Miss America's Outstandig Teen is Right Around the Corner!

The Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant is kicking off on August 14 in Orlando, Florida! Please join me and many other New Yorkers in wishing Shannon Ryan, Miss New York's Outstanding Teen 2012, luck as she prepares and competes in the national pageant!

Visit http://maoteen.org/ to learn mor about the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Organization!

Visit http://missny.org to learn more about Shannon, and how her year is going!

XOXO,
Sarah

Miss New York's Outstanding Teen: Days 2 and 3

   "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
   When I arrived in Staten Island for the Miss New York's Outstanding Teen competition, I decided that this bible verse would be my inspiration for the weekend. I decided that, because this was my first year competing in Miss New York's Outstanding Teen, I would go into the competition solely to make friends and have fun.
   At 9:00 am on Saturday, June 16, I had my first rehearsal with the first half of the wonderful contestants (the other half was busy taking regents examinations that morning). I had an amazing time meeting the girls and getting closer to them! After a three hour rehearsal, all of the teens were given a few hours to relax and prepare for interviews. I used some of this time to meet my grandmother (who flew out all the way from Oklahoma) at the hotel. At 4:15, I arrived in the lobby for interviews and had my interview at around 5:20! My interview went really well! I was glad that I was able to talk about my platform, Heart U, and about my interests in musical theater! My eight minutes with the judges seemed to fly by, and after my interview I was off to watch the second preliminary show for Miss New York!

In front of the hotel before leaving for my first rehearsal!

Right before walking into my interview!

   I had a VERY early start the next morning. I had a 5:15 am wake up call for a 7:30 am rehearsal. All of the girls seemed really tired! But all of that faded away once we finished learning routines and we started our dress rehearsal. We spent the rest of the day at the theater preparing for the 2:00 pm Miss New York's Outstanding Teen Preliminary Show. I had so much fun during the preliminaries and I feel like I did my absolute best! I was even given the chance to visit my family before launching into a final show rehearsal with the Miss New York Contestants.

With my "adopted" Miss contestant, Katie Guevarra, Miss Westchester!

Competing in Evening Wear and Onstage Question!

Video Credit goes to Katie Guevarra!

Competing in Talent!

Video Credit goes to Katie Guevarra!

   At the final show, I was honored to be apart of the Top 5 Contestants! What made the moment even more special was that I was standing next to my long time friend, Katherine McQuade! My goal going into the pageant was to make Top 5 during my first year competing, and I reached it! I was eventually decided as fourth runner-up to Miss New York's Outstanding Teen 2012, Shannon Ryan!

   I have so many people to thank for this wonderful opportunity. First, to Linda Carbo for answering my numerous (and probably very annoying at some points) questions about the Miss New York's Outstanding Teen Organization. Next, I would like to thank my family for always supporting me through all of my endeavors. To my mom and dad, thank you for driving me to all of my appearances and everywhere else I needed to be. And lastly, to God for giving me this amazing opportunity. Not many girls can say that they placed fourth runner-up to Miss New York's Outstanding Teen during their first time. Through God, I have been able to serve the Miss New York's Outstanding Teen Organization and my community to the best of my ability.

I truly can do all things through Him, who strengthens me.

XOXO,

Sarah

Miss New York's Outstanding Teen: Day 1

   Hey everyone! After a lot of traffic, and a much needed nap, I arrived in Staten Island for the Miss New York's Outstanding Teen competition today! I was really excited to watch the first Miss New York Preliminary show tonight too! I even made some new Outstanding Teen friends! But tomorrow is going to be a lot more jam-packed with activities!
   Tomorrow morning, the other teens and I head off to rehearsals for our preliminary show on Saturday. Next, I have interview tomorrow evening (which is what I am most excited for because interview is one of my favorite phases of competition). After interviews, I get to watch the second preliminary competition for the Miss New York contestants. Did I mention that my grandma, from Oklahoma, is flying down to New York to watch the competition tomorrow! I am so excited to see her! But, until tomorrow, I will be catching up on some sleep!

