Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen 2011

Happy December!

2011-12-10T20:13:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone! Its about time for another blog, don't you think?

Hall School's Reading Night

Presenting a Project Linus Blanket to Ana, my new friend :)

November has been quite a ride! From All-State Choir to my 9 days of school this month, I've been just about everywhere you can imagine! I've had the opportunity to perform for various groups in North Platte in the past month and promote my platform as well! I welcomed in the new month with a trip back to Chadron to pass down my local title of Miss Northwest Outstanding Teen. It was great to see my Chadron "family" and meet a very promising group of new contestants!

I was honored to, once again, sing the National Anthem for the local VFW Post's Veteran's Day Services. Being able to be a part of these ceremonies has really taught me a lot in the past couple years. There is only so much that a history class can teach you about what these veterans really did for us. I am so blessed to have met my good buddy Cal Stratton two years ago at the Vietnam Veteran's Wall. Since then, he has given me countless opportunities to perform as well as speak about how important their sacrifices are to me and our country. So so blessed, thank you Cal and the VFW Post Members!

With the Firing Squad Speaking.. these Cal :)

Congressman Adrian Smith

Showing the little girls Cal's Brick at the Memorial

Cal helping me out, once again!, by driving me in the Veteran's Parade

I am so excited to start of the 4th annual Coats4Kids coat drive! With the assistance of my good buddy Josha Gifford and ProPrinting, we are beginning what we hope to call the most successful year so far! Boxes are located at First National Bank, Bank of the West, the NP Library, ProPrinting, Sunmart by Walmart, and the Dance Factory. So far we have one definite "Pick Up" location, and we are working on two others.

I attended my third and final year of All-State Choir over the week of Nov. 16th. I traveled to Lincoln with a group of 9 other students, 2 of which were also third year members. After 3 busy days of rehearsal, running around Lincoln, Laser Tag, swimming, muffins, Lazlo's, and Qdoba, I was once again left speechless by the experience. Every year, All-State renews my love for music and changes my career path back to music. I think that's a sign... :) We had an awesome director, amazing choir, and amazing singers from our school. So proud of everyone who made it, and very very sad to say that I won't be able to attend ever again.

Over 400 of Nebraska's most talented singers

I was honored to be a featured guest at the Miss Nebraska Pageant's annual Festival of Trees over the Thanksgiving break. Kayla and I sang and introduced the trees that were decorated by businesses across North Platte. This fundraiser benefited the Miss Nebraska pageant as well as the Children's Miracle Network. There was a GREAT turnout! My cheer squad also took part in decorating a tree! Our "Believe" tree had plenty of blue and gold dog bones to show our spirit and even had a Santa, angel, and Rudolf bulldog! It was all handmade by the squad and was auctioned for over $300 and then donated to the Bridge of Hope for the kids to enjoy there.

Kayla and I helping to auction off a wreath

This is the Coffee Maker.. I mean tree.. Kayla won :)

My visit back to Chadron was very much needed! I missed my Chadron family! Mom and I braved the winter roads and were welcomed with open arms back into the community. I enjoyed spending the day with the new contestants and volunteers. Jon Marquez and I were the emcees for the night. Thank you to Michele Strom of the Winning Crown Boutique for providing my wardrobe for the night as well! I'm so excited for our new titleholders; its crazy to think that they are preparing to take over my job already! :)

Our canned food drive was also this week! The seniors brought in a whopping 37,000 points, however, as a school, we were still shy of our 55,000 point goal. The final day has been extended until Monday, so we're working all weekend to reach it! If we do, we will not have school on Dec. 22nd, the final day before break. Needless to say, we're all hoping for the best!

Tomorrow is NPHS's Vespers concert at North Platte High. Anyone who is in the North Platte area, you cannot miss this! The NPHS Varsity Choir has an absolutely amazing selection of music this year and the talent in our choir is phenomenal. It will fill you with Christmas cheer :) The concert begins at 4 on Sunday, Dec. 11th at the Performing Arts Center in North Platte High.

As for the rest of the already predicted month, I will be finishing up scholarship applications, running the mile in gym class one last time, writing a few English abstracts, and ending hopefully the most successful year of Coats4Kids! Notice, this is the predictable schedule. I'm sure you will see me out and about with my sparkly hat pretty soon! Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and God Bless to all :)

All I do is RUN RUN RUN!

2011-11-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

Hello Bloggers! I am so sorry for this crazy gap of time between entries, the life of a high school senior is full of twist and turns with book reports and research papers, but throwing a crown into that mix just makes computer time impossible!

AND I've had a phone malfunction, and so my entire calendar got deleted, which is basically my life. So I'll attempt to fill in the empty spaces!

Heres a run down on what I've been up to since my last update-

1) I've made various appearances in North Platte, but the one that sticks out the most in my mind is where I met my good friend Sprinkles the House Pig. I was asked to be a part of First National Bank's NEST-fest, which encouraged families to open an account with them that would save money for their child's college education. I sign tons of autographs and was able to watch a really cute talent show. I also met my friend Sprinkles and was even allowed to hold him!

2) As my senior year gets closer and closer to the end, I have to start thinking about picking a college! AHHH! No pressure, since this is one of the most important decisions I will probably ever make, right? I visited the University of Nebraska Lincoln on their Red Letter Architecture Day in order to see just what exactly architecture is. I can honestly say that I was very wrong in my idea of what I would be learning, and I am currently considering other paths to take. Not that I don't enjoy architecture, I just believe that the plan I have for my life wouldn't work out with the career demands of an architect. Of course, music is the first thing I thought of. I'm exploring my opitions right now as to my major, but I'm still considering UNL as my first choice! I even met my long lost best friend Sadie at the architecture day! We were best friends growing up, however after she moved away, we lost a lot of contact. It was great to catch up and hopefully I'll be seeing her around campus a lot next year! *On the note of colleges, I've currently applied to a TON and have been accepted to Hastings, UNK, UNO, UNL, Doane, Luther, and Wesleyan. Still waiting to hear from Yale, fingers crossed!I raised my ACT score to a 31, so we'll see what kind of scholarship money that brings in!

