Hello pageant peeps! My pageant was 2 weeks ago, and I got to thinking, I didn't update my blog yet! So here it is. I won:
Spirit of America
4th runner up Spokesmodel
TOP 20 out of 110 girls!!!!!!!!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!
Now for the even more exciting news. I just competed in the New York All Star USA Jr. Teen pageant and...
I
WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am your new New York All Star USA Jr. Teen Queen!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Life is 1 Big Pageant.
I love it when I can connect everyday life to pageantry. Books, classes, after school activities, everything.
To me, life is one big pageant, and you can make it glitz, or natural. Glitz is generally about appearance. Natural is generally about your talent and poise. I prefer to make my life a natural pageant, but that's just me.
I think of making the right choices as shopping for a pageant dress. The color and fit needs to be right for you, and either way, you need to feel like a queen in it. I think of studying as practicing for an interview. Sometimes, memorization isn't necessary. Sometimes it is. And I think of singing like it's a talent competition. Sing like you mean it and $250 and an invitation to nationals depends on it.
There you have it. I am now writing my spokesmodel speech. ;)
To me, life is one big pageant, and you can make it glitz, or natural. Glitz is generally about appearance. Natural is generally about your talent and poise. I prefer to make my life a natural pageant, but that's just me.
I think of making the right choices as shopping for a pageant dress. The color and fit needs to be right for you, and either way, you need to feel like a queen in it. I think of studying as practicing for an interview. Sometimes, memorization isn't necessary. Sometimes it is. And I think of singing like it's a talent competition. Sing like you mean it and $250 and an invitation to nationals depends on it.
There you have it. I am now writing my spokesmodel speech. ;)
I'm a sponge. So Look at Me!
There are two different types of methods to pageant preparation. First, there is the conventional method. That's when you practice on your own and you get coaching, but you only practice before and during your pageant.
Then there is the sponge method. That's when you practice 24/7. In anything you do, you try to connect it to the pageant. You live, eat, and breathe PAGEANT.
I am a sponge. I live, eat, and breathe PAGEANT. It works for me, and I find it very fun.
I have a friend who is showing me some fun, kind of unconventional methods of preparation. My first endeavor is what I like to call, Look at Me! It's when every day for a week at a time, you look in the mirror and either say something good about your outside or inside. You alternate between both. You have to mean it, though. So starting tomorrow, Look at Me!
Then there is the sponge method. That's when you practice 24/7. In anything you do, you try to connect it to the pageant. You live, eat, and breathe PAGEANT.
I am a sponge. I live, eat, and breathe PAGEANT. It works for me, and I find it very fun.
I have a friend who is showing me some fun, kind of unconventional methods of preparation. My first endeavor is what I like to call, Look at Me! It's when every day for a week at a time, you look in the mirror and either say something good about your outside or inside. You alternate between both. You have to mean it, though. So starting tomorrow, Look at Me!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Empowerment ALERT!
My favorite book EVER in the world is How My Private Personal Journal Became a Bestseller by Julia DeVillers. Every time I read it, I get more inspired. It's midnight, so I'm just going to sum the book up by typing the summary written on the inside cover:
If fame and fortune found you, would you remember your forever friends? What would happen to the real you? Jamie is depressingly ordinary- until part of her private journal is read out loud in class and sent to a publisher. Suddenly, Jamie's journal is a sensation. And Jamie is a bestselling author! Almost overnight, she is caught in a swirl of photo ops and celeb events. And the hottest guy in school finally knows her name! (Yes! Marco Vega! His jet-black hair. His chocolate-brown eyes. He is so...so...hot. AND a poet. Such depth! Such passion!) Could it get any better than this? In Julia DeVillers' hip and hilarious debut novel, Jamie discovers that entering the glam world of pop stardom changes everything-but what really matters in life stays the same.
I've read this book about 18 times, and I will continue to read it over and over and over again. This book tells you that no matter what anyone says, you shouldn't let it get to you.
