"What have you been up to?"

The students I work with are crushing their mid-term exams. I’m sitting in an office that I share with a rockstar-social worker for the Manchester School District. I just read another college essay that left me motionless for five minutes.

After I was crowned Miss New Hampshire, I emailed school districts across the state and offered my services as a free college counselor. Although I am currently pursuing my graduate degree in higher and postsecondary education with an emphasis in policy, I have experience in college and career counseling from my tenure in the Department of Residential Life at the University of New Hampshire and multiple mentorships with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

The chair of the guidance department from Central High School emailed me almost immediately. We discussed the possibility of a weekly “class” I developed that guided students, step-by-step, through the college and financial aid application processes. Throughout the summer, the “class” evolved into a college counseling program that would become the ManchFAF$A Initiative, a program started in 2016 but stalled after a grant expired. After weeks of referencing my notes from my first year of grad school, the program became a post-secondary and financial aid education program complete with wrap-around services.

I admit I was, and still am, terrified that I will not be able to help the students I work with to the level they deserve. I also think that all educators and counselors feel this way. I  have a new appreciation for the work guidance counselors do, and an understanding of how underappreciated they actually are. Guiding a student through the college application process does, and should, come second to saving a child from the pressing opioid epidemic or ensuring that she has a roof over her head at night. Nevertheless, they strive to see their students succeed and thrive during and after high school. SCHOOL BOARDS: PAY YOUR GUIDANCE COUNSELORS MORE (and hire a full-time college counselor)!

So what do I do? I will not delve into the details of my work, because the stories students share with me are not my own to tell. The following is a very broad overview of my time with the Manchester School District.

Once or twice a week (and on call via phone and email), I serve as a college and financial aid counselor at West High School and Central High School in Manchester, New Hampshire. The students I work with are generally from low-income families, in a state of homelessness, or refugees. In total, I have worked one-on-one with about forty students. I have a binder with students’ application timeline checklists to track progress, paper applications for all of New Hampshire’s community colleges (which are some of the best in the nation), application fee waivers, scholarship packets (to track the number of community scholarships each student applies to), envelopes, and stamps. I have a Google Drive folder with a spreadsheet for each student that lays out the total cost of tuition and financial aid packages for every institution applied to, federal aid (grant and loans) received, amount of community aid received (from scholarship packets), and a “gap” (which we fill with community scholarships or begin to discuss private loan options).

My favorite part of my job is watching a student compute how much it will actually cost him or her to go to college. If a student is eligible for a Pell Grant (most of my students are), he or she will be able to attend community college almost for free. Typically, they will have to take out about $1,000 from their subsidized federal loan, but that’s it. If they receive just $2,000 in community scholarships, their entire education is paid for.

Perhaps some people reading this have the attitude of “why should they get their education paid for but my kid has to pay (insert amount here)?” My response: a Pell Grant does not even scratch the surface of making up a lifetime of lack of opportunities due to financial, social, and structural inequalities. You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you don’t even know where your boots are. If you want to debate me on this, feel free to email me. But know that you might get schooled.

This has been the most meaningful experience of my life. I cried with students when they realize that they will be the first in their family to not only graduate high school, but go to college, and live somewhere with a roof over their head. I laid awake after reading a college essay regarding a student’s trauma of escaping genocide. I received calls from parents in my side-hustle’s bathroom (a restaurant, usually two days a week, for gas money) to discuss the status of a father’s green card. I corresponded with recruiters and coaches regarding promising young athletes. I met with parents and interpreters to ensure smooth lines of communication. I submitted about fifteen college applications and filed about thirty FAFSAs with students and their families.

If it takes a village to raise a child, we must give our children a supportive and positive village to grow in. It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of their village. These kids have grit, and deserve every opportunity in the world.

~Humbled, Thankful, and Empowered~

Humbled, thankful, and empowered. These three words best describe my Miss America journey.

I am humbled by the amount of love and support I have received from my family, friends, and #TeamNH. Thank you to my mom and dad for seeing something special in me from day one. You always encouraged me to "let my freak flag fly" and gave me the opportunities and support to do so. I am so fortunate to be your daughter. Thank you to my family. Christopher, Nanny, Boppa, Grandma, Bruce, and Grammy and Grandpa Percy - we really make the best little team. I love you so much. Thank you to my extended family. Thank you to my Vermont, Ohio, South Carolina, and Florida families for supporting me and sharing this journey by coming to Atlantic City or hosting watch parties. Your calls, texts, and messages kept me going throughout the week. Thank you to my friends, teachers, and professors - buddies from high school, UNH, Miss New Hampshire, Teachers College, and Columbia - for your beautiful friendship. You taught me what true friendship and support looks like. I am one lucky girl! Thank you to #TeamNH. Holy. Frijoles. Brenda, Bill, Claudette, Cindi, Paula, Adria, Jen Rienert, Kendra, Peggy, Caroline, Trisha, Elaine, Natalie, Jay, Robbie, local directors, and volunteers - thank you for giving me the honor of representing New Hampshire at Miss America. I am ready to buckle down and get to work as your Miss New Hampshire for the rest of the year!

