San Jose Sharks Home Opener

We had a very successful event for the Friends of Miss San Jose at the 2009 Sharks Hockey Team Home Opener Event this Thursday October 8th. Thousands of people came out and the Miss San Jose did extremely well for next year's Scholarship Fund. I was so glad to be a part of this event. The night started off with Mary McCaman and Bernadette Raudez picking me up and we drove over to the HP Pavilion. I was so glad to ride with someone because I am sure I would have gotten lost!

Felicia Alvarez and I were the two representatives who greeted people near the front of the HP Pavilion and encouraged them to buy drinks from our booth. People were so friendly and I enjoyed chatting about the MAO with people who were not familiar with the process. It is always so interesting to me that so many people are so curious how we "win" our titles and what we have to do. As expected, I was frequently asked what I thought about Carrie Prejean, but that was the perfect opportunity to talk about Miss America and why we are different. People were so funny, they would shout out, "Miss Silicon Valley!!!" and as soon as I would look, they would blush and hide their faces. A few handfuls of people were brave enough to come up and talk to me, and the others would usually say, "can you take a picture with my friend? He (or she) really wants a picture with you."

Today I really missed my "Sweetheart" and "California" girls. Luckily, I will get to see many of my California friends at Kristy Cavinder's homecoming on October 24th in Atwater, California. I'm really looking forward to talking with Kristy and seeing how she is doing before her big departure to Miss America!

I hope you enjoy some of my pictures from the event!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Our Placemats upon arrival!

Day 1: AM
I arrived at the Sacramento International airport at 11 PM with plenty of time to get through security and to my gate. To my dismay, my toothpaste was confiscated after a few minutes of unsuccessfully trying to persuade the male agent it was harmless. My argument was that the tube may have larger than 3 oz but there was not actually 3 oz inside. I lost. Luckily, I brought two of everything so I am not completely without- only until I pick up my bags. The Houston airport is quite possibly one of the biggest airports I have ever been in. And luckily, I was conveniently located at opposite end terminals at the extreme end of each. It took multiple escalators, human people movers (at least that’s what I call them!), two train stops and more escalators and long hallways until I finally reached my destination. I am quite groggy at the moment because I had no problem dosing off as soon as the engine started; however, the flight attendant so kindly felt the urge to wake me up by shaking me and firmly exclaiming in my ear, “Ma’am, put your tray table up. MA’AM, put your tray table up!” Needless to say I did not get very good rest the rest of the trip.

I had a memorable moment during my journey across the airport. I was standing at this huge intersection and I had no shame in asking directions multiple times, but the signs were so confusing I found myself at a crossing with no idea which way to turn. I was anxious, my carry-on bags were increasingly becoming heavier, and people kept whizzing past me like I was the only lost one in the world. Just as I was about to admit defeat and sit down for a minute this girl about my age was also standing alone bags in tow at the other side of the walkway staring straight at me from 12 o’clock, and I could just see in her eyes, “Oh, you too? You’re alone and lost?” We gave each other these sympathetic good luck smirks and she walked away the opposite direction. Although we never exchanged words that girl reminded me that there were 40 other girls from all over the United States making a similar journey and I was not alone. This adventure certainly is a growing up experience and teaches me so many aspects of responsibility and self accountability. I am sitting here with 3 hours to spare, so as my ED Stephanie always tells me, “Sleep whenever you can.” Perhaps that is great advice to listen to at this point! I will update more when I can! Good night, or actually good morning!

Jenna

I'm Off to 'Huup-stun'

August 30, 2009

Dear Miss California Friends and Family:

The time has come! I am off to Hoopeston, Illinois today as Miss California’s National Sweetheart Pageant Representative! I land in Indianapolis, Indiana at 11 AM and my Sweetheart experience will begin! The good luck wishes and support I have received has been incredible and so appreciated. Thank you for all of your support to cheer me on during this exciting time. I wanted to tell you all about my unforgettable experience during my preparation. I am so proud to be a part of undeniably the best Miss America State Preliminary. I will be the first to admit that until I spoke with other contestants from other states how blessed and fortunate us California girls are! Since Hoopeston does not broadcast the pageant nor advertise it like we might expect, I am eager to share my thoughts about the show. After taking a few days to pack, put in the last minute work outs, and prepare for the competition, I finally have a few minutes to share some fun story about my preparation.

No matter what, this will be a fun week and I am walking with my head held high with pride of coming from a myriad of amazing Miss California’s, Miss California Sweetheart Representatives, and Miss California contestants. It’s also exciting to think that in just a few months we will all be cheering on our beautiful Kristy in Las Vegas! We all have so much to look forward to.