I literally just finished reading it for the 18th time, and I finally made the connection to pageantry. This year, a girl who has won this pageant twice before is competing in my age division. Don't get me wrong. She's a perfectly nice girl. There's just something about her that makes me feel threatened. I have the right to feel threatened, though, don't I? I mean, she's won this pageant TWICE! Well, now I know what my mindset is going to be. I'm not going to worry about if her dress is pretty, or if her intro is clever or if she brings one more bear than I do. I'm going to go into that pageant thinking: I have a very pretty dress, I have a very clever intro, I am very prepared for interview, and I brought 10 bears. I'm going to make so many friends with other girls who have pretty dresses and clever intros, prepared for interview and brought 10 books, but I know they can't do my best. Only I can do my best. And my best is just going to have to be my best. Whatever happens, I had a pretty dress, a clever intro, I rocked that interview, and my 10 bears are going to cheer 10 children somewhere up. Plus, who could forget that confidence and poise they gave me, no sponsors needed?! Either way, I'm going to rock that stage. And no one is going to stop me.
-Marivi: girl with pretty dress, etc. :)
If fame and fortune found you, would you remember your forever friends? What would happen to the real you? Jamie is depressingly ordinary- until part of her private journal is read out loud in class and sent to a publisher. Suddenly, Jamie's journal is a sensation. And Jamie is a bestselling author! Almost overnight, she is caught in a swirl of photo ops and celeb events. And the hottest guy in school finally knows her name! (Yes! Marco Vega! His jet-black hair. His chocolate-brown eyes. He is so...so...hot. AND a poet. Such depth! Such passion!) Could it get any better than this? In Julia DeVillers' hip and hilarious debut novel, Jamie discovers that entering the glam world of pop stardom changes everything-but what really matters in life stays the same.
I've read this book about 18 times, and I will continue to read it over and over and over again. This book tells you that no matter what anyone says, you shouldn't let it get to you.
I literally just finished reading it for the 18th time, and I finally made the connection to pageantry. This year, a girl who has won this pageant twice before is competing in my age division. Don't get me wrong. She's a perfectly nice girl. There's just something about her that makes me feel threatened. I have the right to feel threatened, though, don't I? I mean, she's won this pageant TWICE! Well, now I know what my mindset is going to be. I'm not going to worry about if her dress is pretty, or if her intro is clever or if she brings one more bear than I do. I'm going to go into that pageant thinking: I have a very pretty dress, I have a very clever intro, I am very prepared for interview, and I brought 10 bears. I'm going to make so many friends with other girls who have pretty dresses and clever intros, prepared for interview and brought 10 books, but I know they can't do my best. Only I can do my best. And my best is just going to have to be my best. Whatever happens, I had a pretty dress, a clever intro, I rocked that interview, and my 10 bears are going to cheer 10 children somewhere up. Plus, who could forget that confidence and poise they gave me, no sponsors needed?! Either way, I'm going to rock that stage. And no one is going to stop me.
-Marivi: girl with pretty dress, etc. :)
Friday, May 21, 2010
Modeling Shtuff
In the past 3 months, I have been getting non-stop calls from John Casablancas, One Source Talent, and Barbizon. I'm going to have to figure this out, somehow. I have a meeting with One Source monday, in the process of scheduling a photoshoot for John Casablancas, and am waiting for Barbizon to call me, yet again. I'm hoping what I'm hearing over and over again about them being scams is not true, but true or not true, it's a good experience. I'll report back when I have more to tell. ;)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Here it Comes....
Wow. Today I got my revised and finished personal intro from my coach, and it hit me. It's starting to take effect. I am gonna do this and I am going to take that stage apart. I have A LOT to work on, (interview!) but it's definitely gonna rock. Wow. I can't wait until pageant weekend!
-Marivi :) <3
-Marivi :) <3
Sunday, May 2, 2010
I'm BACK!
I haven't been posting for a very long time. Now that I have a little bit of time, I'm gonna fill you guys in. I bought my dress, found my talent songs, actress commercial, finished my personal intro, and am doing top model instead of photogenic. I raised over half of my sponsor fees yesterday. I also found this great blog that really helps with pageant prep. It's called Miss Pageant Prep. Check it out, pageant girls! I'm sooooooooo excited for this year. I have a feeling that I'm gonna win, so I'm working extra hard to make sure I do. I can't wait to see all my friends again and perform on my favorite stage again. Only 124 days, 2 hours, 48 minutes, and 32 seconds until pageant weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Marivi
-Marivi
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Guess what?!
