12/1: Miss Arlington 2008 pageant. View photos from the night I was crowned courtesy of Julius Tolentino. Photos

12/17: Conducting a stereotype-breaking workshop with the "Gentleman's Club" at Godwin Middle School in Northern VA. Photos

12/20: Participating in the American Red Cross "Operation Santa" in Norfolk was such an uplifting and inspiring experience. Miss Virginia, myself, and other local titleholders visited the Navy Medical Center in Portsmouth and joined Santa Claus in singing carols, visiting patients and soldiers, and handing out candy and toys. We also enjoyed a lunch/ Miss America Send-off/ Andolyn's birthday party afterwards! Photos

1/26: Heading to Las Vegas to cheer for my good friends Hannah Keifer (Miss Virginia) and Rachel Brooks (Miss Pennsylvania) as they compete in the Miss America Pageant was so much fun!! Congrats to Hannah: 3rd runner up to Miss America, and Rachel: Non-Finalist talent award winner. I'm so proud of you both!! Also congratulations to Miss Michigan, Kirsten Haglund: Miss America 2008! All of the contestants did a great job! Photos

2/2: Cheering on my friends in the Miss Greater Richmond Pageant! Congratulations to Jordan Forbes, Miss Greater RIchmond 2008! Photos

2/5: Presenting a Making It Count program at Staunton River High School. Photos

2/7: Presenting Making It Count programs at Floyd Co High School. Photos

2/9: Emceeing the Snow Princess Pageant to benefit Louden County Parks and Recreation with Miss Virginia Teen USA. Photos

Later in the day: visiting and cheering on the contestants in the Miss Chesterfield/ Miss Hanover pageants. Congratulations Jessie Buckman, Miss Chesterfield 2008 and Caressa Cameron, Miss Hanover 2008! Photos

2/11: Giving a presentation to the female students at Hope Partnership for Education about breaking stereotypes and fostering community service and leading the ladies in making Valentine's for injured troops at Walter-Reed Army Medical Center. Photos

2/12: Giving a stereotype-breaking and self-esteem workshop to students at Gar-Field High School and leading them in a service project making more Valentine's for wounded troops at Walter-Reed. What better day to spread the message of loving who you are and embracing other's uniquenesses? I'll be promoting one of my favorite sayings "If you JUDGE someone, you have no time to LOVE them". Photos

2/13: Bringing the Valentine's the students created to the American Red Cross offices at Walter-Reed. Photo

2/19: Presenting Making It Count programs at Gate City High School. Photos

2/20: Speaking to the 7th grade girls cohert at Gunston Middle School in Arlington. Photos

2/21: Visiting the troops at Walter-Reed Army Medical Center... what a pleasure this was! I met such wonderful service men and women and each one of them made my day! I found out once I arrived that I was supposed to be touring the hospital with Wayne Newton (how cool would that have been!), but he had to reschedule so it was just me. I hope the troops weren't too disappointed. I also was honored with the ultimate VIP parking spot that is reserved right in front of the hospital for when the President comes to visit! Great day with great people! I look forward to my next visit. Photos

2/22: Speaking to Mrs. Jones' junior classes at Gar-Field High School. Photos

2/22-24: Judging the America's Ultimate Miss pageant, a preparatory system for Miss Virginia and Miss America. Photos

2/25: Helping out with Hockey 'N Heels , a program with the Washington Capitals NHL team that gets girls excited about ice hockey! Photos

2/28: Giving stereotype-breaking and self-esteem building workshops to students at Beville Middle School. Photos

March 2008

3/4: Presenting Making It Count programs at Milton Area High School. Photos

3/6: Presenting Making It Count programs at Northern Cambria High School. Photos

3/7: Volunteering at the 93.3 WFLS-FM Radiothon to benefit Children's National Medical Center and the Children's Miracle Network. I got to hang out with such wonderful people while answering phones and being interviewed by WFLS DJ's Todd Grimstead and Jessica Cash to talk about the CMN-MAO partnership. I also made a new friend, Joey Lora AKA "Mr Personality" and the 2007 Champion and Ambassador for Children's National Medical Center. I'm also honored to be his 102nd "girlfriend"! Photos

3/10: Presenting Making It Count programs to Pembroke Central HS

3/11: Presenting Making It Count programs to Portville Central School

3/12: Presenting a Making It Count program to the Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC.

3/13: Visiting students at Gunston Middle School to talk about breaking stereotypes and stepping up as leaders in the community. - RESCHEDULED

3/14: Presenting a Making It Count program at James Monroe High School

Later in the evening: Judging the "Mr. Gar-Field" pageant at Gar-Field High School (where I graduated in 2002) alongside fellow Gar-Field grad, Miss Capital Region, Melissa Albright. - CANCELLED

3/15: Judging an Odessey of the Mind competition in Arlington. Photos

3/18: Presenting Making It Count programs at JJ Kelly HS

April 2008

4/2: Speaking to students at Kennmore Middle School about breaking stereotypes and respecting others. Picture

4/4: Cheering on my friends in the Miss Commonwealth pageant- Congratulations to Laura Pennington, the final addition to the Miss Virginia Class of 2008! Pictures

4/5: Miss Virginia Orientation and Children's Miracle Network fundraiser. Pictures

4/9: Presenting a Making It Count program to students at Buffalo Gap High School

4/10: Presenting a stereotype-breaking leadership-development program to the girls at the Youth For Tomorrow group home where I also work as a residential counselor. Miss Capital Region, Melissa Albright, will be joining me.

4/11: Throwing the "First Pitch" and singing "God Bless America" at the Potomac Nationals minor league baseball game. The Youth For Tomorrow girls softball team will be coming along! Pictures

May 2008

5/5: Paying another visit to the students at Gunston Middle School in Arlington Pictures

5/8: Attending the opening of the new USO lounge at Reagan National Airport. Pictures

5/9: Volunteering at the DC Design House - proceeds went to Children's National Medical Center

5/10: I am honored to be one of the keynote speakers at the "Girl Power" conference for adolescent girls across Northern Virginia. Pictures

5/12: Giving a Making It Count presentation at Greenbrier East High School.

5/20: I was asked to coordinate a "patient play day" at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Myself and two other titleholders, Shannon Beam and Kim Pascall were able to make young patients into Miss Americas! Photos

5/29: Visiting the "Her-O" group at Fred-Lynn Middle school. "Her-O" is an organization that encourages young women to be leaders. Photos

5/31: Cheering on the contestants in the Miss District of Columbia pageant

June 2008

6/1: Singing the National Anthem at the Arlington International Bike Race

6/3: Modeling in AnnaLee's fashion and networking show- RESCHEDULED

6/7: Attending a USO "Stuffing Party"-- helping to pack items to send to troops overseas

6/8: Miss Virginia Send-off/ Wardrobe Showing!

6/12: I am honored and excited to be the keynote speaker at the 8th grade send-off at Beville Middle School, where I attended 8th grade.

6/14: Attending the Arlington Academy of Hope picnic. AAH is dedicated to building a foundation of hope in rural Uganda by providing access to quality education and basic healthcare for children in one of the poorest countries in the world.

6/22-6/28: Competing in the Miss Virginia Pageant in Roanoke! Be sure to watch the final night broadcast LIVE on News Channel 8 (for Northern VA residents), Saturday July 28th to see who will be crowned the next Miss Virginia!