Recently, my sister queen, Lacey Wilson, traveled to Texas to judge a good friend of hers, Grasper Cruz's pageant, the Miss Teen United States World Pageant. While being there, Lacey become acquainted with Steven Roddy, who is founder of "Pageant Planet." Lacye being the wonderful sister queen she is, talked to Steven about me. Steven and Jamie Walloch, one of the Pageant PLanets journalists, took their time to interview me and create a wonderful article about our interview together, which I greatly appreciate. Pageant Planet is a great resource when seeking pageant tips. It's the perfect place to stay updated on what is going on in the pageant industry as well as get tips from professionals to achieve your ultimate pageant goal. You can check out the interview at: http://thepageantplanet.com/miss-teen-massachusetts-usa-brooke-bibeault-interview.html

I recently visited Bella Tucker at Boston Children's Hospital with Jane Marshall and Tamara. At 8 years old, Bella battled with Streptococcus Pneumoniae Sepsis. This caused Bella to fall into a choma and causing all four of her limbs to be amputated. Even after everything that Bella has gone through she still manages to wake up everyday striving to be nothing but the best she can be. She has the biggest and brightest smile I have ever seen. One that is so big that puts tears to my eyes. She is so ambitious and outgoing, which is absolutely incredible to see. Bellas supporting and amazing father told us that she would be getting prosthetics. The advancements in technology and medicine are so impressive. The prosthetics that Bella will be
receiving will get attached to her nerves which will allow Bella's body to control the prosthetics. Bella was so excited because she will be able to wear normal shoes with the prosthetics, so we are all looking forward to taking her shopping for new shoes when she returns from Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia! While we sat in Bella's hospital room with her family, Bella began her physical therapy. She did 12 different exercised in all of her limbs. I was in awe while watching her do the exercised and seeing how determined she was not only physically but mentally. I enjoyed watching her because it really makes you realize how lucky and fortunate we are in life. Bella is determined to be able to walk again and do gymnastics again and she is working so hard toward that. We later gave Bella's dad the money we received the fundraiser we had at the carnival. The look in her dad's eyes was like no other. It was so unexpected and he seemed so happy and fortunate. It was a look I will never forget. Bella and her family touched my heart and will always have a place in it. I look forward to taking a trip down to Philadelphia to see Bella as she gets her prosthetics.

On the Fourth of July I joined my sister state titleholders from Vermont, Nydelis and Shelby at the USO New England Fourth of July Celebration for the United States Coast Guard. Miss Massachusetts America, Loren Galler Rabinowitz, also attended the event with us. It was great to have her be a part of it because not only was it her first appearance as Miss Massachusetts America but it was also her first weekend with that title.The event was set up like an old fashioned barbeque. It was sponsored by Texas Roadhouse and consisted of live country music, dancing, and activities. I have to say, my favorite activity of them all was the Sumo Wrestling. Shelby and I thought it would be fun if we wrestled together. I also have to admit that I lost miserably to her, not only once but twice! I give her all the bragging rights there is because those suits are so difficult to wrestle in but also so much fun. We were able to tour the ships that they use as well as learn how they are used and what the equipment is for. We were also introduced to several sailors, captains, individuals currently in the Coast Guard Academy, and a few of our troops that were home for the Fourth of July. It was so nice to see their friends and families there supporting them as well as individuals in the community and tourists in Boston for the holiday. I loved all the spirit and had an honorable time.