3) My life has been filled with cheering too! On top of our weekly football games, I traveled with the squad to many volleyball games across Nebraska. We held our annual Pink Out and raised over $5,000, our most ever! Of course, this was my last game to cheer at good old NPHS, so a few... okay maybe a lot, of tears were shed. Thank you girls for making this a memorable senior football cheer season. Although I didn't play, I can still say that I'm going to miss those Friday Night Lights. Now we're gearing up for the winter season and preparing for State Cheerleading in February, I'm choreographing the routine!

4) All State Choir Auditions! As a possible third year All-State member, I was terrified going into the auditions. Sometimes you can audition perfectly, but you didn't quite make the cut, so I was very worried. However, two weeks after the audition, I found out that I was one of nine North Platte High students that would be attending the All-State Honor Choir on Nov. 16-18. I'M SO EXCITED! Congrats to the other third year members, Natalie Poppe and Ben Montegomery!

5) I've also been in the works of planning a Halloween dance for the Senior Class! Myself, along with my friends Riley Evarts, Jordan Enderle, Jake Berglund, Adam Bailey, and Mitch Alexander successfully put together a dance raising $1,500 for our class's canned food drive! Over 300 people from North Platte and the surround communities attended. It was such a success :)

6) My boyfriend, Jeff, and I ventured to Lincoln to watch the Huskers WHOMP Michigan State the next day :) Of course, we partook in the customary after game wings at the Waterhole, and then headed home. It was a fun day, and we got to check out the campus from a students point of view.

7) As for more things with my crown, I was featured as a performer at the annul luncheon hosted by Lincoln County's Community Domestic Violence Prevention Organization. I was joined by Husker football announcer Matt Davison. He spoke on "Creating Captains", his program encouraging kids to think about their future and prepare for what they want to be. He had a very inspiring message that I'm finding to be true everyday in my journey to college!

8) Finally, I just got back from the State Student Council convention! Our council headed to Lincoln on Sunday, and enjoyed the night doing crazy teenager stuff in our hotel. We had tons of fun taking crazy pictures, having pillow fights, and laughing hysterically After a night of staying up until 3am... I was a tad bit exhausted. During the convention, our key note speaker really caught my attention. Ted was his name, and he had a realistic plan that I think everyone can relate to. His slogan was "Be the solution, not the problem." He talked about just doing something nice. Being a good person, to yourself and others. His message really spoke to me. I'm altering my platform, if that's allowed in the middle my reign... But I think that this statement really speaks for what I stand for. Yes volunteering is important, but as my year goes on, I'm finding that "Being the solution" is that I believe to be a message we can all listen too. Everything that I feel strongly about can be accomplished if you "are the solution" and not the problem.

It's time to get to bed for cheer practice tomorrow! I challenge all of you to think about "being the solution." What does that mean to you? I'll share my "solutions" throughout the year too!

Happy Wednesday!

Homecoming week is over!

2011-09-24T17:08:00.000-07:00

Now, it's time to catch up!

Last Saturday, Sept. 17th, I was asked to help with the Cartwheel-A-Thon in North Platte that raises money for Children's Miracle Network. Kayla and I weren't able to help with the tumbling part of it much, but we were definitely good encouragement for the kids fulfilling their pledges. Every hour on the half hour we taught the kids more about a healthy lifestyle and why its important. I had the strength station, so we did push ups :) In between pledgers, we did a little bit of tumbling ourselves. Kayla is a master at somersaults!

We also helped to break the world record for the most handstands across the world at one time... with crowns on :)

Last night, Sept 23rd, was North Platte High's Homecoming. The Cheerleaders, Pacers, and band performed at half time, which went REALLY well! We were lucky enough to have Danny Woodhead send Tapout, a brand of clothing/athletic supplies, to the game and bring along tons of merchandise to throw into the crowd. After the game, everyone ran off to get ready for the Homecoming dance and danced the night away. My date, Jeff Hardy, and I finished off the night at Penny's Dinner by getting a giant plate of hash browns :)

Today, I woke up bright and early (for the day after Homecoming at least) to go to First National Bank of North Platte's NESTFest. NEST encourages parents to set up college funds for their children at an early age. The parking lot was filled with HappyHoppers, face painting, carnival games, free food, a petting zoo, and an autograph table for yours truly. My estimate is that I gave away over 100 autographs, so the event was a complete success for First National, and I hope many parents in the area set up an account for their children. As I'm now a Senior preparing for college, I now really understand the importance of college money. You can never start too soon! At the end of the event, I went into the petting zoo :) I met Sprinkles, the house pig, and took a picture with him.

So that sums up my busy life for the past week! I'm not relaxing before being thrown back into the whirlwind of Cheerleading! Happy Saturday, and GO BIG RED!

Reflections on Sept. 11th

2011-09-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

On a day like this, it's impossible to not remember where you were 10 years ago. I had not been told about it at school, I found out after school when I came home and turned on the TV. I don't remember much about that day, but I do remember there was a parents meeting that night, and we were asked to take a moment of silence. I was really too young to take in the magnitude of what just happened. It's hard for an 8 year old to understand that this was really happening, and that it would effect the rest of my life. I knew it was a terrible thing, but I didn't understand just how bad it really was.

Ten years from that day, I look back with a different view. Within a few years, I understood the impact this made on our nation, and even my life as a little girl in North Platte, NE. My Freshman year we watched the 9/11 movie, and I have to say that changed my life forever. It brought tears to my eyes, to see the firemen giving their lives to save others, to see the people on New York streets running to help in any way they could, to see that a human being could actually cause this much death and destruction willingly. It scared me to death. Yet at the same time, it gave me a sense of pride that our nation was brought together and completely forgot about our own selves in order to help our fellow Americans.

My dad and I always discuss what happened and things about the war. I've been really involved with the VFW and Legion activities this year too, so my eyes have really been opened. I am so proud of our soldiers who are fighting overseas. Our entire nation should be proud of our soldiers overseas. They have prevented another attack on our nation and have kept us safe. I only wish I could show my gratitude in some way, thank you.