Goodnight!
XOXO,
Sarah

Southampton High School's Eighth Annual Science Research Symposium

    I was so excited to be apart of my high school's eighth annual Science Research Symposium on Monday, June 4th. The Science Research class is a program designed for science loving students! The class is an optional extra science class where students can design and carry out their own research projects, based on their interests. This past school year was my first year in the program, and I had been eager to start the research process.
   At the Science Research Symposium, my classmates and I were able to present our year's worth of work for our research. As a first year student, I was given the task of presenting a poster and research paper based on one of the many scientific articles that I have read. My topic, which is very closely associated with my platform (Heart U) is The Effect of Physical Fitness on Academic Achievement. I will eventually be researching how physical activity affects the memory and academic achievement in elementary school students.

Presenting my topic to everyone who attended the Science Research Symposium!

My classmate, Natalie, and I receiving awards for our research work at Brookhaven National Lab this year!

   A HUGE thank you to my Science Research teacher, Mrs. Milton, our wonderful librarian, Ms. Liss, and all of the students who worked so hard to make sure the symposium ran as smoothly as possible!

XOXO,

Sarah

Inspirational Bike Riders at the Hamptons Heart Ride

   On Saturday, May 19, I was lucky enough to be able to volunteer at a water stop for the annual Hamptons Heart Ride! My fellow water stop volunteers and I gave out sandwiches, snacks, and drinks to the riders. It was my second year volunteering at the Heart Ride, and I can't tell you how inspirational the whole experience was. Each of the riders had to bike a minimum of 60 miles! Can you believe that?! And if that isn't enough, some participants chose to ride over 100 miles on their bikes. After meeting the inspirational riders that day, I decided to set a new goal for myself. I am going to find the time to ride my bike as much as possible, and ride in a, much less intense, bike ride before this time next year. I'm going to try my hardest to make my goal a reality! Here are some pictures I took at the water stop:

The other volunteers and I!

   A big shout out goes to the Hamptons Heart Ride staff, the volunteers, and the riders, who inspired me so much through their hard work and dedication!

XOXO,

Sarah

And the Countdown Begins!

   Hi, everyone! I'm SO excited because in one month I will be starting to compete for Miss New York's Outstanding Teen at the St. George Theater in Staten Island, New York! I'm super excited to meet all of the contestants and make new friends! I have been preparing SO much for the pageant and I can't wait to finally put my hard work to good use.
   On Friday, June 15, I will be competing in interview and rehearsing my talent. Later that night, the other contestants and I will be able to watch the Miss New York preliminaries! At 2:00 on Saturday, June 16, I will be competing in the Miss New York's Outstanding Teen preliminaries, and the winner will be crowned that day! Can you say exciting?! I can't wait!

If you are interested in learning more about the Miss New York and the Miss New York's Outstanding Teen programs click here.

XOXO,
Sarah

Teens in Training Camp

Are you a young woman between the ages 13-17 and are interested in competing in or learning more bout the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Scholarship Program? Here's your chance! Last year I attended a program called Teens in Training Camp. The camp is a program run by the MAO Teen Organization. At the camp, campers are taught vital information that can help them to prepare for their local, state, and even national MAO Teen pageant by professionals in each area. Did I mention that the camp is held during the Miss America's Outstanding Teen national pageant in Florida? Campers also get to watch the national pageant LIVE!
I was lucky enough to be apart of the first Teens in Training Camp last year, and I have nothing but good things to say about the program. I loved being apart of the workshops that all of the other campers and I participated, and I was amazed by the national pageant! I encourage you to check it out! I will post the link below!
http://www.teensintrainingcamp.com/

XOXO,
Sarah

Performing at Carnegie Hall!

