National Pay It Forward Day

Today is National Pay It Forward Day! What does this mean? Today, people around the world are embracing the idea of showing kindness towards others. Why today? The last Thursday of April each year has been declared Pay It Forward Day. This day should serve as a reminder to go out of your way to make someone’s day a little brighter. Although every day is the perfect time to “pay it forward,” today we remember why we serve others and the impact one person can make.

For more information about Pay It Forward Day, go to www.payitforwardday.com“Together we can change the world, one good deed at a time.”

Bison Breveties

Tonight was Bison Brevities, NDSU’s annual variety show put on by Blue Key National Honor Society. As a member of Blue Key I have been involved in the organizing of this event for the past two years. Each year we choose a non-profit organization to donate all of our proceeds to. This year we voted on Churches United for the Homeless to receive this money. Churches United for the Homeless is a local charity that I have volunteered for on numerous occasions. They provide meals and emergency shelter for homeless, clothes and food for those living in poverty, and furniture for people getting out of homelessness. Every year men, women, and children in the Red River Valley are greatly helped by this worthy organization. Churches United for the Homeless also operates the Dress for Success program, which provides women with business clothes appropriate for job interviews in order to get them back on their feet and into the workforce. Being able to sell show tickets and ad pages for this cause was especially rewarding to me thanks to having cooked and served brunch, sorted clothes donations, and organized the food pantry since I was in middle school. Thank you to everyone who helped support me and the rest of Blue Key in our effort to give hope to a local shelter!

“Do what you can to show you care about other people, and you will make our world a better place.” ~Rosalynn Carter

Stephanie Erickson
Miss Empire 2012

’12 MN’s Outstanding Teen Pageant & Mock Interviews

I just got back from a fabulous weekend full of pageant fun. Yesterday morning I drove down to the Twin Cities with my Grand Forks pageant sisters, Kate and Laura, to watch the Miss Minnesota Outstanding Teen 2012 pageant. We had fun catching up with each other during the drive and enjoyed getting away from the usual routine of school and work. When we got to the cities, we all got ready for the pageant and drove to Eden Prairie High School where the pageant was being held.

The high school was pretty large, but we parked in the lot that was pretty full and walked up to the front door. “Tickets Sold Out,” the sign on the door said. Worried that we may not be able to get into the pageant, we hurried inside to find out if it was true. Much to our surprise, we had accidentally gone into the entrance of a body building competition! Haha… Dressed in sequins and wearing our sashes, we were obviously in the wrong place. Someone directed us down the hall and we found the pageant.

We cheered on Mia, the first ever teen contestant from “Team Grand Forks” to compete in Minnesota, as she competed for Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen. At just 13 years old, Mia was one of the youngest contestants. It was inspiring to see these young women sharing their stories and talents with everyone. Not every person is brave enough to risk being judged or critiqued and I congratulate every contestant for giving it their best effort. Everyone did a great job and it was fun to see the confidence each one showed as she had her time on stage. Mia did a great job and made all of us from Grand Forks proud, but it was Bailey Wachholz who took the crown at the end of the night. Bailey will compete for the title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen this summer. Good luck, Bailey!

On Sunday, my pageant adventures continued as I met with a panel of six people who led me through a couple of mock interviews. It was exciting to interview with this great group of people. They helped me learn what I was doing well and what I could do better. Getting into the mindset of the state pageant made me realize how important the Miss America Organization is to me and how much of a positive impact my involvement in this organization has had in my life.

“The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.” ~Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Stephanie Erickson
Miss Empire

Pay It Forward Tour 2012

I just returned from my fourth college Pay It Forward (PIF) tour and cannot describe how much these tours have impacted my life. Pay It Forward tours are student-led, multi-day bus trips where students engage in leadership and focus on service as they volunteer in a new community across the country each day. Pay It Forward tours are organized by Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF), a non-profit organization with a vision “to energize generations of servant leaders.” I am one of the Chapter Core members of STLF at NDSU and have been involved in planning these tours since I led my first PIF tour as a freshman.