On July 3, I was given the opportunity to attend the 4th of July Carnival that was held in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Joining me in attendance was Trish Grzela, who is Miss Pink and won the title after being a Breast Cancer Survivor, Tamara Sacharczyk, Miss Massachusetts Teen World who just competed for the title of Miss Teen United States World and placed top 10, and Jane Marshall, Mrs. Massachusetts International, who will be competing for the title of Mrs. International in two weeks! We gathered at the fair in order to set up a booth to raise funds for an individual named Bella Tucker. We sold raffles of custom jewelry pieces from Karmic Kreations, Aveda Products, bracelets made for Bella Tucker, and pins. What I found to be extraordinary was that there were several people who were so touched by Bella's story that they made a donation without entering a raffle or purchasing a bracelet or pin. Although we had only spent a few hours at the carnival, we managed to raise $320 for her. All the proceeds are being donated to "Friends of Bella" The "Friends of Bella" Organization is for Bella Tucker an 8 year old who went from enjoying an Easter Egg Hunt with her cousins to being med-flighted to Children's Hospital with a serious infection called Streptococcus Pneumoniae. She remained in a coma for five days and later doctors had to remove all four limbs. Bella is still in urgent care and will be facing a long hospital stay and extended rehabilitation. Bella Tucker and her family are in urgent need for financial support to get through these trying times. I will be personally meeting this inspiration and strong young girl on Friday, July 9 in order to give her all the donations we were able to collect. I am so excited to have this be my last appearance before I go compete at Miss Teen USA because it is one that has touched my life and impacted it to great lengths. It makes me appreciate so much that life has to offer. Please go to http://www.friendsofbella.org/ where you can learn more about Bella and donate.

While competing for the title of Miss Massachusetts Teen USA, myself along with the other contestants took part in an interview. One of the judges for the Teen was Bobby DiMarzo; I remember getting along so well with him because we had so much in common and he really understood my ambitions in life. I used to dream of being a Magazine Editor, and Bobby is the owner of Scene Magazine, so we hit it off. Seven months later, we were reunited at the Scene Magazine Volleypalooza Tournament! What made the event so enjoyable was having our team be made up of our pageant family, and when I say family, I truly mean family. It is something that I have gained as a titleholder, a second family. It consisted of: Lacey Wilson (Miss Massachusetts USA 2010), Monica Pietrzak (Miss Connecticut USA 2009), Neil Gannon (La Tete Stylist and Clemente Productions Sponsor), Paul Spindler, and Chelsea Wilson (USC Volleyball Player). Our wonderful directors were there to support us, along with other staff members of Clemente Productions, and the best trainer ever, Katie Boyd! The game was held at Ocean Club at Marina Bay in Quincy, Massachusetts. The beach volleyball location was perfect and overlooked the harbor. There were teams from all over the Boston area consisting of model's and popular people in the industry. We had the best team ever and got together a head of time to practice because they always say, "Practice makes perfect!" I am sad to say that for us, it only made perfect mistakes! Although we may have lost, we had an absolute blast playing together and laughing. I love my pageant family and was happy to spend the day doing this with them! It started off at a meeting location to get some protein into our systems and talk "strategy" and ended as a great evening filled with memories and laughter. Thank you again to Bobby DiMarzo for including us in your event for Scene Magazine!

On Saturday June 20, 2010, I attended the Special Olympics Summer Games held at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I was so excited for this day to come because I had attended the Winter Games and stayed in contact with several of the athletes as well as some of their families. If you read back to the post that I had wrote during the Dance that took place at the Winter Games, I spoke about a young man by the name of John who had brought me on stage to dance with him. When I arrived at the Summer Games, his father came up to me and said, "Hi, I am not sure if you remember me but you danced with my son John at the winter games and brought him on stage. Well he has been talking about you ever since, do you mind coming to say hello?" Not only did I vividly remember him and his son, but his son was someone that I will never forget because of that night. Anyway, I walked with him over to find his son John who was about 100 meters away. As soon as John turned around and saw me, he dashed towards me for a hug! It was so great seeing him and watch him compete in the Track and Field events. He had done so wonderful! Along with John, I had seen a lot of other athletes that I met at the Winter Games. I also was able to walk around to the different events. It was incredible! They had gymnastics, volleyball, track and field, softball, baseball, swimming, lifting, and so many more. I was so inspired to see how hard each of the individuals work to get that far and compete in these events. I was so proud! And congratulations to all the athletes and all the medalists!

Tomorrow Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School's Community Service SkillsUSA team will be heading to Nationals to compete with schools across the country. This year I served as their ambassador to spread their message "Together We Can." I am so beyond happy for their team and know that they will do wonderful at Nationals. Regardless of the outcome, they made a lasting impression on our state, school, and community. The team has continued to raise awareness throughout school projects, community outreach and volunteer work on the risks and prevention of cancer. I have witnessed them dedicating countless hours to their campaign and know the commitment they had to it and the cause they were supporting. They have spent countless hours collecting Children's Books for Boston Children's Hospital. They also worked closely with Dana Farber and the American Cancer Society, raising money for those two incredible foundations. On Mother's Day, I traveled to the State House with the team to hang a banner that they had made across the State House to honor all the Mother's who had suffered from any form of cancer. After seeing what a fabulous job they had done, I couldn't be more honored and proud to be their ambassador. Please keep them in your thoughts this week as they travel to Kansas City, MO to compete at the National SkillsUSA Champions at Work Competition!

