I'm baaaaaaaaaccckkkk!!!
Wow, what an adventure. I could have never
imagined how much I would learn from an experience like Miss America. I
feel so incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to compete in such a
legendary competition but I also feel so fortunate to be going back home where
I can serve the state I love. I came away from Vegas with a whole pile of
new and amazing friends, a deep gratitude to all those who helped build me up
and a greater understanding of myself and where I'm supposed to be. Miss
America is a life-changing, mind-boggling experience. I was constantly
struck with how unforgettable each moment was. I am thrilled for the next
Miss Florida as she too will go to Miss America and experience one of the best times
of her life. I can't wait to shower her with advice!
Here's a day by day recap of everything that
happened at Miss America:
Day 1: ARRIVAL: I got to the Tampa
airport for a very early flight and I was greeted by the wonderful Rob Loy
(Miss Florida board member and friend). I was all decked out in an outfit
meant for much colder weather desperately trying not to sweat my spray tan off
before I even got to Vegas. Rob and I took a few last minute photos and I
was off! I ended up sitting by a very rambunctious baby on my way to
Vegas and he decided I was his jungle gym for most of the 4 hour flight.
I figured it was great preparation to be Miss America...
When I landed in Las Vegas, I was greeted by Chris
with Miss America security. He quickly became one of my favorites thanks
to his jovial sense of humor and love of sports. We piled my two
suitcases in the car (we shipped most of my wardrobe there) and headed to the
Planet Hollywood hotel! As soon as I got to the hotel, I started seeing
the other contestants and after multiple embraces, I realized I was about to
make some lifelong friends. My roommate, Miss South Dakota is one of
them. I was instantly at ease thanks to her warmth and we had many good
laughs throughout the week. Calista, you are phenomenal!
The rooms at the hotel were great because both
girls get a hanging rack and an individual sink! We set up some of our
stuff and quickly had to change for the arrival ceremony. I got to see
all of the girls at the ceremony and the excitement in the air was palpable.
We all knew someone's life was changing forever in a matter of days and
it was thrilling to contemplate. We finished the arrival ceremony and
went to a meeting with the MAO office where they served pizza and cake.
We all ate it, of course and were thrilled to have it! I sat at a
table with Miss Michigan and Miss Alabama and we all listened intently to their
accents as they talked. Miss Alaska told me she thought she was beginning
to sound like Alabama accidentally. At this point, we didn't all know
each other's names well so we would often refer to each other as our states.
You would hear someone yell, "Puerto Rico" or "South
Carolina" across the room.
After the meeting, we went to an interview session
with the LiveWell Network. By this time, us east coast girls were
beginning to feel the repercussions of being awake since 4 AM and we were
fading fast. We finally went upstairs to bed and tried to get some
shut-eye amidst all the excitement.
Day 2: REHEARSAL: For me, the second
day at Miss America was mostly spent rehearsing for upcoming video shoots and
for the preliminary nights. Other girls were being pulled for interviews
that we all did eventually but I stayed in rehearsal all day learning the
swimsuit and evening gown walking patters as well as the opening number.
We had a great time getting to know each other better and I think I
probably talked to about 38 girls just finding out more about them and enjoying
their stories throughout the day. We had about 15 minutes to change for
our event that night so we all hustled to our rooms and everyone came out
looking so beautiful. I can't even tell y'all how pretty all of these
girls are! Pictures don't do them justice. Our appearance was at
the Terry Fator ventriloquist show and it was phenomenal. We were all
blown away at his talents and had a fun time going out on the stage and being
introduced to the crowd.
Day 3: REHEARSAL AND MORE: We continued to
rehearse everything and began to lose all ability to know what day or time it
was. It was actually nice because we were not allowed to have our phones
so we adjusted and enjoyed life without contact to regular society. That
night we had the Miss America Fashion Show at Las Vegas Fashion Show Mall.
It was incredible. I could have never imagined myself walking in a
fashion show like this and I'm sure I wasn't the coolest on the runway but it
was an absolute blast. I will never forget what it felt like to wave at
the crowd from that runway.
After the fashion show, we went to Bucca Di Beppo
for a delicious dinner. It was hilarious seeing all these girls in crowns
and sashes pigging out on bread and italian food but we were ready to eat!
Then, they brought out the biggest ice cream sundae I have ever seen and
the whole thing got even funnier. We all went nuts as we hadn't had ice
cream in quite some time and everyone was laughing so hard. Stomach aches
quickly followed but it was all worth it. I even got to stir a huge pot
of marinara sauce with Miss California. What a night!
DAY 4: FILMING: It was an early morning
filled with fruit snacks and peanut butter (thank goodness for the Miss America
hostesses) as we hopped on the bus to film our introduction for the ABC
broadcast. My group filmed at the Boneyard in Vegas and we had so much
fun. It was such an interesting place-- a graveyard of sorts for old
signs. We returned to rehearsal and had an early night because my group
started interviews the next morning. We enjoyed getting sleep when we
could and I spent time reading cards everyone had sent me. The wonderful
support is so enriching and I am honored to have so many people behind me.