Yesterday, I had the honor of singing the National Anthem at the Milo Day's Celebration in Carleton, NE. Before I sang, a presentation was made by the local Fire & Rescue Team in honor of 9/11. Everyone watching and involved in the parade was asked to rise and give 34 seconds of silence for those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. Thirty-four seconds - 1 second for every 10 firemen and servicemen lost in the 9/11 attacks. It was dead silent. Prayers were being sent, thoughts were being made, and even the children wanting candy stood completely still in honor of this silence. Following that up with the National Anthem was quite difficult, I had tears in my eyes from just the thought how this event brought together our nation into one and how even a town in the middle of Nebraska can be so affected by this tragedy.

Today, I once again have the honor of singing the National Anthem for the NebraskaLand National Bank flag dedication at their North branch. I'm looking forward to this, and hopefully to once again take part in a ceremony like yesterdays.

I ask everyone reading this to take a minute out of their day to say a prayer, I gave mine last night before I went to bed. On a day like this, you can't help but thank God for protecting us, sending angels on that day who went into the buildings and saved lives, and continuing to send angels who are currently overseas protecting our country.

"Dear God,
I ask that you give every single angel up there in heaven with you that was taken from us on 9/11 a giant hug. Be with their families on this day, and please give them a sense of peace. Watch over our soldiers fighting today as they remember why they are fighting. Bless our nation, for You are the one who has lead us through these troubled times. You have given us glories throughout the past 10 years that we can also celebrate on this day of remembrance. Watch over us as we remember those who have fallen, those who are grieving, and those who are still fighting. Thank You for protecting us."

One last thing, on this day of remembrance, I ask every single one of you reading this to do some sort of act of service. It's the least we can do to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. :)

God Bless

Major Catching up!

2011-09-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

Oh my, it's been forever since I've had time to write anything! Needless to say, my life has not slowed down at all since MAOT.

School is back in session! The cheer squad is doing amazing and I couldn't be more proud of them. I've heard nothing but good comments! :)

As for the pageant world, I have spent my time attending every local pageant that has been held so far! I've visited Miss Scottsbluff Co., Miss Lincoln, and Miss State Fair. Congrats to all of the new local titleholders, I'm looking forward to seeing you at state! Kayla Batt, Miss Nebraska, Kayla Decker, Miss State Fair 2010, and I escaped from backstage and took a trek around the fair grounds. We found red velvet funnel cake (YUM) and hair feathers! I ended up doing 18 Army push ups at the Army tent and won a free tshirt also! We signed autographs and performed, and then I was headed home once again.

Labor Day, I participated and volunteered with the Run to Cure Breast Cancer here in North Platte. A few friends and myself ran the 5K and braved the chilly fall weather. This was my first attempt at working out after MAOT... and was successful! I ran the entire way and ended up winning my division. Needless to say I was quite surprised, and am now quite sore!

Preparing for the ACT is what I'm doing this week! I'm hoping to raise my score of 30 to at least a 32. We'll see what happens. This is only one of 3 times I will be taking it this fall before I make my final decision and apply for scholarships.

This weekend after the ACT, I am traveling to Carleton, NE to help out with the Milo Days celebration. They have a long running tradition of having a teen pageant and I am so excited that I was asked to help out! I will be speaking to the girls about my platform, helping them make a few blankets to give out, riding in a parade, singing, and teaching them about what a pageant is really about. I have never been to Carleton, but from what I've heard this community is very welcoming and I cannot wait to go this weekend!

Sunday, I am helping with NebraskaLand National Bank's flag dedication at their North branch. Following the dedication at 4, there will be a free will donation dinner. It would be great to see a large part of the community at the event, as it will be commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Also, concerning 9/11 - September 11th has been deemed a National Day of Service. I challenge everyone who reads this blog to go out of their way this Sunday to help someone in need. Even the smallest act will make a difference. It's the least we can do to honor those who have given their lives in service. I have chosen to not accept any form of re-reimbursement for my appearances this weekend in honor of this day, and hope to have the opportunity to find another service project by the end of the week. Let me know what you've done in honor of September 11th!

God Bless :)

Back to the "Real World"

2011-08-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Wow.
That pretty much sums up the past week and a half of my life at MAOT. I had such a wonderful week filled with life changing experiences that I will never be able to duplicate.

After arriving in Orlando, I checked in, met the other contestants, and was a part of a Tony Bowls Photo shoot! ^ That's a sample :)

All 53 of us attended a Medieval Times dinner, a dinner at Planet Hollywood, and the Evening of Stars. We even got a break from rehearsals to enjoy the pool!!

I was blessed to have tied for the On-stage question/evening gown prelim award, but I was even more blessed to have added 52 sisters to my family. They mean the world to me and I miss them terribly.

I feel horrible because I'm at a loss for describing my week! It was such a whirlwind of awesome-ness. I've learned so much from this experience and have absolutely no regrets. I've never been so pleased and content in my life.

This experience has really taught me a lot about myself. I have reconnected with God in a way that I never thought was possible. I honestly have not prayed that much in my life! At the end of the week, I watched a plane write "Love God" in the sky. It was like the signature at the end of a letter. The best way to describe my experience at MAOT is a message from God, I am truly blessed to have had this opportunity to learn about myself, my life, my journey, and what He has intended me to do. I cannot wait to see what plan he has for me in the near future :)

To the MAOT Class of 2012- I miss you like crazy, thank you for making this journey an absolute blast. Can't wait for Vegas
To my friends, family, and support group here in NP & Nebraska- I couldn't have done this without you. I am eternally grateful for you love and support, it got me through the week!

Here's a service blurb! I am taking part in the Run for Breast Cancer here in North Platte on Sept. 5th. I highly suggest being a part of this great cause! Visit the groups facebook page or contact me and I would be glad to get you more information!

IT'S GO TIME!

2011-08-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

Alright, so my intentions of blogging every day up until MAOT didn't exactly work out. Ha, funny how packing seems to consume your life when you are leaving for a week and a half.