I am thankful for everyone who helped me look and feel like Miss America as I prepared to compete in Atlantic City. Thank you to Rocco and the amazing team at Integrity Health Coaching for Women for making me feel and look strong and healthy, Robbie for making sure my hair was always on fleek, Kriss for making me feel beautiful and empowered, Holly for keeping me sleek ;), Michele for making me glow, and Kendra for keeping me polished. Thank you to Jay and Natalie of 125 Bridal and Madeline's Event Central for not only dressing me to the nines, but convincing me to compete in the first place. Thank you to Katrina Bernard for my beautiful headshots and Jay Philbrick for your photographic artistry and friendship.

I am empowered by everyone I meet on this journey. I am blessed to be a sister in the Miss New Hampshire sisterhood. Thank you to my intelligent and beautiful sisters... from the 1950's to 2016, for your late-night chats, snuggles, and encouragement. Every time I look at my "Miss NH 2017" bangle on my left wrist, I think how fortunate I am to be your sister. I am empowered by my local sisters in the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program. You truly are the backbone of our organization. Thank you for your unwavering support and love - I am so humbled to be able to represent our sisterhood. Thank you for your service to our state. Thank you to the staff of the Miss America Organization for genuinely making higher education possible for 10,000 young women across the country every year. I am galvanized by my 50 whip-smart, smashing, driven sisters in the Miss America Class of 2018. Wow - just wow. Thank you for the best two weeks of my life. It is a blessing to be able to meet and connect with women you feel a connection with. Thank you for your kindness, humor, passion, and friendship. Many times during the two weeks, I stopped myself and said, "this is what happiness feels like. This is what sisterhood feels like. This is what pure bliss feels like." Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you to Miss America 2017, Savvy Shields. Your grace and love for everyone you meet is inspiring. Finally, I am empowered by our new Miss America, Cara Mund. You ALWAYS have a smile on your face and something nice to say. We are so blessed and lucky to be represented by such a wonderful, kind, smart young woman who is the quintessential example of all that is good in the world.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you all, and am thankful for the honor of representing you as Miss New Hampshire.

#CoffeeChat with #MissNH!

The picture above was my reaction to seeing how many fantastic questions you came up with! You asked… I answered! 

What has it been like adjusting to the job?

The adjustment has been blissful, exciting, and demanding. I teared up the first time a little kid cried out “Miss New Hampshire!” Am I exhausted at the end of the day? Sometimes. However, it is genuinely a joyous, blissful exhaustion - because I’m living a dream come true.

What is your workout routine?

I dance two to three times a week, and I strength train three days a week. Rocco and the amazing coaches from Integrity Health Coaching Centers keep me on track. Fun fact: I’ve actually gained two pounds! It’s all about the gains, friends.

How has the quantum entanglement have the potential to revolutionize our current understanding of the space-time continuum?

Great question. I will refer you to my respected colleague Dr. Sheldon Cooper for this question.

What is the importance of literacy and a strong education for children?

Strong literacy skills at a young age are extremely important for building a solid academic foundation and self confidence. I’m a huge believer in the saying that “college starts in Pre-K.” The more a child can develop intellectually and socially, the more confident and self-sufficient the child will be in school, encouraging the child to eventually be an autodidact (a person with the ability to teach his/herself). Being an autodidact encourages intellectual independence that helps students succeed.

What perspectives have you gained from participating in Miss America?

I love this question. Perhaps the greatest lesson I have learned is not to allow self-serving attitudes (sense of competition, etc.) impede on opportunities for personal growth, empowerment, or friendships.

What has surprised you?

The amount of support and love I receive as Miss New Hampshire. From texts from my “sisters,” to phone calls and letters in the mail to help me prepare for my Miss America interview, to thoughtful questions that people ask about my experiences daily. I am truly, truly humbled and I am so thankful to have so many amazing people in my village.

Who is your favorite author and what is your favorite novel?

Tina Fey’s memoir Bossypants

What advice do you have for kids/teens who don’t have higher education as easily accessible to them as others do (especially urban youth!)? How can you look for scholarships, and what should you be doing in middle & high school to prepare to get into and excel in college?

