Miss Pearl City

Fall 2011

2011-11-19T16:27:00.001-08:00

Greetings!

I apologize for being so long between posts. A lot has happened since the last time I wrote, so get ready for a very long post!

First of all, only three weeks are left to the academic semester. My classes are continuing to go well and I have made great strides in my research positions. On Tuesday, I actually submitted the first draft of my literary analysis for my honors thesis. For the literary analysis, I read and summarized all of the research that has been conducted over repatriate issues from the past thirty years (about 25 articles). Over the next couple of weeks I will begin to form testable hypotheses that will serve as the foundation of my research on how international experiences effect career satisfaction and advancement upon repatriation.

I have also been awarded two very exciting job positions. One I began last week as a member of a student assessment team to review and evaluate the Honors Program at the University of Iowa with the ultimate goal to create a list of empirically backed suggestions to improve the Honors Program. Additionally, I have served as a research assistant this past semester for a political science professor to aid in her research of women’s issues in state politics. This semester, I have been awarded course credit for my work, but I have been asked to continue work on the project next semester. I am very excited about these rewarding positions.

On October 23rd, the Miss Muscatine/Miss Pearl City Scholarship Program held it’s first “Road to the Crown” seminar in Muscatine. This was a fantastic event! Miss America 2009 Katie Stam and Miss Iowa 1999 Dr. Jennifer Caudle were the keynote speakers. I have to admit, Katie Stam is my favorite Miss America. She was actually the first Miss America I saw crowned and she will always be “my” Miss America. She was as intelligent, graceful, funny, and beautiful as I expected her to be. Jennifer Caudle provided an interesting perspective as a current judge on what judges are looking for in contestants. Additionally, Jennifer Lintz (my roommate the first year I competed at Miss Iowa and Miss Pearl City 2010) presented on how to get swimsuit ready and Ashlie Burroughs presented on pageant makeup and hair techniques. Miss Iowa 2010 Pauli Mayfield and Miss Iowa 2011 Jessica Pray joined Katie Stam and Jennifer Caudle in an interactive contestant forum. The event was fantastic and I already can’t wait for the seminar next year (I heard a rumor that our current Miss America may come!).

With Katie Stam, Miss America 2009.

With Dr. Jennifer Caudle, Miss Iowa 1999.

With Jessica Erbst, Miss Pearl City's Outstanding Teen 2011.

On November 1st, I actually gave up my title as Miss Pearl City 2011 so that I can compete for Miss Muscatine 2012. It would be such an honor to represent the Muscatine area for a third year. Please come out and support me on January 7th at the Performing Arts Center Muscatine.

Those of you who know me know that I have had long hair since I was four years old. On October 3rd, that changed when I went to Ashlie Burroughs of ANewU Salon and Spa in Muscatine and cut off eight inches. I did another first and added some subtle highlights. It was a shock at first, but I absolutely love it! Check out the pictures through the rest of this post to see the change!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am the President of Associated Iowa Honors Students this year. On November 5th, we had our third annual Masquerade Ball. While we had to compete with an Iowa football game, Diwali (a popular Indian cultural festival), and another Masquerade Ball that week (bad luck!), we still were able to raise an impressive $765 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I have included a couple of pictures from that event below.

With three other executive board members, including my best friend Peige.

With my boyfriend Stephen at check-in.

An action shot of people enjoying the Ball.

This weekend (November 18th and 19th) was the fifth Iowa Mission of Mercy. While the numbers haven’t officially been announced, it appears that more than 1,300 patients were seen and over $1 million of dentistry was provided for free. What an amazing accomplishment provided by the dental community of Iowa! My family generally makes this a family event. My dad, brother, mom, and I all volunteered to provide patients with the care they deserve. I volunteered at the event on Friday from 5:30 am to 5:30 pm in three different capacities. I started the day at patient check-in by helping patients fill out medical history forms. By 9:30 am, I had already seen over 700 patients when the event met capacity for the day. For the next several hours, I served as a “runner”, meaning I escorted patients from triage (when dentists, including my dad, diagnosed patients) to other areas of the clinic, including x-ray, hygiene, pediatric, oral surgery (where my brother served), restorative, and endodontic. My last job of the day was conducting exit interviews, where I asked patients about their dental care history, demographic information, reasons for seeking dental care, and experience at the clinic. Here, I spoke with people from all walks of life, from the homeless to those who currently had dental insurance. I spoke to one man, a Vietnam War veteran, who hadn’t seen a dentist in over 38 years. Another woman brought in her four children who hadn’t seen a dentist in over two years. She was shocked when I informed her that Iowa actually has a program that offers dental insurance for children (i-Hawk). Being at this event always reinforces the need for my platform, “Making Smiles Happen: Children’s Dental Health Advocacy”. This event is a blessing to so many people and I feel honored to have been a part.

With Glacenda, a volunteer with me at patient check-in. We worked hard!

Conducting an exit interview with a patient.

Overlooking the clinic. The lighting wasn't great for a photograph, but you can see the level of activity!

On the clinic floor in the pediatric unit.

Handing out medical history forms.

With two of my new pediatric friends.

Tomorrow I have a contestant rehearsal for Miss Muscatine 2012 and on December 2nd I will be hosting a food drive with Jessica Erbst at the Muscatine Hy-Vee to help provide food for families in need in the Muscatine area. I will provide more details as this date quickly approaches. If you got through this whole post, thank you! I’ll attempt to have shorter, timelier posts in the future.

Best,
Elizabeth Davidson

Upcoming Events

2011-09-28T16:45:00.001-07:00

Greetings!

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful fall weather! With the start of the school year, I have been keeping busy with classes, graduate school applications, and student organizations. This year especially, I feel exciting about all of the promising opportunities in store for me.

I have one very exciting piece of news to share. When I began competing in the Miss America Organization, like every contestant, I put together a resume. One of my interesting facts has always been “has yet to learn how to ride a bike”. I am happy to inform you that that is no longer true! After 21 years, I have finally learned to ride a bike. Unfortunately, I learned to ride on my friend Peige’s extremely nice triathlon bike, so when I went to ride on a normal road bike, I promptly fell over (gracefully, of course!). But I am sure that with time, I will be able to ride any bike I may come across. As you must image, I am very proud of myself.

I have several exciting events going on in the next couple of months. First, on Saturday I will be taking the LSAT, the entrance exam into law school. Since there are not joint programs for masters of human resources and juris doctorates, I am probably looking at completing my master’s degree first before continuing on to law school. This means that this exam is more like a practice test for me, because I have several years before my scores will be submitted and several more opportunities to take the test. Nevertheless, I will do my absolute best on Saturday and will remain focused for all six hours.

The Miss Pearl City titleholders and Miss Muscatine’s Outstanding Teen are also putting together a food drive over the fall months in order to help Muscatine families in need. Throughout the next couple of weeks, we will be putting donation containers in stores and community centers throughout Muscatine. Look out for additional details!

On October 23rd, the Miss Muscatine/Miss Pearl City Scholarship Program will be hosting “Pageant School – Road to the Crown” in Muscatine, IA. This should be a very exciting event! Keynote speakers include Miss Iowa 1999 Jennifer Caudle and Miss America 2009 Katie Stam Irk. These two women are such great models and they are both women that I will be honored to meet. In fact, I feel like I already have an important connection to each. Jennifer Caudle was one of my judges this year at Miss Iowa and Katie Stam has been my pageant inspiration since I watched her on the Miss America reality show three years ago. She was actually the first Miss America I saw crowned. This should be an excellent event, and I encourage anyone who in interested in pageants to attend.

Finally, November 18th through the 20th is the Iowa Mission of Mercy, a charitable dental clinic that will be held in Sioux City, IA at the Tyson Center. Over the last three years, over $1,000,000 of dentistry has been provided through the missions of mercy. I am so excited to be one of the 4,000 volunteers to help with this wonderful event. With my platform of “Making Smiles Happen: Children’s Dental Health Advocacy”, this event is especially near and dear to my heart. Please contact the Miss Pearl City/Miss Muscatine Scholarship Program if you would like to help this year.

I will provide more details about all of these events as they approach. I have a couple more events in the works, but I will just have to keep you in suspense for now!

Best,
Elizabeth

Summer

2011-08-23T18:32:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone!

It has been much too long since I last posted a blog entry. Preparation for Miss Iowa is physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting. Between mock interviews, two-time a day exercise sessions, hours reading the news, and almost daily appearances, I was doing everything I could to prepare myself for the pace and obligations of being Miss Iowa. I know without a doubt that I was ready to be Miss Iowa and was ready to continue my pace for the next year. Not surprisingly, being named the first runner-up to Miss Iowa for the second year in a row was extremely disappointing. While I certainly support the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program and the new Miss Iowa, Jessica Pray, I needed time to recover from the disappointment. After having a fairly free summer, I finally feel like I am ready to once again be the best Miss Pearl City I can be.

During my recovery time, I was blessed to have some amazing experiences. For two weeks in July, I was able to travel throughout Scotland with my parents. Truly, I have never seen a more beautiful country. The scenery is so varied throughout Scotland, but everything is stunning. We visited dozens of castles and abbeys and learned so much about Scotland’s amazing history (including the Davidson clan!). After hearing about the real Robert the Bruce and William Wallace, the first thing I did when I got home was watch Braveheart for the first time. While it was not at all historically accurate, it was still exciting to see it. I’m included some of our pictures.

Last Tuesday I took the GMAT exam in order to apply for human resource graduate programs. I was extremely happy with my results (in fact, my score is higher than the highest score in the incoming fall class at my top school choice!) and feel confident that between my test score, high GPA, and extracurricular activities, including Miss Pearl City, I will have no trouble getting into a top program. I hope to attend either the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, or Texas A&M, in College Station. Unfortunately, no program in Iowa offers a Masters of Art in Human Resources and Industrial Relations.

Classes for the fall semester started yesterday and I anticipate a very exciting semester. In addition to classes, I will be working with two different professors on their personal research projects. The first is with one of my favorite professors at Iowa studying a human resource topic that is extremely interesting to me: the effect of international business travel on family and life satisfaction. I will actually be with this professor all year and will end the year with an honors thesis. The second is with a political science professor looking at women in the Washington state legislature. As you can probably tell from my activities this past year as Miss Pearl City, I love politics and am very exciting to learn about the role of women in politics. Also this semester I will be kept busy as the Co-President of Associated Iowa Honors Students. Right now recruitment is taking the majority of my time! When recruitment is done, planning will immediately begin for the Masquerade Ball in early November. The Masquerade Ball is a campus-wide event that is basically like prom. It’s a blast and last year we had several hundred attendees and raised over $2000 for charity. As President this year, I fully intend to bring in more guests and raise more money than ever before.

I have several Miss Pearl City appearances scheduled over the next couple weeks, and I will be much better at keeping this blog updated. Until then.

Elizabeth

Miss Iowa 2011

2011-06-19T03:53:00.000-07:00

Hello again.

I was doing so well blogging about every day of Miss Iowa week, then I had one day with the internet down (Davenport had a huge storm and 800 homes went without power!) and I never got back into the writing flow. The last time I wrote I was getting ready for Thursday of Miss Iowa week, so I’ll do a quick recap of the rest of Miss Iowa week.

Thursday morning was actually very relaxing for the second half of the contestants. I was able to sleep in, read the newspaper, eat a leisurely breakfast, and do a quick workout in my hotel room before we headed to the Blackhawk Hotel for lunch before interviews. Interview felt great and got me excited to compete later that night. After interview, I had my technical talent rehearsal and a quick massage in the lobby of the Adler Theatre (much too quick! Thank you Institute of Therapeutic Massage and Wellness!) before heading out to dinner at Greatest Grains with the other contestants. Greatest Grains is owned by Pauli’s family and is by far the most delicious meal of the Miss Iowa week. That night was the first night of preliminary competition and the Miss contestants competed in on-stage question and evening gown.

With Gretchen, Miss Eastern Iowa, at Greatest Grains.

Introducing myself during the opening number.

Competing in on-stage question.

Competing in evening gown.

Friday was a very busy day. We started bright and early at 7:30 with the Miss Iowa Golf Outing. I had a great golf team – my dad, my brother, my boyfriend, and one of my board members. They did really well and seemed to have a great time. After a couple hours of cheering on golfers, we headed back to the Clarion for lunch with the Optimists Club. I sat next to Rachel, the adorable 5-year daughter of one of the members. After lunch, we got to spend a couple of hours with our princesses playing dress-up. I had a great time with my princess Stella – she has great taste! At 3:15 (!) we headed to Hy-Vee for dinner with our princesses. That night was the second night of preliminaries and the Miss contestants competed in swimsuit and talent and crowned our princesses.