   On Sunday, April 29, I was blessed with the opportunity to sing "Anything's Possible" from Seussical the Musical on the Carnegie Hall stage with the New York Pops and then new friends that I made at Camp Broadway. I even met some celebrities such as Brian D'Arcy James (who stars on SMASH, and has even performed alongside my Broadway hero, Sutton Foster in Shrek The Musical) and Norm Lewis (who has played Javet both on Broadway, as well as during the Les Miserables London Tour in 2011. He knows Nick Jonas too!). Here are some pictures that I took during the last day of rehearsals:

Some friends and I before our final rehearsal!

See if you can find me on the Carnegie Hall stage! I'm in yellow! (you can click on the picture to make it bigger!)

Before saying goodbye to my new friends! I miss you all already!

   I'd love to thank Camp Broadway for giving me the chance to sing on the Carnegie Hall stage. I'd also like to thank the musicians of the New York Pops and everyone behind the scenes for making my experience a very memorable one. And lastly, to all of my new friends from Camp Broadway, thank you for making my first experience with Camp Broadway better than I could have ever imagined! I can't wait to see you all again in the future!

XOXO,

Sarah

Zumbathon to Benefit the American Heart Association!

   On Saturday, May 5, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM the Ed & Phyllis Davis Wellness Institute at Southampton Hospital will be hosting a Zumbathon to benefit the American Heart Association! Come on down to 230 Elm Street, in Southampton, New York to participate in this fun-for-all event!

   If you haven't heard about Zumba yet, it's time you found out what exactly the program is! Zumba is a specialized fitness program that focuses on dancing and having fun to get exercise. If you can't dance, don't worry! Zumba isn't meant to be a "dancing" program. It is designed to help participants get exercise while having fun at the same time! No experience is necessary!

   For the past two weeks, my gym class has been participating in Zumba classes! While it is very intimidating at first, it is a great alternative for staying healthy and being active! I encourage everyone to come out to the Zumbathon for a great time, and a great cause! If you would like more information, click on the link below:

Party in Red Zumbathon to Benefit the American Heart Association

XOXO,

Sarah

Update: Carnegie Hall Performance Day 2!

   Hi all! I can't believe my performance at Carnegie Hall with Camp Broadway and the New York Pops is TOMORROW! I've had such an amazing time so far! Today, all of the performers and I were treated to a dance class with Shannon Lewis, a performer in the current production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (which means she knows Nick Jonas too!) Here's a picture of her and me:

   Even though tomorrow is my last day with all of my new friends, I am excited to be performing onstage tomorrow! Wish me luck!

XOXO,

Sarah

Update: Carnegie Hall Performance

   Hello everyone! A few months ago I auditioned, along with 500 other kids, to perform at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops as a part of a special program offered by Camp Broadway! I was lucky enough to be chosen to be one of the fifty-eight kids to be performing not only with the New York Pops, but also famous Broadway performers such as Brian d'Arcy James and Norm Lewis!
   Today was the first day of rehearsals! We learned the song and the choreography that we will be performing, and we got the cutest outfits to wear for our performance! There's only two more days until the actual show, and I plan to keep you all updated until then!

Also be sure to like Camp Broadway on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter! I will post the links below!
Have a great weekend!

XOXO,
Sarah

Camp Broadway Facebook page
Camp Broadway Twitter account

My Trip to Spain

   Over Spring Break, I traveled to Spain with my Spanish class for an exchange program! I was given the chance to immerse myself into the history and culture of Spain, while staying with a host family. I was able to attend my host partner, Maria's, music school for a week (can you believe that she goes to a school that used to be a royal palace?) in El Escorial. I  was so excited to be practicing my Spanish-speaking skills while making so many new friends along the way! Here are some pictures from my trip:

My tour group and I at the stadium where the Barcelona futbol (soccer) team plays! The team's motto is "Mes Que un Club" which means, "More than a Club"!

We visited so many parks and outdoor museums! I couldn't resist taking a picture in front of this beautiful fountain!

Hey guys! I'm standing in front of the Mediterranean Sea! Cool, huh?

