Oh, Hello 2015 - It's almost time for the next!

Hi!

Saturday was the first rehearsal for the Miss Muscatine 2015 pageant, and I’m thrilled to say that there are 12 beautiful contestants to compete for the following three titles: Miss Muscatine, Miss Pearl City, and Miss Riverview. Why will three titles be awarded you ask? Well through the generous support from the Muscatine community and the desire to provide more scholarship money, the program is able to select three titleholders to represent the Muscatine area at the 2015 Miss Iowa pageant. Each titleholder will receive a $3,000 scholarship… I can attest to how helpful that is with paying for school. THANK YOU to those who make that possible. The 2015 Miss Muscatine pageant will be on Saturday, January 10 at 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center in Muscatine.

I’ve been back in the great state of Iowa for a week now. It’s been wonderful to have my family back together at home for the first time in a year! We had Christmas Eve at my aunt’s house and played games into the night. Playing games is so underrated… We had so much fun! However I did learn that it’s awful to roll a “K” in Scattergories. I’ve been post-Christmas shopping a little too much, too, so I’m also pretty busy strategizing my suitcase and carry on to fit all my stuff within the weight requirements!

The past semester of school FLEW right by, and I had a feeling it would. I’m halfway through with my senior year of college. AH! Really, where does time go? It’s been a great several months, though. I’m still the PR/communication intern at the President’s Office at Mary Hardin-Baylor, so that’s kept me busy when I’m not in class. I’ve gotten to spend quite a bit of time with friends and my fiancé and his family. A pretty big highlight was seeing Eli Young Band in Houston for Seth’s birthday! Oh yeah, and I got engaged in August, so I’ve been doing quite a bit of wedding planning! Word to the wise… If you plan your wedding in the midst of busyness, you don’t even have time to stress out about anything! Haha I’m so excited to get married to my man in May! 

If you’re in the area I encourage you to make plans to come to the 2015 Miss Muscatine pageant on January 10! There will be a magic show, performance by the “Out of Town” band, performances by myself, Miss Muscatine, and Miss Muscatine’s Outstanding Teen, and just a great group of girls to cheer on! Hope to see you there! GO HAWKS!

Leah

 

My roomies and I at the CV fall party.

 

Playing guitar with Jax at Memaw's birthday party!

 

My honey graduated from college earlier this month!

I Blinked and it was September 5th...

Hello again!

 

I think I just blinked and it was September 5.  Did anyone else see summer fly right by?  I guess that's what happens when you're having fun!

After all of the excitement from Miss Iowa week, I went back down to TX to take three summer classes.  If I have one piece of advice, don't take three classes in two months!  But in all honesty I really enjoyed getting back into the swing of the life I like best...  Cooking yummy food, hitting the gym, shopping, learning and spending time with people who are important to me.  What else in the world could you possibly want?

Once I was done with my classes, Seth and I road tripped to Iowa to see some family at our reunion, hang out with the people I love most, do a couple appearances and a fundraiser, and go to the Iowa State Fair!  It was a busy week but so worth it.  Serica, Nina and I went to two assisted living homes in Muscatine to spend some time with the residents and perform our talents.  I LOVE watching the expressions on people's faces when they hear Nina's beautiful piano pieces or Serica's energetic Irish dance or even a familiar hymn I play with my guitar. 

 

After spending a few days in Dubuque for a "vacation" (which pretty much was eating pizza, shopping in Galena, playing in the arcade and relaxing), we stopped in Muscatine for a fundraiser at Francesca Vitale's restaurant.  They were so generous to give us a proceed of that nights sales as we greeted and visited with guests!  We even got to sing happy birthday to a nice lady at a table!

 

I spent a little time in East Texas before the fall semester of my senior year started, and here we are!  Oh I should also mention that something exciting happened the night before classes started...  I got engaged!  I could probably go on and on about this, but I'll just say it was romantic, thoughtful, and beautiful : D 

 

Now I'm back on the school and work grind.  Getting ready to graduate and have a wedding!  Life is so crazy and unpredictable, but that's what makes it so great.

Until next time,

-Leah

Post-Pageant Week Hiatis is Over!

Well hello!