I was given a flash drive when I began working with the HMEA Organization of various videos and photographs. I found this video in particular to be very inspiring. Did you know that 438,000 of Massachusetts' 3.8 million working age adults have a disability? HMEA supports these individuals and focuses on bettering their lives. I am so inspired by this organization and wanted you all to get a view of it yourself! You can visit their page at www.hmea.org

Jane Marshall and I attended the NBC News Channel 7 Health and Fitness Expo held at the Hynes Conventions Center. The expo featured individuals from hospital and health care centers all over the boston area, as well as fitness specialists, nutritionists, etc. It was great to see how our society truly is transforming into a healthy one. One where they are beginning to rely on energy sufficient products, one where healthy eating is most important, and one where exercise becomes a mandatory activity. My favorite part of the expo was having the chance to listen to NFL Star and former New England Patriot, Tedy Bruschi speak about why all of this is important to him. He spoke about his experience after he had a stroke and what motivated him to get back on the field and the preventative he now takes in order to prevent having a stroke again. He also spoke about his most memorable experiences in the NFL and for the record, none of them were the Superbowl. They were far more meaningful then a game, it was about the people he met and the support from his family. I thought it was so touching to hear people speak up to Tedy Bruschi about how he changed their lives and how he pushes them to fight for their health after a road block. It was a great and educational expo that I learned so much from.

I came home the other day to this message about the hospital visit I did at UMASS Memorial. What is significant about this message to me if that this boy in particular, Jose, really did touch my heart. The things I learned made me realize what it is that I ultimately would like to do in life. I felt honored to receive this message and know that people do care about what you have to say, and your opinions do matter, and giving back really does make a difference. So thank you.

After attending the fashion show at the Senior Center, I moved along to the Relay for Life that was held for the Tyngsborough and Westford communities. Cancer Awareness is Jane's platform for the Mrs. International pageant, so I wanted to be there to support her and hear her speak about the cause that she feels so strongly about. Watching her speak made me realize so much. Jane was so inspiring as she talked about her mom that passed on due to cancer. Jane spoke about how it affected her and her family and what she does now because of it. I was so proud of her for getting out there in front of such a large group of people and speaking from her heart. She did a beautiful job! I couldn't believe how great it was to see how many individuals came out for the event- nurses, high school students, and adults, especially considering the weather conditions. It was an overnight walk that ended at six in the morning the following day. There was a band, a dj, people cooking on the grill, a snack bar, and activities like kick ball tournaments taking place. Later everyone signed a banner explaining why they were there. I signed the banner in honor of a family friend, Nikki McConnell, a beloved teacher, Mr. Ed Waters, someone who has had a huge impact in my life, Mrs. Rosemary Quirk, and an inspiring individual, Mark Herzlich. I had a great time at the Relay for Life and found it to be an event and walk that really open peoples eyes. If you have a chance to take part in any Relay for Life's, please do, it is something that you will never forget.

The Leominster Senior Center held a fashion show for all of their residents. I had a great time at the fashion show with Mrs. Massachusetts, Jane Marshall, who brought her 15 months year old daughter. Then I got to meet some great new friends like Miss New Hampshire National Miss, Shauna Conwell, and Miss Massachusetts National Teenager, Amber Coelho. I was told that Amber will be competing in the Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 2011 Pageant this coming November, how exciting! The residents were so excited to see how and have us interact with their generation. They also adored Jane's beautiful baby daughter, who was adorable and walking around waving to everyone. After we spent some time with the residents, we took a walk through the Alzheimer's and Dementia portion of the resident's home considering they couldn't leave their rooms. It was great to spend time with the elders and give back to them!

