Be The Change: The A-B-C's of Leading A Child To Success!

Being a mentor is an amazing experience for me personally. I get to help make a difference in a child's life! But you know, anyone can do it. You don't have to be a mentor for CIS-COMPASS Program.
There are simple steps you can take to make a difference:
Affect Children In Your Community By Setting An Example! Assume they see and will imitate everything you do. I speak to classes about the importance of literacy and recycling, walk in the Relay For Life, and help coordinate children’s events for my area in order to set an example for children! Adults can also act as a conduit between children and the organizations that fire them up! I introduce children to groups like Animal Advocates and Recycling Rangers to encourage volunteerism!
Believe In A Child By Becoming A Mentor:
Bring direction to a child's life through mentoring! As I mentioned previously, I mentor at-risk students and teach them the skills they need to succeed as adults. Any adult can be a hero and teach a child something they didn't already know! For example, I teach English as a Second Language to help children in the same situation I was once in (i didn't l;earn English until I was in grade school).
Combine Your Efforts With Others To Provide Resources:
Create fundraisers that help fill the needs of schoolchildren! I have partnered with SandhillsKids and wrote a book about my area that the PTA’s used as a fundraiser to fund sorely needed programs! I have also teamed up with Communities In Schools to raise $23,000 for needy children to receive school supplies, food on weekends & field trip money.
Making a difference in this world isn't easy, but it is possible, and we can all make an impact. Yes, you must committ your time. However, make it a family project like I do: my husband and two children are also involved in all of my community service. Making a difference is a family affair for us...my daughter is a Youth COMPASS Mentor who won the COMPASS Award for Excellence last year from CIS and my son and husband are Communities In Schools volunteers!

"Be The Change": Sisterhood of the Traveling Crown!

People often think that competing means you can't be friendly with your rivals, or support them. How wrong they are! Sure, when you are competing--whether it is at a sport or in a pageant or in the corporate world--you want to win. But that doesn't mean you can't encourage your rivals as well. After all, you are only as strong as those who compete at your side, and the real competition is in bettering yourself! I'm very lucky that several of my fellow competitors feel the same way and joined me at the Keep Moore County Beautiful Christmas Tree Recycling Event. We helped turn 335 trees into mulch that will be used to help gardens and parks in Moore County grow! These trees would otherwise rot in a landfill. Mrs Raleigh International, Shawna Goins and Mrs Cumberland County International, LaTeacha Coleman worked very hard to take apart wreaths, trim branches to be put in the mulcher and shovel mulch into giant bags. I know they were feeling it the next day because I was sore! Keep Moore County Beautiful is a non-profit organization that became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful in 1988. The purpose of the organization is to provide education to the citizens of Moore County in ways of improving the appearance of the county by offering programs, and establishing and maintaining litter and solid waste programs. Keep Moore County Beautiful promotes educational programs in Moore County Schools, government, businesses and community organizations. After several hours of hard work, we then lunched at my favorite Moore County lunchplace...Corfu's Greek Restaraunt. We re-ingested every calorie we burned shoveling mulch, trust me! But we had so much fun chatting and sharing goals for our platforms. These ladies are truly amazing and I consider myself lucky to know them and count them as part of the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Crown"! Thanks, ladies! You ROCK! I would consider our state lucky to have either of these beautiful, accomplished women crowned Mrs. NC International!

"Be The Change": CIS Mentoring Makes A Difference!

Communities In Schools COMPASS mentoring Program is designed to provide at-risk students direction in their lives through use of the Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens materials and the guidance of a caring volunteer. We begin by asking the students about their dreams and aspirations. Every student involved in our program has been able to articulate a specific idea of what they wanted to do when they become an adult. Of course, there are a good number of boys who want to become professional athletes. My mentoree, Saul, wants to become a professional footbal player. We discuss the steps it takes to reach this dream and how his decisions can effect that future. First, he must make good grades and practice good health and fitness habits in order to play middle school and high school football. He must be dedicated to practicing long hours in order to achieve excellence and to display the character traits desired by college coaches. Then, he must play well enough to garner the attention of a college recruiter. From there, he must continue to excel in the classroom to maintain his eligibility while distinguishing himself on the playing field. While most children never recognize their dreams to play professional sports, the effort that they put forth in reaching this goal will benefit them regardless of their ultimate career destination. It is in REACHING for the moon that you land among the stars!
The photo above is my personal "Band of Brothers & Sisters", fellow mentors carefully selected to make this Pilot Program work! The training and time committment to become a mentor is strenuous and not to be taken lightly, and we lean on each other ALOT! Now in it's second year, COMPASS has a diverse group of students and mentors, and we hope that by year 3 this will be a state-wide program!

