Everyday Kindness.

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Pageant Education

Hello all!


It is often brought to my attention that the general public does not have much in the way of pageant education.  This is totally understandable... I didn't know anything about pageants until I competed for Miss Vermont USA last year!  This blog post is going to help you understand WHAT the heck I am doing right now. 

One BIG important fact is this: Miss USA is not the same pageant or person as Miss America.  They are two completely different pageants! 



This is the reigning Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih.

This is the reigning Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan.


See? Different crowns and different girls!  I will explain more...


A History Lesson: Miss America began in 1921 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  In 1952, the reigning Miss America refused to model her swimsuit.  This lead the Catalina Swimwear sponsor to begin its own Miss USA and Miss Universe competition in Long Beach, California.  Miss USA has been televised since 1963.  Donald Trump and NBC have been co-owners of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants since 2002.




Which is Which?
 Miss USA is scored as such:

• 1/3 Personality Interview: This takes place prior to the actual competition with a panel of judges.  Judges can ask anything! Current events, questions about a favorite hobby, and "Why do you want to be Miss USA?" are just a few examples.  The judges receive an information sheet filled out by the contestant in order to help guide questioning.
• 1/3 Swimsuit: The swimsuit competition is on-stage during both preliminary and final competitions.  Scoring is based on healthy looking bodies and physical fitness, but also on confidence, poise, and presence.  A girl could have a fantastic body, but she has to rock it on stage!  Also, "physically fit" does not necessarily mean unhealthily skinny like a typical runway model.  While most girls are quite slender, they must be toned and healthy looking as well.
• 1/3 Evening Gown:  This gown portion of Miss USA also takes place on-stage during preliminary and final competitions.  The scoring is not based on the gown itself, but on how well the woman wears the gown.  She must appear confident, elegant, and poised.  The gown should add to her beauty rather than take away from it.
• On-Stage Question: The Top 5 contestants are asked on-stage questions during the final competition.  This question can be anything at all!

 

Miss America is scored differently:

• Lifestyle & Fitness in Swimsuit: 15%- much less emphasis on fitness than Miss USA
• Evening Wear: 20%
• Talent: 35%- Miss AMERICA has a 90-second talent portion.
• Private Interview: 25%
• On-Stage Question: 5%

 

General Differences:

• Miss America has a heavily emphasized talent competition.  
• Miss America does not compete in Miss Universe.
• Miss America is a scholarship organization that awards academic scholarships to winners.
• Miss America requires a personalized platform that each contestant promotes.
• Miss America is supported by volunteers.
• Miss America is on ABC in the winter.
• Miss America emphasizes a more on business-like, traditional, modest style.

• Miss USA does not have a talent portion.
• Miss USA competes in Miss Universe.
• Miss USA is a beauty pageant that awards financial benefits and sponsors to winners.
• Miss USA promotes several platforms as a whole, with emphasis placed on breast cancer research and supporting our troops.
• Miss USA is supported by Donald Trump.
• Miss USA is on NBC in the summer.
• Miss USA emphasizes a more modern, fun, and sexy style.

Broad Similarities: 
Contestants in both Miss USA and Miss America go on to become successful actresses, T.V. anchors, doctors, models, teachers, business-women, etc.  Anything is possible!  Competing in pageants definitely opens doors to a wide variety of opportunities by ways of networking, confidence-building, and training.  Women in pageants are taught to carry themselves with poise and grace.  They also receive extensive interview training and contribute as volunteers to a number of charitable organizations/events.



In summary, I am Miss Vermont USA.  I will compete in the Miss USA pageant on June 19th.  If I win, I will be moved to New York City and given an apartment in the Trump Towers for my year of duty as Miss USA.  I will also compete in the Miss Universe pageant in Brazil on September 12th.
 


I hope all of this information helped!  We will be talking soon.
~Lauren Carter










 

Supersized Snowstorms, Dazzling Dresses, and Heartfelt Hospice

Hello everybody!