I’m back from my week-long, post-pageant hiatus. I think every girl who has ever experienced Miss Iowa week can attest that a full week is needed to process that experience. Daily blogging during pageant week was a total fail so for that I apologize! Once festivities ended each night (usually around 11 which is LATE for me as many of you probably know) I hit the hay to rest up for the next full day. But I really would like to go back and talk about the activities we were involved in and of course the competition. That’s my goal for the next couple of weeks; I want to reflect on each day and the wonderful things that touched my heart. I'd also like to congratulate our new Miss Iowa, Aly! She is a wonderful person and will serve the state with enthusiasm for the organization and her platform.

As you can probably tell, I’m not Miss Iowa. In fact, I didn’t even make the top 10. While I was pretty surprised, I just wasn’t what they were looking for this year! That’s ok. On the bright side, I won the Miss America Organization’s Academic Achievement award and scholarship for the state of Iowa! Cool, huh? Also, I was selected as the top non-finalist talent winner and the recipient of the judges’ Applause Award (Basically, you did good… Keep at it). But really, I left the week behind with SO much than some pieces of paper and scholarship money.

Firstly, as a firm believer in God’s plan for my life, I feel that this whole experience has indeed brought me closer to Him. I leaned on God every single day for strength and wisdom. I know that He worked through me the entire week, whether it was brightening a sick child’s day at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, befriending a resident at an assisted living home who has recently lost her husband or positively impacting the other girls during our many conversations.

The second thing I left the week with was a better sense of purpose and an understanding of my strengths and what I have to offer - brightening people’s days and serving others.

Thirdly, I left with really great new friends. The bond that we developed during the week is so strong. Sure, many people know what we go through in terms of preparation and long days, but it’s indescribable to be with people who are in the EXACT same situation as you. And on top of that, we have similar goals and aspirations. Probably one of my favorite moments during the whole week was when a few girls and I were sticking our feet in the hot tub before supper, discussing current events, social issues and our individual platforms. It’s so amazing to spend time with people who are passionate about the same things as me!

Now let’s be honest… the best part of the week was when I got to see Seth during our visitation time after the first preliminary competition. He came all the way from Texas to spend a lot of time with my family, watch three nights of pageants and support me. I am extremely blessed to have such a caring and loving boyfriend (who is a TROOPER, I should add)!

Last Tuesday, we bought me a new car! My poor Mustang died on me on I-80… So sad. It’s probably for the best because I really do need an SUV to lug all of my stuff around! Seth and I spent the rest of the week in Martins Mill (East Texas, for those who have no idea where that is!) with his wonderful family. I’m back at school in Belton now to take my summer classes! I think this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.

On Saturday, I turn 21! We’re going to the Texas Rangers game… I’m so excited! I’m going to eat a hot dog or two.

Thank you everyone for support and encouragement always!

-Leah

 

 

Awards during the second night of preliminary competition

 

Opening number

 

All of the contestants after crowing on Saturday night

 

Miss Iowa: Day Two!

What a great day full of wonderful people and places!

In the morning, we packed meals for Kids Against Hunger to feed 3,000 people. I honestly don't know how we could have started the day in a better way! Service is a large, and in my opinion one of the most important values the Miss America Organization embodies. Not only did we feed many hungry children across the world, we had a BLAST doing it!!!

We went to the Senior Star retirement home for lunch and visiting with the residents. This was probably my favorite appearance so far. It was so fun to get to know my new friends Jean, Alice and Viola. They have some very impressive children and stories! Next we went to Ridgecrest which is an independent living home. I got to know a few more friends; one lady even has family in my neighborhood... Small world!

After an afternoon rehearsal, we went to Greatest Grains in downtown Davenport for a very yummy supper. Thanks Julie! Then we went to the River Bandits baseball game to throw out the first pitches (yes, we each got our own pitch!) and meet and sign autographs for fans. That always makes me feel pretty cool! I had so much fun; I love baseball games!

We had another late rehearsal which wrapped up the day! This morning we are off to Iowa City to visit children at the U of I Children's Hospital.

Best,

-Leah

Miss Iowa Week: Day One

And so it begins! I finally got connected to the Wi-Fi. Whew.

Yesterday was day one of a busy, amazing week. After moving into our hotel rooms, we went to the “Show us Your Shoes” opening event! That was a great way to greet each other and spend some time with our family and supporters before the craziness begins.

We had supper and a meeting with our personal assistants after the welcoming event. Those ladies can cook!!! I had a little bit of lasagna… No regrets. They are also the sweetest and kindest ladies you’ll ever meet.

