Update!

Hi everyone! I wanted to check in briefly!

I haven't had any appearances in the last week, although I have one on Saturday and may go over additionally to watch the Miss Hanover pageant. It has been a busy week adjusting to new classes and my new teaching assignment. I am helping teaching International Relations Theory, which is a great class. I also got my own teaching evaluations from last semester back and they were really good. My students evaluated me as "excellent" in every category so I definitely felt like this was the right career choice for me. I am taking a pedagogy course this semester as well to improve my teaching skills and to learn from other grad students about what they are encountering in their undergrad experiences! My grades from last semester also came out and they were wonderful, so hard work does pay off! This semester I'm also continuing to volunteer with Virginia Tech AWARE, which is a program at Blacksburg Middle School speaking to girls about self-esteem, making healthy choices, good friendships, and other topics. And it's a small world, because Miss Chesterfield, Stephanie Connelly, volunteers there, too!

Over the last couple of weeks I've been able to catch up with many Miss Virginia "friends and family" and I hope that continues! Best of luck to the rest of the girls as the local season winds down.

I have some REALLY exciting appearances coming up that I am so excited to share! On Saturday I am volunteering with a Girl Scout event called Step Afrika in Roanoke. I'm also planning my local Girl Scout troop here get ready for "Thinking Day" which is a day for local girl scout troops to learn about different countries by making crafts, sharing songs and dances, and tasting different foods. Since I lived in England for a year, our troop is going to be sharing some of my pictures from England and doing some great crafts. That is coming up in February. Also in February I'll be attending Miss Smith Mountain Lake, likely with some of the Hill City/Star City queens, because it's in the local area, and I've been asked to perform there. I'm also serving as a judge at the Mr. Nelson County pageant, a fundraiser for a local cheerleading team in Nelson County. I'll also be speaking with a local Lion's Club and Kiwanis Club here in February, so it's a busy month! Let's hope it stays a little bit warmer here, there have been a few times I needed a jump start from AAA!

I'm also preparing for a very exciting event that's coming up in March which I will tell you about more in the future as it comes together! There are several Girl Scout events coming together in this month that I am very excited to be a part of. I'm so glad I've been able to share my Girl Scout experience and connect it as Miss Hill City/Miss Commonwealth to reach out to others.


Keeping busy as Miss Hill City!


-Laura