Miss Illinois Pre-Teen Blog

January 2012

Hello everyone and a Very Happy New Year to you!

As January draws to a close, I am still extremely “pumped up” about being right there in person at the Miss America Pageant! I watch the pageant on television every year, but I never dreamed I would be one of the audience members and part of the excitement! I had every confidence in Hannah, Miss IL, and looking out across the big stage and seeing her there, it was surreal. I am so proud of her and happy for her. She truly glowed upon the stage, I will never forget it!

Las Vegas was a great experience for me. My younger brother, Billy, and I must have said “Wow” about ten times just on our taxi ride from the airport to our hotel. There is just so much to look at, and each hotel/casino is more impressive than the last.

It is hard to believe the second month of the year is upon us. June will be here before we know it and I will be handing over my title to an Outstanding Pre Teen! To me, crowns and titles are wonderful, but aren’t all of us girls already winners by the time we even compete at state? Not just anyone could do what we do! Am I right?

I hope you have a great February!

Thank you,

Kayla Sallenger
Your 2011 Miss IL Outstanding Pre Teen

December 2011

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday!

This month I decided to make my idea of a Children's Miracle Network dance fundraiser come to life! On December 2nd I held a Teen/Pre-Teen dance in Springfield. Donations were taken at the door and we sold pizza by the slice along with snacks. I promoted the dance through friends, family and my school. I was hoping to have enough in attendance to make $500. I was pleasantly surprised by the great turn out and how busy the dance floor was! At the end of the night our total had reached $1078.

I was able to attend an event at Miss Chatham's Outstanding Teen, Ciara Knapp's home. I very much enjoyed the "Titleholder Tea Party" and spending time with royalty from my local area! The home looked like it was from a magazine and the soup, cookies and treats were all sooo delicious!

This month I came upon an article explaining an anonymous woman's random acts of kindness. This woman decided to give a little bit of her wealth to those less fortunate by traveling the streets of St. Louis looking for people who seemed to be in need. Finally she found the perfect elderly woman waiting at a bus stop, standing in the rain. She jumped out of the car and handed the woman some crisp $100 bills. The elderly woman was so shocked she immediately embraced the "Secret Santa". After reading this article I realized the true meaning of the holidays, this inspired me to take a little extra money from my purse and drop it into the Salvation Army donation box. As my family and I were driving by a beautifully lighted & decorated house we noticed there was a donation box for a sick 2 year old child with cancer, we happily dug into our wallets and purses and gave. I love it when people come up with creative ideas to do kind deeds for others.

This was one of the best holidays I have ever experienced. I will turn 12 next month and it seems the older I get, the more I realize how blessed I am. I am surrounded by kind and loving people. I am still evolving into the adult I will be someday, but I already know I am very lucky.

Towards the end of the month I attended another Children's Miracle Network Dance Fundraiser hosted by my friend Grace Khachaturian. I had an absolute amazing time! Later that night I was informed that Grace had raised a lot of money for the charity!

I hope everyone has a great New Year! My New Year's Resolution is to go to a Children's Miracle Network Hospital to visit the kids who benefit from CMN. I have to do some more checking, but I think I am allowed by the hospital after I turn 12.

I wish you all a New Year filled with happiness!
Kayla

November 2011

Hello, I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I sure had a busy and fantastic month.

At the beginning of the month I was able to participate in the Miss Chatham Glenwood Scholarship Pageant. This was a very special event I was able to attend and perform at because I was the former Miss Chatham's Outstanding Pre Teen. It was a gigantic honor to be able to crown my pageant sister and very close friend Sara Lawyer the new Miss Chatham's Outstanding Pre-Teen for 2012. She looked absolutely gorgeous and I wish her luck with her year packed full of appearances! I would also like to congratulate and wish these wonderful ladies good luck: Miss Chatham Glenwood 2012 Jessica Martin, Miss Chatham's Outstanding Teen 2012 Ciara Knapp, and Miss Springfield's Outstanding Teen 2012 Taylor James!

