SI Tech's 25th Anniversary Gala

Staten Island Technical High School is one of New York’s specialized high schools, which requires a test to enter. Classes are all considered honors and there is a 100% graduation rate. It's also the place where I spent 4 of the best years of my life. This year, Tech celebrated its 25th Anniversary and Mr. Mark Erlenwein, one of my teachers at Tech, was appointed Principal. My mom was PTA President at the school and my brother is also a graduate, so naturally, when I was invited to attend the 25th Anniversary Gala, my mother and I eagerly accepted.

The event, held at The Old Bermuda Inn, was spectacular. The room was beautifully decorated and there was a ridiculous amount of raffle baskets. I couldn’t wait to scope them out! We made our way to our table and chatted with so many people we knew, including several of my former teachers. The event's co-chairs (Joanne Lamberti and Linda Accarino) are friends of my mom and they really went all out to make sure no detail was overlooked. 

I ran into Deputy Borough President Ed Burke who introduced me to Dr. Ginny Mantello. She is a Tech parent who was recently appointed the new Health and Wellness Director by Borough President James Oddo. We discussed the Miss America Organization and my platform. I was asked to contact her after the Miss New York Pageant to set up some events involving Staten Island University Hospital to further promote my mission to inspire others to take action against pediatric cancer. I was also able to speak with former Borough President Ralph Lamberti, whom I met last year. 

My mom and I bought some raffle tickets (and strategically placed them in the baskets), then had dinner and some more great conversation. Mr. Erlenwein got up to speak and thanked everyone for all that they do to make Tech such a unique school. Not only is he brilliant and a technological wiz, he is also a compassionate, warm person who really loves being an educator. He is a visionary who will take Tech to new heights.

Before I knew it, the night was over. Baskets were called and I was ecstatic to find out that I had won a Kathy Van Zeeland bag that I had my eye on. Guess what’s coming with me to Miss NY Week? 

Thank you Joanne and Linda for inviting me to Tech’s 25th Anniversary Gala. I am still - and always will be - a proud Techie and I am confident that Mr. Erlenwein will be a fantastic leader. Let’s go Seagulls!

Cabaret For The Cure

One of the greatest things about the Miss America Organization is the amazing young women we get to meet and the friendships that we make with each other. Christina Moore, Miss Cosmopolitan, is a long time friend who I met at Wagner College when we were on the dance team together. When I was asked to perform at her "Cabaret For The Cure" to raise funds for sarcoma research and awareness, I was thrilled to accept. Christina is meticulous (okay…OCD, but meticulous sounds better) and I knew that this event would be awesome!

I went straight from work to The Cutting Room in Manhattan with my family. When we arrived, I quickly got into my costume and put on my makeup so that I could try out the stage. When you're a dancer, small stages are not your friend, but I knew that I could make it work. Being able to practice my talent for Miss NY was also a plus.

It was great to see my fellow pageant sisters, Amanda Alicea, Stephanie Accardo, Julia Rae Schlucter, Kira Kasantsev, Dominique Bianco, Melissa Phillips, Acacia Courtney, and Amanda Mason, who were there to perform. Michael Scholl and Cassie Paradise, both great friends and supporters, were also in the audience. 

The night began and the talent that unfolded was spectacular. Christina emceed the show with another good friend of mine, Mike Pinto, who is absolutely hilarious! They made a great pair!One of the most inspirational acts was Evan Ruggiero, a dancer who lost part of his leg to cancer. He performed an off the charts tap dance that left me speechless. It was simply awe-inspiring.

The show was long, but well worth it to see such fabulous talent. As the night came to a close, I reflected on all of the wonderful things that the titleholders of MAO do to promote their causes and make a difference in the world. Bravo Christina! You did an incredible job and I am honored to have been able to take part in your event. I am proud to call you my friend!

CITGO & The AACA Car Show

Directly from the March of Dimes Walk on April 27th, I made my way to the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) Car Show to assist at the CITGO Booth. CITGO is a Miss America affiliate and a sponsor of Miss New York. They had contacted Linda Carbo to ask to if Miss Staten Island would come to the event to represent the organization. It was pretty cold and windy so I was more than happy to make a quick change from my dress and heels to jeans, a Citgo T-shirt and flats! I seem to have become quite a master at quick changes these days!