I would advise the students to talk to their guidance counselor. Depending on the school and the available resources, the student should be able to get valuable information from their guidance counselor regarding different postsecondary options and application processes. I would encourage the student to take initiative in planning their college application season, and ask their guidance counselor to make a “College Application Checklist” or timeline with them. If the student’s guidance counselor is not available for such counseling, the student could seek help from teachers, who, more likely than not, have a college degree. This, of course, is assuming that students know what higher education is. It is also the teachers’ job to expose their students, regardless of their perceived academic ability, to a myriad of postsecondary opportunities and options.

Is Jordan or Lebron the GOAT?

Gotta go with the OG, Jordan.

How have you made friends in the Miss America Organization?  

I have made my best friends through the Miss America Organization. I was an anxious yet extremely driven teenager, who didn’t really fit in during high school. Thankfully, a friend of mine introduced me to the Miss New Hampshire’s Outstanding Teen program. I found young women I connected with through the Miss New Hampshire’s Outstanding Teen program, and consequently a place where I felt like I belonged. It truly is a sisterhood. Empowered women empower women, and I am confident that I am a better person because of the women in our organization.

Thank you so much for your fabulous questions… I’ll be sure to use your other questions in my next post!

Eat Like a Queen

“What do you eat when you’re preparing for Miss America?”

Before I learned how to cook, the prospect of a Miss America “diet” terrified me. Although I am not a picky eater, I do appreciate it when my food tastes good. 

Luckily, after living on my own in NYC, I’m a pretty creative cooker. I make sure that I have fun cooking at least two of my six meals a day. The four meals above are: chicken enchilada “pasta,” chicken primavera “pasta,” Greek yogurt with toasted oats, and a ground turkey burger with a Mediterranean salad and sweet potato chips. Below are my top five tips for adding excitement to an extremely healthy diet! 

1. Onions and garlic make boring chicken taste gourmet. 

2. Find your wild side and experiment with spices. 

3. Satisfy your carb craving with “zoodles,” vegetable noodles, and riced veggies.

4. Use vanilla protein powder as a sweetener for coffee, tea, or plain Greek yogurt. 

5. Cook five chicken breasts and put them in the freezer to add to dinners and snacks. 

If you have any fun and healthy recipes you would like to share, please let me know!

How I Mastered the "Finals Fluster"

For most students, this week is every college student’s favorite time of year… Final Exam Season. 

After four years of undergrad and one year of grad school, I am proud to say that I have mastered the “Finals Fluster.” 

“How?!” You ask. 

Below are my “Top Five Final Exam Tips.”

1. Pump oxygen to your brain. 

Take your books and hit the gym! In order to keep your body healthy and rejuvenated during final exams, ride the bike while you study flash cards or read articles and books. Exercising will make more oxygen flow to your brain and help you retain more information. 

2. Highlight with crayons. 

There is an extremely scientific debate regarding which color highlighter helps you remember the most information. My solution? Use the whole rainbow! One box of crayons not only costs much less than one highlighter, but you can use the different colors to code different types of information. 

3. Schedule your snacks.

Before you hit the books, make a snack schedule to keep you energized and looking forward to taking breaks. You can also alternate food and drinks to make your breaks more frequent. Below is a sample “snack schedule.” 

5:00 PM - Apple with Peanut Butter

6:00 PM - Cup of Tea

7:00 PM - Chicken Pita 

8:00 PM - Cup of Coffee (if you are planning on staying up to at least 1:00 AM)

9:00 PM - Carrots and Ranch Dressing

10:00 PM - Cup of Coffee (if you are planning on staying up to at least 3:00 AM)

11:00 PM - Cucumbers with Hummus

12:00 PM - Cup of Hot Chocolate

1:00 AM - Chocolate Covered Almonds 

2:00 AM - Cup of Tea

3:00 AM - GO TO BED (you will probably not learn anything after 3:00 AM)

4. Study with your buddies. 

Even if you do not study in the same place all night, having someone to connect with in the early hours of the morning will help you stay motivated. You can even post on Facebook, “Who is staying up past 2:00 AM tonight to study?” Remind yourself… You are all in this together. 

5. Get up and take a shower.

No matter how hard it may be to wake up at a decent hour the day of your test, try to make a point to wake up a half hour before you normally do and take a shower. You will feel proud of yourself for getting up and refreshed from your shower. Eat a power breakfast and hit the classroom! 

My thoughts are with you over the next week! Whenever you feel like giving up, just remind yourself that you are earning, hour by hour, a college degree. 

Go rock it!

