This Weekend

Best of luck to the women competing in the Miss Mansfield/Miss North Central Ohio pageant this weekend.  Their photos, platforms, and talent selections can be viewed here.  The website is absolutely fantastic--I wish all the locals had one like this!

I'll be working at a fundraiser for the Junior Class Council at Bethany College--a pancake breakfast with santa.  I'm the treasurer of the junior class, so I have a big responsibility to be there.  It should be a really great morning!

Next week is finals.  I can't believe this semester is virtually over!  It flew by.  On top of finishing up my classes, I'll be getting ready to spend December 15-January 14 in Germany!  It should be a fantastic trip.

Miss Vacationland--the results!

Miss Vacationland: Jackie Nichols

First Runner-Up: April O'Brien (me!)

Second Runner-Up: Alyssa Phillips

Swimsuit: Jackie Nichols

Interview: April O'Brien (me!)

Talent: Priya Sharma

I had such a blast at this pageant. It was absolutely wonderful--we got to stay in a nice hotel, we had awesome meals, and I got to meet a former Miss America! I met lovely women from across the state, especially my two roommates, Jackie and Alissa. We were so amazed that the three of us won such honors in the pageant--our hotel room must have been good luck!

It was such an honor to meet Miss America 1963, Jackie Mayer. She is a beautiful woman who has done wonderful things in her life. She was the very first Miss Vacationland. The pageant ran for 5 or 6 years, then was discontinued. She went on to capture the Miss Ohio title on her first try, then went straight to the top and won Miss America. At the Miss Vacationland 2009 pageant, the Miss America song was played while she entered the stage, and my eyes filled with tears--she was so graceful and classy. I was really honored to be there with her. Here's a picture of her from her reign, followed by photos after the pageant. Jackie is still as beautiful today as she was during her reigns as Miss Vacationland, Miss Ohio, and Miss America!

Melanie Murphy (Miss Ohio 2006), me, Jackie Mayer (Miss America 1963), Jackie Nichols, Erica Gelhaus (current Miss Ohio), Alyssa Phillips

First runner-up, winner, second runner-up

All the girls

I'm really proud of my accomplishments. I remember competing for an entire year without a single award, and now I've won interview twice, I've placed, and I won a smile award! Hopefully I'll win a title in my near future.

I'll be back in pageantland in 2010!

Pageant Mode

I've been entirely consumed with school and all my extra-curricular activities. I'm taking a full course load (including Organic Chemistry...yuck!), I rejoined the cheerleading squad, I'm treasurer of the junior class, I'm about to finish my second term as the Student Government Association secretary, I was just reelected as president of Alpha Xi Delta, I tutor for Economics, I work in the library and children's library, and I'm about to start a term as a Student Court justice. Whew! It's been an extremely busy semester.

All in all, I've been missing pageants. I really enjoy competing, so these past few months have been strange without them. It's time to get back into pageant mode--I've been slowly working myself back into a workout regiment (after a fractured knee cap in August and a minor surgery last month). I'm preparing a new talent presentation. I'll be wearing a new evening gown. As I posted, I'll be in Miss Vacationland next Saturday, and I really want to do a great job.

Wish me luck this weekend. It's definitely difficult to get back into the pageant mindset with such a long hiatus, but I think I can do it. I'll do my best!

Miss Vacationland

I've decided to compete in the Miss Vacationland pageant on November 28, 2009. I'm extremely excited for this pageant--not only will I have the opportunity to meet a former Miss America, I'll also get to compete in my home state again! It should be really great.

Miss Northern West Virginia

I competed in the very first Miss Northern West Virginia pageant on Saturday. It was a really great experience! The pageant experience was great--the directors provided hair and makeup artists for us, the food was delicious, the venue was nice, and the program lasted less than two hours (I think that is a new pageant record...most shows I've been in last forever!). I won the Interview Award and the Smile Award.

Although I'm from Ohio, I'm able to compete in WV because I attend Bethany College in Brooke County. Aubrey Bodo, also from Ohio, competed in the pageant as well. Miss Ohio 2008, Karissa Martin, crowned the winner.

Here are some pictures from the pageant that I took from PSK Innovations. See www.missnorthernwv.com for more!

Gabriella Harcharik, Aubrey Bodo, me, Miss Northern West Virginia Cali Young,
1st Runner up Leann Romitti, Erin Birkhimer, Chelcee Casey

Miss Northern West Virginia - Cali Young
1st Runner Up - Leann Romitti
Interview Award - April O'Brien
Eyes Award - Gabriella Harcharik
Smile Award - April O'Brien

The Ohio Girls--pageant volunteer Allison West (former Miss Ohio Valley), Aubrey Bodo, Karissa Martin (Miss Ohio 2008), and I

Again, thank you to PSK Innovations for the photos. I hope to compete again next year.