Miss Allegany County - in Allegany County!

I spent my Easter holiday weekend getting a first-hand experience of all that Western Maryland has to offer...and yes, it has tons to offer! It was such a fun-filled weekend...I've already started planning my trip back! Here are some of the highlights as I, Miss Allegany County 2011, enjoyed the sites, smells, and history of Western MD!

While in downtown Cumberland, attending the last qualifying pageant (local pageant) for Miss Maryland this year, I stopped off at the main sites, including the Visitor Center for the C&O Canal National Park...and Allegany County! In the pic above, I can be seen beaming while pointing to my title name!

Outside of the Western Maryland Railway Station! 

Ok, so I had to take a picture of this bus and its slogan! It sounds just like my platform, "helping people...changing lives"...I may adopt this! This picture was taken outside of the Miss Mason Dixon pageant on Saturday at the new Human Resources Development Commission building. So much fun..and so many talented young women! Congrats to Stephanie Kelman, my dear friend, the NEW Miss Mason Dixon 2011 <3

Lastly, I had the pleasure of visiting Rocky Gap Lodge and Resort...they have everything! You can go canoeing, biking, hiking, swimming - you name it, they have it!  And what a sight it was! This pic is taken from the parking lot before we left, but it's directly behind the lodge - it's Lake Habib! 

I had a total blast being in Western Maryland/Allegany County this weekend (we even made a stop in Garret County to visit my dear friend on her birthday)...I do hope you can make the trip sometime! 

My final days as Miss Urbana 2010

On Saturday, April 16th, I had the honor of working with the 2011 contestants of the Miss Montgomery County and Miss Urbana program. Below I've included my farewell speech...<3 Thank you for the honor of being your Miss Urbana 2010 and congratulations to each of the winners and the participants!

Since being crowned Miss Urbana last year, I have had a non-stop year of appearances, meetings, and conferences…but most importantly, this past year has been one of tremendous personal growth.

I have spent the past year expanding my personal platform program “Empowering You” to great new heights…I have begun life long partnerships with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland and the American Diabetes Association; I have expanded my own personal Indian cultural dance groups to add a third group this year, dedicated to keeping kids, ages 6-9, off of the streets, setting goals, and learning to work with a team and challenge themselves. In addition, I have worked extensively with Sarah’s House, Happy Helpers for the Homeless, the local community of Urbana, and have meet Senator Mikulski and Congressman Roscoe Barlett, who represents Frederick County. It has without a doubt been a busy, but simply amazing year.

However, this year would not have been what it was without the support of a few amazing people. I would like to thank:

• The Miss Montgomery Scholarship Program – more specifically, thank you to Mr. Scott and Ms. Bonnie. You have supported me on a journey of a lifetime…you have enjoyed late night phone calls, emails that were days long, hours of rehearsal time, and much more. But from the bottom of my heart, thank you for always pushing me to do better, think bigger, and love myself even more. You have taught me so much about myself, my abilities, and my passions.

o     Mr. Scott – thank you for being a human GPS; I’m telling you, anywhere you need to be, Mr. Scott can tell you how to get there, how many lights you’ll go through on the way there, and tell you at least seven different landmarks (including railroad tracks) to assure that you know where you are going.

o     Ms. Bonnie – words cannot express how you have touched my heart and soul in this past year. Your endless support has meant the world to me…I know that I can always come to you. Thank you for always letting me vent to you! You have become like a second mother to me, thank you for being so loving and simply just amazing.

• To my family, especially my mom, sister Faith, sister Caressa, Shailesh, and aunt Evelyn – your unconditional love and support has been a guiding light and solid rock for me. It is your dedication and willingness that has pushed me to succeed and grow in this past year and in life…I love you all tremendously. Thank you.
• To all of the contestants here this evening, the Miss America Organization is a place to call home. It is where you will grow, learn, cry, make lasting friendships, and most importantly, succeed, whether or not you walk away with a crown and title. The skills you are learning from getting on stage and walking and presenting yourself, to standing with confidence in an interview room and answering questions…these are the things that make you TRUE winners in life. I pray that each of you walk away tonight with a new found self-confidence and determination to lead, grow, and excel.
• And lastly, to the winners of tonight’s program – you have nothing but the best team in the world preparing you for the state program this June. Hold on though, it’s going to be the ride of a lifetime! Enjoy every moment of it…

May God bless you all …and may God bless America.

Thank you!

The "Let's Get Serious" Health and Wellness Fair 2011 was a blast and look who I met up with!

On Saturday, April 9th 2011 I drove my way up I-295 to the Holiday Inn at BWI airport for the 2011 "Let's Get Serious" Health and Wellness Fair, hosted by Chere Cofield International. The event was filled with vendors, light refreshments, and interesting speakers.

During my stay at the event, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with Ms. Cheryl Wood of MomsRTheBest and of Cheryl Wood Empowers - she is a motivational speaker, mom & entrepreneur, and just overall an amazing addition to my circle of partners and friends.

Here we are together at the event with a copy of her book "How I flatlined and woke up in 45 days" - a must read for any budding entrepreneur. 