Cheers,

Lauren 

~Thank You~

A week ago, I met with my “management team” for the first time as an employee of the most amazing group of people to work for - New Hampshire citizens. The night before, I was blessed by the HR Gods who hired me for my dream job.

This hiring process took a village. I am beyond blessed that the love and support from my village tripled the amount of my own sense of ambition. 

First, I want to thank the women that taught me about the Miss America Organization. From Hannah Manley, my first love and Miss Vermont 2000, I learned what a Miss America woman was - strong, confident, and intelligent. Angela Conklin and her family introduced me to the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program, and I could not be more thankful. Without Hannah and Angela, I would not be Miss New Hampshire. I would not be spending the next year promoting what I am passionate about most - college access and equal opportunity. 

Second, I thank my Mom and Dad. Thank you for loving me and believing in me since my first breath. Thank you for your patience and unwavering support. You let me fly my “freak flag” high, and be whoever I wanted to be. My happiest memories are with you - singing, snuggling, laughing, and dancing. Also, thank you for giving me the coolest bud anyone could ever imagine... Just Chris. I adore our little family. We are our strongest and happiest when we are together. 

Third, thank you to my family. Nanny, Boppa, Grandma, Bruce, Grammy and Grandpa Percy, my family in Vermont, my family in South Carolina, and my family in Ohio - thank you for teaching me the power of a loving village. I credit so much of who I am from my experiences of growing up in a family of teachers. 

Fourth, I want to thank my teachers, friends and co-workers for challenging me and supporting me. Whether we met when we were little, in high school, college, graduate school, or at work - please know that I am thankful for our interactions and friendship. 

Fifth, thank you to my family in the Miss America Organization - especially my 2017 Team - Adria, Jen, Natalie, Jay, and Chris, for seeing something in me I did not see this past Fall. Caroline - you and your family have been one of the greatest blessings of this organization. I am so thankful for our friendship. Thank you to my directors, friends, and sisters through the Miss America Organization for making this fabulous organization a wonderful place to call “home.” 

Sixth, I thank our fantastic team of Miss New Hampshire volunteers. Thank you for making us shine all week - whether choreographing group numbers, dancing in group numbers, helping us backstage, feeding us, or making the 2017 production the best one yet. 

Seventh, thank you to the Miss New Hampshire 2017 judges for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I will work my hardest to make you proud. 

Finally, thank you to the leadership team of the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program. Brenda, Bill, Claudette, Cindi, Paula, Eric, Pattie, and Megan - thank you for dedicating so much of your life to making higher education possible for young women in New Hampshire. Through your involvement, you empower us to be leaders in our community and across the country. 

It is my goal to put the love of everyone who has made a difference in my life into my service to New Hampshire. I promise to show everyone I meet the same genuine interest, compassion, and dedication that you showed me. 

With love,

Lauren 

Reach Higher - Miss America Makes Higher Education Possible

In order to compete in the Miss New Hampshire competition, young women first have to win one of 28 local-level competitions. In New Hampshire, the average scholarship awarded to the first-runner up at local competitions is $900. Hypothetically, a contestant could never make it to the Miss New Hampshire stage and make $25,200 in one year. With $25,200, she could cover the costs of tuition, room, and board at New Hampshire's public colleges and universities.

This year, the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program will be awarding a total of $75,000 worth of college scholarships to 28 women. The scholarship money awarded through the Miss America Organization may be used to cover tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and student loans.

The Miss America Organization is the largest scholarship program for women in the world. However, scholarship money is not the only way the organization enables young women to achieve their professional goals through educational attainment. The organization provides participants with countless opportunities to become involved in their communities, network professionally, promote causes they are passionate about, and develop leadership skills.

Every participant has a platform that she promotes throughout her year of service. Volunteers in the organization provide young women with the support to advocate for the causes they are passionate about. Therefore, the organization not only eases the financial burden on students, but provides students with the cultural capital needed to thrive educationally and professionally.

Further, women participating in the Miss America Organization are diverse, passionate, eager, and willing to change the world. Sponsorships and sisterhood provide participants with the necessary tools, both tangible (clothing, services, fitness memberships, etc.) and intangible (mentorships, professional development opportunities, leadership skills, life-long friendships) to succeed in the organization.

Personally, not only would I not be able to attend graduate school if not for the Miss America Organization, but I absolutely would not be the person I am today without it. I would not have friends that know me more than I know myself. I would have never interned at the New Hampshire State House, sung the National Anthem for President Obama, logged over 1,000 community service hours, gained valuable leadership skills from developing empowerment workshops for teenagers, or even fallen in love with the idea of working in college access. The Miss America Organization is a college access program, and I will defend that statement for the rest of my life.