For the past few months I have been raising money to participate in the Audi Best Buddies Hyannis Port Challenge, a one hundred mile bicycle ride from Boston, Massachusetts to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, also known as Cape Cod. The challenging bike ride began at JFK Library and ended at Craigsville Beach. Although the day of the ride began with torrential downpours and thunder storms, it ended up being a beautiful day. The riding path was along back roads so the scenery was beautiful. I rode alongside my good friend and sister state, Shelby Gregoire, Miss Vermont Teen USA. She and I had some great laughs. The ride was challenging so there were points where Shelby and I would just laugh. It was great to ride with her because we had so much to talk about and we gathered some unforgettable memories. At the end up the bike ride, there were the Tandem Best Buddies Rides. The Best Buddies would pair up with a VIP Celebrity and ride on the tandem bikes through a path. There were stations set up with activities and it was right on the ocean so everything was beautiful. Later, we all attended a Lobster and Clambake. There was also a band and raffles during the course of our dinner. I had a blast dancing with everyone and getting to know some of the buddies. Several of them spoke and it was so inspiring to see them get on stage in front of everyone and speak about their dreams. I had the time of my life and it is the event that will remain in my heart and head forever. Thank you to everyone who helped me reach my fundraising goal and make this ride possible while supporting a great cause!

Once a year, the Best Buddies holds the annual Audi Hyannis Port Best Buddies Challenge. This year, to kick off the fabulous event, there was a Touch Football game with Tom Brady from the New England Patriots! I thought the game was so great because not only was Tom Brady taking part in the game but so wasn't several of the Best Buddies! Joining them were other athletes from the New England Patriots, Mark Herzlich the Boston College Linebacker, and our current Miss USA, Rima Fakih. The game was wonderful and really got everyone involved and excited for the event that took place the following day. The football game was held at Harvard Stadium, which I thought was the perfect location. After the game, there was a "barbeque", but if you ask me it was more like a gormet cookout! There you could find anyone from those athletes, to celebrities like Verne Troyer or Bob Saget, to current titleholders, to the buddies, and even to my high school calculus teacher (small world)! It was so wonderful to see how excited everyone was and to meet the members of the Best Buddies Organization. I think what makes the organization so wonderful is the commitment from the staff and the dedication and heart that they have for it along with everyone else in our country. I found that it really unites everyone. I had so much fun with the buddies, was able to reconnect with a buddy I met at the "Friendship Relay" named Chris, met one of my all time Patriot players, was inspired by Mark Herzlich's story, and got to catch up with Miss USA! Thank you to everyone for making this night possible. I will never forget it!

The Cerebral Palsy of Massachusetts has been serving children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities in over one hundred communities for more than 50 years. This incredible organization held a fundraiser to raise money for their foundation at a beautiful country club and golf course in Plymouth, Massachusetts. There were about 200 attendees total throughout the course of the Golf Tournament and dinner. Companies and sponsors from all over Massachusetts teamed up to take part in the golf tournament. The Cerebral Palsy was fortunate to raise an abundance of money while still having a fun time out on the green and enjoying themselves at dinner! Thank you for making me a part of this unforgettable evening!

Recently, I participated in the HMEA 5k Walk/Run for Independence. HMEA provides innovative services in schools, work forces, and homes in communities throughout Massachusetts to serve children and adults with developmental disabilities. "HMEA is committed to working in partnership with people with developmental disabilities and their families to create individualized supports that best meet their unique needs." I had been contacted right after I was crowned to take part in this walk and throughout the several months of preparation, I was given the privilege to get to know the staff members at HMEA and all of their clients, which made the Walk for Independence just that much more enjoyable. I felt that it would be nice to do something at the booth I was given other than just sign autographs, so I decided to have a "Create your own tiara booth"! Considering there were several young kids there, both the girls and boys enjoyed making their own tiaras or "King Crowns" as the boys would say. I was so touched and felt so appreciated by the clients that I have decided to now go and do group home visits. It is always an honor when parents or supervisors come speak with you about how "you made someone's day" or make comments like "wow, I can tell this is what you love to do..." I had a wonderful time at the HMEA event and was thrilled to see Governor Deval Patrick attend and show his support, it says a lot about Massachusetts!... And by the way, this is what I love to do!