Anyways, the past few days have been filled with the Ludeman Family Reunion, packing, eating some chicken, working out, running to Gothenburg to get dresses altered, practicing my talent, my birthday, and my very favorite event, my send off. :)

Thank you to everyone who attended the send off. It was a complete success. I got more stage time in my competition outfits for practice, Darrell tricked me with a few onstage questions, and I was able to practice my talent! The silent auction went over great and so did the birthday cake! It was a great celebration, and I could really feel the support from the state. :)

As for now, I am completely packed and am getting ready to head out to Grand Island to fly out in the morning! I am so ready and cannot wait for the week to begin.

Again, another thank you to everyone for all of your support and well wishes. It means so much to me and I wouldn't be here without your help.

Mother will be keeping things updated on her Facebook, as well as mine and the Nebraska Outstanding Teen page. I won't have my phone or access to the Internet after Friday night. You can write me letters though! Letters, care packages, cards, ...chocolate :) anything except flowers due to allergies.

Please send to:
Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen Brooke Ludemann
c/o Rosen Centre Hotel
9840 International Dr.
Orlando, FL 32819-8122

Thanks again! I will be back up on August 22nd :)

Count down to MAOT - day 7

2011-08-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

On top of my updates and service project ideas, I'm going to start telling you about my final week getting ready for Miss America's Outstanding Teen!

First off, here's what I've been doing:

Tuesday: I visited the Lincoln Children's Museum to promote The Center for People in Need's backpack program! I was part of a large effort to spread the word about this project across Lincoln and also get some donations. This was also a great chance to reach out to young kids about volunteering! We traced our hands and talked about "Helping Hands are Big and Small," which was my message about age not mattering in the ability to do volunteer work. The kids decorated their hands, wrote their names on them, and then hung them on the wall to be displayed. They had fun, AND they learned about volunteering. Win/win situation! Here is the story from 10/11 news! http://www.1011now.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6113994&flvUri&partnerclipid

Also, in North Platte, a story was run in the North Platte Telegraph about my send of party and my year so far. It was a great story written by Diane Wentzle, a big thank you to her, and it really showcased the volunteer aspect of my reign. Here's a link to read the story! http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2011/08/02/news/70001097.txt

Wednesday I was back in North Platte for a mock interview practice. Thank you so much to the awesome judges! It was a great last minute prep and reassurance that I am ready!

Today: Here starts my count down!... Ahhhh! Today was my "vocal rest day". I've been doing so many appearances, interviews, and just talking in general, that my singing voice is really taking a hit. So, I have been sent to rest and relax (whats that?!?!) for the day. At least I have plenty to get done without talking!

Here are some volunteer ideas for the week! I visited http://www.serve.gov/ for my ideas this week. I've found this really cool resource and have been referring back to if very often. There are some neat personal stories from celebrities too. Here's my favorite from Usher, who is also my favorite! :)
http://www.tvaccessreports.com/myamericanstory/supporting/Power-of-Change_Usher-60.mp3
This is another great resource for finding volunteer opportunities! www.allforgood.org. This link connects you directly to a link that has volunteer opportunities in North Platte. If you aren't from North Platte, simply change the zip code to yours and there will be a list provided!
http://www.allforgood.org/search#num=10&start=1&vol_loc=69101&distance=25&type=all&timeperiodstart=everything&timeperiodend=everything&cache=1

Also a reminder that my send off is THIS Sunday, August 7th at the Quality Inn & Suites from 3:00-6:00pm with the "show" at 4pm. Don't miss it!

A Morning with Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen was great!

2011-07-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

I planned the two months leading up to MAOT kinda backwards... I get busier as the pageant approaches! :)

The day with Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen was a blast. Hands down one of the best things I've ever done. We started off playing fun "cheer camp" games, like Princess, Rider, Pony, which the girls absolutely loved!

Then the girls helped me to brainstorm some ideas about "What is a volunteer?" and "How can you volunteer?" They said a volunteer was someone who does nice things but isn't paid (which hits the nail on the head) but they also said they are kind, loving, and friendly. The girls said that they could bake for people, read to the elderly in nursing homes, donate coats/money, help out in someone else's garden, rake leaves, make arts and crafts for a nursing home, spend time at hospitals, make blankets, and help a neighbor carry in groceries. Now, this was BEFORE I gave them my whole speel on volunteering, so I think these girls really deserve a high five for their awesome thought process. I was so impressed. I then told the girls about Project Linus and what that project is and why it's important. The girls really thought that it was a cool project, and LOVED making the blankets for the kids. Throughout the process of tying, they kept asking me what kind of kid this blanket would go to. They signed a quilt that will be quilted and distributed, and they all signed cards that will be included with the blankets when they are delivered. A blanket was sent with Meghan Thalken, Miss Lincoln's Outstanding Teen, and Alex O'Conner, Miss Lake Mac's Outstanding Teen. All of the girls are now certified Project Linus Blanketeers.

The girls made sugar cookies, we learned that some of them had a big taste for frosting... :)

Then the girls learned their production number dance, and I must say they are very quick dancer learn-ers! It was SO cute! After a minute long routine, they all introduced themselves and had their chance to shine in the spot light. They were all crowned for the final performance also.

I must say that the cherry on top of my day was watching the news report and seeing one of the little 7 year old girls say "It feels good to help and know that I helped make a difference". Goal accomplished :)

Saturday it was off to Scottsbluff for the Scottsbluff Co Fair pageant. I was fortunate enough to sing the National Anthem, get a chance to perform my talent piece, AND ask the on-stage questions. It was great getting to know the girls, there is a great group of local contestants in the western part of Nebraska! Congrats to JaLee Pilkington, Miss Scottsbluff Co. Fair Teen Queen, and Taylor Ziegler, Miss Scottsbluff Co. Fair!

I just returned from serving dinner and helping out around the Lincoln Connection, our local homeless shelter. I am part of the local Interact! group, a Rotary sponsored teen community service club, in North Platte. We did far more than just serve supper like we had first planned! We weeded, swept, mopped, cleaned tables, did dishes, cleaned bathrooms... you name it, we probably did it. It was great to get to do hands on "dirty" community service work. It really gave me some ideas for later this year... :)

Oh! And don't forget about the Children's Miracle Network! The deadline for the $1,000 scholarship going out to the contestant with the most money raised for the Children's Miracle Network is tomorrow! Visit https://www.maoteen4kids.org/m.aspx?i=253761A66BFC79AA4&e=F91A759DAA to donate to my page and help CMN!