I felt it would be appropriate to thank a few individuals who stood out during my preparation. First off, the entire Preliminary Pageant Association board for their extremely generous contribution to my preparation. Mr. Bob Arnhym has graciously saw to it to set up several interview phone dates, help purchase my flight with me late at night over the phone, eased my nerves of what to expect in Hoopeston, and even stayed on the phone discussing politics and current events when I stopped for gas late at night in a remote area on the way home from Santa Clara. These are moments that remind me how many opportunities we have lying in front of us. The Miss CA PPA is truly the best in the nation for the amount of organization and generous contributions. Before I begin, I would like to mention two other individuals who selflessly created more opportunities for me to make the most out of my delegated preparation fund; first, wonderful Mary McCaman, who has opened the doors to her home and secondly, my incredible Executive Director, Stephanie Schutt. Mary personally envisioned and then funded my amazingly unique outfit for the “show me your shoes” type parade. Standby for more updates as I don’t want to ruin the surprise! After hours and hours of tearing through Mary’s closet trying to find the perfect gown, we not only found an elegant, first class competition wardrobe, but Mary personally saw to it that the dresses I fell in love with that did not actually fit were tailored to my size. From accessories, to sundresses, shoes, and cocktail dresses, Mary made sure that I left for Hoopeston dressed for success. It makes me smile out loud to see a woman who truly cares about girls yet asks for nothing in return. The great thing about having a trendy ED who happens to be the same size is that I borrowed a few outfits for my stay as well! While I come from a family not shy in love and support, it is instances like this of Mary and Stephanie’s generosity of helping me where it would have required me to spend the stipend on things that were needed but less of a priority. Stephanie coordinated so many meetings and helped me in areas I thought I needed to work on. A special thank you to Linda Ontiveros for meeting with me to go over make-up tips as well!

Since $200.00 was entrusted to me, I thought it would be proper to share where and how that money was spent- and I am confident it was spent wisely. I think it is fair to be open and honest with my decisions of where to allocate the money! I bought a package session for getting a base tan at Planet Beach, and then purchased 2 spray tans before I left. I also purchased some “essentials” from Linda Ontiveros in addition to her giving me a very generous discount and a few additional “on the house” items. Next was a few better quality hairstyling products and a haircut. (Luckily that was only $25.00 because I don’t die my hair :o) I bought a set of “press on” nails for my interview because I cannot have real nails because I play the piano. The Santa Clara Auxiliary paid for my 2 checked bags, the $25 fee charged for all piano players, and the production outfit fee, so that was a lot of money $aved as well.)

It sounds like we have a very busy schedule ahead of us! I wish I could give you more information of exactly what will be happening each day, but unfortunately I do not even know myself! I know Saturday there is a parade through the town and the competition is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday starting at 7PM. Hoopeston is so small that it does not even have a hotel so contestants stay with host families. I have three roommates: Kansas, New Mexico, and Florida. I am staying with a wonderful couple, Mr. Billy and Mrs. Monica. They have two children 7 and 4, and live just 7 miles from Hoopeston. Our house mom, Monica, sent an email out yesterday saying that she had been grocery shopping for our favorite foods! I smiled as I imagined her scavenging through the aisles, shopping cart in tow, looking for the foods we mentioned we liked on our questionnaires- my fruit basket, lemonade, and 100 calorie packs. That assures me they really care about making sure we are comfortable, which certainly eases my mind! They are giving us an entire floor of their home. Two girls will share the master bedroom and the other two will each take one of the kid’s rooms. I’m rooting for the monkey decorated room! My sparing packing experience has been quite comical too. I certainly have learned the value of “packing wisely.” I often am envious of dancers or singers because they can practice their talent basically wherever they want. I can’t haul a piano behind me onto the plane! But a sense of relief came over when I heard the pageant will be hosting a tuned baby grand piano.


We are blessed to have such great fans and supporters of Team California. I will try to keep you updated on the rest of my week as California’s Sweetheart Representative. Please feel free to drop me a note if you get a chance or ask any questions!

I would like to reiterate how grateful and genuinely honored I am for everyone who stood behind me- I know there are too many names to mention on here, but you know who you are, and that is what matters. The best memories come from simple moments- a pat on the back, and hug in passing by, a smile, an email. As I prepare to leave tonight I keep thinking, “it’s actually here.” The weeks of anticipation and countless hours of preparation have all come to this. But NONE of this would have been possible if it weren’t for the support around me. I promise to enjoy every minute and not take anything for granted because I know it will be over before I know it. Always remember, “The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good” so thank you again & again- your generosity, love, and support will never be forgotten.