This year NDSU sent out three buses full of college students, each heading to either Washington, D.C., Dallas, TX, or Denver, CO. On Friday, March 9^th, my bus left Fargo on a journey to Denver for an unforgettable spring break. For 9 days I spent my time traveling the country with 28 other college students. We volunteered doing yard work at an emergency women’s shelter in Lincoln, NE, moving boxes and food at a food bank in Lawrence, KS, painting a building in Dodge City, KS, cleaning a public building in Dumas, TX, laying mulch in a pueblo in Taos, NM, and creating new hiking paths in a park in Denver, CO.

Being able to experience various lifestyles and ways of thinking has made me more socially aware of struggles that people across the United States face every day. By serving these people we met throughout our trip, we created an irreplaceable sense of community between ourselves and between these strangers who became our friends. The service that we offered others positively impacted our country, maybe in ways we don’t even realize. The power that young people have when they commit themselves to a life of service is overwhelming, and Pay It Forward tours are a true example of that power.

Not only have PIF tours fueled my passion for service, but they have also given me the tools necessary to succeed as a leader. By organizing housing and service projects for a bus full of students, I have learned communication and problem solving skills that continue to help me in many areas of my life. Inspiring other students to try something new, jump on a bus, and spend their spring break volunteering has given me the confidence and belief that college students can and are making a positive difference across the United States. To learn more about Pay It Forward tours or STLF, please visit www.stlf.net.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” ~ John Quincy Adams

Stephanie Erickson
Miss Empire 2012

The Pageant Shop-Gown Sponsor

This weekend I had the opportunity to meet with one of my sponsors as I got another step closer to being ready for the Miss North Dakota pageant this June! Saturday morning I met Sarah Moses at her store, The Pageant Shop, in New Brighton, MN. The Pageant Shop is the premier retailer for any and all pageant needs in the Midwest. I tried on many evening gowns before eventually finding the perfect dress to wear in the state competition this year. I can’t wait to walk across the stage this June in my new gown.  Thanks, Sarah!

Stephanie Erickson
Miss Empire 2012

IHop’s National Pancake Day for CMN Hospitals

Tonight I had another opportunity to volunteer for the Children’s Miracle Network–this time at IHOP for National Pancake Day! For the entire day, IHOP will serve each customer a short stack of pancakes for free with the hope that they will make a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network. This is a HUGE fundraiser for the local children’s hospital, and I was more than excited to be a part of it.

Throughout the night I acted as a hostess at IHOP in Fargo. My job was pretty easy: greet guests, tell them about the National Pancake Day fundraiser for CMN, and get them seated. It was amazing to see just how many people came out to eat some pancakes and make a donation. One little boy told me that he was born in the children’s hospital here in Fargo and had to stay there for a while when he was a baby. He appeared to be about 5 years old, but he clearly knew the importance of the hospital and the hope it could bring other children and their families. His smile and energy were refreshing and served as a reminder that you never know what hard times someone else has been through.

Besides meeting people from the community, I had the opportunity to volunteer along Miss Frazee, Katie Winter. Katie will be competing in the Miss Minnesota pageant this summer. It was fun making a new connection with someone from another state who is also in the Miss America Organization family. Shelby Bohnenkamp, Miss State Capital was also there volunteering with us.

The best part of the evening was getting to work alongside two of the Children’s Miracle Network’s Champions! These are two twin brothers who were basically saved because of the staff at the local children’s hospital. I was proud to be representing the Miss America Organization and the Children’s Miracle Network as my “helper” handed out menus to the guests tonight. Even with all that these two have had to deal with, they were a couple of the most polite and positive children I have ever met. They laughed as they told me that recess was their favorite subject in school, and I learned that they both loved to play baseball. They were silly and definitely made the night more fun for everyone who met them. I could tell it was encouraging to these two young boys to see all of the people who were there to support the children’s hospital and children like them.