DAY 5: INTERVIEW: Today was the first
day we got to rehearse in the Planet Hollywood theater and it was magical.
I never even spent time thinking about what it would feel like to be on
the Miss America stage and there I was, standing on it. We all started
joking because as the day went on, people slept on the stage, sat down on the
stage, and even slipped on the stage. We all agreed that we would have
never imagined sleeping on the Miss America stage. It was all surreal and
I loved just rehearsing walking patterns on the stage because it was so
magnificent.
Around noon I was dismissed from rehearsal to go prepare for my
interview. My incredibly talented makeup artist and great friend Hollie
O'Brien met me to do my hair and makeup and she did an exceptional job (it
takes a lot to make me look presentable and she got it done!). I went
upstairs to wait for my interview in my hotel room and did my final
preparations. One of the last things I did was watch Cullen Johnson (Miss
Virginia) in her Miss America interview in 1995. She was Heather
Whitestone's first runner up and Mary showed me her interview a couple of
months ago. I absolutely loved it and felt she is a true representation
of how to be yourself in any situation.
My interview was very difficult but I felt very prepared thanks to the
Miss Florida board and all of the thoughtful mock interview judges I had over
the past few months. The Miss America
judges asked me about everything from gun control to what I would discuss with
President Obama if I could sit him down in the White House right now. I am very critical of myself but I felt like
I did the best I could with the questions I was given and felt a sense of relief
when it was over.
That night we got to eat a very satisfying dinner while watching the
second half of the national championship game.
While enjoying piles of Dorito mac and cheese, we watched Alabama crush
Notre Dame!
DAY 6: TALENT: When we arrived at the theater Tuesday
morning, we all immediately ran to the stage to see how slippery it was. Upon discovering that it was very slick, I
started praying. Rehearsal was alright
but I felt like I was dancing on ice.
Thank goodness for Shea Sullivan’s encouragement. I felt like a crazy person shaking my
tambourine all over that stage but she made me feel like I was doing Florida
proud! I promised myself I would give it
my all that night because it might be the last time I ever danced ballet on the
Miss America stage. Sure enough, it was
and I had the time of my life out there.
I’m so thankful I got the chance to dance on that stage and I was so
glad my family was there to see it! Thank
you to Shea Sullivan for the awesome choreography and thank you to Mary Angles
for the incredible costume. I am so
honored I had the chance to wear it on a beautiful stage.
DAY 7: ON STAGE QUESTION: Wednesday was a nice break in the middle of
the week with just on stage question to focus on. I loved the opportunity to talk about my
platform The Miracle League a little bit more.
All the on stage questions on preliminary nights at Miss America are platform
based so every girl gets a chance to promote her platform no matter what. I was able to tell the audience about how to
raise funds for The Miracle League and talk about my friend Matt Walker who
first told me about this organization when he invited me to his baseball game
and I learned about how they build baseball fields for children with
disabilities.
Also, I cannot thank Regalia Magnificent Apparel and Juan Carlos Pinera
enough for my on stage question dress. I
loved wearing it and I felt it was the epitome of class.
DAY 8: SWIMSUIT AND EVENING
GOWN: I could not have been more excited
to wear my evening gown. I am so
grateful for the generosity of Carry and David at Regalia. They gave me a gown that made me feel amazing
and for the first time ever, I felt like I actually looked like I belonged in a
pageant (haha!). It was sooo cold
running from the dressing room tent to the stage in a swimsuit. I definitely should have brought a robe…
Thursday night was very emotional for all of the contestants because we
realized we had finished competing and there was nothing more we could do. It was then in the hands of the judges to
decide who would make the top 15 and ultimately who would become Miss
America. There was a weight on our
shoulders that many of us couldn’t describe.
The more I think about it, I think it was that we all knew someone’s
life would change forever and that Miss America 2013 was among us. In that moment, everything we all did seemed
to carry more importance.
DAY 9: What a day! This one started really early for me…3:30 AM
in fact. I was selected with Miss
California to do the Satellite Media Tour for Artistry and Amway. Basically, we reported to the camera set at
4:15 AM and did interviews for TV stations around the country (about 35) about
Amway’s scholarship money, Artistry and Miss America. It was an incredible opportunity and I am so
glad I got the experience of speaking with so many different media outlets in a
day. It was exhausting as I only got an
hour and 45 minutes of sleep but so worth it and great preparation for my job
as Miss Florida! I went straight to
rehearsal after doing the 4 hour media tour, then to a Sketchers commercial
shoot with Brooke Burke and then to a dinner at Burgr in Planet Hollywood
(yum). I am thankful MAO gave me the
chance to do so many media appearances while in Vegas. Promoting the Miss Florida organization was
very important to me and I feel I was able to get our name out there a great
deal.
