This year has been difficult and stressful for many people. It may be hard for some to stay grounded during these trying times. Recently, the West Coast had been hit by many fires which caused a lot of destruction and poor air quality for those residents. Being located in Washington myself, there were fires happening all around me, causing the air to become dangerously toxic. I had to miss many days of work in order to stay safe. However, despite the situation, I managed to find things to be grateful for and wrote them all inside my gratitude journal. Some of the things I am grateful for include:
My family, my friends, my cat, my home, my job, my car, my coworkers, my health, my safety, the fact that it finally started raining, the fire departments who have been working very hard to put out the fires, the essential workers who have been giving it their all through this tough year, my school (GO GATORS!!), my fellow students, my instructors and other school staff who have been a tremendous help to the student body, and of course, my sister queens who make the American Coronet Pageant system what it is today.
Cultivating an attitude of gratitude can help anyone feel better when times are tough and can really help people focus on the good things the have going on in their lives.
This past week was my first week of Kindergarten. For most people being at home for school is something new but for me it’s the only way I know. Due to my health restrictions I am unable to attend a public school setting. So I have had Itinerant teaching the past three years for preschool. The change for me this year is instead of my teachers and therapies being able to come to my home I see them virtually.
Hello everyone and happy Sunday! I hope everyone is continuing to stay safe and hanging in there!
Things in my life have been completely crazy with school and life changing ever since I accepted my position with Metro Health. I always try to stay balanced in life with work, school and taking time for myself, but with the world as it is, that can be harder some days over others. My University just happened to put a “stay home” order in place as the cases have been increasing rapidly at the main campus, so adjusting back to a complete online format again for the next two weeks has been a bit challenging. Being thrown those “change” obstacles has been a new normal for everyone though, right?!
People that know me and know that I have a new position with the hospital have been asking me how things have been going and I say to them, “It is the most wonderful, yet stressful job I have ever experienced.” They tend to laugh, but health care workers now and always, have been true superheros. Working as a Patient Care Tech, you get to spend the most time with your patients, compared to nurses, practitioners or doctors. You answer their call lights, help them with daily living, and get to know them and a little about their lives. Last week, I had a patient and I had her the past two nights I worked and being able to spend so much time with someone, you get to know them quite a bit over those continuous 12 hour shifts. This last night, I just knew something was off when I took her vitals at the start of the shift. I went back to check on her not too long after that and she asked if she could use the bathroom. I noticed more aspects of what she was doing wasn’t the same from the previous nights, so when I got her back to bed, she was in so much pain, she could barely lay down. I tried all I could to make her comfortable, but after I left, I went straight to her nurse. PCT’s are nursing assistants so it’s our job to tell nurses if we observe something not normal with any of our patients. When she went in there herself to check on her, I stood back by the door, just to be there if my nurse or patient needed anything. After examining her, we ending up calling an RRT, which is a Rapid Response Team, due to my patient having severe abdominal pain. After going down for an emergency CT scan, the conclusion was that she had a severe abdominal obstruction and ended up going in for emergency surgery.
Working in the medical field can definitely be very difficult sometimes, but the feeling you get of knowing that you did something to help save someone’s life is forever life changing. I never know how the night is going to go when I walk into the hospital and I always pray before I go in, but I do know that these life changing moments for me, are life changing moments for my patients. Whether it’s getting them a fresh ice water, a warm blanket or helping them with any other need, nothing is better than being able to save someone’s life.
I hope everyone has a blessed and beautiful week! Much love to everyone 💕
Today was a day in history that the world will never forget. Even though I was not around to experience 911 my family lived in NY and it hit our family hard. We lost friends and loved ones and it reminded the world of what is important. Thank you to all of those that risk their lives to keep us all free and to those who lost their lives we will never forget you!
Today is the first day of September’s Suicide Prevention Week. In honor of this, I wanted to remind each and every one of you that YOU MATTER.
The world can be harsh. Sometimes when we fall, we do not feel the strength we need to get back up. Whether this relates back to finances, self-image, or even fear, we have all felt some sort of hopelessness at some point. You are not alone.
I never want you to lose someone to suicide.
I never want to lose someone to suicide again.
No one should ever have to feel helpless, If you ever feel in need of help, please reach out to me. If you see someone who could you use an understanding ear, please lend that to them.