In early March, I attended the Best Buddies Friendship Relay. I had such a wonderful time at that rewarding event. School's whom have a chapter in the Best Buddies Organization all raised money to be a part of the Friendship Relay. Part of the prize package for the teams that raised the most amount of money was that I was going to throw an Ice Cream Party for them. There were four top schools! So far i have thrown two of the pizza parties, one at Hopkinton High School and the most recent at Nashoba Regional High School. So many of the buddies joined me at the party at Nashoba Regional High School. I was also very fortunate to have Mrs. Massachusetts, Jane Marshall join me. She has become someone who I have grown very close to throughout my reign. She has made me a part of the organizations that are closest to her heart and I have made her a part of the ones closest to mine, so I was thrilled to have her attend the party with me as a special guest. I was so proud of the school and how involved they are with the Best Buddies Organization. It touched my heart to see the kids in the high school getting involved with the buddies. After the ice cream party, I had the chance to mingle with everyone. I was able to be acquainted with some new friends, one in particular Nick who told me all about his love for hockey and lacrosse (which I loved to hear considering I am a huge hockey fan), and reconnect with old friends, like Patrick who I met at the Friendship Relay when he was dressed up like Scooby Doo as his favorite super hero! As always, my experience with the Best Buddies Organization was a rewarding one and I enjoyed meeting new buddies!

After only being home for two days, I went to UMASS Memorial in Worcester to do a hospital visit with Mrs. Massachusetts, Jane Marshall. Her and I went to the Pediatrics Unit and played in the activity room with several of the children. It was great because not only did the room have tons of activities like puzzles and air hockey, but there was also arts and crafts where kids could create something of their own. We later got the opportunity to do room visits, which I found to be so touching. It was really sad, especially when we went into rooms where we were asked to put an entire suit on for coverage, along with gloves, and a mask. We visited rooms of individuals who ranged from two years old to twenty-one years old. All the young children were so cute and it touched my heart and made me realize how fortunate we are and how much we take for granted in life, even some of the simplest things, like breathing or communicating. It definitely makes you appreciate things and I wish more people could see that. There was one young man, named Jose, who had developmental problems. The nurse told me that although he could not speak, he could share his emotions through music. She also clarified that he loved being read to! After I met him, he and I played the piano together. Another young man, who was eight years old asked Jane and I if we were the queen and princess of America. He then proceeded to tell us that even if we weren't, we were still his queens. He was absolutely adorable and filled with so much life and happiness regardless of everything that may have been happening to him. The afternoon was filled with love, generosity, and kindness. I was happy to have spent it with Jane because she has become like a second mother to me. It is charity work like this that makes everything worthwhile.

When I was in Vegas I was sure to set up at photo shoot with "Benizo" the photographer being Benjamin Urcuyo. I had known a lot of the other contestants who had shot with him and thought that he was wonderful, so I wanted to be sure to book something with him. And let me just start by saying, they were absolutely correct! As soon as I got there he introduced me to Amin Kabani, who is the makeup artist, as well as Albert Luiz, who was the stylist. Both of them are so incredibly artistic and talented. I couldn't believe what a phenomenal job they did with the hair and make-up! After that, I began shooting. Ben was incredible and so unique. The photo shoot was so relaxing and fun and filled with so much energy. He was able to see a different side of me and bring that side to life. It was such a breath of fresh air to meet someone who was so passionate about his job. It is so obvious to see that too when you are shooting with him. I highly recommend that if you have the opportunity, then shoot with him. He is like no other and you will fall in love with your photographs and make some lifelong friends. Check out his portfolio and contact information at his website: http://www.benizo.com. Thank you Ben, Amin, and Albert! Love you all!