After we ate we went down for rehearsal with Ken, the producer. He is hilarious! Thank goodness he is so entertaining or else those three hour, late night rehearsals wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable. We learned our walking patterns for competition and the opening number. I would say it was a pretty productive evening!

I got late night workout in and CRASHED!

This morning we are packing meals for Kids Against Hunger. For lunch, we will go to Senior Star retirement home to visit with and perform for the residents. After that, we have another service project at Ridgecrest. We have an afternoon rehearsal, dinner, and then a BASEBALL GAME! I’m super excited about that, if you can’t tell. Sounds like a great day to me!

Here are some photos from yesterday!

Until tomorrow,

-Leah

 

All of the lovely contestants

 

With Nina, Miss Muscatine's Outstanding Teen and Serica, Miss Muscatine

Well, five more days! Some last thoughts and thank yous

Hi!

Five more days! Miss Iowa week kicks off on Sunday with the “Show Us Your Shoes” welcoming event. The contestants move into their respective hotel rooms that day and get right to work that evening with a rehearsal! For those who aren’t really sure about what festivities the contestants are involved in during the week, I will be giving daily updates on here! In a nutshell, rehearsals, appearances and community service in addition to the actual competition. We will compete in preliminary competitions on Thursday and Friday nights to determine the top 10 ladies who will move on to finals on Saturday night. Exciting stuff!

These last couple of weeks have been filled with final preparations, shopping trips, wardrobe sessions, alterations, workouts and planning. I have been so blessed to spend time with my favorite family from Newton! They probably don’t know it, but Gia and Zayne (the kiddos) have been huge stress-reducers. Hanging out with them puts what really matters into perspective, things that are easy to forget about when you get caught up in something like becoming Miss Iowa or what have you. At the end of the day, this is just a pageant. Only one person can have the title on the 14^th, but in my opinion, that doesn’t mean that any one person is better than anyone else. The Miss Iowa Class of 2014 is so unique, and each girl has something different to offer!

I’ve been so busy lately trying to get everything organized and ready for the week that I almost forgot that it’s time to relax! So that’s what I’m doing this week to rest up for the next. I’ve worked hard and prepared myself to the best of my ability. From here on out, I can relish in the peace that you get when you let God have complete control.

If you’ve ever been in a pageant before, you know that it’s a team effort. I have had the support of so many people throughout this journey, and I’m so thankful for that. My family; my best friends Kati and Abby; Deana; Alisha, Shae and Phyllis; my Executive Director, Ashley; Michelle and Jessica with Legacy Group Pageant Consulting; my boyfriend Seth who is too amazing for words… Seriously, pageant boyfriends are super under recognized. They are the ones that have to hear about the ups and downs and deal with girls who are trying to get “swimsuit ready” but just want a piece of chocolate cake. That must be horrible. Sorry on behalf of all pageant contestants!

Well I’m excited for all of the new experiences I’m going to endure next week. The hard part is over, and now it’s time to take it all in and be in the moment! Whatever happens, every single girl is awesome, and there will certainly be no "losers".

Check back Sunday night for an update on “day one” and some pictures from the first event!

-Leah

SWIMSUIT COMPETITION - Timeless or Outdated?

The best part about speaking to groups is answering questions at the end. Today I had some fun questions from the Pella Rotary group about the Affordable Care Act and the preparation that goes into a pageant. Additionally, I got a couple of not-so-fun questions about the swimsuit phase of the competition.

I wanted to blog about this because I think these are questions that will be raised throughout my travels as I educate groups on the Miss America Organization. The Rotarians wanted to know how the organization promotes positive body image when contestants have such high physical expectations.

The MAO purposefully encourages participants to live healthy lifestyles. Wellness is imperative for titleholders as they have demanding schedules. Ultimately, the question posed is this: Is a swimsuit necessary and appropriate to demonstrate contestants’ fitness levels? When I answered “no, probably not,” the whole room couldn’t agree with me more.

In 1921 the MAO was started by Atlantic City businessmen looking to lengthen the tourist season. It pretty much was a bathing suit/beauty contest. The pageant has evolved greatly over the past 90 years, giving participants an avenue to promote a platform, gain professional skills and serve their communities.