With the rest of the contestants before the golf outing.

My golf team!

Competing in swimsuit.

Competing in talent.

Crowing Stella.

Saturday was also a busy day. That morning, my parents came to the Clarion to help me move out of my hotel room. Next, we went to the Bettendorf Family Museum for some fun time with our princesses. Stella has so much energy and we had a blast running around that museum! Then we all headed to Incredible Pizza for a quick lunch. We could have spent hours with our princesses here! Next, we went to the L’il Miss and Junior Miss Iowa pageants. Congratulations to Ally Wichman, Li’l Miss Iowa 2011, and Matilyn Hepker, Junior Miss Iowa 2011. After the long pageant (close to four hours), we headed back to the Adler Theatre to get ready for the final night of competition. The top ten of both Miss and Teen competed in swimsuit, talent, and evening gown. At the end of the night, I was honored to be named the First Runner-Up to Miss Iowa. I tied with Jessica Pray for overall interview winner, was named the Miss America State Academic Award winner, and was the Miracle Maker winner (for the contestant who raised the most funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals). Congratulations to Francesca Lubecki-Wilde, Miss Iowa’s Outstanding Teen 2011, and Jessica Pray, Miss Iowa 2011. They both have a busy and exciting year ahead of them and I wish them the best.

With my princess Stella before lunch at Incredible Pizza.

Tangoing with Benjamin Riveria, a professional dancer, after being named to the top ten.

Being named overall interview winner. I was tied with Jessica Pray for this award.

With the new Miss Iowa, Jessica Pray.

The Muscatine/Pearl City team. From left - Miss Muscatine Executive Director Kindra Plett, Miss Iowa 2011 Jessica Pray (Miss Muscatine), Miss Pearl City Elizabeth Davidson, Miss Pearl City's Outstanding Teen Jessica Erbst, and Miss Pearl City Executive Director Ashley Brown.

Thank you to my friends and family for their support. I was honored to be named the First Runner-Up to Miss Iowa for the second year. I hope to someday be Miss Iowa, but in the meantime, I will continue to support this program that means so much to me.

I have taken the last week off to just relax and unwind after Miss Iowa. I went up to Minneapolis to spend some time with my boyfriend before he begins working. We had a great time hiking around Minnehaha Falls, visiting the Como Zoo, spending time with friends, and just relaxing. Now, I am ready to get back in the gym, look for internships for the fall, and study for the GMAT and LSAT exams. I’ll have a busy summer ahead of me and, of course, will continue to proudly represent the Muscatine area.

With my boyfriend Stephen at the Japanese Garden in the Como Conservatory.

Elizabeth

Miss Iowa - Day Four

2011-06-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Yesterday was a busy day for the Miss Iowa contestants! We started the day off with two radio interviews at 7:15 (!) with B100 and Star 93.5. Pauli, as always, represented the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program proudly and each contestant was given the opportunity to briefly introduce herself. The interviews were quick, but we will all have plenty of air time during the competition as Star 93.5 will be broadcasting live updates!

With Gretchen, Miss Eastern Iowa, outside the radio station.

After the interviews, we had around an hour back at the hotel to pack up anything that needed to be transported to the Adler for the competition. Most of us, myself included, also had the time to take a quick, much-needed nap.

After packing up our things, we headed to the Fountains to have lunch with the Rotary Club of Bettendorf. The lunch was great and I had the opportunity to sit next to several business and industry leaders in the community, including Dr. Olson, a Bettendorf dentist (I can’t resist talking to a dentist!). The Rotary is really a wonderful organization. Their untiring focus on service is an inspiration and I am proud that so many communities in Iowa, America, and across the world have chapters that each strive to help those in need.

Next, we all moved our competition belongings to the Adler. As I had to harp to take with me, this was actually quite a process. But, after sixteen years of playing the harp, I am proud to say that I have finally learned how to move the harp safely, efficiently, and, most importantly, by myself. Thankfully, I did have Ciera, Miss Henry County, to keep me company in the car.

Dinner that night was at Lancer’s Grille in Eldridge, which has hosted the Miss Iowa contestants for several years. Thank you for your support!

Our last activity on Wednesday was dress rehearsal at the Adler. As we have three nights of competition, our dress rehearsal was sort of a hodge-podge of all three nights. While the rehearsal was tiring, it’s clear that the show will be great!

Today is the first day of competition. We have interviews, on-stage question, and evening gown. I can’t wait to get started!

Elizabeth

Miss Iowa - Day Two and Three

2011-06-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hello again!

We are now on the third day of Miss Iowa week and it is going great. It does feel like we’ve been here for much longer than just three days, though.

Yesterday, we started out with an exercise session with Ray Porter, the official trainer of Miss Iowa, at 7:45 in the morning. It was great to be able to meet him and start out the day right by moving and warming up my body. After a little break to get freshened up, we headed downstairs at the Clarion for a Kids for Hunger event. In a little more than an hour, we were able to put together 1400 meals to be sent to Honduras! Kids for Hunger sends 30 million meals to 25 countries each year. This is extraordinary and was great to be a part of this!.

Posing with the contestants after we filled six boxes of food to be shipped off to kids in need.

After grabbing our crowns, we headed out to the assisted living facility Senior Star where a couple of us performed our talents, we were served lunch, and we had the opportunity to visit with some of the residents. At my table was George “Tom” Jones who was great to talk with and very welcoming. I was also one of the contestants who was able to perform. While I was unable to bring my harp with me, I was able to play part of Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccio on the piano, which I think the residents enjoyed.

With Miss Eastern Iowa, Gretchen, and Miss Davenport, Amanda, at Senior Star.

Next, we headed to Ridgecrest, an independent living and assisted living facility. This is always one of my favorite places to visit because the residents are so friendly and really seem to love life. Several of the residents described the facility as a “community” and that the fellow residents were their family. Here, Pauli spoke for several minutes about the Miss Iowa program, some of the other contestants were able to perform their talents, and we were given quite a bit of time to interact with those who came out to see us.

After most of the residents drifted back to their rooms, we headed back to the Clarion for dinner in the hostess suite and another three hours of rehearsal. Everything is starting to come together for the production number. While I have a hard time learning dance steps, I am very lucky to be around such wonderful contestants who are willing to help someone with two left feet like me look great in the opening number. Thanks, girls!

Today has been off to a great start. This morning we traveled to Iowa City to visit the Children’s Hospital at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. This hospital is one of two Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Iowa. Here, the contestants were broken into groups to go visit children’s rooms. I have been to the hospital several times and the experience is always so rewarding. To be able to put a smile on a sick child’s face is so special. Two of the boys that we visited, Wil and Christopher, came down and joined the contestants for lunch. They were so sweet and so feisty! Both were clearly ladies men (in fact, Christopher’s mom whispered to me as we left that Christopher picked me out to be Miss Iowa! What great taste that nine year old has!).

We have a quick break now before we head to Golden Corral for dinner and then back to the Clarion for another couple hours of rehearsal. Unfortunately, I don’t really have many pictures to share from these days, but I’ll post pictures when I’m able.

Elizabeth

Miss Iowa - Day One

2011-06-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I am just finishing the first day of Miss Iowa week! This will be a short post because I want to make sure I get to bed and get plenty of sleep this week.
Today was a wonderful day and it was great to spend time with the contestants. I moved in to the Clarion Hotel in Davenport at 10:00 this morning with the help of my wonderful directors. At 2:00 we had our first activity, which was the Miss Iowa Tea at the beautiful Blackhawk Hotel. One of the things I enjoyed most about this was that all of the Miss and Teen Contestants shared the stories behind their platforms. I think the platform is one of the aspects that make this program great, so it was interesting to hear what sparked the passions of the contestants.

With a few of the other contestants at the Miss Iowa Tea. I'll add a few more pictures from this event tomorrow.

After dinner at the Blackhawk, we went back to the Clarion for three hours of rehearsal. We went through swimsuit and evening gown walks, as well as we began to learn the steps for our opening number dress. The Miss contestants will be doing a tango dance, which should turn out really well for the competition later this week.
Well, the day starts bright and early tomorrow, so I’m going to call it quits for today. I’ll try to post an entry each day, so keep checking back for updates. Until tomorrow!

Miss Iowa Ready

2011-06-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I leave for Miss Iowa the day after tomorrow and I could not be more excited about the wonderful week ahead. I am really looking forward to meeting the other contestants amid a flurry of rehearsals and appearances.

Since the last time I wrote, I have been keeping busy mostly with preparations for Miss Iowa. On Memorial Day I was able to make time in my busy schedule to honor our veterans at a Dallas County political event. There, I was able to meet Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Former Governor Buddy Roemer of Louisiana, both of whom have hopes of earning the 2012 Republican Presidential nomination. I was also able to say hello to Representative Latham whom I met in Washington, D.C. a couple of weeks ago. As you have probably guessed, I am never shy about talking to politicians about my platform, so both Governors Pawlenty and Roemer heard an earful about the importance of dentistry in our state and nation. As Iowa boasts the first-in-the-nation Presidential Caucus, I am looking forward to meeting all of the Presidential hopefuls who travel though our state.

With Tim Pawlenty, the Governor of Minnesota. Gov. Pawlenty is considered one of the front-runners for the 2012 Republican Presidential Nomination.

With Buddy Roemer, the former Governor of Louisiana.

This week has been very busy with preparations, but it the best kind of busy. It is exhilarating to be working towards my dream of becoming Miss Iowa. This year will actually be my third year competing for Miss Iowa and I know that I am truly prepared for this job. While the competition is certainly important, Miss Iowa’s impact extends so much further than just the competition that the audience will see next weekend. Miss Iowa is an official representative of our state and her behavior must always leave a positive impression on every person that she meets. In addition, the power of the crown gives Miss Iowa the opportunity to truly make a difference through her platform. The Miss Iowa crown would greatly help me accomplish the goals that I have established for my platform of “Making Smiles Happen: Children’s Dental Health Advocacy”. These goals would impact thousands of lives across Iowa. On Saturday, the judges will be able to make the dreams of one young woman come true. But, what is most remarkable is the impact that that one woman can have on the people of Iowa. The responsibilities of Miss Iowa are huge, but I know I am ready for them. I am ready to be Miss Iowa.

Elizabeth Davidson

Herbert Hoover Elementary School

2011-05-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

The days have been flying past as Miss Iowa approaches. In 8 days (8 days!) I leave for Miss Iowa week. My time has been spent at the gym, reading current events, practicing the harp, and planning wardrobe. I have also been traveling a lot, going to mock interviews, getting dresses altered, and making appearances.

Last Monday, I went to Muscatine for a Lia Sophia jewelry party, hosted by Vicki Plett who is one of the fabulous Miss Pearl City/Miss Muscatine board members. After the party, we were able to fit in a mock interview with several members of the board. I could not ask for a better board of directors. They are so supportive, so motivating, and so dedicated to this program. Thank you to all of the board members, especially Ashley Brown, Kindra Plett, Vicki Plett, and Michelle Hunt. You are stars!

This past weekend I traveled home to West Des Moines and was lucky enough to have a mock interview with a fantastic group of judges. They asked challenging questions and gave great feedback that will really help my preparations.

Last weekend I also traveled to Cedar Falls and Lamount to celebrate my boyfriend’s graduation from The University of Iowa. Congratulations, Stephen!

On Wednesday, I visited Herbert Hoover Elementary School in Bettendorf. My pageant sister Jessica, Miss Pearl City’s Outstanding Teen, has been working with this class of second graders now for several weeks, instructing them on how to live healthy lives. I am so impressed with everything that Jessica has been able to do over this past semester. She would be a wonderful Miss Iowa’s Outstanding Teen. Today was the last day that she met with the class, so she invited me as a special guest to reward the students’ hard work. I never cease to be amazed with the students that I have worked with. These students were great listeners and were eager to participate and learn. As you probably know, my platform is centered on children’s dental health. Even when I speak with adults, community groups, and legislators, my focus is always on the children that I can impact. Being able to directly work with children is, without doubt, what I enjoy doing most as Miss Pearl City.

Jessica and I with Mrs. Bengston's second-grade class.

I went around the room and let any student be a prince or princess for the day!

Listening to a question from one of the students.

Getting ready for the plaque-revealing activity. Travis was a great volunteer!

Later that afternoon, Ashley and Vicki stopped by my house in Iowa City to help me get organized for Miss Iowa. I have never been a light packer, but I always have tons of clothes, shoes, jewelry, and makeup to take to Miss Iowa. After all, Miss Iowa needs to look her very best at all times.

