Tag Archive | reading

Bo Knows Inspiration

Feb28

Once in awhile, you meet someone that makes you want to jump higher and run faster. You meet a Bo Jackson.

Bo-Jackson-Nike

He won the Heisman… AND played baseball for Auburn. He was a #1 NFL Draft pick AND a 4th round draft pick for the Kansas City Royals. To this day, he remains the only person to be named an All-Star in both the MLB and the NFL. Bo Knows Awesome.

(Sorry, guys – Spring Training is here. Get ready for lots of baseball references!)

We are surrounded by Bo Jacksons, right here in Nebraska. I know one.. he goes by the alias Tyler Hottovy.

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Tyler is a musician. He’s a church leader. He’s a proud husband and father. And as of last summer, he has been the principal of one of the largest schools in Westside, Westbrook Elementary.

Westbrook is a Title I school; a relatively high number of the students enrolled here receive free or reduced lunch. For many of them, their biggest worry every day is not homework or getting enough screen time.. it’s thinking of when they’ll eat next, or wondering how they’ll stay warm when the temperatures drop. Mr. Hottovy has made it his career mission to make school consistent, comforting, and a source of hope and opportunity for every, single child who passes through his doors.

“If they are hungry, we will feed them. If they are cold, we will make sure that they are warm,” Mr. Hottovy told me recently. “We don’t turn anyone away. We learn to support and serve the students that show up at our door and give them as many opportunities as we can.”

On the first day of school, he literally rolled out a red carpet for Westbrook students and invited Westside cheerleaders to root on kids as they walked into the building. He and Teacher Leader Amy Falcone don goofy glasses and deliver snacks by wagon, endearing themselves to their students as friends and trusted adults. Mr. Hottovy goes above and beyond to bring experiences and inspiration to his students, like the Nebraska Brass Band (of which he’s a proud member of!) His goal: to make both his students and teachers LOVE coming to school everyday. Click here to follow Mr. Hottovy on Twitter!

“My beautiful moments are when I hear adults supporting each other, recognizing the positive in kids, building meaningful relationships with students, and when I hear staff stop talking about what our kids have done and instead talk about what they will do,” said Mr. Hottovy.

It’s one thing to accept a role and fulfill your responsibilities. It takes a Bo Jackson to keep pushing, to test the limits and to do more.

Cue Nikki-Catrina.

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Photo courtesy Timmy James Photo

People think beauty queens brawl for tiaras to wave their hands and ride in convertibles. Nikki-Catrina Anderson has put her crowns and sashes through more than 1,300 hours of community service… and counting.

“One reason I love serving is the people I have met and the stories I have heard,” Nikki-Catrina recently told me. “It’s a two-way street; I’m helping people, but it is rare that I don’t leave a service opportunity enlightened and uplifted from the people I have met. Serving in my community is something I will do for the rest of my life.”

 

 

The current Miss Kool-Aid Days has jumped into ice-cold lakes to raise money for Special Olympics. She’s flipped pancakes and handed out ice cream for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. She’s spoken to schools from Scottsbluff to Kearney, walked in charity fashion shows, served food to families in need.. the list goes on and on. But Nikki-Catrina’s prime focus and favorite contribution is through an ages-old hobby and essential skill: reading.

Nikki TJP

Photo courtesy Timmy James Photo

“My platform is ‘Today a Reader, Tomorrow a Leader’,” said Nikki-Catrina. “It is about promoting family reading and children’s literacy, sharing the importance and relevance of reading, and the bond it can create.”

From business to personal health to civic empathy.. there are endless pieces of evidence as to the positive benefits of simply reading. Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, C.S. Lewis, Maya Angelou, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis… they all agree(d) reading is the key to success. Nikki-Catrina shares their messages and puts in the time on the ground, getting books to as many children across Nebraska as possible.

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“Last May, I did a book drive in which I collected more than 4,800 books to give to students,” said Nikki-Catrina. “I’m also privileged to partner with the Lied Scottsbluff Public Library, which has allowed me to vastly promote literacy in the community. With them, I was able to visit every elementary and preschool in the Scottsbluff Public School District to encourage 1,800 students to sign up for the summer reading program!”

Two years ago, Nikki-Catrina amplified her message and mission as a titleholder within the Miss Nebraska Scholarship Program. She soon realized that crown and sash also netted her some personal rewards for her hard work.