When I arrived, I quickly found Debbie Cantoni, the Executive Director of the Miss NY Organization who led me to the CITGO booth. By this time the wind had really kicked up. I had a pretty hard time keeping my sash from flying away! I was introduced to Mike Moran (a CITGO General Manager) and met his daughter and a few other girls that were helping out. Linda Carbo was also on hand...freezing, as well!

I picked up some flyers, put on my foam CITGO finger (which kept my hand warm), and walked around the car show trying to get people to sign up for the CITGO Rewards Card. There were some pretty cool cars at the show and I stopped by a few to take some pictures. I also stopped to chat with the gentlemen from The Carl V. Bini Memorial Fund who invited me to their annual Bikers for Bini motorcycle and car show in August. Of course, I accepted and am looking forward to attending.

Before we left I spoke with Mike for a bit and found out that he owns quite a few CITGO stations on Staten Island. We made plans for future appearances and I think I might have even got him hooked on pageants for his daughter who is a dancer.

Thanks to CITGO for being a wonderful sponsor and Miss America supporter, Mike Moran for being so kind, and Linda Carbo for connecting me with this event!

March Of Dimes Walk

On April 27th, I joined the March Of Dimes for their annual March For Babies. The March Of Dimes "helps moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies." I have been attending this walk since I was a freshman in high school and this year was the third consecutive year I attended as an MAO titleholder - what an honor!

Once again, I had the opportunity to sit onstage during the opening ceremonies and meet those who volunteer so much of their time to planning and executing such an enormous event. It was a pleasure to be sitting amongst such a philanthropic and inspirational group.

The opening ceremonies were inspiring and as I looked out at the crowd I was astonished by the amount of people in attendance. As always, I am in awe of the giving spirit of the Staten Island community. Jamie and Jianna, twins who were born prematurely (and whom I’ve known for the past 3 years) were on stage with me and I am amazed at how much they’ve grown! The finish to the opening ceremonies is always my favorite part of the walk; the "Parade of Preemies" where former NICU graduates walk across the stage to show how far they’ve come. It never fails to make me smile! 

Afterwards, we met at the starting line to cut the ribbon and cheer on the walkers as they began their march! There were so many people involved, I couldn't believe it! This walk just continues to get bigger every year! By this time, the wind had kicked up and, honestly, I was freezing, so I made my way back inside the parking lot where sponsors were set up and many families still remained.

I walked though the preemie tent and got a chance to talk with parents and their children. I can’t lie though, it was also kind of nice that the wind shielded me from the wind! As I was warming up, I mingled with everyone and saw some familiar faces from the Preemie Fashion Show and from my previous years at this walk. I was also able to speak with Sean and Helen from the Kiwanis Club. We made plans to get together after the Miss NY Pageant for some exciting new projects!

I even got a chance to see Marina Tornabene, an inspiring girl who, despite her own battle with leukemia, was there with her mom to support the March Of Dimes and its mission. What an incredible young lady! 

Unfortunately, I had to cut my time at this event short to make my way to another one, but I want to thank the March Of Dimes for, once again, graciously accepting me as a special guest. I always love these events and find them incredibly inspiring. I have faith that you will continue to do amazing things as the organization grows each year, with the help of the community!

** There are so many great pictures from this event that I can't even fit them all on here. Visit my Miss Staten Island Public Figure Page to see more! www.facebook.com/MissSI2014 or click here to go directly to the March Of Dimes: March For Babies pictures! **

NYC Chili Cookoff

Although Staten Island is a pretty small borough, there is never a lack of events and activities to attend, especially on the weekends. As I was driving past Historic Richmond Town a few weeks ago, I noticed a sign advertising the NYC Chili Cookoff. Food and a community event? I was definitely in!

I contacted Niles French from Development & Marketing and he invited me to be a judge. I was so excited! I mean, Miss NY isn’t too far away but chili eating for my community wouldn’t count as cheating on my eating regimen right?