Yesterday I drove to Columbus Junction to meet with Michelle Hunt, one of the Miss Pearl City board members. We spent a lot of time talking about current events and potential interview questions. Michelle’s expertise is invaluable.

This weekend I’m traveling back home again for another mock interview and some much-needed time with my family. This was a busy week and it gave me a real sense of what life would be like as Miss Iowa. I can’t wait for the competition in just under two weeks!

Elizabeth

Washington Leadership Conference

2011-05-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

As I mentioned in my last post, I have spent the last week in Washington, D.C. attending the Washington Leadership Conference with the American Dental Association. I was one of four Iowa delegates that visited with the nation's representatives and senators about the current legislative issues that affect dentistry for the coming year. We had private meetings with each of the five Iowa representatives and the two senators, as well as additional meetings with their staff.

We had three main bills that the American Dental Association was supporting. One is called “Breaking Barriers to Oral Health Act of 2011”, the purpose of which is to empower state-based entities to break the barriers to improved essential oral health care for lower-income individuals. Most Americans have access to the best oral health care in the world and, as a result, enjoy excellent oral health. But tens of millions still do not, owing to such barriers as poverty, geography, lack of oral health education, language or cultural barriers, fear of dental care and the belief that people who are not in pain do not need dental care. This bill creates two grant programs in which states and state dental associations compete for limited federal dollars in order to create or fund programs that directly deal with these barriers. Essentially, it provides funds for those who are closest to the problem that can do the most good.

Second, we were supporting “The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2011”, which seeks to repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act exemption for insurance companies. Currently, only railroads, unions, baseball, and insurance companies have exemptions from federal antitrust legislation, which means that insurance companies are allowed to collude together to set prices. This bill would eliminate the special treatment that the insurance industry has enjoyed for 65 years, and bring the industry into line with virtually every other American business sector. This bill actually passed overwhelming in the House last year (406 – 19) but died in Committee in the Senate. Hopefully this year will be the year this exemption is finally repealed.

Third was the “Patients’ Freedom to Choose Act”. This seeks to repeal the annual cap on Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) that reduces consumers’ access to health care. The recent Healthcare Reform Act reduced the cap from $5,000 to $2,500. If out of pocket costs for traditional medical insurance exceeds the new annual limit, consumers will be faced with hard decisions about the affordability of additional health care costs like vision and dental care. Hundreds of thousands of Americans rely on medical FSAs to cover these rising out of pocket health care costs. While the bill does not place a limit on FSAs, the cap will likely be placed at the historical $5,000 rate in Committee.

As I mentioned, the Iowa delegation (IDA Executive Director Larry Carl, IDA President Dr. David Davidson, IDA President-Elect Dr. Dan Kegler, and me, the Goodwill Ambassador to the IDA) were able to talk about all of these issues, in addition to specific Iowa issues like the Iowa Mission of Mercy, with all 5 Iowa representatives and both senators. All of our Iowa Congressmen were aware of the importance of dentistry in our state and nation and were very receptive to our message. I believe that we were very successful and I will be anxious to see these bills go through the legislative process.

The Iowa delegates with Senator Grassley. Grassley is such a professional and has a very firm grasp of the issues that affect dentistry in our state and nation.

The Iowa delegation with Senator Harkin. The Senator was responsible for procuring an earmark that really helped the Iowa Mission of Mercy obtain equipment last year. Thank you, Senator!

With Representative Boswell. He was so easy to talk with!

With Representative Braley. He has a great personality! For this photograph, he bent down and I stood on my tippie-toes so that I didn't look so short.

With Representative Loebsack. As a registered Johnson County voter, Representative Loebsack is actually my representative in Congress.

With Representative Latham. He has been a supporter of the Iowa Mission of Mercy since its conception.

I was very impressed with Representative King. He actually sat with us for 30 minutes to talk frankly and openly about the issues. It was easy to open up with him and have a serious conversation about the state of dentistry and our nation.

Taking a moment in between meetings to prepare.

In addition, the entire Washington Leadership Conference heard from specific friends of dentistry from the House of Representatives and several other industry leaders. They discussed current legislative issues and the role of dentistry in our modern society. We also heard predictions for healthcare in the upcoming years, a concept that is constantly evolving, especially with the passage of the Healthcare Reform Act this past year. The Conference was fascinating and it was such an honor to have been invited to join the Iowa Delegation.

With Representative Paul Gosar from Arizona. Dr. Gosar is a newly elected dentist in Congress and was the keynote speaker for our conference.

With Representative Phil Gingrey from Georgia. Dr. Gingrey is the Co-chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus and one of the speakers for our conference.

Representative Darrell Issa of California, the Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

With Steny Hoyer, the House Democratic Whip.

With Representative Allen West of Florida. He is considered one of the new leaders of the TEA-Party movement.

My dad and I with Dr. Howard Koh, the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services. He was also one of our speakers.

With Frank Luntz, PhD, who is a New York Times Bestselling Author and Fox News Contributor. He is considered the nation's leading pollster and was fascinating to listen to. Like me, he comes from a dental family.

I was also able to meet many of the past and present leaders of the American Dental Association. I came away with dozens of contacts and new friends who are willing and excited to help me promote dentistry in Iowa and across our nation.

With Dr. Matthew Neary, the Chair on the Council on Government Affairs for the American Dental Association.

WithDr. Raymond Gist, the President of the American Dental Association.

After the conclusion of the conference, my mom, dad, and I enjoyed a couple of extra days in Washington, D.C. We toured the Capital with a member of Senator Gassley’s staff, visited the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court building, Arlington Cemetery, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, the various memorials, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the National Archives, and several other sites. I hadn’t been to D.C. since I was five years old, so it was wonderful to experience our nation’s capital while I can appreciate it. In addition, meeting several legislators and witnessing proceeding in the House and Senate was especially fascinating after having taking The Legislative Process last semester at the University of Iowa. I will be sad to leave D.C., but I have had so many wonderful experiences that will further my life and especially help further my platform of “Making Smiles Happen: Children’s Dental Health Advocacy”.

I met soldiers from all over the world! From left: U.S., Argentina, India, Italy, Philippines, Nigeria, and Afghanistan. Doesn't have much to do with my platform, but I thought this was too cool to not include.

Iowa Dental Convention Annual Session

2011-05-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

The last time I wrote, I was preparing for my final exams (I had five this semester and three on one day!). Well, I have finished my exams but have not been taking it easy. This past weekend was the Iowa Dental Association Annual Meeting in Iowa City. As the Goodwill Ambassador to the IDA, I was very much involved in several events throughout the weekend.

On Friday night was the Presidential Gala at the Marriot Convention Center. The Gala dinner was held in honor of the outgoing and incoming IDA Presidents (Bill Strohman and my father, David Davidson) and as a fundraiser for the Iowa Mission of Mercy. I know I have talked about the Iowa Mission of Mercy quite a lot in the past, but this is such a wonderful event and deserves to be discussed again. The IMOM is the Iowa Dental Foundation’s annual event in which about 1,500 patients are provided with a total of $1,000,000 of dentistry over the course of one weekend. This year, the event will be held in Sioux City on November 18-19th. The event has not been provided with any federal or state funding, so the $400,000 that is needed to put on the event is done all through private fundraisers and donations. The Presidential Gala was very successful and raised over $14,000 for the IMOM! The event was also a lot of fun with a cruise theme (I was the cruise director). One of my main duties was to sell raffle tickets for a cruise that was given away at the end of the night. I had many people tell me that I am a natural salesperson and while I don’t want to pursue a career in sales, I had a great time making the rounds. Take a look at the pictures!

I was very diligent about my job!

Talking to one of the Presidential Gala guests about purchasing a raffle ticket.

Drawing the name of the winner of the cruise!

Also that night, I was able to meet and talk with the past and present leaders of the IDA. This really is a year for unprecedented access to those who have the ability to help me with my platform and spread the word of the importance of oral health. I met delegates from every member of the 10th District of the ADA (Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa) and many past Presidents of the IDA. A couple photos with the leadership are below.

With Dr. William Calnon, the President-Elect of the American Dental Association. Dr. Calnon joined us from New York.

With Dr. Dan and Vicki Kegler. Dr. Kegler is the newly elected President-Elect of the Iowa Dental Association.

On Saturday, my father officially became the President of the IDA after a vote by the IDA House of Delegates. It was wonderful to attend that meeting and listen to his well-prepared (and hilarious!) speech. Also congratulations to Dr. Dan Kegler of Independence who became the President-Elect and Dr. Mary Marriani of Davenport who became the Vice President. They are both wonderful dentists and will be great leaders for this organization.

My dad became the new President of the Iowa Dental Association.

I also took some time to walk around the Convention floor and had some fun looking at all the different dental tools and products!

With some of my dad's staff!

Loving the magnifiers on these dental glasses!

Having fun with some model teeth.

Every year, the Iowa Dental Association holds a drawing contest for elementary students across the state featuring a dental theme. This year, all the students demonstrated the need to brush and floss daily. I was able to meet the adorable and talented kids who won the contest. Here I am with their artwork.

This past week I have been in Washington, D.C. at the Washington Leadership Convention held by the American Dental Association. This has been a wonderful experience and I will tell you more about it once the week is over.

Neil Armstrong Elementary

2011-05-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

Greetings! A lot has happened in the last week since I posted.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I had a photo session with Ben Shirk of Shirk Photography and the images have now been posted! Here a couple of the photos from that session:

On Wednesday, I had meetings with several Iowa legislators planned in Des Moines. However, as those of you who have been following state politics know, the Democrats left the legislature on Tuesday night for the whole week and the Republicans barred themselves into conference. Unfortunately, this meant that all of my meetings were cancelled! Public policy is one of the main pillars of my platform and talking to legislators is one of my favorite things to do. While it was disappointing not to be able to go, I am lucky and excited that I will be able to visit Iowa’s national senators and representatives in Washington, D.C. in just one week.

On Friday, I visited Neil Armstrong Elementary School in Bettendorf to present to two second-grade classrooms. Jessica Erbst, Miss Pearl City’s Outstanding Teen, joined me for the morning and it was wonderful to be able to bond with her over our mutual passion for helping kids live healthier lives. I was very impressed at her ability to connect with the students and spark their interest in her platform. As always, it was an absolute joy to visit with the students! At the end of the second presentation, the kids all surrounded me and gave me big hugs. One little boy keep coming back for extra hugs (I think he gave me five all told!).

Jessica and I with the first class.

During the presentation. If you look at my PowerPoint, you can actually see a picture of my teeth that I use for an example.

During my presentation.

With the second class. You can see the little boy just peeking his head over my shoulder. What a sweetie!

Jessica and I were on the homepage for Neil Armstrong this week! I snipped a shot of the homepage. Look at the website for yourself: http://na.bettendorf.k12.ia.us/

Saturday was Miss Iowa Orientation in Davenport at the beautiful Hotel Blackhawk. It was wonderful to finally meet all of the contestants! From just our one day together, I can already tell that Miss Iowa week will be a great week. Now that Miss Iowa Orientation has passed, I really feel like Miss Iowa is just right around the corner. I can’t wait for June!

I am actually taking all of my final exams this week, so this post has been a break from studying. I guess I should get back to reading about Recruiting (for my Staffing and Talent Management final) and the Basel Convention (for my International Law final). Wish me luck!

Crossroads Park Elementary

2011-04-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings! Today I went to Crossroads Park Elementary School in West Des Moines for a presentation about my platform “Making Smiles Happen: Children’s Dental Health Advocacy”. I visited my former second grade teacher, Mrs. Dyer, and my brother’s former second grade teacher, Mrs. Brockberg. It was great to be able to see my teacher from 12 years ago!

Both classes were very attentive and were eager to learn how to better take care of their teeth. After a brief introduction, I gave the kids a little quiz to see how much they already knew about oral hygiene and safety. Here is an example of the type of questions I asked:
What are dental sealants?
A) A plastic coating on your teeth that protects against cavities.
B) Paints that make your teeth whiter.
C) Animals that entertain you in the dentist’s office.
D) People who help the dentist.

So, how’d you do? A is the correct answer. I asked about twenty questions and the kids probably got 2/3 of them correct. Good for a pre-test, but they would have done much better at the end of my presentation.

It's hard to tell, but I'm holding floss and discussing various ways to take care of teeth.