Unfortunately, due to lack of advertising and funds, we will no longer be able to travel to Scottsbluff on Thursday to do the other scheduled backpack project. I feel terrible that we had to cancel, however I need community support in order to have a successful project! We are planning on rescheduling later this fall, perhaps doing a different project. Either way, we will get to the Scottsbluff area and do a service project before my reign is over! I WILL accomplish my goal :)

The Interact! Club of North Platte is accepting new members anytime! This is a great way to get involved in a teen club and most importantly, your community! We have a fun and busy fall planned for our club and will be doing many service projects throughout the year. Contact any member for more information, or get a hold of me from my contact info over there ---->

Now I'm off to pack for the adventure to the Lincoln Children's Museum! I'm so excited!

Inspiration.

2011-07-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

I just saw this on NBC's Nightly News and it really gave me reassurance that I am doing the right thing with my year by reaching out to kids to tell them about volunteering. This little girl already had the volunteering bug inside her. I watched in amazement as they told her story. This is the perfect example of the goodness in a childs heart.

Here is her story copied from a Seattle Newspaper:

Rachel Beckwith had a dream. The 9-year-old Issaquah girl wanted to help provide clean water to African villages.

For her birthday last month, she told her friends to donate to an organization - charity:water - that does that (providing clean water to children in Africa), instead of giving her presents.

Her effort raised $220, but it was $80 short of her goal and her family closed the bank account set up to accept donations. (Her goal was to attempt again next year)

Now, her tragic death last Wednesday in a 15-vehicle accident on Interstate 90 has spurred thousands to continue her dream by donating $140,000 to the cause.

Rachel died when the car driven by her mother was struck by a semi-trailer that jackknifed in heavy traffic and crashed into a logging truck. Rachel was taken off life support several days later due to head and spine injuries.

The public outpouring came when the church the family attends - Eastlake Community Church in Bothell - asked the community to help meet Rachel's goal. Word spread. Donations poured in - many, from people who never even knew the little girl.

One donor who gave $44.25 listed as Anonymous said her 4-and 5-year-old daughters were particularly moved by Rachel's story.

"After they donated the contents of their banks to Rachel's birthday wish, they knew they could do more," the donor wrote. "The girls planned, prepared, and manned a lemonade stand yesterday in honor of Rachel. They told each customer about the importance of clean water and how we can all help to make sure people all over the world have access to it. Rachel's legacy will live on forever!"

Another donor who gave $50 listed as Scott Garrepy wrote: "Rachel, I sat next to your aunt on a plane the day of your accident, as she was coming to see you in the hospital. I told her I would be praying for you, her, and your family."

Last Sunday, the Eastlake congregation held a memorial service for Rachel, hearing from family members and close friends as they shared memories of the young girl.

"Over and over again people shared what a beautiful and generous heart Rachel had," said Pastoral Assistant Aaron Noble in an email. "As her father described, 'Her heart was bigger than this room,' referring to our huge auditorium."

It's that same, selfless heart that inspires Noble. First. Rachel gave up her 9th birthday, then when she was $80 short, had planned to give up her 10th birthday, too.

"On June 12, 2011, I'm turning 9," said Rachel's statement on the charity:water website." I found out that millions of people don't live to see their 5th birthday. And why? Because they didn't have access to clean, safe water so I'm celebrating my birthday like never before."

Since Friday afternoon, her campaign has gone from $220 to $140,000.

"And it grows every time I refresh the page," Noble said.

To help Rachel's cause, go to:

www.mycharitywater.org/p/campaign?campaign_id=16396.

The news report said that $300 would provide clean water to 15 children. Her total is now over $600,000. Imagine the impact she is making for the children in Africa. God had special plans for her, and I think we can all learn from her example. Thank you Rachel for your inspiration, you are truely a very special little angel.

Follow in Rachel's footsteps! Visit the link above to help Rachel's cause or start your own "Birthday Charity Water Wish!" Another great way to volunteer and donate, with a great story for modivation.

God bless.

TWO WEEKS?!?!

2011-07-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right. It's only two short, jam packed weeks until I leave for Orlando! Wow, the two months since I was crowned definitely flew by, just like Mom said. Good thing we didn't procrastinate! We are right on track with our prep work, service projects and traveling. Thank goodness!

Today, I was interviewed on Mugs in the Morning to promote the Morning with Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen event that is coming up THIS FRIDAY! We talked about the schedule for the day and about my year as Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen so far. Thank you to KX104 for being so helpful and supportive of everything I do, you guys make it so easy!

Tomorrow morning a few members of the NPHS Cheer squad and I will be doing a mini clinic for the girls in this summer's Kids Klub program. We love working with the little girls and being able to help them be "real cheerleaders".

Tomorrow evening is the Carnival for Cancer event at NebraskaLand National Bank. If you are in the North Platte area from 3pm-6pm, stop by the bank downtown and take some time to partake in the events! All of the funds raised there will go toward cancer research, so it is a great cause and it sounds like it will be a lot of fun for the kids! There are games, happy hoppers, and all sorts of attractions! There is also a singing competition to come watch! I believe it will be going on for the entire Carnival, so make sure to stop by and watch! The winners of the competition will sing the National Anthem at the Relay for Life in North Platte on August 6th. I am SO excited to be a guest judge and to be a part of this great event! I will be performing my competition talent for Miss America's Outstanding Teen, and we will be selling my tshirts there as well. Oh! And don't forget to drop a dollar off for People's Choice! There will be a donation jar available for anyone who would like to help me have a guaranteed spot in the top 12!

Friday morning is the Morning with Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen! If you haven't pre-registered, don't worry! We are accepting anyone at the door who would like to participate! There was a typo on the registration sheet, and so the price is actually $15, not $25! So come on down to the North Platte Community Playhouse at 9am on Friday, July 29th and join in on the fun! Your little girl will have a great time becoming a princess!