I was in the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago, which, so far, has been my favorite appearance! I was able to reunite with my pageant sisters Hannah Smith, Miss Illinois, Summer Robbins, Miss Illinois' Outstanding Teen, and Jade Parr Miss Illinois' Princess. I was also able to meet some celebrities including The Harlem Globetrotters,(which by the way, taught me to spin a basketball on my finger) Captain Jack Sparrow, and The Chicago White Sox team mascot! As soon as I stepped foot in that carriage I felt like a true princess with all the little girls screaming "look a princess" from every which way! That night I celebrated with my family in Chicago and was able to share what I was thankful for. Being Miss Illinois' Outstanding Pre-Teen is one of the top things on my list!

This month I also was able to appear at the Festival of Trees in Springfield. I was honored to perform while people wondered around looking at the breathe-taking trees! They were decorated in so many different and beautiful ways. Ironically, it really put me in the holiday spirit! I had so much fun and even got to speak about one of my favorite things Children's Miracle Network!

One other appearance I made was at the Miss Capital City Scholarship Pageant at the Hoogland Center in Springfield. I was given the honor to sing The National Anthem along with another song! I had a wonderful time back stage catching up with some of my friends from state and bonding with the one and only Summer Robbins! I am so happy to congratulate Miss Capital City 2012 Stephanie McGovern, Miss Capital City's Outstanding Teen Kathleen Hunt, and last but not least Miss Capital City's Outstand Pre-Teen Meg Basco! You girls ROCK!

I am hosting a Children's Miracle Network Dance-Fundraiser at the beginning of next month, I am anxiously awaiting the date! Hope everyone will get into the holiday spirit next month! Enjoy.

Thanks and God Bless,

Kayla Sallenger
2011 Miss Illinois Outstanding Pre Teen

October 2011

October is coming to a close. It's just so hard to believe! I have been working on a project that I think will not be just a fund-raiser, but a Super Fun Fund-Raiser (for Children's Miracle Network). A couple of months ago Grace Khachaturian hosted a dance in Champaign for teen and preteen kids with the proceeds going to CMN. Her brother, Benjamin, is an amazing DJ and kept the dance floor busy the entire time. I think something like that would go over very well in my home town of Chatham. Children's Miracle Network is always on my mind. Once we get a date set for it I'm going to make it happen!

I really had a wonderful month of October. I got to spend time with two of my favorite people, Hannah (Miss IL) and Summer (Miss IL Outstanding Teen) in downtown Chicago. I found myself looking up everywhere we went. The closest city to where I live is Springfield and it only has one tall building, The Hilton! The shopping alone in Chicago was amazing!

I also had the honor of being the Grand Marshall for Chatham-Glenwood's Homecoming Parade. It was such a fun experience. Sherri Winters and my mom were my escorts! I never dreamed I would be asked to be a Grand Marshall! I am so lucky!

I enjoyed the last of the Indian Summer and even went fishing with my dad and brother. Of course, I am Trick-Or-Treating this weekend. I will post pictures of me soon. See if you can guess who I am!!!

I am looking forward to a busy November.

Sincerely,

Kayla Sallenger
2011 Miss Illinois Outstanding Pre Teen

September 2011

Welcome Fall

How could it possibly be Fall already? Wow! Time is really flying! I am back in the swing of things with school and staying very busy with all of my classes. I just love the cool crisp mornings that turn into a warm sunny day. I will enjoy it while I can!

Appearances

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to sing at a golf outing fund raiser for The Miss Illinois Scholarship Association and Children's Miracle Network. I mean…three of my favorite things; Miss IL Scholarship Assoc., Children's Miracle Network, and singing! I was also given the privilege to ride around the golf course with one of my favorite role models, Miss Illinois, Hanna Smith! I love to spend time with her. I feel like I am in the presence of royalty, and quite possibly the next Miss America!

I was honored to sing The National Anthem and God Bless America at the 9-11 Day Of Remembrance in Chatham, IL. It was a great way to get the community together for such an important day in our country's history. I was just a baby in 2001, when the attacks happened. Now, as an 11 year old seeing all of the news footage and personal stories on TV, has really disturbed me. I have even more respect for our firefighters and first responders. They are all heroes not by chance, but by choice. I am so fortunate to live in the best nation in the world!

Next month I will be in downtown Chicago with Miss Illinois, Hannah Smith and Miss Illinois' Outstanding Teen, Summer Robbins for a photo shoot. I have only been downtown one other time. I am really looking forward to it!