I have a pageant coach! I was just going to get advice from my friends and parents, but a coach found this blog, and me on facebook, and she wanted to coach me. So we looked into her, and then met her, and it's a done deal! If any of you reading this are in the Chicago area and interested in coaching, the company is called Skyy Potential.
Bye!
Bye!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Interview with the Northwest Herald
Tomorrow I'm being interviewed by the Northwest Herald! Can you believe it? Most 12 year olds don't have their own charity, so I'll be on the front page of the Lifestyle section on January 31. I'll post a link to the article. I'll try to mention NAM, too, and I'll get some more publicity. Everyone still staying awesome? Glad to hear it!
Did I mention I have my own charity?!
It's true, ladies and gentlemen. I have my own charity. It's called Good First Impressions. We help people who have to get jobs to support their families get business appropriate attire to wear to job interviews. This really helps if you can't afford it! We collect new and gently used business appropriate attire, and give it to organizations that distribute it. I hope it'll be nation-wide someday, instead just in the Chicagoland area. The facebook page is Good First Impressions Charity, the website is www.goodfirstimpressionscharity.com, and the blog is http://goodfirstimpressionscharity.blogspot.com. I'm only 12 years old, but I'm a POWERHOUSE!!!!!!!! Go to all these links to learn more, or how to donate. Everyone stay AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
Facebook Group
The blog has a facebook group!!!!!! Search National American Miss: Growing My Confidence Blog in the search bar and request to join. Everyone be awesome!!!!! Bye!
My Favorite Quotes That Keep Me Going
These are my favorite inspirational quotes, and I keep them in my heart everyday, no matter what I'm doing, to keep me motivated and always do my best. Some of them are my quotes, too!
"A girl should be two things: Classy, and Fabulous!"
-Coco Chanel
"Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right!"
-Henry Ford
"You can't reach the stars without reaching for them."
-MVHA
"Mix sugar, spice, and perseverance and the outcome is success!"
-MVHA
"Remember things could always get worse!"
-MVHA
"Every cloud has a silver lining."
-John Milton
"If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
-Dolly Parton
"Be the one to make things happen. Not the one who watches things happen, and wishes they had caused it."
-MVHA
The following quotes have un-known origins.
No one is perfect... That's why pencils have erasers.
Music is what life sounds like.
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars.
Believe you can and you're half way there.
Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can fly.
Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
I am too positive to be doubtful. Too optimistic to be fearful. And too determined to be defeated.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
You are not fully dressed until you wear a smile. :)
Don't waste a minute not being happy. If one window closes, run to the next window or break down a door.
Think of the beauty still left around you and be happy.
Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else.
Never give up on something you can't go a day without thinking about.
Don't tell me the sky is the limit, when there's footprints on the moon.
Me believes in me.
Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.
Fail with honor, rather than succeed by fraud.
Never regret something that once made you smile.
It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.
Stand up for what is right. Even if you're standing alone.
Life is too precious to worry about stupid stuff. So have fun, go party, and fall in love. Say what you want to say. Do what you want to do. Regret nothing, and don't let people who don't matter, bring you down.
What's meant to be... Will always find its way.
I'm a lover, not a fighter. But I will fight for what I love.
If you want to be happy, be!
There is a thin line between knowing when to give up and when to try harder.
Which hurts the most: saying something and wishing you had not, or saying nothing, and wishing you had?
If you don't make mistakes, you aren't really trying.
If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.
I am me. Plain. Simple.
Love me or hate me. I promise it won't make or break me.
Life is about falling. Living is about getting back up.
My life is like a roller coaster, but this one is going up hill and never coming down. And who knows when the next little turn is going to be.
Maybe we can all learn something from these. I know I do.
So instead of telling you to do something right now, listen to the quotes. They say everything.
"A girl should be two things: Classy, and Fabulous!"
-Coco Chanel
"Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right!"
-Henry Ford
"You can't reach the stars without reaching for them."
-MVHA
"Mix sugar, spice, and perseverance and the outcome is success!"
-MVHA
"Remember things could always get worse!"
-MVHA
"Every cloud has a silver lining."
-John Milton
"If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
-Dolly Parton
"Be the one to make things happen. Not the one who watches things happen, and wishes they had caused it."
-MVHA
The following quotes have un-known origins.
No one is perfect... That's why pencils have erasers.
Music is what life sounds like.