Miss USA 2010 took place on Sunday, May 16th, live from Planet Hollywood. Prior to the event all the teens were given passes into rehearsals. It was nice to be able to go into one of the rehearsals and see how it was ran prior to competing at Miss Teen USA. Last that afternoon, the live telecast begin. I was so excited to see all the girls, especially because I was able to get to know and meet several of them prior to that. My Miss, Lacey Wilson, looked absolutely fabulous. I hadn't been able to see her that much before she left because she was so busy preparing. Her body looked great and her styling looked fabulous... thank you Katie Boyd and Neil! At the live telecast they announce the top 15, then the top 10, then the top 5, and finally the winner. I was watching it and taking it all in and all I could think of was, how do they choose? All the girls were so beautiful, in such such good shape, and so well rounded. The top 5 consisted of Maine, Colorado, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Michigan. Each of them were put to the test with two questions: one of a personal one and the other was a question regarding current events. After that, the set of celebrity judges chose our new Miss USA. Miss Michigan USA, Rima Fakih, was crowned Miss USA 2010 that evening! I was very happy for her and felt that she was very deserving. It brought tears to my eyes to see her excitement after she won. Last that evening I attended the Miss USA After party! I have a great time at it and met some wonderful people. CONGRATULATIONS RIMA FAKIH!

Saturday evening in Las Vegas, I was selected to take part in the Fashion Rocks event which was held at the Hard Rock Cafe. This event was a fashion show sponsored by Sherri Hill and it showcased a selection of her evening gowns as well as cocktail dresses. The thing I love about Sherri Hill is that she has such a variety and diverse collection of dresses everything is so beautiful, not to mention, she is such a kind women. I wore a bright pink cocktail dress and ironically one of my good friends, Emma (Miss California Teen USA) wore the exact same colored dress! It was funny because we are a lot alike and that was not even planned! The fashion show was filled with energy and was so much fun, but prior to it there was a Red Carpet Event. Myself along with the rest of the teens were interviewed on the Red Carpet and did photo ops. It was so much fun and really exciting to be on the red carpet. I think it was also a great opportunity for all the teens to be able to speak in front of the camera and on live webcast! After the fashion show, Emma and I did an interview with Allie LaForce, who is a former Miss Teen USA regarding the Rain Cosmetics line. The evening was filled with excitement! I got to meet some great new people and reconnect with old friends! I was so happy to be a part of it!

On Saturday morning on the day of May 15th, the Miss Universe Organization and Planet Hollywood held a "Beauty Expo." The expo consisted of popular pageant boutiques throughout the nation, as well as some wonderful designers... Tony Bowls being one of them, shoe companies, Rain Cosmetics, Chi Products, Miss Teen USA Fantasy Camp, and so much more! It was great because at the start of the Beauty Expo, all the teens were asked to line up on stage. Each of us were brought up individually in front of everyone to answer a personal question about ourselves, then do a quick walk and pose to the end of the runway. It was nice to learn something new about each of the girls. I then walked in a fashion show that my dress sponsor, the Crowning Touch was featured in. The other states that they sponsor also walked in the fashion show. It was nice to see what the most recent gowns were and what is currently in style. After the fashion show with the Crowning Touch, I got my makeup done by the artists with Rain Cosmetics for the Fashion Rocks event that I had randomly gotten selected for the night prior! I absolutely loved the cosmetics line because it was so natural and felt very light on my skin! The expo was so much fun and I even bought a cute little cocktail dress made by Tony Bowls!

Considering my graduation date was approaching quickly, I could not fly out to Las Vegas until the Friday before the telecast of Miss USA. However, I left early Friday morning to be sure to get to Vegas for all the events that the Miss Universe Organization had planned for the teen state titleholders. When I arrived at the airport, my wonderful dress sponsor from the Crowning Touch, Maria, was on the same flight as us! It was nice to talk with her and talk about my preparations for Miss Teen USA. After a long 6 hour flight from Providence to Las Vegas, I met up with one of my sister states and her family, Miss Vermont Teen USA, Shelby Gregoire. They had been there for a week already so we all went to lunch and they showed us around Planet Hollywood. That night all the teens that were currently there, gathered for a group photograph in front of the Planet Hollywood and Miss USA 2010 sign. From that point we went into one of the conference rooms to have a "meet and greet" with the other teens. I had met several girls at the Standout Productions; however, it was so great to finally meet the others! Everyone is so beautiful and so welcoming! On top of that, we even got to meet Stormi and speak with her briefly. She looked absolutely fabulous and spoke about her experience at Miss USA last year. After meeting all the other wonderful contestants, Shelby (Miss Vermont Teen USA, her parents, Emma (Miss California Teen USA), her mom and aunt, and my mom and I went to grab dinner! Our dinner was nice and relaxing and it was so great to catch up with Emma seeing as I hadn't seen her since Standout. The first day was a great one, and wait until you all see all the other beautiful girls!