Tuesday morning, I looked out the window and saw this:

    I didn't even know there was supposed to be a snowstorm!  I ended up being stuck in my apartment until 7pm, when I could FINALLY get out of my driveway and go to the gym.  The snow was brutal!  It was nice to have a day of (forced) rest, though.  I stayed in my Tinkerbell pajamas all day and made amazing oatmeal-banana-chocolate chip-peanut butter-walnut-craisin-apple-trail mix cookies.  YUM!



    I woke up at 3:30 the next morning to get to the airport for my 6am flight to NYC.  What was the occasion?  The hunt for a Miss USA evening gown!  My Super-Mom (love you!) met me in the city along with my amazing gown sponsor, Maria Neves at The Crowning Touch.  I got my pageant gown for Miss Vermont USA from Maria, and she has been nothing but wonderful to me.  Thank you Maria!

    My gown from Miss Vermont USA was a Sherri Hill.  I have always loved Sherri Hill gowns, and I knew from day one that I needed a Sherri Hill for my Miss USA gown.  Well, my dream came true!  We went to visit Sherri Hill herself to see what she had, and it was absolute heaven!  I was surrounded by beautiful, colorful, unique Sherri Hill gowns and wonderful people.  My awesome director Randy Sanders met us there to help us pick.  Even though he lives in Pennsylvania, I see him so often!  There he is:

    After several hours, I managed to find my dream gown as well as several awesome cocktail dresses.  I highly recommend Sherri Hill's gowns and cocktail dresses.  A big selection of special things.  We went back the next morning to finalize our decision.  I could have spent a whole week in Sherri's dress heaven.  It was great.  The more time I spend in the city, the more I realize that I really could live here and love it.

    I hopped on another plane to Vermont on Wednesday evening.  My short trip to the city was over, but I will be heading back for more NYC next month!  I spent my Thursday evening at Vermont Respite House for my nursing school clinical.  Tomorrow, I am going to my fitness trainer in Massachusetts: Katie Boyd at The Miss Fit Club.  Her gym is hot pink, and she has a bigger personality than anybody I know.  We always have a million laughs.  I'll spend Friday night and Saturday with my family in NH... I don't even remember the last time I visited! On Sunday, I will model for a clothing store photoshoot in NH and then travel to CT to meet with Don Baker, my communications coach.  I will drive back to Vermont Sunday night and go back to clinical Monday morning at Vermont Respite House!  Phew!  It does get busy.

    Before I go, can I just say how INCREDIBLE Hospice workers and volunteers are?!  I have worked as a Nursing Assistant in Hospice two years now.  You may be wondering what exactly Hospice is... Well, let me explain!  We live in a very medically advanced country.  We are able to treat and treat and treat diseases, to run tests, to perform procedures, to give all sorts of medications.  There comes a point in the lives of many patients where this treatment is stopped.  This may happen for many reasons- a disease may progress so far that it is untreatable, the treatments may cause too much suffering, or the patient may simply not want treatment anymore.  These patients can utilize Hospice care.  The Hospice philosophy focuses on caring for patients at the end of their lives by increasing their quality of life.  This is done by relieving uncomfortable symptoms, providing emotional support, guiding the family through this difficult process, and connecting the patient to any desired spiritual needs.  The goal is not to hasten death, and not to prolong life.  All life-sustaining treatments are ceased and the only medications received are focused on improving physical and emotional comfort.  Hospice is NOT the same as physician-assisted suicide, and good Hospice care actually eliminates the need for suicide by providing a comfortable and fulfilling end-of-life experience to patients.  They direct their own care, and we strive to meet their needs.  The goal is peace and dignity as one nears the end of their life.

    I am currently doing my final nursing clinical internship for University of Vermont at my beloved Vermont Respite House, where I have worked as a Nursing Assistant since 2008.  This is a truly magical place where people spend their last days, surrounded by family and loving caregivers in a home-like environment.  It sounds like a depressing job, but there is NO GREATER GIFT than spending time with these amazing patients, family members, and caregivers.  It can be extremely difficult to see people of all ages progress through battles with cancer, ALS, heart disease, lung disease, stroke, dementia, and old age.  However, the staff is a truly gifted community of very special, strong, peaceful people.  I feel so lucky to have met these people and become part of their team. 

