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Miss Mid South
What makes you special and unique? What is the best advice you have ever received? Name one thing you cannot live without. What is the most valuable lesson you ever learned? Who is your most valued role model and why? What was your most unexpected moment? What is your workout routine? What has been your biggest accomplishment to date? What is the best compliment you have ever recieved? What is your secret wish? What was your most embarrassing moment? What is your biggest guilty pleasure? What is your favorite movie and why? What do you like to do for fun... relaxation... recreation? What would be your dream vacation or destination? What do you like best about the state of Mississippi? Where do you see yourself in ten years? Who am I? Tell us about your platform. What are your Hobbies? Traveling, reading, singing, healthy cooking, running, walking with friends or family Back to Top What makes you special and unique? I love to find what is different and specific to each person I meet, and then learn about that aspect of them. We are all blessed with unique gifts and abilities, and I make it a point to encourage those around me to find their gifts and then use them wholeheartedly! Back to Top What is the best advice you have ever received? That every person is valuable, no matter their background, status, or outlook on life. I have been fortunate enough over the years to have made friends from many different walks of life, and I know that my life would not be nearly as rich, full, and certainly not as interesting, without them. Back to Top Name one thing you cannot live without. My day planner! I misplaced it once, and was at a total loss! I had no idea when my next meeting, appointment, or workout class was scheduled. Needless to say, I found it as quickly as possible, and it hasn't been out of my sight since! Back to Top What's the most valuable lesson you've ever learned? To make the most of every situation. I truly believe that every person and every situation that life throws my way is not an accident-it's all part of a plan. Every experience is a blessing--and there is always something new to be learned. Even a situation that seems negative on the surface can be turned completely around for good. Back to Top Who is your most valued role model and why? My dad has been my greatest motivator and encourager for every endeavor, big or small. He has taught me by example that people are precious, time is precious, and procrastination is NOT acceptable! His integrity, selflessness, and strong faith are inspirational to both my family and me. Back to Top What was your most unexpected moment? My junior year of high school, two of my best friends and I entered the Junior Miss Pageant. I entered only because my friends encouraged me to--never in a million years did I think I would win! So that Saturday night as we squeezed each others' hands, each thinking one of the others had won--they called my name! It was EXTREMELY unexpected! Back to Top What is your workout routine? Cardio interval training for one hour, a 30 minute ab routine, and lightweight lower body resistance exercises for 45 minutes, six days a week. I also do upper body strength training three times a week. I love to mix it up with a yoga, Pilates, or TaeBo class! Back to Top What has been your biggest accomplishment to date? Raising $20,000 for obesity prevention. This money traveled all over the country to help children learn about exercise and good nutrition, while educating their communities about good health at the same time. This was possible through my affiliation with National Kids Care Clubs, and their excitement and enthusiasm for helping children learn to eat well and exercise! Back to Top What is the best compliment you have ever recieved? When I was in the second grade, one of my teachers told my parents that if she ever had to have brain surgery, she would want me to be her doctor! Who knows--maybe that influenced my then-second grade mind towards the sciences, which I already loved anyway. And now, I have been accepted into the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry! You never know what a few words of encouragement can do! Back to Top What is your secret wish? That chocolate had no calories, and that humans only needed 3 or 4 hours of sleep to function well--I would be in heaven! Back to Top What was your most embarrassing moment? When I was in the 8th grade, my dad (who loves embarrassing his children for fun!) decided it would be a good idea to wear a cap with long hair attached, "Bubba" teeth, and mismatched clothing to my junior high church choir sendoff for our summer trip. As the bus pulled away from the curb, he held up a huge sign that read, "DONT FERGIT TO BRUSH YER TEETH". Needless to say, my friends didn't let me forget it for a looong time. Back to Top What is your biggest guilty pleasure? Rest! Although I shouldn't think of it in that way. I take a much needed nap about once a month, but I still feel guilty about it. Back to Top What is your favorite movie and why? I absolutely love Forrest Gump. While it provides a great love story, it also chronicles the last several decades of American history with humor, candor, and sensitivity. I have found that I really enjoy fictional stories based on historical fact. Back to Top What do you like to do for fun... relaxation... recreation? One of my favorite activities is to watch a movie with a big group of friends, pajamas required! I also really enjoy taking long walks with friends or family members to catch up. Some of the best conversations I've had in the last few years have been while on a walk with someone I love. Back to Top What would be your dream vacation or destination? I would absolutely love to visit some of the Greek isles and enjoy the pristine beaches and relaxed way of life they offer. It couldn't hurt to finish the trip by hopping a quick flight over to Rome or Paris! And then, after such a relaxing time, I would be ready to head to South Africa for a safari! Back to Top What do you like best about the state of Mississippi? I have always loved the beautiful land and rich agriculture our state has to offer. Whether you visit the hills of North Mississippi, the flat croplands of the Delta, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, or the rolling Mississippi River, there is beauty at every turn, and something new to be appreciated. Back to Top Where do you see yourself in ten years? I hope to be enjoying a successful dental or an oral surgery practice, and spending plenty of time with my husband, children, and extended family. I also plan to be actively involved in my church and community--particularly in the fight against childhood obesity. I hope to continue advocating to senators and representatives the importance of the issue, possibly even pursuing a public position to do so. I will also hopefully have found an outlet to express myself through music and singing! Back to Top Who am I? I am extremely passionate about people--learning about them, helping them, caring for them--and that is why I have chosen a profession in health care. I spent the last four years of my life (i.e. undergrad at Ole Miss) exploring this. I shadowed every physician specialty imaginable, then worked for an oral surgeon for a summer - and fell in love with teeth! Well, not exactly; but I fell in love with the opportunity dentists and oral surgeons have to impact their patients - both health wise and in self-confidence. Unique to a dental practice is the fact that dentists have long-term relationships with their patients. I was recently accepted to the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, so I am really looking forward to forming relationships with my future patients and watching them grow and change over the years. I think my undergraduate degree in psychology will be put to good use! Back to Top Tell us about your platform. I have a particularly close tie to my platform, because it was a part of my life for several years. Childhood obesity is a rampant epidemic in our country, and I was not exempt from it. Now I consider it my duty to help children who may be struggling with the same issue that I did. The great thing is that children are extremely responsive when you speak to them about healthy eating and exercising! Two years ago I wrote a children's book called Anna's Choice that speaks directly to kids about choosing to be healthy. Every time I speak to a group of children, or do a reading of the book, their responsiveness delights me! They want to learn, and they want to know how to do the right thing for their bodies. The next hurdle to jump involves the adults! Without a healthy example provided by their parents, teachers, or mentors, children don't stand a chance in this fight. It is also my mission to educate parents, teachers, and administrators about the dangers of childhood overweight and obesity--not only to each individual child's health, but to our healthcare system and general well-being as a nation. Currently I am working with a production company to produce a fun, effective classroom exercise DVD for 1st and 2nd grade classrooms in Mississippi. It includes segments directed towards teachers and administrators as well, to educate them about the importance of physical activity in the classroom.
The national and state-specific statistics regarding childhood obesity are staggering--but I have definitely not given up hope! My efforts towards prevention have just begun, and I know that there are many others as well who are passionate about this issue.
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