Last Saturday, Massachusetts was lucky to have a beautiful May day! The sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky. I was fortunate to spend the course of my day at a wonderful event known as the Central Massachusetts Heart Walk for the American Heart Association. I attended this event with Mrs. Massachusetts, Jane Marshall. The walk was an incredible and inspiring one and consisted of several thousands of participants. I was informed that UMASS Medical has 1,500 walkers of their own! Jane and I chose to take part in the walk and I was so glad that we did so. While she and I were walking we become acquainted with a kind young man named Matthew. He was only 9 years old and suffered from Severe Pulmonary Stenosis and Atrial Septal Defect. He was so kind and so excited to be there. I was so thrilled to see him walking and hear about his story. It is stories like his that truly touch your heart. I thought it was so great seeing how many people took part in the walk to raise money for the American Heart Association. Walking around I was able to see all the different shirts for families walking for someone close to their heart, and hospitals walking as a group. It was the perfect day for such a wonderful cause! Thank you for making me a part of it!

As many of you have read, this year I have been an ambassador to my school's SkillsUSA Community Service team, "Together WE CAN (Cancer Awareness Network)". It has been a pleasure of mine to take the responsibility of bringing awareness to the cause. I feel honored to get involved in their inspiring program so I too can spread the message and express to others the importance of early detection. Being able to participate in charity events, fundraisers, and walks with the members of the team, Erica Poirier, Lacey O'Neil, Beth Belanger, and their advisor, Rosemary Quirk, has opened my eyes and made me realize if more people can get involved then maybe one day we CAN put an end to this epidemic. However, I am very pleased to announce that over the weekend the Community Service Team participated in the SkillsUSA State Competition. They did a phenomenal job and received a gold medal for all their generosity, hard work, and commitment. They will be competing nationally in June! Congratulations to the Together We CAN Team! I am so proud!!

On April 25th, several of the Miss state titleholders in New England held a sendoff. The sendoff was a fashion show featuring Bless by Bless clothing in support of breast cancer awareness for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. It was a great way to kick off the start of an amazing journey at Miss USA for four lovely ladies: Miss Connecticut USA, Miss New Hampshire USA, Miss Vermont USA, and Miss Rhode Island USA. The fashion show featured all four of the girls that were headed to Vegas as well as Miss Rhode Island Teen USA, Erica Wright and Miss Vermont Teen USA, Shelby Gregoire. The theme was interesting because it was "rocker chick" meet "fashionista." I had a wonderful time being able to catch up with my sister states, Vermont and Connecticut as well as reconnect with my friends from Rhode Island and New Hampshire. Not to mention, I was able to see some of my pageant family! Good luck to the New England girls as well as the rest of the Miss State Titleholders competing at Miss USA in Las Vegas, live from Planet Hollywood on May 16th! I wish you all the best of luck!

Hola! Bienvenidos! I spent the past week in Mexico with my wonderful family for my spring vacation. We have a timeshare in Cancun and are so fortunate because it is such a beautiful destination. I was able to visit some wonderful beaches like Islas Mujeres, Playa Del Carmen, and Cozumel. If that isn't enough I got my historical lesson for the week at the Tulum Ruins and Chichen Itza. I even got over my fear and jumped out of an airplane to skydive over the Cancun coastline. It was such a relaxing week and I was so happy to spend it with the people I love most. Considering Teen USA is only a short three months away, I was sure to eat healthy and workout daily. My typical morning consisted of my dad waking me up to go for a run down the beach, then I would go play basketball or ride bikes with my little brother, go to the gym for 30 minutes then sit in the sauna! Although I was busy, it felt great to work so hard! I am heading back home to Boston today filled with some great memories! Back to work tomorrow!

Today I received an email from a fan that read like this: "I just do this stuff for people I truly like and respect. You're a very humble and upright person--despite being such a high achiever. My little offering is just a tribute to your great personality. I hope and pray that you reach the top of whatever you attempt in life. May you & your family be always blessed." I think it is so wonderful to have support from fans. It is people like him that make every second so rewarding. I want to thank this person for their kind words, support, and beautiful photograph!