“This has been a life-changing organization,” said Nikki-Catrina. “Even before I was old enough to compete, I was inspired by the titleholders in my community who became role models and the women I aspired to emulate. Since becoming a titleholder, I have found countless friendships with women who’s strength, determination, and stories inspire me to be better. I have developed a greater confidence and a deeper sense of who I am. I have been given opportunities to serve my community in a way I would not have been able to do without the prestige reputation of this organization. I have created large projects from beginning to end, and because of those experiences, I am now confident in my ability to continue to make great change even after I am no longer a titleholder.”

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Photo courtesy Timmy James Photo

“I do not want to get wrapped up in the idea that this is a competition, I see this more as an experience,” said Nikki-Catrina. “A chance to get to know amazing and wonderful girls. I do not want to be the shy person I typically am in large groups; I want to get to know the girls and build relationships with them. I am surrounded by uplifting, inspiring, and friendly women. I want to make this the best experience it can be, because I am blessed to be able to have it.”

At one recent appearance, Nikki-Catrina warmly greeted a deaf family who approached her… and she communicated with them in sign language. Yup, she does that, too. THAT is the beauty this young woman has defined in the phrase ‘beauty queen’. Look at the faces of the children in these photos. Just like Tyler Hottovy’s pictures, I not only see a caring, person to devoted to making the world better, but I see sheer happiness in the children she is impacting.

People like Tyler and Nikki-Catrina are talented. They are hard working. They do it all.

They are our Bo Jacksons.

The sports legend once said, “Set your goals high and don’t stop ’til you get there.”

Tyler with suit

Tyler Hottovy has started his doctorate. He thinks about expanding his work with Title I schools, but for now: “I’m focused on making Westbrook a great place for kids.”

Nikki-Catrina hopes to work in an elementary school, too; she is studying to become a teacher, and may someday be telling her students the story of her time as Miss Nebraska.

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Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

“I never believed in myself enough to give it a try,” said Nikki-Catrina. “[Now] I love it. This gives me the chance to grow, to be who I am, and feel I have a place.”

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To follow Miss Kool-Aid Days Nikki-Catrina Anderson on Facebook, click here.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NIKKI-CATRINA?

CLICK HERE * 2017 * Leading Through Reading

For more information about the Miss Queen City of the Plains/Miss Kool-Aid Days Pageant or to become a contestant, CLICK HERE to visit their website, or CLICK HERE to visit their site on Facebook.  You can also emails Directors Angie Trausch at angie.trausch@gmail.com or Angela Keiser at angelakeiser@gmail.com.

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The Miss Nebraska Scholarship Competition takes place June 7-9 in North Platte, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE to follow the Miss Nebraska Organization on Facebook

CLICK HERE to follow the Miss Nebraska Organization on Twitter

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Chadron’s Outstanding Teen Kiera Rhodes

NEXT.. Miss Scotts Bluff County’s Outstanding Teen Morgan Baird

Leading Through Reading

Jun1

I have a gift for you: 800 hours.

What will you do?

I would take a nap. Then a run. Then maybe another nap while lying by a pool. I would take a trip with my kids and husband to watch baseball somewhere. Come home and take a nap. (Guys.. naps are GREAT.)

Perspective changes over time.. what you do with every hour as a working mom is vastly different than what you did with that time 10 years before. And 10 years before that, how many of us were at home around this time with 800+ hours of summer vacation ahead, whining to our parents ‘I’m bored!!’

You’re about to meet a young lady who is different, using every spare hour she has to serve others.

Miss Scotts Bluff County 2017 Nikki-Catrina Anderson

“I have volunteered over 800 hours since my Freshman year of high school, more than 300 hours the past two years, Nikki-Catrina told me recently. “Studying rigorously at college hasn’t slowed me down. BYU’s motto is ‘Enter to Learn—Go Forth to Serve’, so I have had several opportunities to continue to serve while at school.”

I’ve done the math; as a busy college student, Nikki-Catrina has volunteered, on average, 3 hours a week. EVERY WEEK. (She deserves a nap!) Much of that time has been devoted to a cause Nikki-Catrina has been passionate about most of her life: literacy.