Saturday I am off to Scottsbluff for the Scottsbluff Co. Fair pageant! I will be running around helping, singing the National Anthem, and performing my competition piece for Miss America's Outstanding Teen. If you are in the Scottsbluff area, join us for a night of amazing talent and even more amazing girls!

On Sunday I will post a list of the events of the next week. Here's another opportunity to donate or help out! There are many things that could be donated to help reach kids across the state with these service projects, more info to come soon!

Get out there and volunteer! :)

Only 18 days left...

2011-07-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

Only 18 days left until I get on the plane and fly down to Orlando for Miss America's Outstanding Teen. Now, that doesn't leave much time left for any of my fundraising or service projects, so this post is dedicated to refreshing everyone's minds about what I need help with, what's coming up, and a few pictures!

First, Children's Miracle Network. If you would like to learn more about what Children's Miracle Network does, log on to http://www.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/ to see stories of some of the patients and what the network stands for. After my visit to the Children's Hospital in Omaha, I've fallen in love with this organization. If I had a million dollars, a huge portion would definitely go to the Children's Miracle Network. However, unfortuantely thanks to the large expenses that come with traveling to Miss America's Outstanding Teen, my pockets are empty. And so I am relying on you guys to help me reach my goal of $750 to the Network. I am in the process of organizing "Kid's Score!", a fundraiser that will be across North Platte. There will be baskets at businesses across North Platte with bags of sports ball shaped chocolates in them. Each bag will be $1 and all the proceeds will go toward the Children's Miracle Network. Also, at my send off and at the Morning with Miss Nebraska, there will be donation jars set up. Or, you can donate online by check or credit card by visiting
https://www.maoteen4kids.org/m.aspx?i=253761A66BFC79AA4&e=F91A759DAA

A Morning with Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen - It's this Friday! Last minute, but there is still plenty of time to sign your little girl up! We will be having a fun filled morning of decorating crown cookies, learning a production number dance, pretending to be pageant queens, and most importantly VOLUNTEERING! The girls will become certified Project Linus Blanketeers by the end of the day. The entry fee is $15, and there will also be my offical Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen shirst available for purchase that are $15 as well. Parents are invited back at 11:00 to watch their little girls perform on stage and shine in the spot light. This is open to girls K-5th grade. All of the proceeds will go toward my trip to Orlando, as well as my service projects coming up this year.

People's Choice - Four Points magazine has started their People's Choice competition. Log on to https://fourpointsmagazine.com/maotpeopleschoiceawards and vote for your favorite contestant (Nebraska of course!). The two girls with the most votes will be added to the Top 12. Each vote is $1, so 5 votes = $5. Payment is by credit card, or you can find jars across town and at my send off and Morning with Miss NE OT if you'd like to make a cash donation.

T-shirts - They are almost in! We will be in contact with you if you have ordered one, or if you would like to purchase one, we do have extras! They will be for sale at the Morning with Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen and my send off. They are $15, and a $1.50 mailing fee if you are not in North Platte. Thanks for your support!

My send off - Don't forget to mark your calendars for August 7th 3pm-6pm. My send off will be at the Quality Inn and Suites, and we are planning quite an entertaining show. There will be a "show" staring at 4pm where I will showcase my competition wardrobe and talent piece, and a variety of local celebrities including Miss Nebraska, Kayla Batt, Miss Omaha's Outstanding Teen, Aleah Peters, Miss Lincoln's Outstanding Teen, Meghan Thalken, Miss Chadron's Outstanding Teen, Kaelia Nelson, and North Platte's boys quartet, Andrew Sodawasser, Seth Fornander, Rick Poppe, and Casey Wroot, will be performing. There is no admission fee, however this is a silent auction with AWESOME items, and many opportunities to donate to Children's Miracle Network, my personal service projects, and my trip to Orlando. Also, its only two days before my birthday! So we will be having a beautiful cake made by Gayle Hardy. Come join the fun, have delicious cake and refreshments, and send your best wishes with me to Miss America!

Wow... that's a lot of stuff. Ha! And that's only the beginning of it! Here's what I've done in the past week:

On Wednesday, I spoke to the kids in the North Platte Community Playhouse's Summer Theatre Camp about volunteering and why it's important. I really think the kids learned something from my talk, and were really engaged the entire time! They had some awesome questions and were really interested. Today, I attended their show of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and I have to say it was GREAT! The kids are so talented, and remembered me when I went through the line to say "good job". They were awesome, hands down.

I visited Alliance this weekend. Kayla Batt, Miss Nebraska, was welcomed home in a big celebration Friday night in downtown Alliance. The Heritage Day's crowd stopped by and watched as Kayla, Sarah Summers, Kealia Nelson, and myself performed. We had awesome luck with selling Kayla's shirts and raising money for her endevers thoughout this year too! The following morning we rode in a parade, I had a REALLY nice mustang :), and had a nice lunch with Kayla's family. We then went to Steph's photography to try out the green screen. It was SOO fun! You'll see the picture of us on the Husker turf and the picture of Kayla and I with the Husker N. We're not big Husker fans at all.... :)

Don't forget about the upcoming Carnival for Cancer! It's this Thursday 3pm-6pm at NebraskaLand National Bank down town North Platte. I will be a special celebrity judge for the singing contest! Come have fun and raise money to fight cancer!! I will also be there with my t-shirts and donation jars!

Now I'm off to do more "queeny" things, as my dad likes to say. Here's a slideshow of pictures from this month that I haven't added yet! Keep up to date! And remember, if you need to get a hold of me, my contact information is right there at the top of the screen ----->

Happy Thursday!

2011-07-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Here is an update on what's going on! There are more opportunities to donate and volunteer also!

Here is an update on my hectic wonderful life :)
We have officially sent out "Send Off Party" invites! The date is set for August 7th, 3:00-6:00 and the "show" will be starting at 4 where I will show my wardrobe and talent. Also, Miss Nebraska 2011, Kayla Batt, will be performing, as well as a few local celebrities that I am SO excited about! There is no ticket fee, however there will be a silent auction and multiple opportunities to donate to the Children's Miracle Network and my personal community service projects. The silent auction has some great items and they just keep adding up! Stop by, check out everything, and say hi! Oh, and it is two days before my birthday... so there's cake!! Yay cake!

