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!