Election Day

     A few weeks ago, my friend, Whitney and I worked at the poll during the recent election.  Our history teacher, Mr. Best, asked us to help out.  We attended a short instructional session the Thursday prior to election day to familiarize ourselves with what we would be doing.  Whitney and I worked from 7 am to 1 pm on Tuesday.  We waited by the doors and greeted all the voters.  We also asked them to get their photo IDs ready and made sure they were in the correct voting precinct.

     The adults that we worked with were so sweet!  One man brought a huge bag of left-over Halloween candy and informed us that his wife told him not to come home until it was gone. =)  Another lady baked cookies that she shared with all of us.

     It was a good experience and although I am not yet old enough to do my 'civic duty' by voting, I like to think that being involved is just as good for right now!

With Love,
Morgan

Halloween 5k Run for Miracles



Charlee and I could've watched this timer click all day!



     On Halloween morning I was joined by my three sister queens, the Gateway board, and 26 runners for the Halloween 5K Run for Miracles.  Rather than running, my sister queens and I provided helpful hands where they were needed.  Some members of the Gateway board helped register the runners and others stationed themselves along the trail and guided the runners down the right path.  Charlee and I recorded the runner's times while Amanda and Jillian congratulated them as they crossed the finish line.  We were also able to hand out some of the awards following the run.  I think it's safe to say that all of us did our fair share of dancing to keep warm!  It was also probably a wonderful source of entertainment for those around us! :)

Hugging is a GREAT way to stay warm!

Amanda showing off her dance moves :)

Michael, Charlee, and I
SO cute!

     Many of the runners wore costumes.  I have to say that my favorite was the little boy, Michael in a cow outfit.  But the lady dressed as a Diva Catwoman definitely came in for a close second!  One woman even dressed her dog as a yellow submarine!

After the run we had the opportunity to chat
with two local teachers dressed as 'Thing 1' & 'Thing 2.'



Announcing Michael the Cow
as the child's costume winner.

      The run was a fundraiser for Children's Miracle Network (CMN).  CMN has been Miss America's national platform for about 5 years.  CMN works to raise money for over 170 children's hospitals in the United States.  I have found that raising money for CMN is always a good time and visiting the children in the hospitals is amazingly rewarding!  On Halloween we raised over $1,000 for the organization!



I ripped the runner's nametags off.
This man's was a bit tricky!



     A special thanks to the event's sponsors, Paul Mitchell Salon, Ghisallo Running, the Miss Gateway St. Louis Scholarship Program, and Road ID along with the CMN representatives present, Phil and Maria.



Paul and Maria, the CMN representatives



With Love,

Morgan

"'Cause This Is Thriller, Thriller Night!"

     Every week I have the privilege of working with a group of children with special needs.  On Thursday evenings we meet and dance!  I began working with the girls in the summer of 2009 and it has been a joy!  We stretch, play games, and learn a short dance routine.  It is so exciting for me to see girls step out of their comfort zones.  In the beginning, some of the girls were shy and didn't want to leave their mother's sides, but now everyone participates!  The best part is seeing the joy on their faces when they master a new step or fall in love with the dance that we've choreographed for them.
     My platform is 'Building Confidence in all Children Through Dance.'  I chose my platform partially because of the fun I've had working with these girls.  They help me love dance more and more every time we're together.  I have seen so many of them grow since the beginning of our time together.  I believe that by having a great time on the dance floor, they boost their confidence a little more every week.

     A couple weeks ago, just before Halloween, we had a special class where we wore our Halloween costumes!  We hunted for candy around the room and learned Michael Jackson's "Thriller" dance.  We even spiced up some of our usual games with Halloween themes.  We played 'Sit, Sit, BOO' rather than Duck, Duck, Goose and pretended to be scary creatures rather than regular animals while playing our animal game.  Unfortunately, due to conflicting schedules we had to have our special Halloween class on Wednesday night, so only a couple of girls were able to attend.  Luckily, Allison, Abby, Haley, Bailey, and I still had a blast!!

With Love,

Morgan

...3, 2, 1...BLASTOFF!!

     Last Saturday, I was crowned Miss Gateway to the West Outstanding Teen 2011! This year is sure to be exciting, as I am going to be spending it with some amazing people. My new sister queen is Charlee Bisch (Miss Gateway St. Louis OT). I am also excited to work with Amanda Williams (Miss Gateway to the West), and Jillian Richardson (Miss Gateway St. Louis), as I'm sure I can learn a lot from them. I cannot wait to get to know my new sister queens, along with the Gateway board!

     I became involved with the Miss America Organization last year and I quickly fell in love with the it. I think the organization is perfect for me, seeing as it combines some of my absolute favorite things; performing, children, and meeting new people. I feel that I have already gained so much from competing. I am doing what I love while gaining skills that I will use for the rest of my life and meeting some of the most amazing young women in the state. I cannot tell you how excited I am to spend another year in the organization!

     I would like to thank all my family and friends who have supported me! You all are great and I wouldn't be able to do this without you.  I know that you will continue to support me throughout the year.  I am truly blessed to be a "Gateway girl" and I cannot wait to get started! I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures as Miss Gateway to the West Outstanding Teen 2011!! ;D

With Love,

Morgan