September!

.The month of September has been one of absolute joy for me. After the rush of August, it has been nice to wind down, but even more importantly, to serve in my own community. I started off the first weekend at the Eastern Idaho State Fair with Miss Eastern Idaho's Outstanding Teen, HannahSarah Scalia. We were accepting donations for the Children's Miracle Network, and it was quite a success! It was so great to realize what big hearts people have and how much people are willing to give. HannahSarah's mother is such a sweet, kind lady and brought us deep fried oreos and chocolate covered bacon! Fair food was new to me, but let me just say that even as bizarre as chocolate covered bacon sounds, it was surprisingly quite delicious!

The next week, I was invited to a luncheon with the Chamber of Commerce to announce an appearance I would make the following week at the Eastern Idaho's Success for Teens meeting. It was so great to meet so many successful people with so many great ideas to improve our community.

I was asked to speak at the Success for Teens meeting on my very own success story - about being MIOT, and my experiences in my life that have brought me to success. Here is my story:

When I was a little girl, I remember hearing my mom and older sister playing the piano. I envied them both so much because I so badly wanted to be a good pianist like both of them were. I remember sitting at the piano bench, trying to pluck out a tune, and then feeling very frustrated when I couldn't make any progress. When I was six years old, my mom finally signed me up for lessons, and I was ecstatic. I practiced everyday, and for long amounts of time. In fact, my mom had to lock the piano in order to have a moment of silence! My childhood dream of becoming a great pianist came true because of the desire I had to succeed. I have become a skilled pianist because of the hard work and time I have dedicated to practice. However, the most important thing about success is learning how to stick to your goals and about how to keep a positive attitude by changing your perspective, because if you do these things, the success will come. Now, what I didn't tell you was the when my first piano teacher moved, my mom called up another teacher to have me take lessons from. She had me come to her house one afternoon and wouldn't even accept me as a student because I didn't play at a high enough level. I didn't tell you either, that it took me four years at music festival before I finally received a perfect score. I didn't tell you about all of the mistakes I have made, or the trials I have had to face in order to improve, but truth is, they are there, and EVERYONE has them. In the April 1964 edition of "This Week," an article was published entitled "Late Starters." Several young examples were given:

1. Young New Jersey Lad: Grade school teacher wrote his mother that he should be switched to remedial school because he was inattentive, indolent, and his brain was seriously "addled." Student's name: Thomas Edison.

2. Littler German: Born in 1879. Parents worried that he was seriously stupid because he couldn't speak until he was past three. At 20, he got a job as a grubby little office worker and spent a lot of time scribbling mathematical doodles. At 30, his doodles caught on a scientific world. Name: Albert Einstein.

3. A drifter: Turned down by West Point, he got a job as a soda jerk. Improved his lot at a bottling works. Finally reached the top as a haberdashery salesman. Name: President of the United States, Harry S. Truman.

Such accounts bring to mind a quote by William James, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that you can change your circumstances by changing your attitudes of the mind." There is is much truth in that statement. When we appear to fail, it is so important for us to look at that failure with a different perspective, and find how we can LEARN from that failure.

When I was 14, I was introduced to the MIOT program, but my mom said I needed to wait to compete until after I competed in Distinguised Young Women. So, this past March, I competed in Bonneville County's Distinguised Young Women. For those of you who don't know what this is, it is a competition for high school girls judged in:

1. Scholastics

2. Fitness
3. Talent
4. Interview
5. Onstage Question and Evening Wear

I didn't place in the competition, however, I did win the talent award. I had spent every day for three months preparing for this, and I didn't even place... Now, I could have been very upset, but I realized shortly after that from that experience, I learned how to be a successful interviewer, I learned how to do a decent push up (haha), and I made friendships that will last a lifetime. After that experience, I decided to compete in Boise for the title of Miss Idaho Outstanding Teen. At first, both me and my parents were hestitant because I would have to travel to Boise for one week, and our schedules were already very demanding, and we weren't sure if it would be worth it, since I didn't even place in DYW. I decided to stick to my goal, despite my doubts, and I worked as hard as I possibly could. I developed my platform, "Embrace the Music, a "Note"able Difference," and had the opportunity to learn how to play the ukulele, and taught elementary students how to play this four stringed instrument as well. I started going to the gym every single day, and improved so much in that area as well. Because I had competed in DYW, I knew what areas I needed to improve in - and I worked at those things every day. In June, my father drove me to Boise, and I came home with a beautiful crown, and the title of Miss Idaho Outstanding Teen. Now, if I would have had a negative attitude about my previous pageant experience, none of this would have been possible. I'm not sure exactly why I was crowned MIOT, but I do know that part of it was because I decided to take my failures and turn them into learning experiences.

In August, I had the opportunity to go to Orlando, Florida to compete for the title of Miss America's Outstanding Teen. I spent my whole summer preparing for this national competition. Working out, interviewing, piano lessons, etc. When I arrived in Florida, I honestly had no idea what to expect. Since it was a national competition, I didn't set my hopes too high, but I did however have the goal to win the talent portion of the competition. As I competed in talent, I walked onto the stage so calmly and I played my piano piece to perfection. That night, I just knew my name would be called as the talent winner - but it wasn't. "Come what may, and love it," I kept telling myself. I knew that I had to accept whatever outcome I would receive. Also, I still had hope that I would win a talent scholarship because they were going to award TWO instrumental talent awards. At the award ceremony, my name was not called for anything, but I decided beforehand that I would have a positive attitude no matter what happened. Because I was not a "winner" that night, I had the opportunity to be a learner. So what did I learn? I learned that you don't have to have a crown to be great - that hard work really can take you to high places, and that it is even more important that anything to realize how blessed you are, and to be grateful for the chance to have had that opportunity - no matter what it is. It is my belief that the more you learn- the more successful you CAN be. I like to think of my AP English teacher from last year who everyday said, "strive for learning, rather than grade earning." The lessons we learn in our lives stick with us much longer than a ribbon, trophy, or even a crown, and those lessons become even more valuable when we use them to help us grow and improve the next time. So what is the "true" meaning of success? Success means improvement - striving to be better than you were the day before, and helping others on their own journey towards success as well. It is my hop that we will all look beyond the prism of "winning or losing," and create a new perspective.

The following Saturday, I made a Miss Idaho Scarecrow for a fundraiser at the Harvest Fest in Idaho Falls! It was great, and so exciting to see all of the other different scarecrows that had been made. I also set up a Children's Miracle Network booth. I am always so amazed by the generosity in our communities.

On the 24th, I had the opportunity to volunteer in at the CommUNITY Fest, a celebration of cultural diversity in Idaho Falls. I helped with arts and crafts, making Hawaiian lei bracelets with all of the sweet children. I have truly been blessed to have had all of these wonderful opportunities.