My family and I arrived bright and early for the event. I could smell the chili from the parking lot….yum! I was given a VIP bracelet and met the other judges. We sat in on a brief orientation about chili and the rules were explained. I decided that I would judge salsa and red chili. The green chili sounded interesting but I didn’t want to push it! The downside to being a judge was that I wasn’t allowed to taste any of the chili before the contest - ugh! That was a killer for me because it all smelled amazing! 

As we walked around I bumped into…yes, literally BUMPED INTO…none other than Kori Chambers from Pix 11 news who asked to interview me. Nothing like an impromptu, on the spot interview! Afterwards we chatted about chili, MAO and my platform. To think I was just chatting casually with Kori Chambers who I watch every morning on the news…so cool! 

When the time came to judge, we went back upstairs in the old courthouse. The atmosphere reeked of “official business” as we went about our task of tasting the 14 salsas set before us. Let me tell you, chili judging is a serious business and there were so many rules! I concentrated to be sure I didn’t make any mistakes. When we were through, I made my final 3 choices. The results were tallied and although I didn’t pick any of the winners, I geared myself up for the red chili judging. The protocol for the red chili tasting was a bit different but everyone was still in serious taste testing mode. In the end there were two ties. Last minute judges, including my Dad and my boyfriend Nick, were called in to assist in the tie-breaking. When the winners were finalized, I am happy to report that all three were numbers I had chosen. Apparently, practice makes perfect! 

Before we left, we walked around, saw an awesome mariachi band, chatted with our Borough President and Deputy Borough President, met some old friends and made two new connections for future appearances.

All in all, I’d say it was a successful day! Thank you, Niles, Historic Richmond Town & the International Chili Society for having me as a judge. I had an awesome (and delicious) time!

Break The Silence: Evening Of Inspiration

Throughout my 5 years competing in the Miss America Organization, I have come to realize that there is never a shortage of causes that need support. Although my platform is "Inspiring Action Against Pediatric Cancer," I continually try to seek out events in my community and offer to lend my support and the visibility of the crown to raise awareness. Break The Silence Against Domestic Violence is one such organization. As a non-profit organization that serves men, women, and children affected by violence, BTS is committed to breaking the cycle of domestic violence through education and individualized services. This provides an avenue for survivors to begin their healing process. When I saw that they were hosting a local event, I immediately contacted them and was invited to attend.

I arrived at Oriental Plaza with my mom and was thrilled to find that my fellow Miss New York sister, Sarah Hreyo, was also there with her mom. Sarah’s platform is "L8ER H8ER! Saying Goodbye to Teen Dating Violence." I was also excited to see my friend Michael Scholl.

We settled in, bought our raffle basket tickets (of course) and the event got under way. Chinese food is one of my absolute favorites, but knowing that the Miss NY pageant is just a few short weeks away fueled my will power -- although I have to say, I did cheat just a little!

As we listened to the speakers, I was surprised to learn that the founder of Break The Silence, Kristen Paruginog, is a fellow MAO participant who held several California local titles. Kristen is also a survivor of domestic violence, proving that domestic violence victims come from all walks of life.Her speech was truly moving and passionate. What an amazing, strong woman! The event’s coordinator, Lauren Parks, and Sarah spoke, as well. I was moved by their speeches and drive to help others in domestic violence situations. When people band together with a common goal, there is strength. 

As the night went on I was able to learn so much more about BTS and its mission. Sarah and I were also happy to speak with Ava, Lauren’s niece, who was absolutely adorable. She was fascinated by our crowns and by my necklace, which she proclaimed was “Beautiful!” She is sure to be a pageant girl one day!

As the evening wound down, baskets were called (my Mom won one!) and we said our goodbyes. It was great to spend time getting to know Sarah and we are both looking forward to Miss NY Week! Sarah and I made plans with Lauren to attend a few future events. Lauren will be heading the new Staten Island chapter of BTS. I feel privileged to have been in attendance at this awesome fundraising event with a fellow pageant sister and I look forward to continuing my support of Break The Silence.