Best regards,
Kayla Sallenger
Miss Illinois' Outstanding Pre Teen 2011

August 2011

What A Summer

Am I the only one who thinks our summer went by way too fast!? I honestly was not ready for school to start. I started 6th grade the third week in August. It is my first year of middle school and changing classes for each period. I am still trying to master my schedule and have enough time to get to my locker and into my next class. I think I am up for the challenge!

Way To Go Summer!

I am so very proud of our very own Miss Illinois OT, Summer Robbins! She won Preliminary Evening Gown / On Stage Question and Non Finalist Interview at Nationals. I wish I could have been there to cheer her on. I am so very proud of her and can’t wait to see her again!

My Appearances

• The beginning of August was very busy. The Lonestar Steakhouse restaurants in the United States are promoting their most delicious Triple Chocolate Miracle Cake with some of the proceeds going to Children’s Miracle Network. Along with Miss Chatham’s OT, Mary Kate Berger I worked my way around the dining room of our Springfield location encouraging the patrons to try the cake. If you have a chance, I highly recommend the cake! It is over-the-top delicious! I am so glad a big “chain” restaurant like Lonestar is willing to partner up and help CMN.
• I jumped at the opportunity to sing a few country songs to “Open” for Country Music Star, David Ball who performed at Robin Roberts Stadium after a Springfield Sliders Baseball game. I sang some of my favorite old Patsy Cline songs and really enjoyed every minute of it! David Ball was a really nice, down to earth guy!
• Before Summer Robbins left for Florida, I attended her send off party and performed a couple of songs. The more time I spend with her and Miss Illinois, Hannah Smith, the more I look up to them both. How lucky am I?!!! Maybe I am lucky, I know I am blessed for sure!

Thank you for your time!

Kayla Sallenger
2011 Miss Illinois Outstanding Pre Teen

July 2011

2011 Miss Illinois Outstanding Pre Teen Pageant

As June came to a close, after preparing for months, I was so happy to be in Marion, IL. The week was all about learning, experience, meeting other amazing title holders, and most of all….having fun!

After several days of hard work the night of competition was filled with excitement. We had all shined and I was so proud to be among the other girls as I looked at all their beautiful smiling faces. We gathered on stage. It was the moment we had all been waiting for. I know my heart must have skipped a beat when I heard my name called. I was so filled with emotion, I just couldn't believe it! I had actually won! Having my picture taken with Summer Robbins, the winner of the Outstanding Teen Competition was great. She is such a special girl and sets a wonderful example.

What an amazing feeling to hold the same title as two of the most wonderful girls, Grace Khachaturian and Peyton Tucker! I promise to do my best to maintain the dignity and service these two previous
winner's have shown. I am so very thankful to Sherri Winters the Director of the Miss Chatham Glenwood Scholarship Pageant. She took a chance on me, inspired me to try my best, and opened my eyes to this whole new world called The Miss America Organization! My parents have been behind me 100% and I could not have accomplished any of this without them. A great big THANK YOU goes out to Lana and all of the other wonderful hostesses, Glen & Amalia, Scott, KL, Miss Illinois 2010 Whitney Thorpe Klinsky, security, and all those people who worked together as a team to make the pageant a wonderful success!

My Appearances

• My very first appearance was at the Marion Firehouse BBQ. The food and company were both wonderful. We received a tour of the firehouse and I got to share the experience with all of the Miss Contestants as well as their Princesses. I have always thought Firemen are heroes, they are also spectacular hosts! Thank you to all the Firemen! You were so welcoming and encouraging!
• The final night of the Miss Illinois Pageant was a pleasure to watch and take part in. Every single one of the Miss Contestants is a winner in my book! What amazing talent! I got to sing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and help hand out flowers and awards. It was such an honor to place a beautiful bouquet of flowers in the arms of the New Miss Illinois, Hannah Smith! What an amazing role model!
• I was happy to sing the National Anthem at the opening of The Annual Sweet Corn Festival in my home town, Chatham, IL. One of the most unique things about this festival is the "Cow Chip Throw"! Dozens of people participate and see who can throw the cow "manure" the farthest! I did not partake, just observed from a safe distance!

Thank you for your time! Looking forward to a new month of adventure!

Kayla Sallenger
2011 Miss Illinois Outstanding Pre Teen