Miss Connecticut's Send Off!

December 19th was a fun-filled day, starting with a 10 am dance rehearsal with many of the former (and current) Miss Rocky Hill/Hartford County titleholders. It was great to see old friends as well as make new friends! Ashley Abate choreographed our dance, and we really wonderful to work with. It has been years since I danced, and she was extremely patient and encouraging. We had so much fun! After a couple hours of practice, we all went to Rocky Hill High School for Brittany's Send Off. I was so glad to be part of the opening number! Watching Brittany present her Miss America wardrobe was really exciting...she looked great, and she is definitely ready to take the Miss America stage by storm! I loved spending time with my pageant family, and eating delicious food, of course. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy holiday!

Rebounds for Ronald

On Saturday, December 11, I held a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House Charity. Not only is this charity my Issue of Concern, but it is also my sorority's philanthropy! As Philanthropy Chair of Alpha Delta Pi, I have spent the past year spear-heading our efforts to make a difference in our community. This included several trips to local Ronald McDonald houses to cook dinner, clean, and spend time with the kids! Once a year, we have a huge fundraiser called a Lion's Share Challenge. This year, I planned our Lion's Share Challenge to be at a home basketball game, where we collected pledges of money per rebound that our team (the Wagner Seahawks) made. We got lots of pledges, and even more flat donations! Though our team lost (by just 1 point!), Rebounds for Ronald was a huge success. I'm proud to say that we raised about $700 for the Ronald McDonald House Charity! I am extremely passionate about the Ronald McDonald House Charity, and I love that I have the opportunity to support this worthy cause as a student as well as a titleholder. This event could not have been possible without the support of Spiro Sports Center, Michael Miller, my Alpha Delta Pi sisters, and the generous people who donated! Thank you :]
Me and my Little, Erica!

Miss Greater Watertown & Miss Westbury's Outstanding Teen Pageant

On Saturday night, I attended the Miss Greater Watertown/Miss Westbury's Outstanding Teen 2011 pageant! I was so impressed by the choreography of the opening number; it was evident that the contestants had been working hard and had been practicing for months. Each girl did an incredible job, but in the end it was Marissa Ranalli who was crowned Miss Greater Watertown 2011, and Nicole Nemense who was crowned Miss Westbury's Outstanding Teen 2011. Congratulations!







Nicole Nemense, Miss Westbury's Outstanding Teen 2011

Miss Hartford County 2011

On Saturday, November 20, I was crowned Miss Hartford County 2011! Words cannot express how excited I am to begin what I know will be an incredible year. The Hartford County/Rocky Hill team is such a wonderful family, and I am a lucky girl to now be a part of it. They put on a fabulous show, and made the day of competition and rehearsals so much fun! It was a joy spending time with the other contestants...they were all amazing. Congratulations to Erika, Allison, Liz, CC, Ashley, and Taylor! I loved getting to know each girl, and I hope I will see everyone with a crown on their head by the time pageant season is over! It was an honor to receive the congeniality award...each girl was so kind, and I'm so glad to have met some new friends! I can't wait to share my year with my fellow redheaded sister-queen, Kaitlyn Tarpey, who was crowned Miss Rocky Hill 2011. Annalisa Sega was crowned Miss Hartford County's Outstanding Teen 20011, and Alyssa Anderson is Miss Rocky Hill's Outstanding Teen 2011; I know we're going to have a wonderful year together!

I would like to thank everyone who came out and supported me and the other contestants, especially my Aunt Lynne and cousin, Lorraine. They drove all the way from Massachusetts to see me! I'm very lucky to have such wonderful family and friends who support me in all my endeavors.

There are so many goals I have for this year, and I can't wait to get started!