Thursday, March 18, 2010

Off to Atlanta!

Hey there!

I'm currently on a charter bus on my way to Atlanta for SEPC (Southeastern Panhellenic Council). Panhellenic Councils from the Southeast will be there sharing ideas and listening to speakers. Word on the street is the Dating Doctor from Hitch comes to SEPC every year. If so, I NEED to hear him speak. ;) We just stopped in Chattanooga for lunch and a little shopping. Some of my other ADPi sisters are also on the trip, so it's been a lot of fun. We don't always have time at school to sit around and talk. Shelby has promised to work out with me while on the trip. My Josh Rogers dvd is ready to go in my big purple purse!:) I'm looking forward to a weekend of fun and learning. Hopefully, I will have all kinds of ensightful things to share with you by Sunday!Hope you all have a great weekend!!

-PS- Thank you to DHS Faculty for sponsoring me in the Miss TN program book. It really means the world! Miss you all!

xoxo
Brooke

Monday, March 1, 2010

First Post!

Hey, everyone!

I am new to this whole blogging thing, so bear with me. I'm Brooke Stegeman- Miss Cleveland 2010 and will be competing at Miss Tennessee this June in Jackson, TN. I have been busy preparing since I won my title in October. I feel so fortunate to be working with Rodney and the other Scenic City girls. Everyone has been so helpful to me and I've had such a great experience already! I'll play catch up and let you know what I've been doing the past few months and will try to update regularly from now on.

-I went to watch my sorority sister, Shelby Thompson, compete at Miss UT-Knoxville. She ended up winning! I was so proud and am excited to have her competing with me in June.

-In December, I was elected to serve as Panhellenic Delegate on my sorority's Executive Board. It has been such a great experience for me so far! I took over in January and have been BUSY since. It is almost a full-time job! I am responsible for making sure women from my chapter attend Panhellenic- sponsored events on campus. I also attend and am a part of Panhellenic Counil meetings on Wednesday afternoons. As a delegate, I am the voice for ADPi within Panhellenic. In March, I will travel to Atlanta with Panhellenic Counil to attend SEPC- Southeastern Panhellenic Conference. I hope to stay involved on Alpha Delta Pi Executive Board next year. My sorority is so important to me!

-Katie Kendall- Miss Hamilton County and I went to watch Miss America in Las Vegas in January. It was an awesome experience to get to witness in person and I LOVED Vegas. I need to go back again, but just to shop. :) Best. Shopping. Ever. Miss Tennessee, Stefanie Wittler rocked the Miss America stage. She finished at 2nd runner up! We are all so proud of her and all of her hard work certainly showed on stage. She is AMAZING!

-While in Vegas, I also worked with Broadway choreographer Shea Sullivan. She choreographed and taught me my tap dance for talent at Miss Tennessee. I had such a fun day working with her and I ADORE my dance! I can't wait to perform on the big Miss Tennessee stage. Shea is so great and I reccomend her to any dancer.

-My platform is the Ronald McDonald House, so every Tuesday at 4:30 I visit the RMH here on campus. I clean, dust, vaccum and sometimes bake. Cleaning is a stress release for me, so my visits to the RMH with my sisters are not only rewarding, but help me keep my sanity on stressful days. :) The RMH happens to be the national philanthropy of my sorority as well- we hold 2 big events during the school year raising money for the RMH- Turkey Tailgate was in the Fall and Day at the Ballpark is coming up in April. I will give more details in my next post about Day at the Ballpark. We're making it even better this year! The RMH is so important to me because I get to see firsthand through my visits how helpful the house is to familes with ill children being treated at East Tennessee Children's Hospital. It becomes a home away from home for these families. It is a warm and loving atmosphere and I'm so fortunate to get to be a part of it. I'll be at the RMH tomorrow and will try to take some pictures!

In February, I participated in a fundraiser for the RMH called "Dippin' for Dollars". A group of women from Panhellenic Council, including myself, spent the night before Valentine's day in The Chocolate Factory dipping chocolate covered strawberries. The Chocolate Factory needed the extra hands during that busy time, and donated what they would have paid us to the Ronald McDonald House. We raised $940 that night!

-Also in February, I had a photo shoot for my Miss Tennessee headshots with Kristy Belcher and make-up artist Joel Green. They both did an amazing job and I'm in love with my pictures. They were so much fun to work with and made me look my best!

-In February, I also modeled in a Hope for Haiti Fashion Show and Dress Sale. All proceeds went to Haiti.

-Last week was my Spring Break and I headed home to Dyersburg. I spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at JoAnn's in Union City working on my wardrobe for Miss Tennessee. I am so thankful for Paige, Jared, Nikki and Brooke. They always make sure that I look my best and are so generous and always willing to help! I never thought after all the Miss DHS dresses and Prom dresses that one day, they would be helping me get ready for Miss Tennessee. I feel so great about everything we picked out. LOVE THEM!

-The rest of the week I worked on selling ads for the Miss TN program book. I got to go back to my high school and visit with my principal Mr. Mickey Mahon. He was always such an encouragement to me throughout high school- and still is. I can truly say I love my alma mater. Go Trojans!!

-On Saturday, it was FINALLY Miss Tennessee Workshop time! My Mom and I drove to Jackson Saturday morning. It was so great to see Rodney, Kaley, Nicole, Katie, Ivy and Lacey, as well as meet the other contestants. I am SOOOO excited and motivated for these next few months. I look up to Mrs. Jane, Allison and Stefanie so much. They are all amazing women!

After hearing exactly how the pageant will work, the only thing I'm REALLY worried about is packing. Haha.

-Saturday night, all of the contestants attended the Miss Tennessee Outstanding Teen Pageant and Miss Tennessee Teen Princess Pageant. Congrats to Maggie and Channing!!

-Sunday, I met with trainer Josh Rogers. He gave me a meal plan and work out to get me swimsuit ready! He was so friendly and easy to work with. I'm confident that he will get me looking my best by June. I'm so excited!

Well, that's all I really have right now. I will try to add pictures later and update from now on. Thanks for all your support and love. Don't let this dreary weather get you down! :)

Love,
Brooke Stegeman
Miss Cleveland 2010