After the mini-quiz, we talked about different ways they could protect their teeth. In particular, we talked about the necessity of wearing a mouth guard while riding bikes, skateboarding, and sledding. I also had them each take a vow (while raising their right hand) that they wouldn’t get their tongue or lips pierced. Mouth piercing are probably the easiest way to cause self-inflicting damage to teeth.

A picture of the kids during my presentation.

Next, I asked for a volunteer who helped me in a plaque-revealing activity. My volunteer, Jerry in one class and Mackenzie in the other, chewed a tablet that turned teeth pink where there was excess plaque. I demonstrated the proper way to brush and floss teeth with a novelty toothbrush and set of teeth. Then, the volunteer brushed and flossed until the pink went away. This activity is great because it shows how careful you really need to be in order to properly take care of your teeth.

Getting ready for the plaque-revealing activity.

Demonstrating proper brushing technique.

I finished up the presentation showing photographs of unhealthy, damaged, and healthy teeth in order to motivate the students to take proper care of their oral health. The kids had tons of questions and comments (I heard lots of stories of siblings who have braces!) and seemed to have a wonderful time during the entire presentation. In fact, it took me ten minutes to leave because I kept getting sneak-attack hugs from students who would ask me not to leave! So cute!

They didn't want me to leave!

Truly, visiting elementary schools in one of my favorite things to do as Miss Pearl City and is such a wonderful way to promote both my platform and the Miss America Organization. It was also a special treat to return to my home elementary school. I have several other elementary school visits scheduled before Miss Iowa and I am excited about each and every one!

With Mrs. Brockberg's class.

With Mrs. Dyer's class. Notice the cluster of girls around me?

I have a busy week and can’t wait to let you know about all of the appearances I have scheduled.

Relay for Life

2011-04-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Like always, I've been keeping busy and am currently in the midst of preparing for finals in just a few short weeks. I will actually be missing finals week to meet with the Iowa national delegates in Washington, D.C. while lobbying with the Iowa and American Dental Associations. Unfortunately, this means that I need to make up all of my exams the week before everyone else takes their final exams. Thankfully all of my professors realize what an amazing opportunity this is and have been very flexible.

Last Friday I participated in Relay for Life at the University of Iowa. Relay for Life is the main volunteer-driven cancer fundraising event of the American Cancer Society and it is estimated that Relay for Life events have raised over 3 billion dollars to date! The event went from 7:00pm on Friday until 7:00am on Saturday. I joined my business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi’s, team and had a blast! As one person from each team is supposed to walk the track at all times during the event, I bit the bullet and ended up walking for almost eight of the twelve hours! The rest of the time I was able to relax with friends, play competitive Jenga, and attempt to hula-hoop. While we all certainly had fun, it was also very fulfilling to know that we were doing our part in the fight against cancer. Probably the most touching moment was the Luminaria ceremony. Everyone at the event decorated a white paper bag in honor of a loved one who had battled, was fighting, or had defeated cancer. That ceremony really brought home the fact that every single person has been affected by cancer in some way. I decorated a bag for my grandmother who conquered breast cancer. This was an amazing event and they happen all over the country. I highly encourage everyone to attend one whenever they have an opportunity. The sleep deprivation is well worth it.

The officially Relay for Life logo.

The Luminaria ceremony.

With my teammates Lindsey and Peyton in front of the Relay for Life sign.

Sunday was the Hospice Walk in Iowa City at the Willow Creek Park. It snowed that morning and the weather was awful, but dozens of people showed up anyway! Hospice is especially important to me as my grandfather died in a Des Moines hospice. While talking about death is never easy, Hospice faces reality in a way that makes a painful process easier for both the individuals and their families.

Other participants at the Hospice Walk.

On a lighter note, I went back to Muscatine today to visit Ashlie Burroughs and have my hair treated. She performed a chemical gloss and gave me a much-needed trim. I think my hair looks much healthier. Thanks again, Ashlie!

After my appointment, I headed over to Wilton to check out my photos with Shirk Photography. Ben Shirk is such a creative photographer and has won many national awards. He is constantly coming up with new and exciting ideas. I am very pleased with the photographs and I can’t wait to share some with you! Until then.

Concert at Orange Street Theatre

2011-04-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

Hello! It has been a busy couple of weeks since I last posted an entry. Actually, for about a week and a half, I battled a nasty cold/flu. Both my mom and I had the same symptoms and we think we might have picked something up on our trip to Peru. Accordingly, I called our illness the “Revenge of the Incas”. I’m back up to 100% now, though, and celebrated my good health with a busy week of pageant activities.

Wednesday, April 6th I had my headshots for Miss Iowa taken with Ben Shirk of Shirk Photography in Wilton, IA. In addition to the traditional headshots, we also went into the construction site of his new studio where I posed on a ladder and against exposed brick using only construction lighting, all while in a cocktail dress. Ben is so creative with his photographs and I can’t wait to see how they turn out! Take a look at his website (you’ll see a few photos of me under the “model” heading): http://www.shirkphotography.com/mp_includes/body.asp. Before the photos, I had my hair done by Ashlie Burroughs of AnewU Salon. Ashlie and her business partner Heather actually just opened this salon last month and it looks amazing! It is very professional and modern and the two owners are magicians with hair. Check out the photos of their studio on their Facebook page.

On Saturday, April 9th, I performed a concert with Miss Muscatine, Jessica Pray, and classical guitarist Dana Starkell at the Orange Street Theatre in Muscatine. The event was a huge success! The atmosphere was really informal with an intimate and supportive audience. I performed six pieces on the harp, including my Miss Iowa talent selection, Debussy’s “Girl with the Flaxen Hair”, and the third movement of Hindemith’s Sonata for Harp. Jessica and Dana performed wonderfully and the audience seemed to really enjoy the show. Artists are brought to the Orange Street Theatre every month by Performing Arts Muscatine and I would highly suggest attending one of their shows in the future. I’ve included a couple of photographs from the events.

The advertisement for the concert.

Posing with my harp.

Explaining the harp to some interested audience members during intermission.

With my executive directors, Ashley and Kindra, and Miss Muscatine, Jessica.

My lovely Miss Pearl City Outstanding Teen sister, Jessica.

Sunday was the Spring Bridal Extravaganza, the annual bridal show hosted by the Miss Iowa Scholarship Pageant in Davenport. A great showing of guests were able to talk and meet with over 20 bridal vendors. I was able to talk to some of my Miss Iowa sisters at the event, including Miss Iowa 2010 Pauli Mayfield. I always get excited and impatient for Miss Iowa whenever I’m around the other contestants! The finals are two months and one day from today…not that I’m counting down the days.

With Miss Northeast Iowa, Emily, and Red Hot Brian Scott from the B100 radio station.

I’ve got another busy couple of weeks coming up, but I’ll do my best to post entries when I’m able. Until next time!

Goodwill Ambassador

2011-03-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hi all!
This is just going to be a short post, but I wanted to share some good news. On Friday, the board of trustees for the Iowa Dental Association unanimously voted to name me the official “Goodwill Ambassador” to the Iowa Dental Association and the Iowa Dental Foundation (the charitable organization run by the IDA that puts on events like the Iowa Mission of Mercy). I am so honored and excited to do what I can to promote the Iowa Dental Association throughout our state and to continue to support children’s dental health through my platform “Making Smiles Happen”.

Additionally, I am proud to announce that the Davidson family now has another doctor! My sister-in-law Beth passed her thesis defense on Friday. For the last four years, Beth has been researching the connection between cleft lip/palate and breast cancer. It was fascinating to hear about what she has been working on (although my non-scientific mind stopped processing information after about the first 15 minutes of the public discussion!). While she will not officially receive her PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology until she completes the MSTP program next May (meaning that she will receive both a PhD and an MD), I am not going to waste any time calling her Dr. Davidson. Congratulations, Beth!

With Beth and my brother Michael before the public discussion of Beth's research.

My information is up on the Miss Iowa website. Check me out! http://www.missiowa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=586:miss-pearl-city-2011&catid=89:local-winner-2011&Itemid=313

Finally, next Friday, I will be traveling home to West Des Moines to present my platform to two of my former elementary school classrooms. On Saturday, I will watch the crowning of a new Miss Greater Des Moines. Can’t wait to give you the details. Until then!

Elizabeth

Peru

2011-03-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

Greetings! It has been a long time since I last posted an entry, but I decided to take a couple weeks to concentrate on school as I went through my midterm exams.

I am currently writing from Lima, Peru, where I am on vacation. When I was nine years old, my dad met Liset while on a missionary trip to Tumbes, Peru and she came to live with us on a student exchange. Eleven years later, we were finally able to come and visit her. It was such a joy to see her, her husband (Karlo), and her two young children (Caleb, 5, and Lucas, six months). Below is a picture of Liset, Caleb, Lucas, my mom, and me at dinner one night.

For a couple of days, my dad and I traveled to Cusco and Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and for good reason. I’m not sure if I have ever seen something more amazing. The Incas began constructing this town around 1400 and it was the official site of the Inca rulers until the Spanish Conquest, but the ruins were not discovered until 1911. What I find so fascinating about Machu Picchu, and the other Inca ruins that we visited, is that no one knows how these buildings were constructed. The stones are all irregular shapes, but they fit together so well that not even a piece of paper can fit between the stones (or at least on what they considered to be important buildings). The fit is so perfect that they didn’t even need to use mortar. Below are just a couple of pictures that we took at Machu Picchu.

Overlooking Machu Picchu. Such an amazing site!

On our trip, we also traveled about 45 minutes south of Lima to Lurin, the town where Liset’s family lives. Liset told us that Lurin is home to many poor families, so my parents and I brought along three suitcases full of toothbrushes, toothpaste, and beanie babies that we handed out to the children we met (thank you Crest!). We personally met about 50 children and left the remainder of the gifts at Liset’s church. As we were getting ready to leave, one little boy named Abdias ran up to me as I left and gave me a huge hug and kiss. When the other kids saw this, they all ran over and gave hugs, too. Their joy and excitement was so touching. There is no better feeling than being able to help those in need. And, for me, this was even more special because I was able to combine my two causes – children’s dental health and cultural advocacy. I could never contain myself to one passion. I’ve included a couple of the photos that we took that day because, after all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

With some new friends. This neighborhood is one of the poorest areas of Lurin.

The kids looking through the goodies that we brought.

Showing two young boys how to use the toothbrush properly.

The kids holding up their new toothbrushes and toothpaste.

We were surprised with a welcome sign at Guayabo. Here I am pictured with my parents and all of the children and teachers that we met. This was one of two locations where we handed out gifts.

This has been a wonderful vacation and it’ll be sad to leave and go back to real life. But, I have many exciting appearances scheduled over the next couple of months and I can’t wait to let you know about them. Until then!

Elizabeth

Commonwealth Fund Report

2011-03-10T19:15:00.001-08:00

Congratulations, Iowa! Iowa ranks at the top of the nation in health care for children, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund. “Early screening for childhood diseases, preventive services, and health care access for kids from lower-income families are just a few examples of how Iowa leads the nation,” notes Thomas Scholz, MD. “The Commonwealth Fund report cites Iowa’s policies and public-private partnerships as models for other states to follow”. One such program is the Iowa Mission of Mercy of which I had the honor to be a part of this past November. Through the introduction of this program over the past two years, more than 1,000 volunteers have worked to provide 1,500 people with a total of $950,000 in free dental care. That’s a lot of numbers and a lot of smiles! And, as you know, I love to make smiles happen. The date has just been announced for next year, so set your calendar for November 18-19 to join this wonderful program in Sioux City so you can make smiles happen as well.

Check out the website!
http://www.iowadental.org/events_calendar/iowa_mission_of_mercy.cfm

With some young patients at the Iowa Mission of Mercy last year.

Children's Dental Health Month Proclamation Signing

2011-02-11T15:13:00.000-08:00

As of today, February in Iowa is Children’s Dental Health Month! This afternoon, I joined the leaders of the Iowa Dental Association in witnessing Governor Terry Branstad sign the Children’s Dental Health Month Proclamation. With my platform of children’s dental health, entitled “Making Smiles Happen”, it is very exciting to see our state legislature helping raise awareness towards this very important issue. Please see the pictures below.

With Governor Branstad before the Proclamation signing. It was such an honor to meet our new Governor!

With the other representatives of the Iowa Dental Association. The IDA represents 90% of the dentists in the state of Iowa. To my left is my dad, Dr. David Davidson, the President-Elect of the IDA and to my right is Bill Strohman, the President of the IDA.

I was also able to meet our Lieutenant Governor, Kim Reynolds. If Miss Iowa were an election, I'm confident I would have her vote!