In Madrid, which happens to be an hour away from El Escorial, we visited the Plaza Mayor. This huge plaza is home to many shops and cafes. We even bought some DELISH gelato in the plaza!

While in Madrid, we also visited the Palacio Real, also known as the Royal Palace in English. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the palace, but I was able to take a picture in front of it! It was so huge that we couldn't fit all of it in the picture!

During our first day with our host families, all of the students involved in the exchange attended a picnic. We climbed to the top of a tall mountain and were able to see an incredible view of El Escorial! Maria, whose family graciously let me stay in their house for a week, took a picture with me! She was beyond sweet and helpful during the week, and her family was too!

One of the last pictures I took from my trip was one of my new friends and I! All of these girls are involved in the Spain exchange (meaning they get to stay with us New Yorkers for a week in September)! Eva is on the far right, followed by Carolina, Maria, and then me! I will miss these girls SO much!

   A big thank you goes out to my Spanish teacher, Sr. Riley, and Lola Perez for planning this trip and making sure everything ran smoothly! Also a huge thanks to Maria and her family for letting me stay with them for a week. As they say in Spain, Maria, "Hasta Septiembre!" which means, "See you in September!"

XOXO,

Sarah

Pageants, Pageants, Pageants! Oh My!

   Hi everyone! On March 25, I drove to Staten Island to watch the crowning of six new local queens who will be competing for the job of Miss New York this June. Although there were no Outstanding Teen titleholders at the pageants, I was thrilled to be making more friends. All of the girls who competed looked like a million bucks onstage! And guess what! I met Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010! And it gets better! I was able to speak with Kaitlin Monte, the current Miss New York! I had spoken with Kaitlin one other time at the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant this past August, but I never dreamed that she would remember me! She's like a celebrity and a huge role model to me (if you couldn't tell, I was a little excited that she remembered me!). All in all, it was a fabulous day! Congratulations to all of the new title holders! I can't wait to see you all compete for Miss New York in June!

With some friends at the show!

With Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010.

With Kaitlin Monte, Miss New York 2011!

XOXO,

Sarah

Safe Routes to Schools Fly-In

   On Tuesday, March 6, I was honored to be given the chance to fly down to Washington, D.C. to meet with some of New York's representatives for the American Heart Association. I was able to speak with, Senator Schumer's staff, Heather Loneck (Legislative Correspondent of Senator Gillibrand), Andrew Brady (Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Hanna), and Congressman Bishop himself! And the best part was hearing how most of New York's representatives were in favor of funding for Safe Routes to Schools! Here are some pictures that I took throughout the day:

At the American Heart Association headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Handing Congressman Bishop (who just so happens to live in my hometown!) a folder of information on Safe Routes to Schools!

Standing with the famous American Heart Association Red Dress, which shows that heart disease is the number one killer of women.

   I would like to thank everyone at the American Heart Association for allowing me to be the only Youth Advocate at the Safe Routes to Schools Fly In. A special thanks also goes out to Kristy Anderson at the American Heart Association for keeping things running smoothly!

XOXO,

Sarah

Two on Two, Anyone?

Today, March 4, Southampton High School held their annual Charyse Torrence 2 on 2 basketball game! Charyse was a student athlete who attended Southampton High School. After a long battle with cancer, Charyse passed away during hersophomore year. She was an outstanding basketball player, whose passion for the game inspiredeveryone around her. Her friends and teammates chose this event to remember Charyse and raise money for the "Make A Wish" foundation, the organization that greatly helped Charyse's family during their time of need. I was so excited to be playing in the tournament with my dad (who turned out to be a very good player!).

We even made it to the 5th round! Although we didn't win overall, it was great seeing my

fellow students get out of the house and get some exercise for a good cause! Congratulations to everyone who participated!

XOXO,

Sarah

And the Countdown Begins...