Day 10: FINALS: Some girls say they woke up on Saturday
morning with a sense of calm. I don’t
think I necessarily had a sense of calm but I did have a strong sense that the
“right” thing was going to happen. I
felt the entire situation was in God’s hands and there was nothing any of us
could do to change the situation. I
enjoyed the final day with all the new friends I had made and tried to milk all
the moments for all they were worth. I
fully prepared myself to make the top 15 and also to not make the top 15. I ate a bagel and a lot of mini Snickers bars
and got ready to watch someone’s life be changed. I will never forget standing backstage with
Miss Colorado, Miss Hawaii, Miss Illinois, Miss Puerto Rico, Miss Delaware and
Miss Arkansas right before we were about to go out on the Miss America stage
one last time. We all cried a little bit
when the show started and we realized we were actually about to compete in Miss
America on live television. It is a
surreal moment and I understand I’m in a small group of women who ever get to
experience it.
I was incredibly honored to be called as a part of the top 15. While I was cut shortly after being called
and only did swimsuit, I was so thankful to even be a part of it all. I cannot say enough about how impressive each
and every one of these women are. The
caliber of their character, class and compassion is astounding and I am so
excited to see what each one does to change the world. Our future is in great hands. I am so happy for Miss America 2013, Mallory
Hagan. She is so passionate about this
organization and she is a savvy business woman.
She will further MAO and her progress will be admired by all as she
touches many lives this year.
I feel so fortunate to have had the chance to compete in Miss America
and represent the state of Florida on a national level. I was constantly struck with how lucky I am
to have all the sponsors we have here. I
cannot thank all of you enough. Ann
Marie Griffin: you have given me more than I could ever name. Thank you for all the beautiful clothes and
thank you for your constant support and kind words. I received so many compliments on my wardrobe
throughout my week at Miss America and it got to the point where people would
ask, “Is that from Ann Marie too?” I had
so many girls say they wished they had an “Ann Marie” too! I could not be happier with all the beautiful
clothes and it gives me great encouragement to keep hitting the gym so I can
still fit in them!
Speaking of the gym, special thanks to Matt and Hollie O’Brien. Matt: you gave me the confidence to strut my
stuff in swimsuit and feel healthy and strong throughout a tough week. I stayed healthy and energized the whole time
despite a severe lack of sleep and I firmly believe it’s thanks to all the
intense training that Matt put me through before I left. I also feel stronger dancing than I ever have
and it’s all because of my work in the TrYumph gym! Hollie:
thank you for making me look glamorous at Miss America with your amazing
makeup and hair skills! It was so nice
to not have to fool with my hair and makeup and know that it would be taken
care of by an absolute pro. You made me
look like me with a little extra glam and I loved every minute in the hair and
makeup room with you!
I don’t even know where to start with my thank yous to the Miss Florida
board. Mary: you prepared me better than
I ever thought I could be prepared for Miss America. You have taught me so much and given me a
confidence I never thought I would have.
I am so excited to hit the ground running with you in Florida! Rob, Keith, Kitty, Dana, Kim and Ray: many
thanks for all of your support at Miss America and from a distance. Your encouragement during Miss America kept
me going at times when I was worried I wasn’t doing enough to make Florida
proud. What you all do for young women
is truly remarkable.
Thank you to my amazing parents who took a week out of their lives to
come and support me. As much as I don’t
like seeing my face on a large sign, I appreciate the signs and the love more
than you will ever know. I know it’s
been a long 3 years in the pageant world but 10 pageants later, I am stronger,
more confident and ready to take on anything that comes my way. Thank you mom, dad, Dave and Alex for helping
me in so many ways. Thank you to my
incredibly supportive and patient boyfriend Josh for sponsoring and reassuring
me throughout this process. You and your
amazing parents have offered wisdom and humor in moments that could have been
frustrating.
The thank yous continue….Thank you to my amazing friends in Largo,
Florida. The Miss Largo board of
directors came along to support me in Vegas and it was so wonderful to have
them there for this journey. Thank you
to my best friend Olivia and her beautiful mom and sister for coming to cheer
me on and for all the fun over the years.
Thank you to Kelly for the constant, incomparable humor. I don’t know what I would have done without
you! Thank you to the Lupo family for
coming to join us and so many thanks to my gorgeous princess Leah Roddenberry
and her mom for being there as well. I’m
sure I’m leaving someone out but I could not be more appreciative of all the
wonderful cheerleaders I had in Vegas.
It was so humbling.
I am so excited to get back to work in Florida. I am working now to schedule an array of
appearances and I am looking forward to promoting the Everglades Foundation as
well as my platform the Miracle League.
This is a year and an opportunity I will never take for granted and I am
eager to serve my state to the best of my ability.