The swimsuit phase, some would say, is timeless and keeps the “tradition” of the program. Over the past week, I’ve noted people’s reactions when I tell them about the areas of competition. One person told me that the first thing that comes to mind when they think about Miss America is the ladies strutting around on stage in bikinis. Another apologized to me. A nice lady from Rotary told me that you can tell a person’s fitness level in an exercise-type outfit. In my opinion, the first thing that should be coming to mind when the Miss America Organization is mentioned is scholarship and service.

While I agree that an exercise outfit would demonstrate fitness levels just fine, I understand that that swimsuits come with the territory. Personally, the pros of the MAO significantly outweigh this con. I compete to earn scholarship money and gain a stature to promote my platform and serve the community, definitely not to model a swimsuit. My goal is to be recognized for having a healthy, strong and realistic body. Miss Iowa needs to be real and relatable.

Back in the Hawkeye State!

Greetings!

I feel like it’s time to do a little update on what’s going on now that school’s out and I’m free.

Last week my cool boyfriend and I road-tripped back to Iowa. I had WAY too much stuff to fit in a less than 50 pound suitcase, so a 16 hour drive was the only option! We drove through lots of rain but fortunately no tornadoes.

It was Seth’s first trip to Iowa, so we did it up big… Ate a yummy steak dinner, saw an I-Cubs game and went shopping. What else could you need? After I took him to the airport on Friday, my parents and I went to the grand opening of Warrior Run golf course in Norwalk. It was really neat! We had barbecue and listened to an awesome band. Mark Burke, the owner, has this really cool program called the G.I.V.E Foundation, an opportunity for veterans to learn and play golf.

On Saturday, we spent several hours at Temple in Des Moines preparing food for the Jewish Food Fair. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and cooking! We served the food on Sunday afternoon then went out to a late birthday dinner for my mom.

Today I did a little shopping for Miss Iowa week things. I’m exhausted. . . Shopping will wear you out, I tell ya!

Tomorrow I’m going to Pella, Iowa, to speak about my platform to Rotary. I’m really excited for this; I’m especially fortunate that I had such a wonderful Communicating in Business professor this past semester to help with my business writing and presentation skills. Many surely assume that the empowerment of women is a “women’s issue”. But it’s really not. That’s why it’s so wonderful to be speaking to male as well as female community leaders. Gender equality requires the responsibility of all individuals and society as a whole. At the end of my presentation, I will challenge the Rotary members to encourage and support women in their pursuit of leadership and in their career aspirations.

When I’m done, I get to go visit my favorite seamstress to begin alterations of my evening gown! It should be a fantastic day!

I’m looking forward to a shopping trip with my executive director, Ashley, and Miss Muscatine’s Outstanding Teen, Nina, this weekend!

This is such a wonderful season in my life, and I’m beyond blessed to be pursuing my goals in the Miss America Organization.

Have a great week,

Leah

 

Here's a photo of my dad and I chopping apples!

 

On to the Next!

Well, I’m a senior in college now! That’s weird. It feels like just yesterday I was a wee little freshman with no clue what was going on… It’s nice being an upperclassman! That feeling, you know, like you can just do anything in the world? I like it.

Now that my finals are over, I can refocus my energy to Miss Iowa preparation and graduate school investigating. And cleaning out my apartment, packing and moving. Yay!

This season has been a blessing in disguise. Running from one thing to the next, keeping up with nutrition and workouts all the while learning about marketing and communicating effectively (and maintaining sanity). I’m beyond prepared to take on the job of Miss Iowa. It’s fascinating how my studies directly correlate with the role of a titleholder.
 
Another thing that I really enjoy about the end of a school year is the get-togethers which usually take place over yummy food! On Saturday, the newspaper advisor, Ms. Kendig, had the staff over for supper, gifts and a little improv to celebrate the end of a successful semester. I can’t even think of the last time I laughed so hard! On Sunday evening, the Sader Belles had an end-of-the-year dinner. Being a part of the team with those girls was a huge blessing. Yesterday, the ladies from my work took me out to a yummy lunch at one of my favorite restaurants! Okay, I'm spoiled.

I’m excited for the 16 hour drive back home! That was a lie. Actually it won’t be too bad because my boyfriend/road trip partner is making it with me! I'm going to make an awesome road trip CD.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

 

-Leah

 

Here's a photo of the lovely 2014 Sader Belles after eating Mexican food!!

