Where is she now?

It’s remarkable to think that six years will have passed since I held the title of Miss Maine. It seems like just yesterday that I was traveling the great state of Maine speaking in schools as an advocate and spokesperson for the D.A.R.E. program. While living out many of my own dreams and goals as Miss Maine, my year of service reinforced and provided opportunities for the dreams I had for my future.

I still travel to school and speak every day now, but in the capacity as a fourth grade teacher! Becoming an educator and making a difference in the lives of young people is what I’ve always felt was my calling. I enjoy learning and continue my academic growth. I crave knowledge and the ability to share it with others, all the while having fun in the process. Each school visit I made as Miss Maine, regardless of the age group I visited, helped my confidence to grow as I stood before them and spoke, led activities, or just performed a song. Those visits helped me envision being in the classroom and to gain the experience that I would need to have in my own classroom one day.

After my year of service as Miss Maine I returned to the University of Maine at Fort Kent —from which I graduated magna cum laude in 2004 —to complete my Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. Now, as a teacher, I wake up each morning excited to get to school and begin a new adventure. I get to enjoy a job that is different everyday with students who have just as much enthusiasm about learning as I do because they see what a wonderful time I’m having. I feel like I make a difference each day and nothing compares to the moments when I can see that a student “got” the concept I’ve been teaching. It is truly rewarding and fulfilling.

Being Miss Maine is more than having a crown or a title. It’s more than traveling around the state and beyond, or attending special events. It’s about bettering yourself as a person. Through my Miss Maine experience, I gained more effective speaking skills, increased my self-confidence, and won scholarships that paid for the remainder of my college education.

Serving as Miss Maine may only last for one year, but the dreams and opportunities that the title provides are long- lasting. While living out one dream, I realized the other dreams that I truly wanted for my future... and I’m making them come true!