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.