 

 

Miss Iowa Orientation day!

Happy Monday,

This past Saturday was orientation for Miss Iowa! It was the first time that all of the contestants were together in the same place at the same time. We learned about what our week is going to look like and went to break-out sessions to finalize paperwork, time talent, approve swimsuit and have a mock interview. I had a really great time meeting some of the girls that I didn’t know already! It’s going to be a busy, fun, crazy week!

Miss Iowa is just around the corner. The next several weeks will be super hectic, but I wouldn’t want it any other way! I’m going to attach some photos from orientation!

Have a great week,

Leah

 

Miss Iowa class of 2014

 

With Serica, Miss Muscatine and Nina, Miss Muscatine's Outstanding Teen at orientation!

Some awards, random things and pictures (cause everyone likes pictures)

Greetings!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. I got to go stay at a timeshare in Oklahoma with my family! It was the relaxing weekend that I needed. We went golfing, fishing and horseback riding. Now I’m back at school for a few more weeks to finish up the semester! This is the college student’s favorite time of the year. Finals, projects, papers! Haha, just kidding. ;) This spring semester has literally flown right by before my eyes. I feel like I’ve been all over the place! I don’t think I would trade this on-the-go lifestyle though. . . The constant change of pace keeps everything fresh and exciting.

The weekend before last the newspaper and yearbook staff went to San Antonio for the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference and competition. It was my first time attending; it was really neat! Students from colleges across Texas competed against each other in a variety of media-related competitions. I was in TV advertising and PR Crisis Communication. Not going to lie, I was a little nervous at first as the opening words at the competition went something a little like this, “I know you all have been preparing for this all year.” Hahaha. I just did my best with the knowledge I had! I ended up getting 3^rd place in PR Crisis Management. I was surprised and excited. I love how you can carefully use words to diffuse a situation. This really reaffirms my career path which is settling. Our school newspaper won the “Sweepstakes” award for our division, meaning we collectively had the most points from awards different stories and photos received.

We got back to Belton just in time for the Spring Formal! I’ll attach a few pictures at the bottom so you can see how good-looking of a date I landed.

Tomorrow I have my last meeting of the semester with my mentor, and I graduate from the Apprentice Belton program on Thursday. I’m so thankful for this opportunity that the Belton Chamber has given UMHB students. It’s incredible to be able to ask questions and get advice from a public relations professional.

On Friday I’m heading home for Miss Iowa Orientation on Saturday! I am so excited to get to know all of the girls who will be going through the Miss Iowa process this year. I can’t wait to get this semester over with and get back for my final weeks before I leave for Davenport!

Below are some pictures from my last couple of weeks!

Until later,

Leah

 

 

The ladies at our classy Chili's, pre-formal dinner

 

Outside of Tenroc Ranch in Salado.



 

Thumbs up?

 

 

The newspaper group in front of the Alamo.

 

 

My award from TIPA!

 

Seth and I with Raven and King.

 

Just road trippin' on a long weekend.

 

Internships and good opportunities

Happy April!

 

Wow, this year is flying by. Just wanted to fill you all in on what I’ve been up to lately!

The morning after I got back to school from spring break, I flew out to Orlando for my weeklong internship with Z Option. Z Option is a SAP software partner company that provides tools and solutions that integrate into the SAP system to make it more user friendly. If you have no clue what I’m talking about, SAP is an accounting software that businesses use to upload financial data. Some of Z Option’s customers, that I had the opportunity to meet representatives from, are Nike, John Deere, Kraft Foods and Genentech.

I’m not even sure if I can describe this crazy and amazing experience. On Tuesday morning, I found myself in a huge exhibit hall surrounded by businessmen in suits. The first thought that came to my mind was, “where are the women?” I am so confident that I’ve chosen the right issue to promote through my platform. But for some odd reason, despite my age and gender, I felt like I belonged there.

To sum up the week, the three other interns and I worked on the sales and marketing team, ultimately doing public relations. We met with current and potential customers and built positive relationships with them. Thankfully we had a day-long training day so that we were able to answer general questions about the company and its tools. The trade show went on from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and then after that, we went to dinner with customers of the company. They were LONG days, but I learned more in that week about business than I could learn in any class.