Dean David Johnsen of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry joined me for a photograph. The University of Iowa has the only dental school in Iowa, but it is considered to be one of the top programs in the world.

On the Senate floor. Must say, it felt good to be here. Maybe I have a future in politics.

Spoke with Senator Merlin Bartz, a Republican who represents north-central Iowa. He has been a friend to the dental community.

Mike Heller, one of the lobbyists for the Iowa Dental Association, gave us a tour of the capitol and introduced us to some of the bigwigs of Iowa politics.

Visited the law library. I couldn't help but think of Beauty and the Beast!

I was able to have my photograph taken with every single Representative! Wink, wink...

The Davidson delegation! I'm pictured here with my brother, Dr. Michael Davidson, and dad, Dr. David Davidson.

I've been to 40 states, but Iowa has the most beautiful capitol building I've ever seen.

My ultimate goal is to be a lawyer, so my dad, brother, and I decided to round out our great day with a trip to the new Supreme Court building. In tribute to this festive occasion, we decided to sing our favorite Supremes songs. I choose "Baby Love". :)

In addition, on Thursday I began work at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry where I will be creating and managing the Facebook page for the Building Transformation of Tomorrow project. This $61,000,000 renovation and expansion will help the dental school remain one of the top schools in the world. Please "like" this page on Facebook by searching for "Dentistry Campaign". Until next time!

Elizabeth

TV Bingo

2011-02-07T19:22:00.000-08:00

Today I volunteered at the Children’s Hospital in Iowa City as the guest presenter for their weekly TV Bingo. Patients could tune the televisions in their rooms to the hospital channel and play bingo without leaving their rooms. The Child Life Staff is amazing at making hospital stays as much fun as possible for children. Every day, there are special activities in the playroom, like crafts and games, and every evening there are parties and events, like pizza parties. TV Bingo is great in that even if a child doesn’t feel well enough to join the other patients in the playroom, or they are too immobile to travel, they can still have fun and be involved. On air, in addition to bingo, we also asked trivia questions about Miss America and the Superbowl. Patients could call in with answers and were put on speakerphone so everyone could hear their answers. All the patients seemed to really enjoy it and I had a great time being involved. I’ll be back next week for a special Valentine’s Day special and I can’t wait. What a great time!

Stacy, a Child Life intern from Ball State, was my co-host for TV Bingo. We had such a great time doing the show!

Take care!

Adding a Few Photos!

2011-02-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

I realized that I never posted any photographs from Miss Pearl City. Enjoy!

During opening number. It's a little blurry, but you get the idea.

Answering my on-stage question.

Performing my talent selection on the harp.

Letting off some steam after the show with my best friend, Peige.

With my new Miss Pearl City's Outstanding Teen, Jessica. Can't wait to spent the year with her!

Miss Pearl City 2011 and Miss Pearl City 2010. Congratulations Jennifer on a wonderful year of service and best of luck with all of the exciting things that are happening for you this year.

Miss Johnson County

2011-02-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

Hi all! It looks like I’m not doing too well with my goal of posting every week…but I’m ready to fix that and it starts today. Last weekend was a great weekend full of shopping with my executive directors Kindra and Ashley. We found some great clothes for competition, for Miss Iowa week, and just to have around for whenever I need to look cute. Shopping, admittedly, is one of my favorite hobbies, but it is amazing how tiring eight straight hours of shopping can be! After that day of shopping, I collapsed into bed at 9:00 and didn’t wake up again until 8:00 the next morning. A week later, now, I am completely recovered and have busy being Miss Pearl City.

Last Monday, I visited the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital for the first time. Due to a scheduling miscommunication, I was only able to stay for a short while, but I am now scheduled to volunteer every Monday through the end of the semester. Over the last two years, I have met so many brave children and parents and it is always such a joy to see the smiles on the children’s faces when I leave their room. I love to make smiles happen. There is no better feeling than knowing that you have brought a moment of happiness to the lives of a sick child.

On Saturday, I was able to attend Miss Johnson County in Tiffin, IA. Congratulations to Cass Claeys, the new Miss Johnson County 2011! Cass competed with me at Miss Pearl City and was such a joy to spend time with her. I can’t wait to get to know her better in June for Miss Iowa. It was also fun at Miss Johnson County to see several other Miss contestants, including some that I had yet to meet. The contestants in the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program truly are remarkable women and I am honored to be a part of this organization.

With my Princess, Stella. Isn't she a doll?

With Miss Eastern Iowa and Miss Clinton County.

With Miss Muscatine, Miss Eastern Iowa, and our wonderful Miss Iowa.

Next Friday, I have a very exciting opportunity, but I’m going to wait and tell you about it after it happens, so keep posted!

Best,
Elizabeth

Miss America 2011

2011-01-26T21:37:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be able to attend Miss America for the entire week of competition. I should have posted much sooner, but life happened! So, hunker down and get comfortable, because I have a lot to say. Miss America was a truly wonderful experience and it was humbling to be around so many intelligent, talented, poised, and beautiful women.

My Dad, Mom, and I left for Las Vegas on Sunday, January 10th in the early afternoon. As Miss Pearl City was the night before, it was a very short night and hurried return to Des Moines and to the airport. Due to weather issues (this was January in the Midwest, after all), we arrived in Vegas late that night where we immediately went to our timeshare and collapsed into bed. The next day we did some serious shopping and basically never left the Miracle Mile or the Planet Hollywood casino (where all of the Miss America events were taking place).
Tuesday, we spent almost the entire morning and afternoon observing Miss America rehearsals. I probably learned more from watching the rehearsals than I did watching the actual competition. It was very interesting to observe walking patterns and the contestants’ interactions with each other. After a late lunch, we headed back to our timeshare to change for the first night of preliminary competition. Our Miss Iowa 2010 Pauli Mayfield was outstanding in swimsuit and evening gown! It was clear why she is our Miss Iowa. That night, Miss North Carolina won a preliminary talent award in talent, and Miss Hawaii won the swimsuit award.

Before the first night of preliminaries.

With Pauli at the after-party.

With Taylor Kinzler, one of my National Sweetheart sisters!

Wednesday the Miss America trade show started, so I tried on dozens of dresses and swimsuits and saw more crown merchandise than I thought could have even existed! I actually purchased an evening gown that I may or may not wear for Miss Iowa this June (you’ll just have to keep your eyes peeled during competition!) as well as the cutest crown purse and crown ring. While at the trade show, I was able to meet Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron in her last week as Miss America. She was everything you would expect of a Miss America – kind, beautiful, and intelligent. That night was the second night of preliminaries and Pauli participated in talent and sang “I Know Where I’ve Been” from one of my favorite musicals, Hairspray. Miss Alabama won a swimsuit award and Miss Rhode Island (who I LOVED, by the way) won talent. While waiting to congratulate Pauli after the show, I was able to spend time with my Miss Pearl City Princess, Stella, and her wonderful parents, Stacy and Heather. I cannot wait to get to know Stella better throughout this year!

Having fun out and about in Las Vegas! My hands are a teeny bit smaller than Shaquille O’Neal's ...

My Dad and I were able to catch a photo with Miss America!

With Pauli at the second day after-party.

With my adorable Princess, Stella!

Goofing off with Bill Lee, the Executive Director of the Miss Iowa Scholarship Program, and my Dad.

On Thursday, my oldest brother Philip joined us in Las Vegas to attend a chiropractic convention at the Hilton Hotel. As he lives in Chicago, I don’t get to see him nearly as much as I would like, so it great to have in there, even though that meant that I had to share a room. The four of us went exploring Las Vegas during the day which was fun and…interesting. Anyone who has ever visited Las Vegas knows exactly what I mean! That night was the last night of preliminaries. Pauli participated in on-stage question. She had a great answer and looked wonderful in her custom cocktail dress. Miss Nebraska won a talent award and Miss Oklahoma won swimsuit. It was fun during the after party to see the huge support that Pauli had! There were actually over 70 people in Las Vegas to see Pauli compete – the most any Miss Iowa has ever had.

With Stella after the third night of prelims.

Friday was the Parade of Shoes at the Paris. I’m a pageant girl; I love parades. But, this parade was on a whole different level! These contestants were unbelievably creative in their wardrobe and shoe decorations. Take a look at a couple of the pictures, because words really can’t do this justice (photos compliments of Claire Buffie, Miss New York). Other than the parade, my mom and I just took the day easy. We did a little bit of shopping and a whole lot of walking around. This was also the day of “rest” for the contestants before the Finals on Saturday.

Miss Minnesota as a snow angel.

All of the contestants before the parade.

Miss Hawaii and Miss Louisiana.

Miss New York as a tourist.

Miss Nevada as a Vegas showgirl.

Saturday was the Final Night of Competition. We got to Planet Hollywood an hour before the competition started and was met with the longest line that I have seen in my life (I mean longer than any line I’ve ever seen at Disneyworld!). The line was literally a mile long, because it fully circled around the Miracle Mile mall. We were a little worried about getting into the show before it started, but we ended up with a full five minutes to spare. It was so much fun to see the live show! Pauli represented Iowa so well throughout the entire competition that everyone was shocked when she didn’t make the Top 15. But, the competition was unbelievably strong. If it had been a different day or a different set of judges, we would have had a different Top 15 and possibly even a different Miss America. Our new Miss America (at 17, the youngest since the first Miss America in 1921!) Teresa Scanlan was very impressive and I'm excited to support her on her journey as Miss America. Watching that final night of competition, it really hit me how much I want to be on that Miss America stage some day. Now, it’s up to me to make that happen, so I’m ready to work so that I can be Miss Iowa and possibly Miss America. I’ve included some
pictures, so enjoy!

Talking with Pauli after the Finals. She was awarded the first-ever Non-Finalist Interview Award. No one could have deserved it more than Pauli!

Best,
Elizabeth

Newly Crowned and Ready to Go!

2011-01-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, January 8th, I was honored to become Miss Pearl City 2011. I am very excited to serve the Muscatine community and to prepare for Miss Iowa in June. My goal is to post an entry at least once a week, but I thought it would be best to introduce myself first. Currently, I am a junior at the University of Iowa studying Human Resource Management and Entrepreneurial Management. I am very involved on campus as Communications Director of Associated Iowa Honors Students and the violist in The Bird String Quartet and am also very active in my business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi and as a member of the business honors society, Beta Gamma Sigma. In my free time, I love to spend time with my friends and family, run, play the harp and piano, bake, and read anything that I can get my hands on.

I am very excited to compete for the title of Miss Iowa for the third time this summer. Over the last two years, I promoted my platform of Cultural Awareness and Involvement and educated groups of both youth and adults about the importance of cultural understanding and the need to be involved in the diversity of our great state and nation. This is an issue very near and dear my heart, as I have traveled internationally my entire life and have hosted several exchange students from around the world. The importance of cultural awareness and involvement is a topic that I will forever praise, but I have made the decision to adopt a different platform to promote as Miss Pearl City. As the daughter of a dentist, I was raised to recognize the need for proper oral care and have been involved with the Iowa Dental Association, American Dental Association, and American Pediatric Association of Dentists for as long as I have been volunteering. The importance of dental care has been such an integral part of my life, but it wasn’t until I attended the Iowa Mission of Mercy (IMOM) this past October that I considered this topic as the foundation of my platform. At this charitable event, in which over $1.6 million in dental care was provided for people across the state, I saw thousands of Iowans, both children and adults, who lacked proper dental care and realized the impact that detail health had on the lives of individuals. This year as Miss Pearl City, I will promote the issue of dental care for children, focusing primarily on education and prevention. I already have many exciting events planned and will update you as they are put into motion.

I feel guilty for having waiting over a week to post this first entry, but I do have a good excuse. I was actually in Las Vegas supporting Miss Iowa Pauli Mayfield as she competed for the title of Miss America. I will leave you in suspense now to the details, but, be assured; I will give the full scoop of that great experience with many, many pictures.

For now,
Elizabeth Davidson

Miss Pearl City 2011

2011-01-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

Greetings! I am Elizabeth Davidson, Miss Pearl City 2011. I was crowned Saturday January 8th along with Miss Muscatine 2011, Jessica Pray. I was Miss Muscatine 2010, 1st runner-up to Miss Iowa 2010 and also competed at the National Sweetheart Pageant with MAO state 1st runner-ups from across the nation. I look forward to my preparation for Miss Iowa and continuing to serve the Muscatine communty.

Stay tuned for additional updates!

Happy December!

2010-12-15T13:09:00.000-08:00

I hope your winter is off to a great start :) (We will pretend it is winter, even though it doesn't technically begin until next week...shh!)