Today, a 90+ year old woman wore my crown and gave her best royal wave.  She said it was "exquisite".

Oh, and a shout-out to LAURIE!  You are the best.   I wish we worked together more but hey at least I saw you tonight!

Finding Peace in Times of Stress

I have been realizing more and more lately that my life is an absolute WHIRLWIND!  I traveled so much last month while balancing full-time nursing school, clinical internship, and pageant prep (see previous blog post for more on that).  A typical day from me begins before 7am and ends after 7pm.

I am constantly "on the go".  However, this is not a rare thing in our society... most people have incredibly busy lives.  With such hectic schedules, our own mental and physical health becomes increasingly important, yet we have decreasing amounts of time to dedicate to ourselves.  Self-care and stress relief is extremely important for everybody, no matter how busy!

The big question here is this: How does Miss Vermont USA find time to care for herself, stay grounded, and keep going with a positive outlook?  She makes time to do some very important things, and considers them to be of equal importance in her life to schoolwork and pageant preparation.  She understands that she needs to be grounded and energized in order to be effective in anything.

 


Here are my tips for stress relief and happiness!

• Find time to move your body!  Even just a 15 minute run, a brisk walk after dinner, a spinning class, or a jump in the pool counts.  Play outside, go to a class, or hit the gym!  I am always SO relaxed after spending time working out... it is good for the mind (releases endorphins) AND for the body!  This is time well spent, and you will thank yourself with better health and more energy.
• Try a yoga class.  I get to yoga at least once/week, and I stretch on my own each day.  Again, it is good for the mind AND body.  Classes can be gentle and soothing or vigorous and sweaty, and it instills an inner peace incomparable to anything else.  (if you are from Vermont, check out Jane Yoga!)
• Minimize processed food.   Much of the food we are offered in our country is created with chemicals, salt, and lots of sugar in factories and packaged into plastic bags and cardboard boxes.  Many of these things are difficult to digest, and the high sugar content can really throw our body out of order. 
• Indulge in natural, real food.  Increase your intake of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and animal products that are produced without hormones and antibiotics.  

• Choose lean meat.  Say "no" to Mc Donald's and "yes" to lean meat, grilled chicken, and fish!  One serving size of meat is 3oz, which is equivalent to a deck of cards.
• Watch your portions!  I eat a healthy snack or small meal every 2-3 hours to keep my blood sugar levels constant and my hunger at bay.
• Get your sleep!  Before bed, take time to unwind.  Reflect on what happened throughout your day before you climb into bed, and give yourself time for 7-8 hours of quality sleep when possible.
• Think happy thoughts.  If you encounter a setback or disappointment, consider it an opportunity for growth.  I believe that everything happens for a reason.  Life is an opportunity for growth.
• Take time for yourself.  Write in a journal, read a book, take a walk and enjoy nature.  I wake up 30 minutes before I need to each morning to ground myself and prepare mentally for the day.
• Listen to music.  Music can be very therapeutic in relaxation.  I listen while I drive, when I "unwind" from my day, and when I work out.  I highly recommend Andy McKee for some peaceful rhythms.

• Make time for meaningful relationships.  Don't surround yourself with people who drag you down!  Friends and family should be a supportive, loving network.  If you are in an emotionally or physically damaging relationship, it is time to step back and view how the situation can be poisonous to your health.  You are in charge of your own life!
• Play with animals.  Pets are nonjudgmental, relaxing, and affectionate.  They seem to know exactly what we need.  Go walk your dog, snuggle with your cat, ride a horse, or visit a farm to simply watch the sheep.  Play in a stream and catch frogs.  Be a kid again!  Appreciation of nature is a beautiful thing.

• Get outside!  We spend so much time inside, at a desk, wired into technology.  Turn off your phone and go hiking, walking, swimming, or biking.  Listen to the birds and breathe in the fresh air.
• Help somebody else.  Nothing is more gratifying than truly touching another life.  Volunteer, do something nice for a loved one, or be kind to a stranger!
• Appreciate the little things, and be grateful.  The smiles, beautiful sounds, special friendships,  and wonderful moments.  The sun, trees, and your own two feet.  Your health and your life.  Our country.
• Smile at a stranger.  You could make their day, and it will make you feel better as well.
• Find time to laugh.  Laughter is the best medicine!
• Light a candle.  Peaceful relaxation.