Don’t worry, the interns got to go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios when the week culminated! It was a little difficult missing a week of classes, but I’m so thankful to have been selected for this opportunity. I’m actually in the process of writing an article about this for the newspaper, so I’ll be sure to post a link once it gets online!

I’ve been playing catch up this week! Last night I was able to take some time to meet with my mentor, Kyle DeBeer, who is the public relations coordinator for the Belton school district. It’s always great to pick his brain. Today, I attended the Women in Business Forum featuring speaker Madge Meyer. I’d like to talk about some of the things I learned in the near future. Tonight, I’ll be heading to Salado for the American Business Women Association’s local chapter meeting. Can’t wait to spend time with successful and philanthropic businesswomen in Central Texas.

Tomorrow I'm heading back to Iowa for a weekend of shopping and prep with my fabulous Executive Director, Ashley! I'm so excited to be back on Iowa soil.

I’ll post next week to share what I’m learning and experiencing!
 

Below are some photos from my internship!

At Disney!

 

The interns with Trish and Shari on our last day of work



 

Riding the boat to Disneyworld! 

A Belated Recap

Here is a belated recap of my visit to Muscatine!

 

While my college counterparts were laying on the sunny Florida beaches, I spent my weeklong break from school in Iowa. No, no, no… It was a good thing! I was able to spend some time with my family, make some appearances and work on Miss Iowa prep!

For the first couple days, I got to hang out with the kiddos and family that I used to nanny for throughout high school. I’m extremely blessed to have the Gast family’s love and support wherever I am and whatever I’m doing. When I took Gia to tumbling, I saw her do a round-off back handspring back tuck. I really don’t think I’ve ever been so proud. : )

On Thursday, I went to Wilton to have my photographs taken by Ben Shirk. Wow. His studio is absolutely amazing, and I would highly recommend him for any photos that need to be taken. I’m pretty sure he specializes in weddings because there were the most breathtaking photos of those hanging in the entryway.

When my session was over, I went over to the Pearl City Chophouse, a new restaurant to Muscatine, to sign autographs and greet guests. This was so much fun! It’s interesting to see how different people respond to the crown on my head. I love seeing the look on little kids’ faces; I’m pretty sure they think I’m a real princess or something. Hahaha!

Friday morning took me to Davenport for a visit with Ray at Workout with Ray, my fitness sponsor. It is always a pleasure to visit with him. He is so invested in each of his clients, and that’s pretty awesome. Thanks for the new workout ideas, Ray!

I had a unique opportunity that afternoon. I had a meeting with the president of Muscatine Community College, Bob Allbee. We talked quite a bit about common perceptions of community and junior college. I actually went to a junior college for three semesters, so I was able to relate pretty well. We discussed the advantages and acknowledged that everyone has different learning styles that can be catered to through a variety of post-secondary education arenas. What really impressed me was the relationship that MCC has built with the area high schools. More than 15% of MCC students are dual credit students. That’s really good! It’s so important to take advantage of the college classes offered during high school.

That night, I went back to the Pearl City Chophouse for more autographs and pictures. This time, I had a bag of Hershey’s chocolates.

Saturday was so much fun! After my workout in the morning, my mom and I went to Elly’s tea and coffee shop for lunch. I was able to meet Elly and visit for a little bit. What a nice lady! Muscatine is very lucky to have her and her shop.

Afterward, we went next door to the Hall Tree Boutique to shop for an appearance outfit for Miss Iowa week. They had absolutely beautiful clothing and jewelry! It was pretty hard to choose, but I ended up with a really great outfit! : ) Thank you SO much, Kathy! I really appreciate your sponsorship. I had a lot of fun browsing around your store and chatting with you. My mom and I met my brother for dinner in Iowa City before heading to Cedar Rapids to watch the Miss Cedar Valley pageant! Congrats Amanda Manning! It’s always nice and relaxing to watch a pageant from the audience. ;)

On Sunday, I packed up and headed back to Texas to get ready for my week internship in Orlando. More on that later!

 

Back in the Pearl City!

I’m looking forward to a great long weekend in Muscatine! Tomorrow afternoon I’m getting my photos taken for Miss Iowa at Shirk Photography in Wilton. I can’t wait to work with Ben Shirk! He does wonderful work, and it should be a good time.

Both Thursday and Friday evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. I will be at the Pearl City Chophouse, a new restaurant in downtown Muscatine. I get to greet and meet people, sign autographs and hand out balloons. How fun!