I am preparing for Kayla Batt's homecoming party tomorrow night and the Heritage Days parade the following afternoon. I will be singing at Kayla's party and helping the town of Alliance to "Welcome Home" their own Miss Nebraska!!

Just found out - Four Points Magazine, the magazine of Miss America, is doing a People's choice contest! Please take the time to look at the page and consider voting for your very own Nebraska contestant! It is $1 per vote, and all of the money raised goes directly into the scholarship fund for this year's prize packages. The top two girls with the most votes will be included in the semi-finalists. Thank you!
https://fourpointsmagazine.com/maotpeopleschoiceawards

Here's a few volunteering things for this week!
I have found the COOLEST Internet tool ever to find volunteering opportunities in your area! Visit www.volunteermatch.org, enter your zip code and one of your interests as a key word, and tada! It supplies you with a list of volunteering opportunities in your area that apply to the key word you typed in. This is a great way to find positions and events you might not have known about otherwise!

Some of you may have seen the advertisement on TV about http://www.serve.gov/. It is also another great website to visit. The same process as above applies to this one, but there is also a national service blog and other places to read about what other people in the United States are doing to volunteer. Also, if you are interested in starting your own service project, this website has a tool kit to help you get started! Awesome way to dive into volunteering!

As always, Project Linus could use blanketeers! If your interested, get a hold of me!

That's all folks! Thanks for checking back and reading!

Brooke

Children's Miracle Network

2011-07-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here's another great way to donate! The Children's Miracle Network aids over 17 million kids every year, with illnesses ranging from heart disorders and cancer to West Nile and whopping cough. These children have found excellent medical care from one of the 170 different hospitals across the continent. Children's Miracle Network is unique in that they are one of few organizations that provide over $2.5 million in charity cures, meaning the family pays little to nothing to help treat their child. This, along with the friendly, loving atmosphere of the Children's Miracle Network hospitals, makes a child's stay in a hospital a little less scary. Support this wonderful organization and help them to continue to make "miracles" for years to come. Please take a chance to look through the stories of patients at http://www.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/ and check out the link below to donate to this worthy cause!

My personal involvement in the Children's Miracle Network has just begun. After my recent visit to the hospital, it has only inspired me more to reach and surpass my goal of $750 before August 11th. This isn't possible without your help! If you need a tax I.D. number, please email me and I will be glad to send it. All of my contact information is in the information bar to the side. My drive to support the Children's Miracle Network isn't just because it is the national platform of Miss America's Outstanding Teen, it is because I have seen first hand the hope and superior medical care they provide to their patients.

https://www.maoteen4kids.org/m.aspx?i=253761A66BFC79AA4&e=F91A759DAA

So much to do, so little time!

2011-07-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

It seems like I'm constantly playing catch up with the blog! Ha :) I have a full week of events to tell you about!

Last Monday night, I moved into Scott Residence Hall on UNO's South Campus for a 4 day long Modeling and Simulation Camp at the Peter Kiewit Institute. It was such an eye opening experience! I want to go into Architecture, so I figured this would be a good place to go to get more of a feel of what I want to do in that field. I learned WAY more than just Architecture things though. I programed a simple video game, made a "sprite" (like the characters in video games), learned about Hydrology, played in online environments, and a ton of other computer related things. The twenty of us also went mini golfing, swimming, bowling, and watched Harry Potter 1 through 4 in order to be ready for the release of Harry Potter 7: Part 2 (which was the best movie EVER!)

After the camp was over, Mom and I stayed an extra day and visited the Children's Hospital in Omaha that is part of the Children's Miracle Network. It was a life changing experience! They treat children from newborns all the way to 21 yrs old, and I was lucky enough to be able to visit kids from both sides of the spectrum. The hallways were bright colors, their rooms were decorated, and there were tons of opportunities to play video games and any other childhood game you could think of. These are some of the strongest, bravest kids I've ever met. Aleah Peters, Miss Omaha's Outstanding Teen, and I distributed blankets from Project Linus and spent time with each kid we were able to on the 6th floor. On our way out of the hospital, I met a little girl who's family was there waiting for their 2 yr old child to come out of surgery. After the doctor came to talk to them, they found out that in a week this little girl will have open heart surgery to flip a valve that wasn't working. I gave the little girl my favorite quilt to give to her little sister, and her face lit up. She proudly walked over to her family with the blanket and showed them her special gift for her sister. It's funny how a blanket and love from a stranger can give hope and reassurance to a family. I love the Children's Miracle Network. God bless the families and patients there. Because of privacy policies, pictures were limited, but here are a few from our experience! Remember - you can visit https://www.maoteen4kids.org/m.aspx?i=253761A66BFC79AA4&e=F91A759DAA and help support hospitals just like this one and children with stories like this! Just a small donation of $5 is wonderful, anything will help!

Also! On Saturday morning I was so lucky to be involved with Wellness Journey's P.I.N.K. Boot camp for young girls. The day was filled with fun exercises (yoga!!), nutrition knowledge, and a fun craft that integrated self esteem, confidence, and goals! Our craft, the "Go to Guide", is a collection of pictures and quotes that inspire us to be the best we can be, stay true to ourselves, and set goals. This was SOOOO fun for me, and I think the girls absolutely loved it. There will be another boot camp coming up in October, so closer to that time I will post more information if you or your child is interested in trying it! I'll post pictures as soon as I receive them.