Those are my tips.  It is hard to make time for all of this... but it is so important!  I spend at least an hour moving my body almost every day, I work hard to create time for peaceful sleep, and I plan each meal/snack to be nourishing to my body.  I make time to reflect and unwind at the end of the day, and I appreciate the little things in life as much as possible.  That is not to say I don't get overwhelmed ever... believe me, I do!  With my supportive network of friends and family, my self-care practices, and my relaxation techniques, I am able to maintain a positive and energetic outlook on life.  Give some of these tips a try!


~Lauren

Pittsburgh and More!

Hey Everybody!

As I write this, I am flying back to Vermont from a weekend of pageant preparations and fun in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The flight is a bit bumpy! 

While in Pittsburgh, we stayed at the Hyatt with my director Randy Sanders and his other Miss and Teen state titleholders: West Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.  Director Melissa Pitchford was also there with her states, Ohio and Michigan.  It was great to spend time with the girls and get to know them better... after all, I will be with them for 2+ weeks at Miss USA!  They are sisters now. 

Aside from the social part of the weekend, we got down to business.  Lots of meetings, workshops, a photoshoot with Carter’s studio, and an appearance as special guests at Celebration of the Chinese New Year... with a 14-course traditional Mandarin feast!

Most people don’t realize how much goes into preparing for pageants. I certainly had no idea prior to competing for Miss Vermont USA!  Let’s take a behind-the-scenes look at pageant preparation:

Body: Of course, contestants must be in tip-top shape.  Strong and fit, yet feminine.  This is probably my favorite aspect of pageant preparation because I love leading a healthy lifestyle.  It is not all about crash dieting and crazy cardio.  In fact, I eat 6-7 “clean” meals/snacks each day- fresh, real, non-processed food and lots of protein.  I lift weights instead of doing cardio, and I make sure to sleep (when I can!), drink a ton of water, and (my opinion) do yoga as well.

The BRAIN: There is a stereotype out there of ditzy, fluffy pageant girls.  Let me tell you, this is wildly inaccurate.  Anybody who personally knows me can vouch for this.  The girls I have met thus far are intelligent, focused, wonderful women who are succeeding in a variety of professions, from teaching and communications to dental school and (me!) nursing.

Appearance: Pageant girls must be intelligent, and also beautiful.   Skill in hair and makeup is essential, and a decent sense of style and a small collection of TALL shoes for all occasions is necessary.  I have never been much concerned with my hair or makeup, and I have never been a materialistic girl...  However, it has been fun to get creative with style and appearance.  It is nice to wear something other than nursing scrubs, for a change!

The Gown: Yes, each pageant girl needs a fabulous evening gown that they love for nationals.  There are so many options, and you can really get creative here as well.

Communications Skills: As a Miss Whatever, you end up speaking a lot.  We talk to people at appearances, recruit sponsors, and have public speaking engagements.  Of course, there is also the interview at the actual pageant.  One interview occurs behind closed doors before the show, and the other interview is on-stage with only the top 5 contestants.  Judges can ask anything, and we have to be prepared to think on our feet and respond in an eloquent manner.

Contestant Profile Sheets: Prior to the pageant, contestants are given a big list of questions to fill out.  The judges are given these to examine as a way to get to know us more.  It is our first impression on the judges, so it has to be perfect, unique, and 100% honest-to-goodness YOU!

Mental Preparation: Confidence. Faith in oneself. Organization. Miss USA is 2+ grueling and exciting weeks in Vegas, and contestants have to be on the ball, 24/7!  Lucky for me, I have worked enough 12-hour night shifts to be ready to handle anything... with a smile!

Knowledge: Miss USA needs to be up-to-date on... guess what? USA! She needs to know what is going on in her country and the world. I don’t have a television OR cable in my little Vermont apartment, but I do stay connected through online news resources and the paper. 

Sponsors: For everything from tanning and hair to gas cards and clothing!

