Festival of Lights Parade: Palm Springs, Ca

This past weekend I attended the Festival of Lights Parade in Palm Springs, California. As the night sky darkened, float's were illuminated and the community of Palm Springs gathered along the streets to celebrate the holiday season. I cannot say enough about Palm Springs and the surrounding community, they are so loving and supportive. It was chilly that night, but as we all gathered in the car and began the parade route I forgot all about how cold it was. Waving to the children and seeing their smiling faces brought back great childhood memories for me. I not only got to ride in a parade, but also was able to spend the weekend with my sister queens and director Eddie Peterson. It was the first time we were all together since we won our titles in September. It was nice to visit and catch up with what everyone has been doing. I am blessed and thankful to be involved in the California International pageant family and all that it represents. Merry Christmas to you and your families.May we all remember what this time of year is really about. Christmas is about the birth of a baby boy who ultimately paid for our sins. God Bless.

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Kinship Center Celebration November 15, 2009

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This past weekend I attended the thirteenth annual celebration of the Kinship Center. It was a wonderful gathering of children and families to honor the start of National Adoption Awareness month. The theme of this years celebration was " Follow your Dreams". I met with parents and talked with kids of all ages. I made sure to tell them that anything they want in life they can achieve. They need to stay in school and work hard. It was great to see all the happy children and parents that have been enriched by the Kinship Center. Their willingness to give every child a home made me proud to be apart of this special day. My sister queen Dedria Burrnet: Miss Teen California Intl. 2010 sopke of her adoption experience and her platform Luggage of Love. Dedria has collected thousands of pieces of luggage that she has handed out to children all over California. I also spent the day with Rebekah Negrete, former Mrs. California Intl. 2007 and Mrs. International 2007, as she was our travel companion for the event. Rebekan and her husband Greg have adopted two little girls. It was thrilling for me to watch my friend talk about her little girls and how exciting it is to be a mom. The Kinship Center helps nearly 2,000 traumatized children each year. They are committed to serving children and making sure that each and every one of them gets a home. As I left the celebration I was so thankful for places like the Kinship Center which is dedicated to children. I thought about all the happy children who now have families and a place to call home. If I inspired just one child at this celebration then I have done my job as Mrs. California Intl 2010. Happy Thanksgiving.

The Bakersfield Pageant 2010

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This past weekend was the 17th annual Teen, Miss and Mrs. Bakersfield Pageant. It was so great to see six weeks of hard work and dedication come together. I was not only a guest at the local pageant, but also serve on the committee that helps to produce it. This years pageant was full of excitment as 31 contestents competed for the three coveted titles. The girls competed in interview, fitness and evening gown and all did an amazing job. Since I started my pageant career in Bakersfield my friend and director, Gayle Tape, asked if I would say a few words. I was honored to talk about my humble beginnings as a local titleholder in Bakersfield and about my new journey as Mrs. California International 2010. The new Miss Teen Bakersfield is Makenzie Carter, Miss Bakersfield is Katherine Cooksey and Mrs. Bakersfield is Megan Raymond. They have an exciting year ahead of them as they will each promote their platforms and do various appearances in the community. The 2009 titleholders, Rhenana, Angelica and Erica you were amazing this year. I feel so blessed to have gotten to know each of you. My heart will always have a special place in it for you girls. Love you.

Harvest for Hunger 2009

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This was my first and only appearance with the 2009 Bakersfield Titleholders as they are giving up their crowns in less than a week. We had so much fun!!!
The Harvest for Hunger event is put on by the Bakersfield Association of Realtors and all of the proceeds go to support the Golden Empire Gleaners. The Gleaners were formed in 1985 by a local Bible study group. Their mission is to glean from local farms the estimated 300 million pounds of food that was going to waste annually. This food is used to feed the hungry of Kern County. Since 1985 the Golden Empire Gleaners have distributed millions of pounds of food to Kern County. Last year alone over 188,000 people were served. This year the Gleaners are helping more than 20,000 people a month. This was such an amazing event. Children were able to decorate cupcakes, get their face painted and play in the bounce house all while dressed up in their Halloween costumes.
What a great way to lead into November with an event that cares about feeding the homeless in Kern County. It is a great reminder that we should all be truly thankful for what we have in our lives. Having fun with kids and giving back to our community, it dosen't get any better than that.

Garces Homecoming October 9, 2009

Tonight I was honored at my former High School. It was Homecoming at Garces Memorial High School. I took photos with the homecoming court. It brought back fond memories of all the homecoming activities that I took part in during my 4 years there. GMHS will always have a special place in my heart. Go RAMS.

Mr. Keller's 5th Grade Class

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This week I was asked to come back to Heritage Academy and speak to the 2nd and both 5th grade classrooms. It was nice to see the familiar faces around campus and get a chance to talk with old friends and former students. I shared the story about Esther with the 2nd graders and they really enjoyed hearing it. I tried to help them understand that making the right choice is not easy and it can be as simple as being nice to the student sitting next to them. A simple concept I know, but sometimes we forget that our actions are sometimes stronger than words. For the 5th grade classrooms I talked about peer pressure. We discussed being a leader or a follower. Doing what everyone else is doing and doing the right thing. As children grow into teenagers, the simple lessons we talked about will hit home for them. I wrapped up both classes with some great question's and photographs.

Heritage Academy October 15,2009

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This past week I had the opportunity to bring Character Counts to Heritage Academy. Heritage Academy is very special to me because it is where I taught 6th grade. I was able to talk with a 1st, 3rd and 4th grade class about the importance of making the right choices even when it is hard. The character trait I focused on was RESPECT and even when it is difficult we need to treat others the way we want to be treated. Given that Heritage is a Christian school I was able to incorporate the story of Queen Esther into my talk. Showing the kids that even a Queen in time of trial had to have courage and stand up for what was right. It was a good lesson for the children to hear and a great reminder to me that just becasue you have a crown dose not mean that your life will be without challenges, but to always trust in God and the plan that he has for me.

Character Counts Awards Assembly

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Today I attended a Character Counts Awards Assembly at Tompkins Elementary School in Tehachapi. Almost five hundred students took part in the outdoor gathering. During the month of September the students learned about defining character and what it means. It was a joy to see their smiling faces. The K thru 5th graders were excited about their awards. I then spoke to the children about what character is to me and how I applaud that they are learning about it. I reminded them that character has nothing to do with how you look but how you act and treat others. Simply put, it is making the right decision even when no one is around to see.

Article from Bakersfield Californian Newspaper

This is the article that the newspaper did on me after returning home from the pageant. It is so exciting to have the local support of the newspaper and the Bakersfield community.

California International Pageant 2010

Eleanor Roosevelt once said "The Future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams". Having finally won Mrs. California Intl. 2010 was truly a dream of mine and I am so honored to represent not only my state, but all the wonderful Mrs. in California.
What an amazing experience; everyone was so sweet and kind the entire weekend. I enjoyed meeting each and everyone of you. I was surrounded by some of the most outstanding women in Californina and was truly humbled by the experience. I am so excited to talk this year about Character Counts and the many wonderful things that are happening with Character Education, not only in California but throughtout the United States. Thank you to everyone for your love and support before, during and after the pageant. I greatly appreciate it!

California International Pageant 2010

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