Thank you for reading. Together, let’s take steps towards ending suicide.
On this date 19 years ago the world as everyone knew it changed forever. 343 firefighters, 8 EMS Personal, 71 Law Enforcement officers, and 2,135 Civilians never made it home that night and many other have passed since due to illness linked to that day. We’ve learned to take each moment for the special time that it is. You learn to love your family and love ones like it’s your last time because life changes in a since moment. Take this time to remember those who passed and love those who are still here like there is no tomorrow.
September is Suicide Prevention month. An interesting fact about me is that I am an Ambassador for Live Out Loud Charity, which is an International Charity that educates the general public about Suicide prevention. I am trained to recognize signs and to intervene to help those in need. In these tough times today, mental health issues are rising. Please be aware of those who speak about being extremely sad and wanting to isolate and harm themselves. Those who make statements that life is not worth living or that others would be better off without them. Don’t be afraid to be straight forward with them, and don’t be afraid to call for help.
The National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Someone is available 24/7 and they can help anyone.
In my opinion, there is more to being a beauty queen than just looking great in an evening gown or photograph. A beauty queen has many qualities that make her a great leader and inspiration to those in her community. A beauty queen is kind, gracious, as well as generous. She utilizes her talents, skills, as well as her time as a way to help others and make the world around her a better place to be. She is also intelligent as well as disciplined, and works hard to set and achieve her goals. A beauty queen is strong, and courageous, and loves to stand up for what she believes in, and also encourages others to do the same. A beauty queen has confidence that radiates from within and helps bring out the best in others. A beauty queen also has a heart of gold and a giving spirit. She supports others in their endeavors and loves to cheer people on. In addition, no matter what title she holds, a beauty queen always represents her title with utmost respect and pride.
What do you think? What qualities do you consider important for a beauty queen to have? Who or what inspires you to be the best beauty queen you can be? Every beauty queen is unique and has special gifts to share with her community. Feel free to share your thoughts below.
This past summer I had the opportunity to represent Kentucky at the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Conference (HOBY), and further develop my skills as a leader within my school and community. We listened to several keynote speakers, including Carla Hall and Rainn Wilson!
Despite the many amazing friendships I took away from the conference, the most impactful thing I learned would have to of been the idea of flexible leadership. While an extremely simple concept to grasp, the idea has never occurred to me before. Before I attended HOBY, I took charge as a leader, making most of the decisions while accepting only my favorite ideas from others. I now recognize that I was doing it all wrong.
If you place yourself in another individual’s shoes, no one wants to share their ideas when they feel that they will be shot down, or told that they are incorrect. That is why some students do not raise their hands in class! It is just an instinct to fear failure. Flexible leadership teaches us that we must incorporate every idea being given in a discussion, no matter how unfavorable when compared to other pitched ideas, in order to maintain a safe energy in the discussion space. If negative remarks are made towards ANY ideas, then that safety barrier is broken, and you are no longer leading with your full potential. After all, you will have lost input from many individuals.
To all the empowering leaders out there, please keep flexible leadership in mind! If we can create safe spaces within our discussions as we lead, then the ideas will be much richer and far more abundant!
This was my first year competing in mock trial, and we ended up taking home the state trophy! Little Hannah was over the moon!
This was my all women mock trial team that competed at state in eighth grade!
First place champs at the 2020 Bellarmine Mock Trial Invitational!
We always bring lucky stuffed animals to our rounds!
What is Mock Trial?
When people ask what clubs you participate in, or what extracurriculars your school offers, seldom to people expect to hear “mock trial” come out as your response. Many people do not even know what mock trial is. Mock trial is exactly what it sounds like! It is an organized case with evidence and affidavits, that your team uses to craft arguments as defense and prosecution/plaintiff. Your team then advances to a competition where you fight your side of the case against another team in court.
It surprises me when people are unaware of what mock trial is, likely due to my healthy obsession with it. Mock trial is an amazing opportunity to strengthen your evidence-based argumentation skills, along with important public speaking skills. Furthermore, mock trial is the best possible form of preparation if you one day wish to practice law (like I do). This is why I have always attempted to use my platforms to promote mock trial, because today’s youth needs it! It adds so much to your education! This past year I was even given the opportunity to coach my school’s middle school team and take them to the state competition! It was by far one of the most exciting things I have ever done!