"Be The Change": Evening of Glamour Is A Chance To Be A Role Model!

Most of my appearances as Mrs. Moore County will always be "in the trenches" wearing a tee-shirt: I will either be running in a relay, or passing out brochures at an event or speaking in a school. But every once in a while, I get to get all "dolled up", put on my crown and sash and have fun being glamorous while I work! Naturally an outgoing person who has never been afraid of the stage, I have found my schedule full of emceeing opportunities. The chance to share my platform on stage in between sportswear competition and evening gown was something I always took for granted until a little girl told me she is so happy I am helping mentor children and that she'd like to do that some day! I realized at that moment thate EVERY CHANCE you have to speak about your platform is a chance to make a difference! And to Hailey (Little Miss NC AllAmerican), who says her mom is the best mentor she could ever have: I can't wait for YOU to become a mentor. Until then, never forget you are ALREADY a role model for other kids your age. Continue to take it seriously!

"Be The Change": Be Grateful To Sponsors This New Year

I am always touched by the kindness and support my community has offered me. My sponsors understand what my cause is, and support the work I am able to accomplis, with their help. I try to show an "attitude of Gratitude" and would like to take a moment to thank the following people for their support and dedication:

Andi Korte of Communities in Schools,

Robin Moore & Anna Harris of COMPASS Mentoring (CIS)

Rollie Sampson & Monica Zimmerman of Sandhills Kids,

Jack Schultz of Kidsville News, Brad Bullock of Moe's Southwest Grill in Aberdeen, Emily Matthews of Pinheurst Montessori, Melanie scercy of Teddy Bear Cottage. Those re just a few of the people who have supported my work as a Mentor and my time as Mrs Moore county! Thank you for all you do! As the year ends I encourage all of you to take minute to thank the people who made your platform shine in 2008! While your passion & dedication may be yours and yours alone, none of us can succeed alone!

"Be The Change": Why A Crown & Sash Are Sometimes Inappropriate!

Everyone struggles from time to time, and it is in those struggles that others see who we really are...but it is in other people's struggles where WE see who we really are. As most of you know I grew up with very little, so when I see or hear of someone struggling I am reminded of being that needy child who had fears only a grown up should have. I don't live with those fears anymore, but I do live with a determination to help other children going through that.
The Hand-Up program concentrates on helping families who are facing major struggles. One particular family has 6 children and school is right around the corner. Mom was laid off her job, dad is not present, and the family has nothing. It doesn't mean they aren't capable of great things...they just need a hand-up, not a hand-out.
So how does a beauty queen help? Do I put on my crown and sash and go cheer them up? That's just inane--who cares that you have a crown and sash when they are struggling to get the very basics in life?
So I found a way to make a difference. I got a list of what the family needed and went out as Mrs Moore County to solicit help. I found people were more than eager to help Mrs. Moore County be of help...Kidsville News of the Sandhills donated a Wal-mart gift card. The Pilot Newspaper donated school items and Li'l Branch's Children Store donated school clothes. Communities in Schools helped with the schools supplies. All in all, with the help of others, I made a small dent with my crown and sash. But when it was time to deliver the items, there was no crown and sash in site.
Why?
Mrs. Moore County is a servant of the community she represents. She was never meant to truly reign as a queen...so I used the crown and sash to solicit others' help, and that was the crown's sole purpose. Queens don't need gratitude, and if you wear your crown on your heart it is visible for everyone to see.
No need to wear it on your head!