On Friday morning I’m meeting with my trainer, Ray, in Davenport. I’m so grateful for his sponsorship and support. Gotta be in tip-top shape for Miss Iowa week! J That afternoon, I’m going to shop at the Hall Tree Boutique, the appearance outfit sponsor, for a new outfit! Then I’ll stop at Elly’s tea and coffee house, the sponsor of my coffee for my YEAR as Miss Pearl City, to caffeinate. Before heading back downtown for the evening, I will be taking a tour of Muscatine Community College.

I get to sleep in on Saturday!! In the afternoon I have a meeting with Legacy Group Consulting, my coaching sponsor. After I take care of business, I get to go watch the Miss Cedar Valley local pageant in Cedar Rapids in the evening.

I’m so happy to be back and able to spend some time in Muscatine! Pictures will follow next week J

So I had a pretty cool weekend.

So I had a really cool weekend.

 

Some newspaper staff and I went to the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference in Fort Worth at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. It was awesome! I’d love to share what we did and what I learned.

On Thursday evening, we went out to eat with all of the other students and conference faculty. The restaurant, Ol South Pancake House, is a 24-hour tradition in Ft. Worth. In case you’re wondering, I had an omelet. Don’t worry though, Seth got a HUGE plate of chocolate chip pancakes, and I assisted him. ;) After we ate, they separated us into the groups for Friday’s practicum. I got my camera to use (it was a $3,000 camera… I pretty much signed my life away that night) and fell asleep directly upon our return to the Seminary.

My group (the newbies) headed to the Ft. Worth Stockyards the next morning for our assignment. I had never been! In case you’re not familiar with the stockyards, they were a place where cattle drivers headed up the Chisholm trail stopped for rest and supplies. Today it’s a national historic district and tourist destination.

I held on to that camera for dear life and took pictures of lots of cool stuff. We stopped for lunch, which was followed by delicious creamy praline fudge. Yeah, I ate a whole square.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in a workshop with the professionals serving as our instructors. We went through the photos we took and received feedback and suggestions. Dr. V. and I were able to select five photos to turn in for the competition! I will add them to the bottom of the blog entry J That evening, the UMHB staff and our advisor went out for Mexican! Ole!

Saturday was a crazy day! We began at 8 a.m. and ended at 10 p.m. Throughout the day, different professionals from the industry presented. My two favorites were Greg Thompson, the Sr. Director of Corporate Communications at Chick-fil-A and James Gregg from the San Diego Union Tribune. Each presented different aspects of photojournalism. I was especially attentive to Mr. Thompson because I want to do his job someday (not at Chick-fil-A in particular, but corporate communication).

I’m kind of a foodie, so I can’t leave out all the yummy food they fed us! On Friday night during the “refreshment break”, I ate a delicious lemon bar. I love lemon bars. Chick-fil-A provided Saturday’s lunch, and I refrained from the fried chicken sandwich. Still gotta wear that swimsuit come June! ;) Barbecue was for supper. I skipped the cornbread and had a piece of pie. No regrets.

Don’t worry Ray, I’m back on track today with my healthy eating and workouts! Sometimes, life is too short to say no to a piece of chocolate pie. That’s a good life lesson right there.

These are my favorite quotes from the conference that I think we can all gain from:

“Every great photographer starts off as a lousy photographer.” (Amen)

“There is no solution because there is no problem.”

“If you want to have a fun day, be a fun person.”

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

“Every life has a story.”

“Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you want to, but you can only spend it once.”

I’m looking forward to my ZOption intern training on Friday and flying back to good old Iowa on Saturday!

That’s all for now!

Below are the photos I took at the stockyards! P.S. I didn't take the first one, so photo credit to my boyfriend for that :)

 

February Madness. Isn't that supposed to be March?!

Greetings,

 

What a whirlwind of a February it has been! I’ve temporarily escaped the Midwestern tundra and am back to pursuing my education. However, it hasn’t even peaked above 40 degrees today. And yes, the Texans are having a hard time bearing the nearly freezing temperatures. If you look out the window, you might arrange that it’s sub-zero or something! They’re all bundled up to brave the cold front. Ha! Okay, I’m done picking on the poor Texans.