Walking and Dress Pulling

Stephanie and Mary so graciously talked to Joni Cronin and we booked an appointment today at Joni's dance studio to go over walking and practicing in my new heels. We had such a fun night and we found my wardrobe! It is a first class wardrobe and I think I will be the best dressed girl around!

Alas! I am home

Greetings my dedicated readers!

(Times must never change!)

I am home, rested, and alive! As I look back at my week in Hoopeston ("Huupstun") I feel so incredibly lucky to have so much support along the way. Now that I have had a few days to rest up, I feel like the luckiest little girl in the world. I cannot say thank you enough for the support felt from people who traveled to Illinois, as well as from all the way back in California.

Although I earned scholarships and gifts, the friendships and relationships I formed with so many people are priceless.

The very first day we arrived, our hosts were firm in letting us know that during this week in Hoopeston, we were to address ourselves as "Miss -State-". It was a funny feeling at first, but it was certainly enjoyed. In no way was this meant to diminish our current state titleholders, nor make them feel uneasy. Simply put, this town thrived off of the feeling that during their hometown celebration we were our state representatives and we were asked to respect their wishes.

Now that I am home, I hang up my Miss California sash and proudly put back on my Miss Silicon Valley sash. This is going to be a fabulous year and I have so much to look forward to. Our beautiful Miss California, Kristy Cavinder, is going to dominate the Miss America stage, and I am looking forward to cheering her on from (my first ever attended) Miss America audience. Now I have friends from almost every state that I will meet in Vegas to cheer on "our girl" with. It is an absolute honor to return back to my state under such a beautiful, sincere, and talented representative. So thank you Kristy, for allowing me to have my fun for a week in Illinois and (kind of) sharing your title. Kristy sent me a wonderful letter of good luck and it sat next to my bed on my nightstand all week. It reminded me what we were all there for- to return next year and give it our all to hopefully someday become Miss California. Kristy's kind words were that extra reminder to stay humble and gracious the entire way.

As I am sure you are eager to know, so these were my final results:
2nd runner-up
Friday Night Preliminary Talent Award
Outstanding Overall Talent Award

Being announced as the Overall Talent Winner. I was clearly shocked.
After the awards ceremony with all of my scholarship prizes

I take great pride in so many awards and honors because I worked very hard for this past week, and it was nice to see a tangible reward for all of my preparations, especially because I know so many other girls prepared very hard themselves. The recognition is certainly appreciated and not for an instant taken for granted! The following information is not to boast what I earned, rather a special thank you to all who generously donated to my journey.

As Second Runner Up I received:

• $200 Scholarship- Hoopeston Jaycees
• $100 Cash- Hoopeston Regional Health Center
• $50 Savings Bond- Harris Agency
• $50 Savings Bond- Silver Brothers
• $30 Cash- The Mane Place
• Kathy Van Zeeland Clutch- Gift Baskets by Wilma (adorable, by the way!)
• Custom made Sweetheart pin by Unger's Jewlery

As the Overall Talent Winner, I received:

• $100 Scholarship- Hooopeston Jaycees
• $50 Savings Bond- Houmes Quality Construction
• Custom made Sweetheart pin by Unger's Jewlery

As Preliminary Talent Winner, I received:

• $25 Cash- Hoopeston Regional Health Center

Thank you again, to all businesses and families who opened their hearts and arms to so many grateful young women. You will forever be in my heart.

Sunday: Nursing Home & Autograph Signing

Sunday:

After a wonderful morning spent at the Hoopeston Community Nursing Home, we headed off to lunch which was in the Nursing Home facility, at the Country Terrace. I had the privilege of meeting Pat Musk, the original lady whom the Pat Musk non-finalist talent award is awarded after. Mrs. Musk was once a wonderful organist, so it was quite an honor to get to meet her in person. I ate lunch with Polly, who actually lived in Hollywood for many years with her family. We had a nice chat about what California used to look like and how it has changed over the years.