All in all, I made some great connections for my platform and the new TV show, "Reset Your Credit"(www.TheFarzanReport.com), which airs on FOX Baltimore 45.2 or 206. For example, I had the opportunity to chat with Deizshel (Dee) Setzer, who I am hoping will make a special appearance/interview on Reset Your Credit in the coming days. In addition, I chatted with Knicole, the director of "Empowering Youth USA" - oh yea, you know where this is going! Thanks to Cheryl Wood's introduction, I'm hoping that there are some great things ahead with Empowering Youth USA - after all, youth empowerment is my mission!

I'm so glad I attended the event on Saturday and I really encourage you to get out there and network. It's out-of-the-box opportunities like these that help us to become more empowered to do bigger and better things every day!

Keep me posted on any events you may have coming up - I'd love to attend, speak at an event, and encourage others to attend your event as well!

Introducing School Court - A New, Innovative Way to Empower Our Nation's Youth

A special thanks to Tara and Mick Carbo at LiveYourDreamTV.com for this opportunity to discuss our new youth empowerment program - "School Court," a competition reality TV show that will air Sundays at 8am on FOX cable channel 206 and digital 45.2. Students in grades 3-12 will compete to be the Pre-Teen Champions (grades 3-4), Junior Teen Champions (grades 5-8), and Teen Champions (grades 9-12); for more detailed information on the competition, please visit the website: www.SchoolCourt.org.

School Court will integrate leadership skills, public communication skills, research skills and much more to empower youth to take on challenges, debate issues important to them etc. This is a new, innovative TV program that will empower youth to start thinking outside of the box...register your kids today!

I fully support this new TV program, not only because I am the host of the program, but also because the TV program fits in perfectly with my pageant/life platform to empower youth - this show takes my platform to the next level! I'm so excited that my platform is on its way to being a national TV program...even if it's not in the original way I planned. ;)

School Court will teach kids to communicate with others, develop team building skills, enhance one's debate and research skills and more...parents, I highly encourage you to sign your children up today for this new TV show. Season 1 is solely based in Maryland, but we will expand quickly around our nation, so get those applications for auditions in ASAP!

www.SchoolCourt.org

Casting call: Saturday, May 14th, 2011  *email to reserve time and to get more info: management@SchoolCourt.org

The NEW Miss Allegany County!

On Saturday, April 2nd, 2011, I had the honor of participating in the 2011 Miss Allegany County/Miss Cumberland pageant - local programs of the Miss Maryland and Miss America Scholarship Organization. I, with five other young women, competed in talent, interview, on-stage question, fitness, and evening gown - at the conclusion of the evening I was crowned the NEW Miss Allegany County! Such an honor!

As a result of my win, I have earned $500.00 in scholarship money and the opportunity to compete at the Maryland state pageant in Hagerstown, during the final week of June, among other various prizes. This will be my third attempt at the state title and ultimately, to go to the Miss America pageant as Miss Maryland.

Competing in the Miss America system also allows me the opportunity to be an ambassador for the Children's Miracle Network (which I've raised over $4,000.00 for in the past two years) and to have a platform - a special community service project/issue to which I am dedicated. My personal platform is entitled "Empowering You" - it is a leadership and self-development program dedicated to empowering youth via one out-of-the-box opportunity at a time. For example, in 2006, I started leading workshops and empowerment talks with the summer camp "Girl Talk" and other various organizations and I started two Indian dance groups, giving kids something to set goals for and work towards. In the past year, I have started a partnership with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland and Kids Are Heroes to empower youth to grow and develop in their leadership skills and self-confidence.

This will truly be an exciting year! I am looking forward to representing Allegany County as I embark on my personal mission to empower youth around our state and our nation! I hope you'll stay tuned to this blog for updates on what I'm doing throughout the year!

To request a workshop or appearance from me, please email me at TheVictoryCircle@gmail.com.

Immediately after the big win!

With Caressa Ledford, my dear friend and the Executive Director of the Miss Historic MD pageant

With my sister, Faith Mohamed, Miss Western MD's Outstanding Teen 

With Mrs. Sherry Rush, the State Director of the Miss Maryland Organization

The Distinguished Young Women of Greater Baltimore Scholarship Program was a success!

On Sunday, April 3, 2011, the Distinguished Young Women of Greater Baltimore Scholarship Program hosted it's third annual event at the Kotzen Auditorium and Crawford Conference Center in Baltimore, MD. Three talented and academically excellent young women competed in fitness, interview, talent, academics, and on-stage self-expression to possibly win the title of Distinguished Young Woman of Greater Baltimore.

At the conclusion of the event, the three young women walked away with scholarship money for college and an opportunity to compete at the state level in July, with the possibility of winning additional scholarship money for college. The winners were as follows:
 *Distinguished Young Woman of Greater Baltimore: Lauren Zizwarek
 *Distinguished Young Woman of Charm City: Christina Dojan
 *Distinguished Young Woman of Northern Maryland: Melanie Hardy

These three young women will now be ambassadors for the Greater Baltimore program - you'll be seeing them at events near you! To request an appearance from any of the winners, please email: GreaterBaltimoreDYW@gmail.com - the girls are required to travel and give presentations to youth on how to "Be Your Best Self"...invite them to your school or organization today.

It was such an honor to work with this program this year - we were able to give the girls an extensive prize package because of my networking efforts this year. A special thanks to Ray Ally at Ally Kat Photography, John at Nor Press for our program books, Kelly Fleming at Thirty-One for her handbags, and much more!

Thanks to everyone for their efforts! The event was a major success!