What are your Hobbies?
I'm a cheerleader; I play basketball; I'm in Encore, my school's show choir; and I enjoy singing, dancing, and occasionally playing the piano and the guitar. I also like to hunt, fish, ride four- wheelers, and anything outdoors, or any kind of sport.
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What makes you special and unique?
Out of my huge extended family, my mother and I are the only two relatives that are left-handed. In my family, in fact, I am one of 29 grandchildren. My eyes are also not a definite color; they change with the colors I wear.
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What is the best advice you have ever received?
Let go and let God!
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Name one thing you cannot live without.
Of course, I could not live without Jesus Christ; he is my saving grace. But besides the obvious, I have a passion for music. Whether I'm listening to a CD player, singing, or even if it's only echoing in my head, music is everywhere I go, and I couldn't function without it!
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What's the most valuable lesson you've ever learned?
Always tell the truth. Whether it's resisting deception or even just being true to yourself, honesty REALLY IS the best policy. Lies can only cut and dig deeper, but the truth shall set you free.
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Who is your most valued role model and why?
My great-grandmother, Maxine Dubard, who just passed away about a year ago, is and always will stand as my role model. She had such a big heart, and she was sincerely the most considerate person I have ever known. She was never one to say an unkind word, nor did she ever unrightfully judge anyone. "Pretty is as pretty does", is a lecture she always gave me; it will always stick with me.
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What was your most unexpected moment?
For my sixteenth birthday, my family and friends all secretly instigated a surprise birthday party for me. My mom had me convinced that I couldn't have a big party this year because there was so much going on. While I was out of the house, all of my friends parked their cars down the street so I wouldn't know that they were at my house. They came inside my house and turned all the lights off so it wouldn't be obvious. When I got home I was confused about the dark house, then immediately the lights came on and everyone yelled, "SURPRISE!" Needless to say, I honestly didn't and couldn't even talk for the next 10 minutes of the party!
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What is your workout routine?
When I'm not working out with the basketball team, I usually run about 2 miles. Otherwise, I'm fairly athletic and I play any type of sport to keep myself in shape.
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What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?
Accepting Jesus Christ into my heart as my Lord and Savior has definitely been the biggest accomplishment and decision of my life. I have also achieved the understanding to lean on Him as my Rock and my Shepherd.
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What is the best compliment you have ever received?
Someone once came to me and said, "You know, I've never met you, but I've heard your name a time or two. I recognized you because the person who told me about you said that you'd always stand out because you will always be smiling. And you were, just as they said!" I take that as a HUGE compliment, because I definitely know the difference it makes on some days to see a smiling face, rather than seeing someone unhappy.
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What is your secret wish?
It's a secret! haha!
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What was your most embarrassing moment?
I had a big crush on this guy from another school. Neither one of us really knew each other; in fact, I'm not really sure that he even knew who I was at the time. When our school had a home game against his school's football team, I was hoping to run into him and meet him. Well, being the loud and lively person I am, I guess you could say I tried to make it happen myself. A group of guys from his school walked past and without thinking at all, I yelled out, "Do any of you guys know ******* *******?? He is FINE!! haha!" They all laughed hysterically until one of them turned around said, "Well, thank you. That would be me."
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What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
I have a weird fetish with coffee. Any type of coffee! So much that my mom even buys me coffee bars!
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What is your favorite movie and why?
The Sword and the Stone. Yes, the cartoon movie. Why? I really don't know. Love stories are great, but you get all depressed and cry, and that honestly does me no good. haha. I've liked that movie since I was a little kid, and to this day, my brothers and I still laugh hysterically when we watch it!
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What do you like to do for fun... relaxation... recreation?
FUN: I'm a pretty random person and I can have fun doing just about anything. And if something is not fun, I somehow make it fun! But I have the most fun just being with my friends; they are so awesome to me.

RELAXATION: My mother and I both love coffee, and the most relaxing thing to me is to just hang out with her and sit and drink coffee while we watch a movie or just talk.