So if you are interested in practicing law one day, or know someone who is, PLEASE TELL THEM ABOUT MOCK TRIAL! They can always ask their school counselors if they have a team, and even if they don’t, send them my way and I will find a way they can get involved with this amazing activity.
As some of you may know my platform is emergency preparedness and prevention. Last week the state of Maryland announced that in all 23 counties you can now text 9-1-1 if you are unable to call. This is an amazing advancement in the ability for the safety of all Marylanders. The ability to text 9-1-1 gives those who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or other the ability to get help in an emergency. While no one ever wants to have to call or now text 9-1-1 it is now an option for all of in Maryland. Remember that if you do have to call or text 9-1-1 try to stay calm and answer all of the dispatchers questions fully. Now remember call if you can text if you can’t if you ever find yourself in an emergency in Maryland.
I know many of you have already started school (I have, too!), and some of you will start school shortly. I wanted to wish you all a wonderful semester whether you are home schooling, or are alternating from learning at home as well as on-campus. I wish you all luck in your scholastic endeavors and hope you all learn some new and interesting things! Stay safe and have a wonderful week!
Good morning and happy Sunday to everyone! As I have been busy moving downstate for college and starting my new job, I also have been busy writing letters to residents in nursing homes locally and also nationally! When I was doing my clinicals for my CNA class, I found a majority of the residents really missing their families as they are not able to see them right now. So, I asked the facility if I could get the okay to write letters and be a “pen pal” to the residents whom I got to know really well during my time taking care of them. I then saw a post on Facebook about a nursing facility in Michigan that wanted to get pen pals for their residents, so I started writing to them! And then one of our national directors posted that a facility in Texas was looking to have people write to their residents and these letters are just some of those who will be going to those wonderful people.
I am not like most people my age because I love to write actual letters to people or send an actual birthday card in the mail, instead of just a text over the phone. Whenever I get something in the mail, it’s such a nice surprise to know someone is thinking about me. I absolutely love this idea for these residents because working with them during my clinicals, it truly is very hard for them for them not to be able to see their loved ones and some don’t even understand why they can’t. But, I know with these letters, it puts such big smiles on their faces. Every letter I send is sent with so much love and I make sure to let them know that I am thinking about them, praying for them and I care deeply for them. The world is a tough place right now, but when you make a kind gesture to someone that really needs it, it can make a world of difference.
I encourage you all to find a nursing home or facility around you locally or nationally, become a pen pal and write to them like I did! I hope my letters will bring as much joy to them as it did to me as I wrote them! 😊
my mom and I went to see how my class was set up she is really stressed over the decision to keep me home or let me be in the classroom. I want to be in the class so bad. Do you other littles get to return to school 🏫?
My mom, brother and I took a quick drive to Lake Erie to look for Beach Glass and fossils. It was so peaceful. And we were able to find a lot of beach glass. We are so lucky to live near one of the Great Lakes!
Find a place to reconnect with yourself and nature!
New crowns & banners have gone out to new state and national royalty and we’d love to bring you all together by updating our “Pass the Crown” video!
Use this form: https://forms.gle/D5fqzwKyywyTDBSB8 or send your video via email or Facebook messenger. If you’re included in this video and would like to send an updated video, you are welcome to. We’ll also include any past or present royalty who haven’t been featured yet!
Please follow these instructions to be included:
☆ Take the video landscape/horizontally (like a TV screen, turn your phone sideways) as these videos post best to our media. Use a high quality setting when recording and sending if possible.
☆ With your crown in your hands, reach all the way out to your LEFT, place the crown on your head, then “pass” your crown all the way out to your RIGHT. Try to get your crown out of the frame at the beginning and end of your video (or at least close). Videos will be edited together so you’re passing the crown to your sister queens!
☆ We can cut out extra time at the beginning or end of your video so when in doubt, leave extra time at the beginning and end of your video.
☆ Please do not use filters.
☆ Try to find a well-lit location like outside or facing a window.
☆ Miss American Coronet crowns/banners only.
I got my first level up ribbon at swim 🏊♂️ I have been taking class 1x a week july July 1st i love learning. Soon I will be swimming like my sisters…
my mom and I went to see how my class was set up she is really stressed over the decision to keep me home or let me be in the classroom. I want to be in the class so bad. Do you other littles get to return to school 🏫?