Since my last post, much has happened. I may not have told you this, but I got engaged! A wonderful man who I happened to meet in a Dale Carnegie communications course (funded by the Miss Muscatine/Pearl City program, I might add), Justin Lintz, proposed to me on August 18th, and we have set a date for May 7, 2011. I am so excited to start the next chapter of my life with him by my side. He definitely brings out the best in me and I could not feel more fortunate to have him in my life!

Here is a picture of us :-)

During September and October, I was blessed with the opportunity to plan and lead four trainings across the state of Iowa called Role Modeling for Healthy Kids. They were very well attended and the best part was that school staff, administrators, and parents all brainstormed ways adults can be healthier role models for youth. It was a dream come true for me to facilitate this kind of discussion. We reached over 100 school districts, and the message just keeps on going.

In October, Justin found out he received a promotion with his current company requiring him to move to Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and he happily accepted. Since we are planning our wedding together, I have joined him and continue to do some work for the Iowa Department of Education from a distance. Our first weekend here, Mother Nature welcomed us with about 10 inches of snow. A few weeks later, we got to experience a blizzard that was so bad it made the Vikings' football stadium roof collapse. Twenty four inches of snow in less than a month? No big deal! Coming from Northeast Iowa, though, I can take it :-).

Another big piece of news for me is that I have started my own Wellness Coaching business. I also created my own web site to establish an online presence at www.wellnessbyjennifer.com. Be sure to check it out, and follow me on Twitter as I post daily health/fitness updates (@_WellnessCoach). Lydia at Mebraldy Photography in Iowa City did the photos for my web site and I loved working with her.

Without my involvement in the Miss America Program, I would not have had the tools, life experiences, and motivation needed to take on such an entrepreneurial path, so I must tip my hat to everyone who makes the MAO what it is! Take your platforms seriously, ladies ... it could lead you down your future career path.

I also had a photo shoot with Ben Shirk, the official photographer of the Miss Muscatine/Pearl City program to capture a crown shot in my evening gown. Here is the one I chose! A big thank you to Ben for his great work.

I give up my title in less than a month, and I hope you will join us for the Miss Muscatine Pageant on January 8th. Can't wait to meet all the girls!

Stay warm,
Jennifer

Mission Nutrition

2010-09-10T12:53:00.001-07:00

I filmed more "Mission Nutrition" videos today at Hy-Vee. We'll be wrapping up filming for our Mission Fitness/Mission Nutrition DVDs late next week, and editing will begin so that the final product will be ready for Iowa schools yet this fall.

We filmed 1-2 minute segments on a ton of fruits and vegetables - from mangoes and tomatilloes to plums and zucchini, we focused on produce that will make mouths water!

Team Nutrition will be utilizing some of these videos for Pick a Better Snack toolkits, and they will be paired with our Mission Fitness videos to help kids on their mission to be more physically fit and nutritious! When the final products are ready, I will post some on here.

In the meantime, here are a couple of still shots from our shoots so far.

Finally, with the Iowa vs. Iowa State game tomorrow, I can't resist this. GO CYCLONES!!!

Jennifer

Happy Almost-Fall!

2010-09-07T14:19:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? Fall is almost here.

I apologize for not posting much throughout the summer, but I have been very busy. After Miss Iowa, I became a traveling woman! I took several trips to Michigan to visit my fiance's family and also went to my favorite event of the year - the Iowa State Fair.

My family and I have gone to the Iowa State Fair for ten years now, so needless to say, it is a family tradition. We go there each summer and look at the biggest boar and biggest bull, try to sneak a peek at the butter cow, ride on the sky glider, scope out the baby animals, and taste some of the infamous fair food. My favorite? Even though I am a nutrition nut - the cheese curds will always hold a special place in my tummy :)

In terms of my platform, I have also had some very exciting developments. First, I filmed an 8-week TV Series called Get Movin', which will air in October on WQPT in the Quad Cities. I had a blast filming the exercise segments and got to work with eight fabulous kids, as well as a wonderful crew.

In addition, I have been working with Pick a Better Snack and ACT (through the Iowa Department of Public Health) to promote healthy snacking among youth and adults in Des Moines by offering samples of yummy vegetable dishes at farmers markets throughout the Des Moines area. Talk about fun!

I've also been writing my Stories in Motion, which Team Nutrition will use in the upcoming year as physical activity breaks for schools across the state. Kids need brain breaks during the day, just like adults do, and I thought it would be fun to write them. Thankfully, they are thrilled about the idea and are helping me disseminate them to Iowa schools!

Finally, I am working on two DVDs. One is called Mission Fitness, and the other is Mission Nutrition. Essentially, I am taking kids on a mission to become more fit, and a mission to become more nutritious by working with local YMCAs and Hy-Vee stores to teach youth about activities that can be done with little or no equipment and fun fruits and veggies to try.

Needless to say, I've been busy! But, I'm loving every moment. I've got more to share, but there is no time to write a novel today. I'll post more (and pictures) soon.

Happy Tuesday!
Jen

An Overdue Post :)

2010-07-13T20:11:00.001-07:00

Just about one month ago, I was competing for the title of Miss Iowa for the fourth time in my life.

When I first stepped foot on a pageant stage back in February of 2007, I remember not even being able to smile at the audience I was so scared, so timid, so unsure of myself. But, in the interview room, I was passionate about my cause. I knew I wanted to promote healthy lifestyles and be a force to be reckoned with in the wellness world. In or out of pageants - that was my mission.

Four years later, this June, in fact, a bigger, more purposeful version of Jennifer Neal stepped on stage. I smiled every second I was in front of the audience, had a blast performing my talent, and felt very confident in my interview. Did it turn out the way I hoped it would? No. But, that is okay.

I used to think that competing in the Miss America Organization was all about my dream of becoming Miss Iowa so that I could travel across the state making a difference with my platform. Wrong :)

I have gained so much more from this program than I could have ever asked for, and thinking about the way it has transformed me into a more purposeful, passionate version of myself makes me get a little emotional. Sure, I would have given anything to be Miss Iowa, but I'm realizing it was not in God's plan for me. I think it's safe to say being involved with MAO was in His plan for me, because I have developed lasting friendships and a desire to give back.

Fortunately, I still have a few months left as Miss Pearl City, so I plan to make the most of them. I have a parade coming up in late July, and will also be sharing my Snacking Smart message with more students before January arrives.

I will post pictures from Miss Iowa soon.

In my personal life, I'm excited to train for the Des Moines Half-Marathon, kickbox, go to spinning classes, apply for my Dietetic Internship, film fitness videos for kids, spend more time cooking/baking, and start preparing to write a book :) I'm sure I'll think of more things to add to the list. My mom has always said that I have no trouble filling my schedule, and she sure is right!

More soon,
Jennifer

Miss Iowa Week - Day 3

2010-06-09T20:35:00.001-07:00

This week is flying by!

We began our morning with interviews at two local radio stations, the B100 and Star 93.5, which is always a blast.

Later, we headed to Neil Armstrong Elementary to assist our current Miss Iowa, Anne Michael, with an all-school assembly. She does such a fantastic job with the students and incorportated a few of the contestants into her presentation to demonstrate the importance of getting involved in activities from athletics to music and other extra-curriculars to learn valuable life skills.

Then, I visited with a third and fifth grade classroom to share the book "Oh the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss and to deliver my Snacking Smart message with the students as well. I take full advantage of any opportunity to spread the word about my platform and the importance of healthy habits, and the students were very excited about the fresh fruit kabobs, banana freeze pops, and zucchini sticks, which are all included in the cookbook I wrote.

For lunch, we dined with the Bettendorf Rotary Club and had a chance to learn about what the organization does as well as hear more of the Miss Iowa contestants' talents and a presentation from Miss Iowa 2009.

This afternoon we transported all of our competition gear to the Adler Theater, where the Miss Iowa pageant will take place on Thursday and Saturday night. It felt so good to get settled in and see the stage; it looks beautiful!

We finished our day with dinner at Lancer's Grille in Eldridge and a dress rehearsal. Time for bed, though!

The part of competition I am most excited about - interview - is tomorrow. I absolutely cannot wait.

Hope to see you at the show tomorrow!
Jennifer

Miss Iowa Week - Day 2

2010-06-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

Today was yet another great day of Miss Iowa week, and my birthday, to boot :) I am officially 23 years old, and have never felt better.

My facebook account was inundated with Happy Birthday messages, my cell phone exploded with text messages and phone calls, and my fellow contestants serenaded me this afternoon at the Golden Corral. I could not have asked for a better way to spend my special day.

This morning, we traveled to Iowa City for one of my favorite events of the week, visiting the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. I met a family from very near my hometown of Epworth who traveled from Manchester for their daughter Gabrielle's check up. Gabrielle was born with biliary atresia, something I learned about in my undergraduate career at Iowa State University, but have never witnessed in real life. Thankfully, the doctors at the University of Iowa detected it early enough that Gabrielle was able to avoid a liver transplant and has had normal labs for over a year now.

There were kids coming in and out of the pediatric unit all morning for check ups - from six months to 17 years. I even met a soon-to-be Iowa Stater, which is rare in Hawkeye country :)

This visit was so uplifting. It is not every day that you meet two year olds who have survived liver cancer, or 17-year-olds who are preparing for transplant surgery. The most amazing part of it all is that they literally radiate joy. If the kids I met today didn't walk in for check-ups and doctor visists, I would never know they were facing any health issues because of their attitudes and the way they carry themselves. Some of their parents even said they loved being at the hospital, which to me, speaks to the value of the Children's Miracle Network and the way that it changes lives. It was such a blessing to have experienced everything I did with those children this morning!

We had some time to relax this afternoon, and then traveled to the Golden Corral for dinner. The evening ended with a quick rehearsal, and I must say, I am thrilled about the production this year. We are singing! You will enjoy it - there is no doubt in my mind.

With that, I am in need of some rest.
More tomorrow,
Jennifer

Miss Iowa Week - Day 1

2010-06-07T19:08:00.000-07:00

What a WONDERFUL day!

We started off with Jazzercise at 7 a.m., and I must say, what a fun way to workout! Then, we got ready for the day and left for yoga and massages at the Institute of Therapeutic Massage in Davenport. Bonita Howes so kindly donates the time of her staff to us, and I speak for all of the ladies when I say how appreciative we are! The massages are one of the highlights of the week before competition, without question. Thank you to everyone at the institute for being so gracious!

Later, we visited Senior Star Assisted Living Center for a wonderful, nutritious lunch and many of us were able to perform our talents. Anne Michael, our current Miss Iowa was there as well, and WOW, was her talent phenomenal! She is such a gifted young lady, and I had such a blast listening to her perform and chat throughout the day. She really is an inspiration.

We then went to the Ridgecrest Senior Center and heard even more of the contestant's talents. Talk about entertaining! The young ladies did a great job, and I had a blast performing Chopsticks again. I can't wait to do it in full costume on Thursday night ;) It is such a fun piece and really allows me to connect with the audience.

For dinner, Hy-Vee very generously donated an all-access pass to their buffet lines. I know the girls would agree with me when I say it was de-lic-ious! Thanks to all of the Hy-Vee staff for being so welcoming to us. It is one of our favorite places to dine during the week!

We finished the evening with a quick rehearsal and some down time in our hotel rooms. What a full day! There we so many laughs and memories already shared today, I can hardly wait for what's to come.

More tomorrow,
Jennifer

Sign In at Miss Iowa :)

2010-06-07T04:15:00.000-07:00

It is finally here, and I could not be more excited.

Yesterday, I started off my day at the crack of dawn with a 5-mile run around Gray's Lake in Des Moines, and finished all of my packing for the week.

I then traveled to Iowa City to meet my family for a quick birthday lunch with my family at the Brown Bottle. What a great way to kick off the week; my youngest sister, Nicki, presented me with a homemade book of pictures of me with quotes about the type of person she thinks I am. In the back, my family each wrote me a good luck message filled with some of my favorite quotes from The Office, which inevitably make me laugh. I could not possibly feel more loved and supported by my family than I do right now. Love you guys!

By mid-afternoon, I arrived at the Clarion Hotel in Davenport, who so kindly sponsors the Miss Iowa contestants each year. My board of directors - or my army as I called them yesterday - was there to help me move in. They also had a giant cooler of fruit, a pageant week survival kit (you can only imagine what might be in that bag!), and several other bags filled with useful items for the week. They have been absolutely incredible to work with this year, and I would not be where I am without them. Thank you, ladies!