I’ve been keeping pretty busy here at UMHB. In the last edition of The Bells campus newspaper, I had a book review and a news article published. Yesterday, my story about Holly Tucker, a Baylor student who competed and eventually earned 6th place on The Voice. That was pretty cool. I’ll add some links to my stories at the bottom to this blog if ya’ll are interested!

I’m continuing my PR/Communication internship in the President’s Office here at school. What a neat opportunity it has been! I’ve gotten better acquainted with the leaders of UMHB and have an insider view of the university. I am happy to say that I am even more proud to be a student here. Something cool that I got to work on was Dr. O’Rear’s (the president) speech for the dedication of a new street that runs through campus. That was exciting.

 

My boyfriend spoiled me for Valentine's Day and took me to San Antonio. I might just be the luckiest girl in the world, not sure. If not, at least in the top five! ;) That was my first time visiting the Alamo, which is a huge part of Texas' history. I feel like a true Texan now! We also walked along the Riverwalk and ate a yummy meal at the Gritsmill. So much fun!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the job fair on campus and learned about a neat, one-week internship opportunity with a software company called ZOption. They were looking for four students to take with them to work with their marketing team at their trade show at Disney World in March. Ultimately, they needed professional people with outstanding communications skills. “Hey, I can do that,” I thought. I made it through the first round of resumes and was among the ten people called upon for an interview. So, the week after my spring break I’m heading to Florida on my first business trip! I can hardly wait! I attribute the communication skills I've gained through competing in pageants to obtaining this position.

Tomorrow, the newspaper staff is leaving for a photojournalism conference in Fort Worth. It’s tough having to miss my Friday classes, but I just love going to different conferences and learning all that I can.

Yesterday I had a productive conference call with Michelle and Jessica of Legacy Group Consulting in regard to my preparation for Miss Iowa. We talked quite a bit about my platform, which I’m very excited about. While a title for it has yet to be decided on, it has to do with awareness of gender roles and equality in the workplace, inspiring women to strive for leadership roles and supporting female entrepreneurs. More on this later.

This morning I booked two flights home in April! I’ll be back the first weekend for a shopping trip with the Miss Muscatine/Pearl City board and the last weekend for Miss Iowa orientation. I can’t wait to be back!

I’m so thankful for these amazing opportunities, and I truly hope to encourage other young people to set lofty goals and confidently attain them. Whether that be as Miss Pearl City, Miss Iowa, Miss America or just Leah.

 

Have a good rest of your week!

 

Leah

 

P.s. Below is a link to my stories. Enjoy!

 

http://thebells.umhb.edu/author/lbunkers/

 

 

Back in the Heartland!

Hello!

I’ve had a fun and busy weekend back in my favorite state. Every minute of my trip has been thoroughly enjoyed! (Okay, maybe everything except the weather. Burr!) I am so blessed to be able to pursue my goal of becoming Miss Iowa from school in Texas. Thank you to everyone on both ends who support me in this long distance affair.

After a long evening of weather related travel delays on Thursday, I finally made it back to get some sleep before my busy Friday!

On Friday morning I was on air with Andy at Muscatine KWPC. I had a great time talking about the Miss America Organization and what it’s like to be involved! I was able to explain what separates the MAO from other pageants. Doing so always functions as a good reminder as to why I do what I do.

Next we headed to LeChic for round two of Miss Iowa evening gown shopping. It was successful! ;) I’m SO excited to wear my beautiful dress in June. It’s perfect. Thanks again Heather and Stacy!

After shopping we went to Performing Arts Muscatine, a generous sponsor of the Miss Muscatine program, to work on my talent selection for June. Bruce’s expertise and advice is absolutely priceless. Thank you so much for all that you do for the program and the Muscatine community. I greatly appreciate it!

On Saturday, Serica Rowley, Miss Muscatine, and I went to Newton for a princess workshop! This was one of the coolest events ever. The ladies in charge set up hair, make up and nail stations for girls to be pampered at in preparation for that evening’s Princess and Papas Ball. The little princesses were able to pick out their favorite dress, shoes, jewelry and hair accessories to wear. There were so many to choose from! There are wonderful people in the Newton community who make sure that every little girl gets to feel like a princess. It was an honor to be a part of this event.

I’ve been spending my Sunday with my family. In a few minutes I’ll be heading back to the airport and reality!

Life is SO good.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)