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars.
Believe you can and you're half way there.
Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can fly.
Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
I am too positive to be doubtful. Too optimistic to be fearful. And too determined to be defeated.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
You are not fully dressed until you wear a smile. :)
Don't waste a minute not being happy. If one window closes, run to the next window or break down a door.
Think of the beauty still left around you and be happy.
Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else.
Never give up on something you can't go a day without thinking about.
Don't tell me the sky is the limit, when there's footprints on the moon.
Me believes in me.
Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.
Fail with honor, rather than succeed by fraud.
Never regret something that once made you smile.
It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.
Stand up for what is right. Even if you're standing alone.
Life is too precious to worry about stupid stuff. So have fun, go party, and fall in love. Say what you want to say. Do what you want to do. Regret nothing, and don't let people who don't matter, bring you down.
What's meant to be... Will always find its way.
I'm a lover, not a fighter. But I will fight for what I love.
If you want to be happy, be!
There is a thin line between knowing when to give up and when to try harder.
Which hurts the most: saying something and wishing you had not, or saying nothing, and wishing you had?
If you don't make mistakes, you aren't really trying.
If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.
I am me. Plain. Simple.
Love me or hate me. I promise it won't make or break me.
Life is about falling. Living is about getting back up.
My life is like a roller coaster, but this one is going up hill and never coming down. And who knows when the next little turn is going to be.
Maybe we can all learn something from these. I know I do.
So instead of telling you to do something right now, listen to the quotes. They say everything.
Monday, January 11, 2010
My Talent
I don't know what song to sing! I want to do 2 talents this year to give myself more of a chance of winning. I'm going to leave a list of songs, and tell me which ones are better. Also, leave me requests and I'll try them. (Preferably broadway songs)
- Who Will Buy? from Oliver
- Where is Love? from Oliver
- My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music
- Don't Rain on My Parade
- Defying Gravity from Wicked
- Castle on a Cloud from Les Miserables (I did that last year and got 2nd runner up)
- Wendy from Peter Pan The Musical
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Hello Everybody!
My name is Maria Victoria Howell-Arza, and I am and have been a contestant in Miss Illinois Pre-teen. For this first post, I'm going to tell the story about how I got involved in National American Miss.
I had always wanted to do a pageant when I was younger, but my parents had always said no. They thought that pageants focused on outer beauty, instead of the most important, inner beauty.
Then, when I was 8, we got a letter in the mail that I had been recommended for some pageant, and I looked it up online and did research all by myself, but I still didn't convince my parents.
Then, last June, I had gotten the same letter again. (We had gone to some auditions for talent agents, and some wanted me, but the cost was too much.) And since I had done some auditions, I read my mom the letter and begged and pleaded for her to let me do it. So my mom told me she would go to the website and go through every inch of it with a fine-toothed comb, and if we had to pay a penny, it was an automatic NO. So she went through the website, read the mission statement, and saw that you could get sponsors. So my mom let me register for an open call, and we made a deal that I had to get sponsors for competition fees, and they would pay for everything else. If I couldn't get enough sponsors, the deal was off.
I went to my open call in mid-June, and when we saw everything the pageant had to offer, my parents and I got really excited and fell in love with the whole idea. The whole ride home, we were making lists of possible sponsors and other people to go talk to like family, friends, and neighbors. Even though I hadn't been accepted yet, I was getting ready. Within an hour of just information, I had grown that much in confidence.
I was very very anxiously awaiting my call, and within 3 business days, I got a call saying I had been accepted and that I should start looking for sponsors. I was so excited, I jumped up and down and screamed and started calling everyone in my family to see if they would sponsor me.
On my first day of what I like to call, 'sponsor shopping' (of course my favorite kind of shopping), I had talked to 13 businesses, and had only gotten 1 sponsorship of $50. But that was not going to stop me. The next night, I walked up and down one side of my subdivision for 2 hours, and in just one of those trips, I had a total of $180. Thank you Edgebrook Heights by the way. Then I went out for more, and all I got was about 10 'I'll think about it's, and 5 'Sorry. You're awfully cute, but we're just not interested's. But the rest of my sponsors I got because everyone thought I handled myself so well. Another asset from this organization. Pretty soon, I had my whole sponsor fee and 4 optional contests covered, including Talent, Actress, Spokesmodel, and Casual Wear Modeling.