We had our first dinner as a group around 5 p.m. where we were able to reunite with our hostesses and introduce ourselves once again. It was great to see everyone. We finished the evening with a meeting in our head hostess's room to discuss plans for the week.

To say that I am prepared for this week is an understatement. I really left no stones unturned this year preparing not only for the Miss Iowa competition, but for the job of Miss Iowa. What a blessing it is to be here in the midst of such wonderful young ladies while interviewing and competing for the opportunity of a lifetime. There is nowhere I would rather be.

All my best,
Jennifer

Coffee Club Talk Show and St. Jude's Elementary

2010-06-04T14:18:00.001-07:00

Today I was the special guest on the Coffee Club Talk show in Muscatine, Iowa. Gary at KWPC Radio allowed me to join him for an interview to talk about my platform, my personal background, and the upcoming Miss Iowa competition. I particularly enjoyed chatting with them about my Snacking Smart from A to Z cookbooks.

Jane from the Muscatine Chamber of Commerce was in on our interview as well, and kindly agreed to help me distribute even more of my recipe booklets to the Muscatine community through the Chamber office. What a gem!

Later, I traveled to Cedar Rapids to visit all of the kindergarten through second graders at St. Jude's Elementary and distribute my snack books. They loved them! I even had a chance to eat lunch with my princess, or "little sister," as I like to call her. What a treat it was to see Carmella again.

More soon,
Jennifer

A Day in the Davenport Community School District

2010-06-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

Wow! This Tuesday was another wonderful day in the eastern side of the state. I had a chance to promote my platform and reach students with my Snacking Smart message.

Just before 8 a.m., I was greeted with my first ever welcome sign and just couldn't resist snapping a photo. After the first bell rang, I was the kick-off speaker for the Adams Elementary Fit Kids Day. I shared my story (in a beautiful outdoor assembly) about learning to eat healthier foods, and discussed how important it is not only to be active, but to eat well. All the students received one of my Snacking Smart from A to Z cookbooks.

Afterwards, I observed my colleague, Dr. Ed Thomas from the Department of Education film fitness videos with third and fourth graders. Topics ranged from posture and medicine balls to agility ladders. He and I are spear-heading the Stories in Motion project I created, and immediately following Miss Iowa, we have plans to launch it into after-school programs throughout Iowa. In the fall, we will bring it to K-5 schools throughout the state to get students more active in the classroom.

After the morning session, I was kindly escorted by Mr. Brad Oates, director of Physical Education and Athletic Programs for the Davenport Community School District, to Hayes Elementary where I presented on Snacking Smart from A to Z with first and third graders.

My last stap was Truman Elementary, where I presented my message in an assembly format with five grades. I was able to have 20 minutes with each age group so that I could tailor my presentation to their knowledge level. The kids had great questions and comments that made me realize the impact my visit had on their lives.

Though, the best part of the day came from the surprise group hugs, cute questions ("Are you a real princess?"), soft-spoken comments ("I want to be like her"), and off-the wall inquisitions ("Are you a kid or an adult?")

One kindergartener even said "Hey, what's your phone number?" You just never know what kids will say :)

At the end of the day, I felt so rewarded knowing I reached over 1,000 students in that short visit. Beyond that, I felt an incredible sense of content when I exited the parking lot at Truman Elementary and saw tons of elementary boys and girls proudly carrying my little yellow book of healthy recipes.

This message from Brad was an added bonus:

Thank you for taking the time to come to Davenport and speak to some of our elementary students. I was very impressed with your presentation to the students as well as your poise in front of the students. Students, especially elementary, can be among the toughest crowds. The message was spot on and reinforces what we have been doing in our curriculum. I look forward to more opportunities to work with you and getting out the message of fitness and nutrition. I have enclosed a picture from yesterday. I hope we will have some pictures on our website soon. Good luck in the Miss Iowa competition. I know there will be a lot of elementary students rooting for you. Take care.

Brad W. Oates
Program Director of Athletics, Physical Education, & Health
Davenport Community School District

I could not be more honored to be Miss Pearl City.

Yours,
Jennifer

A Grand Piano in My Backyard :)

2010-05-30T06:57:00.001-07:00

On Friday, I was honored to be the special guest at Scottish Rite Park's monthly Ladies Luncheon in Des Moines.

We had a wonderful meal, which I was happy to see included fresh spinach salad with mandarin oranges, a meal of chicken with a side of parslied pineapple, and melon for dessert :)

After eating, I had a few minutes to share with all 75 guests a little about myself and my platform and then played two piano pieces and my talent selection for Miss Iowa, Liberace's version of Chopsticks.

They loved it!

The best part about the day was being able to perform on a baby grand piano. This was a rare opportunity for me, as I have become accustomed to playing on keyboards and upright pianos. The women at Scottish Rite Park said I am welcome to come back and play on their piano anytime. Since their residence is just couple of miles from my apartment in downtown Des Moines, there is no question I will be back to take advantage of that opportunity!

More to come soon,
Jennifer

Touching Lives in Iowa City

2010-05-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

Thursday, I headed east for a jam-packed, but fun-filled afternoon.

First, I stopped at St. Jude's Elementary in Cedar Rapids to practice a piano/vocal duet with my princess, Carmella. We were scheduled to perform later in the afternoon, and wanted to make sure everything was just right :) During that time, I also set up a school visit to St. Jude's for next week. I will be presenting my Snacking Smart from A to Z cookbooks and eating lunch with Carmella. She has been my princess for the past three years, and what fun we have had!

Next up was Iowa City, where I volunteered for the fourth year in a row at the Star 102.5 Children's Miracle Network Radiothon. Miss Muscatine, Elizabeth Davidson and Miss Henry County, Abigail Carr were both answering phones as well. We were able to witness a couple of interviews with CMN miracle children.

I met a woman who lost her daughter to cancer, saw a boy whose dad saved his life with a kidney transplant, and witnessed in action the child life specialists who make patient stays at the hospital as enjoyable and stress-free as possible. It was great receiving calls from first-time donors. I speak from experience when I say they will be calling back next year. What a joy it was to be able to help.

From there, I visited the Oaknoll Reitrement Community in Iowa City, where I met my princess Carmella and her mom Kim. We performed We are One from the Lion King 2. Carmella has been taking voice lessons for three months now, and she has such a beautiful voice. It has been incredible seeing her blossom.

I performed one of my favorite Lorie Line pieces, Nevada Skies, and finished with Liberace's rendition of Chopsticks, which I will be performing this year at Miss Iowa. The residents loved it!

Afterward, one of the residents, Mary, shared her talent with us. She taught piano for 50 years, and though she does experience health challenges on a daily basis, her fingers can fly.

After our performance, Kim, Carmella and I headed to Applebees for a quick dinner. Carmella's mom is very health-conscious, and we mentioned how much we like Applebees for its tendency to offer more nutritious options than the typical dine-in restaurant. More and more eateries are doing this, which is exactly what we need in Iowa and across the country today.

I cannot wait until next week. I have several more fun appearances planned!

Hugs,
Jennifer

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

2010-05-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Obama has started a movement! First, she initiated her "Let's Move" campaign, and we now have a month dedicated to National Childhood Obesity Awareness.

I was reading an article in the most recent American Dietetic Association Policy Initiatives and Advocacy Report: On the Pulse, which said "House Resolution 996 designating September as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month was passed by the House last week. Reps. Marcia Fudge (D.-Ohio) and Kay Granger (R.-Texas) introduced the resolution as a way to help bring awareness to the health of children around the country at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. The month will promote healthy eating and physical activity."

What I love about this resolution is that it was introduced with bi-partisan support. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, you cannot argue that childhood obesity is an issue that deserves even more national attention and focus. As Rep. Fudge said on the House floor: "Dedicating at least one month out of each year to bring awareness to this issue of childhood obesity will help maximize the effect of programming, messaging and campaigns all aligned with the sole purpose of eradicating childhood obesity."

To raise awareness about the issue of childhood obesity prevention through my platform work and involvement of Miss Iowa, I have selected the color yellow for many of my publications and wardrobe, because it represents the color of the obesity awareness ribbon. My Snacking Smart from A to Z cookbooks are yellow, and I will wear lots of yellow during Miss Iowa, because it is a constant reminder to me of why I am running for the job of Iowa's Official Hostess.

What great news this is!

My First Time in Mt. Pleasant

2010-05-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

Wow! Today I visited Van Allen Elementary in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and I have to say, the city of Mt. Pleasant is home to some of the most hospitable people and enthusiastic children I have ever met.

Classroom by classroom, I visited students in grades 2 through 5 to deliver more of my Snacking Smart from A to Z cookbooks and to talk with students about the importance of healthy snacking. Many of them were surprised to learn that I did not know much about nutritious eating when I was their age; in fact, I told them that I frequently ate fruit roll-ups, ice cream, and candy bars without thinking of how it would impact my performance in school, sports, and life, for that matter.

We discussed several of the snack ideas included in Snacking Smart from A to Z, but we also addressed unhealthy snacks and how they can hinder performance. I asked students to think of food as fuel, and their bodies as engines. I told them that if they filled their bodies with unhealthy foods, it was similar to filling their engines with fuel caked with dirt and junk that would not allow it to function as well.

We talked about their goals and dreams. I heard about students who wanted to be doctors, lawyers, police officers, football players, and actresses. In each case, the students helped each other identify ways that healthy eating and physical activity could help them achieve their dream, or be important to them in their future job.

I was thoroughly impressed with the great ideas all of the kids came up with when we talked about ways they could help their family members become healthier. Some even had suggestions for how to keep their pets healthy! There is never a dull moment :)

During lunch, I was fortunate to receive a tour from Valerie Unkrich, a professor at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant. Iowa Wesleyan, along with the Iowa Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD), is a huge sponsor of my platform this year, which allows me to distribute so many cookbooks. I am so grateful for their support. Valerie attended many of my classroom sessions today and was so fun to spend time with throughout the morning.

I handed out several hundred of my books today, and was happy to hear many students say they were going to try some of the snacks, and even help their parents with the grocery shopping to make sure they got some healthier snacks in the house.

This was such a rewarding and impactful day; for both the students and me.

I can't wait for the next adventure!
Best,
Jennifer

Adventures in Eastern Iowa

2010-05-15T17:05:00.001-07:00

On Friday, I had the wonderful honor of visiting Wilkins Elementary in Marion, Iowa, to distribute more of my Snacking Smart from A to Z cookbooks to all of the first graders in the school. I began each presentation with a discussion about the MyPyramid food groups and the impact of added fats and sugar on nutritional value. Then, we combed through several of the recipes in my cookbook, and sampled fresh fruit kabobs, which is the recipe under the letter "F" in Snacking Smart from A to Z. The kids loved it! Some of them even said they had ideas for how to make their own fruit kabobs at home, which is exactly what I like to hear.

Later in the morning, I visited Summit Pointe, a retirement community in Marion, and performed several pieces on the piano for about 30 of the residents. They were able to hear a special preview of my Miss Iowa talent, Chopsticks, and I also played two of my favorite Lorie Line pieces. What a great day!

Stay tuned for more updates next week!
Jennifer

A Wellness-Filled Day in Decorah

2010-05-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today I was a special guest in the Decorah Community School District. Decorah High School’s Health Life Skills Management Class planned and organized a school-wide Health Fair, which was a day-long event that included over fifteen breakout sessions on health-related topics featuring a wide array of speakers. I kicked off the day at 8 a.m. this morning as their opening speaker, and delivered a presentation I call “Extreme Makeover: YOU Edition.” I shared with all 600 high schoolers the incident that led to my passion for wellness, discussed the importance of nutrition and exercise, and finished by sharing six steps every student can take to transform their lives and give themselves an “extreme makeover” of sorts.

After speaking at the high school, I headed over to the elementary and visited every K-2 classroom to make a quick presentation about healthy eating and activity and gave each student a copy of the healthy snack cookbook I created, “Snacking Smart from A to Z.” They loved the book and were very inquisitive about my crown. So cute!

Later in the morning, I visited the entire middle school to lead another assembly. The kids were very attentive and shared lots of great statistics with me on fast food and school lunches, in addition to asking some thoughtful questions. I was very impressed with this group!

Finally, I trekked over to the 3rd and 4th grade wing of school to deliver more cookbooks. The students ate them right up! I talked with a couple of fourth grade classes while they were eating in the cafeteria, and the students were cheering so loudly and with such excitement that I wondered if they would ever quiet down! Boy, wouldn’t it be nice to hear that every day :)

What an honor it was to visit so many students – and at all grade levels – in one day. I handed out nearly 1000 healthy snack books in this one visit, and it makes me so excited for the job opportunity of Miss Iowa. There is no doubt in my mind that I am ready, and this program is so greatly needed in our state today.