I wanted to share a funny story with you- at least I think it is funny! While we were at the nursing home, we were singing songs for the residents. From God Bless America, to Amazing Grace, to America the Beautiful, we quickly began to run out of songs most of the girls knew! We slowly shifted into hymns, which fewer and fewer girls knew the words as time progressed. Eventually, I think most of us were pretty unsure of the tune we were singing and most girls started to lip sync and pretend like they knew the song. We were trying to keep a straight face and be professional because we were in front of a large crowd, but it became harder and harder to hide the fact we had no idea what to sing. Finally, someone spoke up and admitted that obviously we didn’t really know what we were doing, but it was apparent from the residents’ faces that they wanted an encore, so someone said, “well we might not know the names of these songs, but we know Christmas Carols (which happened to also be in the book)! So we proceeded to sing “Joy to the World”, “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” and several other Christmas Carols! Who would have thought we would have had to depend on Christmas in September! But the residents seemed to really enjoy the music and we had some great laughs singing together!






AUTOGRAPH SIGNING
The autograph session only lasted one hour, but it felt like so much more! People stood in line (some for quite a while) to get our autographs. Some girls brought their own autograph pads to hand out along with signing the program books. Mary McCaman so graciously donated custom "Miss California's 2009 Sweetheart" autograph pads and they most certainly came in handy! My hand definitely started to cramp, but it was worth every signature! I was so glad I had them because people would light up when they saw I had pictures to give them as a souvenier. It made me laugh when people would come up asking for multiple autographs… “Could I get one for my daughter, and my sister, and my mom, and my cousin?”

This autographing session was a reminder of how much of an impact this festival makes on this small town, but also to the families and friends of contestants who traveled so far to support 'their girl'. People were gracious enough to share their stories about how they come to watch every year- some have watched since they had been children and have grown up watching the National Sweetheart Pageant.

I also enjoyed meeting my new friends’ families. It is nice to see how much support is out there for each of us. Best yet, I was able to look out and see all of Team California sitting in the audience smiling back at me. I know it had been a long journey for them, and the nights were long, too; so to glance over every now and then, and notice that their smiles never faded made me feel so loved and so special. Little girls were so excited to ask me questions and reach out and just touch me. My favorite questions of the day?... "Do you live in a castle?" , "What is your favorite ice cream?", "can I touch you?", "Do you know my sister? Her name is Laura. She is 26.", "are you old?" (I think that was supposed to be how old are you perhaps?)
My beautiful new friends; Miss Mississippi Danielle Smith, Miss Georgia Courtney Herndon, Me, and Miss Maryland, Mary King.

Part of the autograph line


Part of Team California: Stephanie, Bob, and Mary...

My new friend Megan, who I met at the school the day before..

Signing a photo for a fan- my mom!

All smiles with my new buddy, Michael Nash, (AKA Miss Canada) board member for the Miss Indiana Pageant.
Long line of Misses signing away!

Meeting new friends

A special thank you to Team California for all of their support and love!

As we stood backstage, the top 5 gathered in a circle and held hands and we had a moment together to reflect back on our amazing week. Shannon, Mary, Devin, and Allison can confirm this next statement; all of our eyes were teary as we watched our fellow contestants switch sashes and give high fives at the end of the runway during the final parade of contestants to conclude the show. In fact, Mary and I were bending over trying not to let our mascara tears drip on our gowns. I couldn’t believe that in just a few short hours I would be heading for the airport and coming back to California. But at that point, all that mattered was that in just one short week, we made some friendships that will last a lifetime. I believe that it is when we least expect it, and we stop looking, that the best friends are made. We often find soul mates in fellow competitors- girls who we can relate to, whom share the same ambitions, similar dreams, and are on the same track as us- unfortunately, who often happen to live thousands of miles away. There are several girls who make me strive to become Miss California even more, so that I could hopefully share my Miss America experience with them next year.

Miss Minnesota Sweetheart Natalie Davis and I

Miss Mississippi Sweetheart Danielle Smith and I
I'm the luckiest girl in the whole world to have Stephanie Schutt as my ED
My new soul mate Inga Miss NY Sweetheart

Saturday Competition

Tonight I had evening wear, on stage question, and swimsuit. Although I did not win a swimsuit preliminary tonight, (they only award swimsuit and talent) I was very happy with my performance and I am simply glad the competition was over! I wanted to congratulate tonight’s prelim winners, Miss Nebraska, Devin, for swimsuit, and Miss Oregon Cassandra Tolman, and Miss North Carolina Lisa Mace, for tying in talent. Miss Oregon sang the Operatic selection, "Nessum Dorma" and she gave me chills. Miss North Carolina is an amazing tapper, and tapped to the song, "It Don't Mean a Thing". As a matter of fact, ALL of the girls did a great job, and I am proud of everyone! We are almost done girls! I appreciate every moment and I am taking it all in! I need some rest, so I am off to bed, but I hope you enjoyed my update!

State Introductions
Answering Scott's question