 Organization Skills: are essential. Between booking appearances, arranging sponsors, coordinating traveling and coaching sessions, time at the gym... oh, and full-time nursing school!  I have a little green book that has a calendar with daily schedules, and it is my LIFE saver.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg!  Appearances, photoshoots, traveling, and more... being a titleholder is a ton of work and an amazing opportunity. I am so grateful for my state, my crown, and the wonderful people keeping me on track to Miss USA.  Bring it on!

~Lauren Carter

UPDATE!

Hello everybody!

Well, there has been TONS going on in my life since my last post.  Between pageant preparations, appearances, photoshoots, traveling, nursing school, and nursing clinicals... I am one of the busiest people I know!  I love every minute of it.  There is nothing like working towards a good cause, and I am lucky enough to work towards two causes: Miss USA and my nursing license!  The following is a rundown of where I have been and what I have been doing.

Preparations:  SO much goes into preparing for a national pageant. WOW.  Between keeping your body in tip-top shape (fitness, hair, nails, skin) and completing paperwork, finding sponsors, getting and staying organized, scheduling travels and appearances, coaching... I will write a whole post on this later.  I can't even get into it here!  But I do love it.

Appearances: I was able to judge the Colchester Winter Festival Talent Show the other week with Miss Vermont Teen USA, Bridget Martin.  What a fun experience!  There were so many contestants, ranging from 6-70 years old.  It is amazing how talented some of these young children are!  Inspirational.  I also supported the Pink Zone basketball games at my college, University of Vermont.  The purpose of these PINK games is to raise money for breast cancer research and the Vermont Cancer Center.  There were pink jerseys worn by the players, pink t-shirts for competitors, and pink everything!  I worked the tables selling PINK t-shirts for a donation of $5... and we sold SO many.  I would like to think that my sparkly crown helped.  I was even asked to sign a few shirts.

Travels: I was lucky enough to escape a massive snowstorm (nothing unusual!) here in Vermont when I hopped on a plane to Arizona.  I had two beautiful days of photoshoots with Benizo, a talented and creative photographer.  Lots of diverse pictures came as a result.  It was great to warm up and play in the sun.  My favorite discovery of the trip was Horchatas, a Mexican rice milk with cinnamon. YUM!

Nursing School:  I am SO grateful to my incredible, flexible, and understanding professors who cheer me on as I navigate these months of pageant preparation.  I am all over the place traveling and focusing on pageant business.  The timing of my Miss Vermont USA win was perfect- I am a senior in nursing school right now and have class one day a week.  Beyond my one packed day of classes, I have to complete 128 hours of clinical internship and work on a community health project.  My clinical internship is at my favorite place in the world: Vermont Respite House.  This is an inpatient Hospice facility, where people go to spend the last days of their lives in comfort and peace with their families.  I have worked there as a Licensed Nursing Assistant for several years now, and it is wonderful to practice there as a student nurse now.  My community Health Project is the development of an educational program for Vermont National Guard members, which will be presented at a Yellow Ribbon Event weekend-long event in March.

What does the future hold?  I am going to Pittsburgh on Friday for a weekend of fun workshops and appearances with Randy Sanders (my director) and his team.  Next Thursday and Friday (2/24-25) I will be at a photoshoot with the famous Fadil Berisha in NYC.  When not traveling, I will be spending every day possible in class and my clinical internships.  I will also be securing my perfect evening gown in the beginning of March... but I cannot tell much about that!!!


Stay tuned!  It is a wild ride.

PS Miss USA is June 19th, from 9-11pm at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in LAS VEGAS!





~Lauren Carter

Chop Shop Hair Design

Hey all!

I spent this Sunday at the Bridal, Health, & Beauty Expo in Burlington, VT with my AWESOME hair sponsors from Chop Shop Hair Design.  What fun!  I modeled some awesome hair & makeup while passing out brochures, mingling with the brides-to-be, and sampling delicious food (maple parsnip soup and chocolate covered strawberries, YUM!).

Enjoy the photos. I have to head out... I am going to the Chop Shop!  I am a frequent flier there... Love them! <3