Thanks for reading!
XOXO,
Jennifer

A Quick Update

2010-05-05T17:24:00.000-07:00

Happy May! They say time flies when you are having fun, and I have found the truth in that this spring. Miss Iowa is almost here, but I just wanted to update you on a few of my recent endeavors.

Miss Iowa Orientation
On Saturday, April 24th, all of the Miss Iowa contestants met in Bettendorf for the annual Miss Iowa Orientation. We started off the day hearing from Cathy Herd, Miss Iowa 1992, who was first runner-up to Miss America and a double preliminary winner – both swimsuit and talent. Not only was she a fantastic representative then, she is an unmatchable resource for young women wanting to prepare for the job of Miss Iowa. Here we are pictured with her.

We also were able to meet our hostesses. I am so thankful to have been paired with Margie this year. She was my hostess last year as well, and I would not trade her for anyone! We are going to have a great time together in just over a month :)

Miss Iowa Bridal Fashion Show
The day after orientation was the first-annual Miss Iowa Bridal Show, which ended with a fashion show highlighting the latest wedding styles from David’s Bridal in Davenport. Several of the contestants volunteered their time, and I am quite certain I speak for all of them when I say we thoroughly enjoyed having our hair and make-up done, being surrounded by wedding vendors, and modeling gorgeous gowns. What a fun way to raise scholarships for the Miss Iowa program! A special thanks goes to Tim Heim, who worked so tirelessly to make sure the day went off without a hitch.

Snacking Smart from A to Z
A new and improved cookbook will be hot off the press in just a few days! For the past year, I have used my own printing resources to distribute thousands of healthy snack cookbooks to elementary students throughout the state. Thanks to a partnership with IAHPERD, I will be able to distribute several thousand more before the summer. Numerous schools across the state have already signed up to participate. In some, I’ll be leading assemblies; in others, I’ll be in the classroom, and a few are letting me showcase my project in the cafeteria with students so that I can talk with them about their food choices. Each cookbook features 26 recipes – one for every letter of the alphabet – that can be used as a healthy snack. Nearly all kids age 6-19 snack – 98%, to be exact – and my mission is to provide them with an abundance of delicious and nutritious ideas for nibbling between meals. An enormous part of living a healthy lifestyle depends upon the choices we make as individuals, and equipping youth with the tools to improve those choices will directly impact their overall nutrition. Copy and paste this link to view a copy! http://missmuscatine.com/SnackingSmartBrochure.pdf

Afton Elementary
On Monday, May 3rd, I had the pleasure of joining Dr. Ed Thomas from Graceland University in Afton, Iowa. I served as a volunteer PE teacher for the day and worked with students from Kindergarten through 6th grade on medicine balls, agility ladders, and obstacle courses to demonstrate that fun that comes with physical activity. Below are a few pictures from the day.

More to come soon!
Love,
Jennifer

A Grand Blue Mile!

2010-04-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had the privilege of being the warm-up leader and one of the many volunteers for the KidStriders (www.iowakidstrong.com) Grand Blue Mile Victory Run. Nearly 700 youth from the Des Moines area showed up to celebrate running a minimum cumulative marathon distance of 26 miles during recess KidStriders sessions. The Victory Run was combined with the Drake Relays' First Annual Grand Blue Mile, which took place in downtown Des Moines.

Before the race, I met with several students participating in the program, and they were ready to run!

This young gal wanted her picture taken with a "real princess!" After the race she gave me a high five (and did the "down low, too slow" thing to boot ...). What a joker!

These ladies are in the "See Us Run Des Moines Program," go to Roosevelt High School, and are going to run in the Des Moines Marathon in October! Good luck with training girls!

This was the finish line!

I ran the entire 1/4 mile race (that is quite the distance for elementary students) in my crown and sash with these two girls. They did a great job! Keep running girls!

As you can see, there were TONS of kids in attendance! This event was fun not only because I got to meet so many enthusiastic children, but because it is an initiative that makes fitness fun and rewarding for students. As a supporter of childhood obesity prevention initiatives, it is so important we support programs like this in the state of Iowa.

Fabulous Photos from Shirk Photography

2010-04-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday of this week, I pulled up to a house in Wilton, Iowa, wondering if I was at the right place. I was to have my Miss Iowa photos taken with Ben Shirk, owner of Shirk Photography. It was gloomy and rainy, and I soon realized my GPS led me to the correct location. Ben walked out of his house, home to his photography studio, in his stylish hat, carrying an umbrella so that I wouldn’t disrupt my new “Do” :)

Ashlie at Park Avenue Style in Muscatine did a great job styling my hair beforehand, and Ben was kind enough to keep the style from being destroyed.

What a fun experience we had! Ben has been shooting out of his home for the past four years, and I can tell he has a bright future ahead of him. Check out his web site: www.shirkphotography.com – just looking at a couple of his pictures says it all. He has a fresh, unique style that will bring him an enormous amount of success. I feel blessed that he so graciously donated my portraits for Miss Iowa. I will definitely keep him in mind for future photos!

We spent several hours together as he created eye-catching backdrops and planted me in them ever so perfectly. Thanks, Ben for the great pictures! I have already told him it will be tough to make my final decisions.

Thanks also to Ashlie for working her magic with that curling iron and hairspray – two items no woman can live without! She was also kind enough to donate her services to the Muscatine titleholders for one year. What great support we have in our area of the state!

It is paperwork time, so I’ll be finalizing my platform statement and resume, along with other required documents, in time for Miss Iowa orientation on April 24th. I’m so excited for the competition already, I can hardly stand it!

Thanks to all of you for your constant encouragement, support, and love. I would not be where I am without you.

Hugs,
Jennifer

P.S. Please enjoy a few of the sample photos I've posted below.

Have you seen Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution?

2010-04-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

It airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on ABC. As a current nutrition and fitness professional and future Registered Dietitian, this show has left me beyond excited.

Jamie Oliver is attempting to tackle the obesity epidemic in the United States by starting a cooking revolution - one that strays from the consumption of processed foods and focuses on the preparation of whole, nutritious meals.

This quote sums up his mission:

"This Food Revolution is about changing the way we eat. We need to start cooking again, to make sure our children don’t grow up on a diet of processed food, at school or at home, and so they won’t have to battle obesity and diet-related illnesses when they grow up. Cooking is one of the most important skills a person can have and it has been proven that families who cook together eat better. A small change in your kitchen in could save the life of someone you love. America needs to do something now, before it’s too late.” Jamie Oliver

With my platform of Childhood Obesity Prevention, I could not be more enthralled about this movement, and challenge you to watch the program as well as sign his petition here: http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition

I encourage you to join this movement - even if it means you simply watch the program on Friday nights and talk with someone about it. Jamie Oliver has the potential to create a much needed awareness about the role parents and schools both play in fostering healthy environments for children.

On a similar note, stay tuned as I begin my Snacking Smart tour across the state of Iowa! One of the core messages I leave with children is to eat whole, clean foods that are near their natural state - good growing foods. My platform is a perfect complement to this revolution, and I look forward to seeking out more opportunities for involvement.

All the best,
Jennifer

The Biggest Loser

2010-03-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend a dinner sponsored by the Metro Women's Network. While the food was delicious, the best part was meeting the special guest, Rebecca Meyer. Biggest Loser fans will know Rebecca was the at-home winner for Season 8 of the Biggest Loser. She looked phenomenal and it was great to hear some of the truths behind reality TV, as well as her inspirational story. With her was Daniel Wright, who was also a contestant on Season 8 of the show. These two have made incredible strides and I know this will not be the last we hear about either one of them. Here we are pictured together.

Rebecca and Daniel will be meeting with me in the next couple of weeks to discuss my platform of Childhood Obesity Prevention, and they have offered to share their perspective on the issue. Having experienced obesity growing up, both of them told me they are passionate about dealing with prevention of the condition and promoting healthy habits in children. I will be sure to post updates from our future meeting!

Let's Move!

2010-03-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

I encourage you to check out "Let's Move," First Lady Michelle Obama's recently launched national campaign to combat childhood obesity. Because my personal platform is Childhood Obesity Prevention and my mission in life is to help others lead a healthy lifestyle, I could not be more excited about this initiative. For a quick overview of the project, please check out this video, and join the movement!

Iowa Chiropractic Society Convention

2010-03-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I had the pleasure of presenting a four-hour seminar with Dr. Ed Thomas and Dr. Diane Bartholomew for the Annual Iowa Chiropractic Society Convention at the Downtown Marriot in Des Moines. Exercise, ergonomics and posture are among the tenets of Chiropractic medicine, and we explored emerging trends in those areas. I met many Chiropractic physicians from throughout the state, and learned much about the science and art of chiropractic healing. Plus, I had an opportunity to share about my personal platform of Childhood Obesity Prevention. What a great day!

Help Me Make Miracles Happen!

2010-03-11T06:05:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I am working toward my dream of becoming Miss Iowa, an official preliminary to Miss America. Last year, I was first runner-up to Miss Iowa 2009, and have been working diligently to better myself and the world around me over the past several months with the hope of being able to make an even greater difference as Miss Iowa 2010.

In addition to working on my personal platform of Childhood Obesity Prevention, I am fundraising once again for the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), my favorite charity. I have met so many children and families whose lives are changed by this organization since I first became involved as a volunteer; I have encountered children with cancer, spina bifida, and ailments kids simply should not have to endure. Thankfully, CMN helps make hospital stays more welcoming for these children by providing them with quality staff, medical equipment, and research to discover more effective treatments.

Please help me reach my goal of raising $2,000 for CMN so that, together, we can touch the lives of sick and injured children and ease the stresses of those who love them. The donations you make to CMN are so deeply needed and really do generate miracles for families across the country.

Join me in helping these children by making a secure donation today at this link: http://www.missamerica4kids.org/m.aspx?i=5365DB8CF33

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail at jneal87@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you! Thank you, and God Bless.

Jennifer

Recap of Recent Events

2010-03-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

Hi, again!

Since January, here is a recap of the activities that have been keeping me busy :)

January 29th - Meeting with Stories in Motion partner at the Iowa Department of Education.
Stories in Motion are in-class physical activity breaks I am creating in partnership with the Iowa Department of Education and Team Nutrition. We will film nearly 50 different physical activity breaks, all based on a familiar story or tale, in late March and distribute free DVDs for teachers to use to get their children up and moving in the cla ssroom. I am so thrilled about this partnership!

January 30th - Miss Virginia, Caressa Cameron was crowned Miss America 2010. She did a fabulous job, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the competition from home with my family. We were blown away by the contestants! This just reinforced the quality of the women who are involved with the Miss America Organization. Simply phenomenal.

February 10th - Meeting to plan Stories in Motion program at the Department of Education.

February 13th - Meeting with IAHPERD, the Iowa Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. This group presented me with a check for $500 to help extend my efforts of my Snacking Smart from A to Z cookbook for elementary students. I will be distributing these cookbooks to elementary students across the state over the next couple of months, thanks to their partnership and support. Here I am pictured with Professor Valerie Unkrich from Iowa Wesleyan College. She is past-president of IAHPERD. I am so thankful for their support!

February 26th - Meeting to plan Stories in Motion program at the Department of Education.

March 4th - Spoke to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Fraternity at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. Topic was nutrition and exercise for college-age males. What a blast talking with these "True Gentlemen!"

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." That quote truly encompasses the way I live my life. Every day I wake up excited about my job, my community service endeavors, and my platform work.

More to come soon!
Have a wonderful day :)
Jennifer

My first post :)

2010-03-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

Hello!

My blog is finally set up and ready to go, which means I will be posting regular updates about my activities as Miss Pearl City. It was such an honor to be crowned back in January, and I have made the most of each and every day since that time.

Every few days, I will be posting pictures and information about my travels, appearances, community service activities, and maybe even a few personal stories and words of wisdom :) I love to write, so being able to blog and communicate with so many people at one time will be a joy!

I hope you enjoy following my journey toward Miss Iowa 2010. I am so thankful for the love and support that my family and friends pour out day-in and day-out. To say that I am blessed is an understatement. Words simply cannot describe how appreciative I am of the grace God has demonstrated in my life. So, as Miss Pearl City, and as Jennifer Neal, it is my personal mission to give back.

Please feel free to comment on my posts or write me at anytime at jneal87@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you! Also, please enjoy pictures that I include from time-to-time.

Much love,
Jennifer