If you haven’t donated yet, please consider using the link in my last blog to donate–even a small donation can make a big difference in the lives of these children!

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” ~Dr. Seuss

Stephanie Erickson
Miss Empire 2012

Sanford Children’s Hospital-CMN Fundraiser

Today I got to volunteer at a phone-a-thon fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network in support of the Sanford’s Children’s Hospital in Fargo. This is North Dakota’s only children’s hospital. I met up with Laura and Kate this morning to volunteer for the event. Before we began making calls, we got a tour of the children’s hospital. It was sad to see just how many children actually need the intensive care that this hospital offers. At the same time, it was absolutely amazing to see the quality of care that is available right here in North Dakota thanks to funds raised by the Children’s Miracle Network! After our tour, we got on the phones and called donors from last year to ask if they would make another donation this year. I’m glad that I could help raise money to keep this hospital well funded and ensure that it is always there for people who need its services. If you would like to help me reach my personal goal of raising $500 for the Children’s Miracle Network, please check out my fundraising page!  http://www.missamericaforkids.org/Donate/145229FFAB75C381

After we wrapped up making phone calls, we headed downtown for some pageant-sister bonding. We stopped at one of my favorite shops, Downtown Diva, to visit with Marjorie and check out her beautiful jewelry. After picking up a few pairs of earrings, we headed to Nicole’s for lunch… yum! One of my favorite parts about competing in pageants is the friendships that you make, and today was definitely a fun day with my pageant sisters.

“Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go.” ~Margaret Walker

Stephanie Erickson
Miss Empire 2012

Ronald McDonald House-Valentine’s Day Decorations

Yesterday I volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House in Fargo with some of my fellow Blue Key National Honor Society Members. The vision of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is “when you change a child’s life, you change a family’s, which can change a community, and ultimately the world.” We made decorations for Valentine’s Day and hung them around the house to help make it feel more festive and inviting. It was a fun service project, and I’m glad we could do something to help cheer up the families who are living in the house.

Stephanie Erickson

Miss Empire 2012

2012 Grand Forks Outstanding Teen Pageant

Today I got to emcee the Miss Grand Forks/Grand Cities Outstanding Teen pageant with Kate and Laura. This was a fun event to get to speak in front of a big audience and get to know teens who are interested in competing in pageants. We had an impressive group of teens compete today and the judges honestly did not have an easy job. I love getting to know new people and hearing why they decided to compete. Everyone has different reasons for signing up to compete in their first pageant and for continuing to stay involved in pageants. These young ladies all had stories to tell and were eager to share their platforms and talents with the judges and the audience. I liked being able to guide them through the pageant process today. A lot of them reminded me of a younger version of myself.

Congratulations to the new Miss Grand Forks’ Outstanding Teen 2012, Alyssa Black, and Miss Grand Cities’ Outstanding Teen 2012, Mia Pagnac! Also, congratulations to the rest of the contestants; you all looked beautiful today and I hope to see everyone compete again next year!

“Those who believe they can do something and those who believe they can’t are both right.” ~Henry Ford

Stephanie Erickson
Miss Empire 2012

Project Linus

Last night I volunteered for Project Linus. ”As Charles Schulz’s Linus character from the PEANUTS® comic strip was comforted by his blanket, Project Linus strives to do the same and more for children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need.” NDSU organized an event for last night where students could come to the Memorial Union, pick out fabric, and make tie blankets to be donated to this great organization. I went with a couple of my friends to help out. It was a lot of fun and it didn’t take very long for a big group of NDSU students to make a ton of blankets!

It’s amazing to see what a difference you can make in other people’s lives just by donating a few hours of your time. NDSU has a strong group of students who are committed to giving back to the community, and I am proud to be one of those students.

Stephanie Erickson

Miss Empire 2012