Here's an update as to what's to come and some service opportunities:
1. We are currently planning a Day with Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen! There isn't a set date yet, however we are looking for donations to make this possible. I am hoping to integrate my platform of volunteering into the day and would LOVE for the girls to be able to tie fleece blankets and write a note to the child who will receive it. In order to do that, we are looking for supplies for approximately 10 blankets (we hope to do as many as possible). The blankets average around $15 for two pieces of fabric, or you can get a hold of me and I would gladly pick up any fabric donations as well. If you are interested, send me an email at missnebraskaot2011@gmail.com.
2. Thursday, July 28th is the Cancer Carnival! If you live in the North Platte area, you may have heard advertisements for this event, but if not, this event is basically a carnival for kids and all of the proceeds will go toward cancer research! Also - I will be one of the judges for the singing competition! The winners will then perform at the Relay for Life on August 6th at Adams Middle School in North Platte. These are two great opportunities to raise money for fighting cancer, or just show your support. More details on the Cancer Carnival when it gets closer!
3. For those of you who are animal lovers - the North Platte Animal Shelter is always in need of volunteers! Go check it out at the shelter beside the girl's softball complex off of Rodeo Road. This is a great opportunity to get involved! It only takes a few hours a week, and you get to play with the cute animals! :)

Seniors and Juniors in high school - Remember those college aps! Volunteering hours are SO important. If you need help getting lined up with anything in the North Platte area, or just want to help out, let me know and I'd be glad to get you volunteering!

Well, that is a look at what the next few weeks have in store. As for now, I'm going to go work on my "Go to Guide" so I can show it to everyone at my send off! I'm excited, it's getting closer!

Catch up time!

2011-07-09T22:13:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I've missed a few things... Guess I was a tad bit busy :)

Cheer camp! - WOW!! The squad had a clean sweep. Superior Squad Award (We can all perform in the Capital One Bowl Game), ALL blue ribbons on evaluations, 1st place on our Extreme Routine and Cheer, Leadership Award, THE BANANA!!! twice :), spirit sticks everyday, Laura Cox as the Jump Off winner, four All-Americans (Rachael Burke, Taylor Hoover, Laura Alverez, and myself can go to London), and a chance for Tia and I to go to the Macy's Parade! There is probably something else I am missing because the girls just did amazing and I know I speak for all the seniors when I say thank you for a great start to our Senior Year :)

Peter Kiewit - I'm leaving Monday for the Peter Kiewit Institute camp. From my understanding, it's a computer design and simulation camp sort of thing. I'm excited to go to Omaha and meet the other 40 people from Nebraska that were chosen :)

T-shirts - We're selling T-shirts to raise money! All of the proceeds will go directly to my trip to Miss America's Outstanding Teen and will REALLY help my family and I on our way to Orlando. The design is below (no white box around the crown), available in youth and adult sizes, and cost $15. We'll be placing an order soon so hurry!!

And finally my favorite - Weekly Volunteering Call!!! -
Alright guys, I am visiting the Children's Miracle Network Hospital in Omaha this Friday, July 15. I would still LOVE to be able to make my goal of 100 blankets. Thanks to a few generous donations, I currently have 60 ready to deliver. Remember, if you make a blanket, it counts as community service time or projects for resumes! Just take the time to tie a fleece blanket! If you would like to write a note to give with the blanket so the family knows who it is from, feel free! Families love to know who to thank when they receive such a heartfelt gift.

More later this week, bye :)

Cheer Camp

2011-07-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

Soooo proud of the 2011-2012 North Platte Varsity Cheer squad for getting the spirit stick, evaluation with 4 & 5's, a blue ribbon, AND banana!!!! Also - Laura Cox was the camp "jump off" champ

Clean sweep for NPHS :)

So much in 2 days!

2011-07-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my midight posting, I seem like a pretty eager blogger. :)

I visited the Lincoln Children's Museum yesterday to coordinate a service project with the kids that visit the museum. And we set a date! August 2, 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm. We will be supporting the Lincoln Backpack project which fills backpacks with school supplies for children who may need them. It's greatly encouraged for kids to bring some sort of school supply or backpack to add to our collection. We will also be making a HUGE art project to showcase all of the kids who helped donate to the cause. I'm so excited!
Here are some pictures!

More details about the Lincoln Children's Museum Backpack Project to come soon!
Don't for get about the Children's Miracle Network visit on July 15th, we need blanketeers or donations! :)

Bye for now!

Donate to Children's Miracle Network!

2011-07-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready to compete in the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant. As a contestant, I need your help to raise money for Children's Miracle Network and the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Scholarship Fund. Please help me reach my goal of $750.00 by clicking on the link below.

https://www.maoteen4kids.org/m.aspx?i=253761A66BFC79AA4&e=F91A759DAA

Also - I am planning a trip to visit the Omaha Children's Miracle Network on July 15th. I would love to bring the kids 100 blanket, but our local supply isn't that big yet. If you would like to make blankets, get a hold of me and I will be more than happy to supply you with materials. Let me know!

2011-06-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm new to this whole blogging thing, so bear with me :)

My hopes are that through this blog, I can keep people across Nebraska up to date on what I'm doing, as well as inform them about different volunteering projects that are available throughout our state! As some people may know, my personal platfrom is "Securing Our Nation's Future: Getting Youth Involved", and I hope to do just that this year as Miss Nebraska's Outstanding Teen!

Now some people may wonder why it's important to volunteer, here are a few reasons -

1. It's easy! Some people think that unless you are completely dedicated to community service, it's hard to get into volunteering. Nope! There are so many opportunities in your community that you may not know of! My goal with this blog is to reach across the state of Nebraska and let people know about different projects going on in their community, and even coming into their community and getting some projects started.

2. For those of you who are high school seniors/juniors - It's soooo necessary to do some sort of community involvement activity when applying for college scholarships. I am finding that in my quest for college cash that colleges are really looking at what you've done for your community. It really only takes a few hours a month, and those few hours can translate into a lot more when scholarships are awarded.

3. It's fun. There are literately thousands of differen't service projects in the United States. Anyone can find one that fits their interests and talents! Whether it be athletic or artistic, solo or in a large group, there is some sort of project out there to fit what you like and want to do.

4. It's important. The United States would not be what it is today without the volunteers that have shaped it. If it weren't for volunteers, who would clean up after floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes? Or raise money for childrens hospitals to help save millions of children? It's important that we continue the cycle of volunteering into every generation, and that is my goal.

That's all for now :) Keep checking back, I will be posting details about different service project I'm trying to arrange throughout Nebraska!

Brooke