I came out of Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois (where the pageant is held) with more friends, people skills, interview skills, public speaking skills, a whole lot of confidence, Top 30 overall, and 2nd runner up in talent. Thank you to my sponsors, who were B&B Automotive, Smith Engineering Company, The Trend Cellar, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Plum Garden, Lakeland Animal Hospital, Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, Excalibur Technology, and Prestress Engineering Corporation. I couldn't have done it without you.
But my story is not over yet. Early last December, I received a letter from NAMiss saying if I went again next year (I was already planning on it), I could get a discount. So I went out and got sponsors, and payed my whole sponsor fee with $110 off and a free hotel night on pageant weekend. (Which I've already booked by the way) And now I continue to practice, work hard, and prepare for next years pageant.
My sponsors for this year thus far are Victoria Hair Salon, Bertram P. Irslinger & Associates, Spengel Financial, Lazalde Agency, Dental Center of Logan Square, Dobbe Marketing, and Paxem.
I will keep posting things that have to do with my journey to the crown, and other things as well.
Bye!
I had always wanted to do a pageant when I was younger, but my parents had always said no. They thought that pageants focused on outer beauty, instead of the most important, inner beauty.
Then, when I was 8, we got a letter in the mail that I had been recommended for some pageant, and I looked it up online and did research all by myself, but I still didn't convince my parents.
Then, last June, I had gotten the same letter again. (We had gone to some auditions for talent agents, and some wanted me, but the cost was too much.) And since I had done some auditions, I read my mom the letter and begged and pleaded for her to let me do it. So my mom told me she would go to the website and go through every inch of it with a fine-toothed comb, and if we had to pay a penny, it was an automatic NO. So she went through the website, read the mission statement, and saw that you could get sponsors. So my mom let me register for an open call, and we made a deal that I had to get sponsors for competition fees, and they would pay for everything else. If I couldn't get enough sponsors, the deal was off.
I went to my open call in mid-June, and when we saw everything the pageant had to offer, my parents and I got really excited and fell in love with the whole idea. The whole ride home, we were making lists of possible sponsors and other people to go talk to like family, friends, and neighbors. Even though I hadn't been accepted yet, I was getting ready. Within an hour of just information, I had grown that much in confidence.
I was very very anxiously awaiting my call, and within 3 business days, I got a call saying I had been accepted and that I should start looking for sponsors. I was so excited, I jumped up and down and screamed and started calling everyone in my family to see if they would sponsor me.
On my first day of what I like to call, 'sponsor shopping' (of course my favorite kind of shopping), I had talked to 13 businesses, and had only gotten 1 sponsorship of $50. But that was not going to stop me. The next night, I walked up and down one side of my subdivision for 2 hours, and in just one of those trips, I had a total of $180. Thank you Edgebrook Heights by the way. Then I went out for more, and all I got was about 10 'I'll think about it's, and 5 'Sorry. You're awfully cute, but we're just not interested's. But the rest of my sponsors I got because everyone thought I handled myself so well. Another asset from this organization. Pretty soon, I had my whole sponsor fee and 4 optional contests covered, including Talent, Actress, Spokesmodel, and Casual Wear Modeling.
I came out of Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois (where the pageant is held) with more friends, people skills, interview skills, public speaking skills, a whole lot of confidence, Top 30 overall, and 2nd runner up in talent. Thank you to my sponsors, who were B&B Automotive, Smith Engineering Company, The Trend Cellar, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Plum Garden, Lakeland Animal Hospital, Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, Excalibur Technology, and Prestress Engineering Corporation. I couldn't have done it without you.
But my story is not over yet. Early last December, I received a letter from NAMiss saying if I went again next year (I was already planning on it), I could get a discount. So I went out and got sponsors, and payed my whole sponsor fee with $110 off and a free hotel night on pageant weekend. (Which I've already booked by the way) And now I continue to practice, work hard, and prepare for next years pageant.
My sponsors for this year thus far are Victoria Hair Salon, Bertram P. Irslinger & Associates, Spengel Financial, Lazalde Agency, Dental Center of Logan Square, Dobbe Marketing, and Paxem.
I will keep posting things that have to do with my journey to the crown, and other things as well.
Bye!
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