RECREATION: I'm pretty sure I've already said numerous times that I love sports, and I do! I especially love playing basketball and cheerleading, but any area of athletics is my idea of recreation.
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What would be your dream vacation or destination?
One side of my family is Scottish and the other is partly Irish; I'm not sure what that would make me but I would love to visit a country of my origin. I think it would be, not only educational, but really interesting to see the culture and lifestyle of a place other than America.
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What do you like best about the state of Mississippi?
My neighbors across the street just recently moved here from the northern states; after about week of getting to know them, they all made the comment, "The hospitality here is amazing. Everyone is so willing to get to know you and be your friend. Where we come from, people are hostile and would never think to engage in conversation with a total stranger, much less would they even be comfortable making eye contact." I took that as a remarkable compliment for the state of Mississippi. But it is indeed true. The majority of Mississippi is known for the generosity its people show, which in my eyes makes it one of the most pleasant places to live.
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Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In ten years I hope to see myself finishing up in medical school and starting a life of my own. I hope to live somewhere in Mississippi and either start a medical clinic of my own, or maybe even take my dads place as Dr. Stanford at the Stanford Medical Clinic in Grenada.
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What extracurricular activities do you participate in?
I play lots of sports and I'm in show choir at my school. I'm on the Kirk Academy modeling squad and was a member of the Junior Auxiliary Crown Club of Grenada this past year. I'm also a member of the Sub-Deb Cotillion of Grenada, and was recently elected as Vice President for the upcoming year, for which I am very honored.
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Who am I?
My name, obviously, is Stephanie Stanford. I was born in Flowood, Mississippi, on April 3, 1991. I have two real brothers and a foster brother also: Josh, 8, Jamie, 18, and Joe, 21. My mother is Cindy Campbell Stanford, and she works as a freelance interior and exterior decorator. My father, Keith Stanford, is a family physician. They always encourage me in everything I do and I would be nowhere without their love and support. I owe to them, the kind of person I am today, and the Christian faith they have surrounded me with. I also give God all the glory and thankfulness for what he has done in my life, and the talents he has so graciously blessed me with. Nothing is possible without the love of my God and Savior, Jesus Christ, and everything is accomplished or achieved only through His saving grace and because of His ultimate and selfless sacrifice for our sins.

My name, Stephanie, actually means illuminating, which is somewhat ironic, because if you have ever met me you should know I'm a very energetic and outgoing person. I love being happy, as well as I love making other people happy. There are plenty of times when I have actually gone out of way just to make someone smile. I am a very family oriented person, even through my parents' divorce; it brought me closer to each sibling and parent. I am, what most people would call, "Spontaneous", and from what I hear I'm somewhat unpredictable, which I take as a compliment. I love being random and doing things out of the ordinary. I wouldn't be half of the person I am today without the love of my friends and my cousins. We are all very close, and they are all so incredible, each in his or her own way. Every now and then you're going to need someone to listen to you and laugh at your corny jokes... That's where they come in! haha

I love coffee. No questions asked (haha). I love almost any food, no matter what it looks like! If there's one thing I like about school, it's Literature and some history. I love America, but I am amazed by foreign countries. I honestly have a passion for music. Hence, I love singing, and all musical instruments. I don't really like the kind of music the average teenage girl would listen to, but I prefer to be different anyway. I'm a very deep, but also very happy, person. I try not to think too hard on tomorrow, but I can’t help but be anxious about the future God has in store for me. I'm hoping to pursue a career in the medical field like my dad, but if for some reason that falls through, I wouldn't mind being an architect.
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Tell us about your platform.
Concern with body image has become an American obsession, which explains the critical issue platform that I have chosen, Eating Disorders in Youth. Although the causes of some eating disorders are unknown, the great emphasis put on physical appearance by the media and the desire to be thin in our society have contributed to the rise in eating disorders.

There are three common forms of eating disorders: Anorexia, refusal to eat until near starvation; Bulimia, which is eating then getting rid of the food by throwing up or taking laxatives; and last, compulsive binge eating, which is eating out-of-control and often leads to morbid obesity. These three eating disorders can cause serious health problems, and even mental and emotional dilemmas, such as depression, shame, and low self-esteem. While the illness is most common among teenage girls, it can easily affect pre-adolescents and young adults, males, and females.

My plan to help prevent these eating disorders include speaking to groups of young girls, such as Girls Scouts, church groups, and school classes beginning in the sixth grade. I wish to present a program that will include:

1) Recognizing that self-esteem comes from being created in God's image, not worldly views of physical image
2) Educating young people to the dangers of unsupervised dieting that can lead to eating disorders
3) Telling them where to go for help to overcome an eating disorder
4) Outlining a vital lifestyle of eating healthy and exercising--even do some exercise classes with them

I will also try to serve as a good role model for younger girls, as well as my friends, by eating healthy and exercising myself. Governor Haley Barbour has started a program called, "Let's Go Walking Mississippi" to promote healthier life-styles for Mississippians, because of the major problem of obesity in our state.
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