Hello, all! I hope today finds everyone in a great mood! With everything that has been going on at school, I almost forgot about my meeting with Senator Schumer this tuesday! After getting a chance to relax for a little bit, I realized that that there's only three days until I get to travel down to Washington D.C. My, the time does fly! I'll be sure to keep you all updated during my day in the country's capital, and I'll make sure to post pictures too!

Click Here to view the official website of the Safe Routes to Schools Initiative!

Click Here to view the Safe Routes to Schools video that will be shown to Senator Schumer!

XOXO,

Sarah

IHOP National Free Pancake Day

You may or may not know that IHOP restaurants around the country will be giving out FREE pancakes on Tuesday, February 28. People are encouraged to eat a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes at their local IHOP, and when you leave, you are asked to consider leaving a donation for the Children's Miracle Network (the national platform of the Miss America Organization).

IHOP hopes to raise $2.7 million this year to donate to the Children's Miracle Network. So show your support and attend your local IHOP's National Free Pancake Day Celebration! Who knows? You might even see your local or state queen for the Miss America or Miss America's Outstanding Teen Organizations!

XOXO,

Sarah

Prom Gowns for a Cause!

Hello! Do you have any dresses that are just sitting in your closet? Doubt you will wear them again? Many girls are held back from going to prom because of financial situations. Make good use of your old prom dresses by donating them to someone who NEEDS that dress for their prom! Elizabeth Fetchel, Miss America's Outstanding Teen, has teamed up with a dress store in Florida called Loft 181 and a non profit organization called Caitlin's Closet (founded by former MAO Teen Caitlin Brunell) to do just that. She is asking for prom gowns, pageant gowns, and cocktail dresses, and she hopes to collect over 100 dresses to donate to Loft 181 on behalf if Caitlin's Closet.

To donate any dresses you have to help the cause, please mail the dress by March 10. Visit the link below for more information, and the address to send all dresses to!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/A-Special-Request-from-Elizabeth--.html?soid=1103429962985&aid=9Tu5I0DdJ2I

XOXOX,

Sarah

Heart U Facebook Page!

If you haven't already, please take a moment to check out the Heart U Facebook page. I created the page to reach out to many more people. In addition to this blog, the Facebook page will keep you up to date about everything that Heart U isaccomplishing! Thank you!

XOXO,

Sarah

Heart U Blog is up and Running!

Hi! I hope everyone's vacation is going well! I just want to take a minute to tell you about my new blog which is about my platform issue, Heart U: Raising Awareness of Living a Heart Healthy Lifestyle. I hope to update my Heart U blog as constantly as possible, because I will be working with the American Heart Association a lot over the next few months, as I also prepare for the Miss New York's Outstanding Teen competition in June. Phew! I guess the next few months are going to get a little busy for me (but that's okay. I like multitasking!).

Please take a few minutes to check out my Heart U blog! I'll be posting tips and tricks on how you can stay heart healthy, as well as new things that I am doing with my platform! Thanks again!

XOXO,

Sarah

Heart U Event at my High School!

If you know me personally, you know that the American Heart Association (AHA) is a cause that is very close to my heart. That is why my platform, 'Heart U: Raising Awareness of Living a Healthy Life Style' works very closely with Long Island's chapter of the AHA. I was able to hold an event at my high school that incorporated both theJunior Varsity and VarsityGirls' basket ball teams, because bothteams happened toe playing on National Go Red for Women Day (February 3). The AHA provided some amazing red shirts for the teams to wear! At half time I spoke to the crowds about my platform, and volunteers took to the stands to collect donations. We also sold snacks, redbracelets, and red dress pins! In total, over $200 dollars was collected, and all of it was given to the AHA for the Go Red for Women cause.A special thanks goes out to the JV and Varsity Girls' basket ball teams and their coaches for agreeing to wear the red shirts and help out at the event, Terri Zenobio from the American Heart Association for helping to make the event a reality, the volunteers, and everyone who attended the event!

XOXO,

Sarah