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“I have always loved reading, even when I was too young to read I loved having my parents read with me,” said Nikki-Catrina. “When I moved to Scottsbluff at the age of five I became involved at the Lied Scottsbluff Public Library participating in the annual summer reading program each year. When I became a teenager, I was asked to join the Teen Advisory Council (TAC). This group introduced me to upperclassmen who became my role models as I went through a tough time of bullying (to the extent of being told to kill myself one time) during my middle school years. Instead of focusing on the bullying going on at school, I turned to reading and volunteering at the library. I continue to volunteer at the library (more than 400 hours, the record for most hours volunteered by a young adult).”

Eventually, Nikki-Catrina found another opportunity to share that passion when she competed for, and won, the title of Miss Scotts Bluff County in her hometown.

“I watched the Miss Scotts Bluff County pageant for years, always wanting to try it, but never having the courage to do so,” said Nikki-Catrina. “I knew a handful of the past titleholders and after talking with some of them about it, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and give it a try. Being crowned Miss Scotts Bluff County was so humbling. This program has taught me how to think on my feet and how to be comfortable expressing who and what I am. With the title of Miss Scotts Bluff County, I have had the opportunity to touch thousands of people’s lives and make an impact on a very fast growing and diverse community.”

An opportunity Nikki-Catrina embraced whole-heartedly.

She gave her mission a name, ‘Ready, Set, Read!’ and began visiting schools all over western Nebraska to promote reading. She’s spearheaded several book drives, collecting hundreds of gently used books for a new generation of readers. She shares facts and figures about reading, solidifying the power of literacy.

 Most importantly, she’s helping hundreds of children form the same love of reading she’s felt since she was a little girl. Nikki-Catrina has also worked with after-school programs, helped raise money for a little girl with cancer, and recorded personal messages, in Spanish, to send with care packages for open-heart surgery patients in La Paz, Mexico.

“My goal is to push myself,” said Nikki-Catrina. “I no longer want to be timid of doing something big because it is out of my comfort zone. I have grown, felt the benefits, and seen the impact I can have on others if I am willing to be brave and go for big things.”

That’s the message Nikki-Catrina shares with the students she meets, and what she will share with a panel of judges next week as she competes to become Miss Nebraska 2017. It’s a journey that’s connected Nikki with new friends from several states.

Nikki Nebraska

“My favorite part of this competition and organization is meeting wonderful, kind and successful women,” said Nikki-Catrina. “I have met some of the most intelligent, polite, confident women in my life. I have also been able to work with Miss Utah girls while I’m at school. The Miss America Organization connects girls from around the country and together we can work to accomplish great things. Being a part of that has been truly life changing.”

Nikki school 2

When you open a book, you transport yourself to a different place and time. The benefits then extend beyond when you close that book and return to the ‘real world’;  research shows reading increases your intelligence and boosts your brain power. People who read are statistically more empathetic to others and more understanding of the world around them.

To Nikki-Catrina.. this journey is very similar. Next week, she’ll be part of what many consider a fairy-tale, competing to become a Queen representing our whole state. But no matter what happens during those final crowning moments next Saturday night, Nikki-Catrina says she will long see the benefits from this experience and her service.. all 800 hours and counting.

Nikki siste

“I have developed more self-confidence and self-understanding and I have learned skills to effectively communicate my beliefs and who I am,” said Nikki-Catrina. “I have met and become great friends with positive girls. I have had the opportunity to make great changes and positively impact my community. I have developed skills I will use in my future career as an elementary school teacher. I have been able to become a better, more well-rounded individual while earning scholarship money to take my education further.”

“One of my favorite things about being a titleholder is the ability to connect with people from all around and hopefully bring a light to their day,” said Nikki-Catrina. “God has a plan for each of us. I know that whoever is supposed to be crowned Miss Nebraska will be. I want to go in, give it my all, and learn and grow in whatever ways He has planned for me.”

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CLICK HERE to follow Miss Scotts Bluff County 2017 Nikki-Catrina Anderson on Facebook!

For more information about Miss Scotts Bluff County or for details about becoming a contestant, CLICK HERE.  You can also learn more about the Miss Scotts Bluff County Fair Pageant by visiting their Facebook page (CLICK HERE), or by contacting Director Cheryl Engelhaupt by email atcengelhaupt@fnbnp.com.

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The Miss Nebraska Pageant takes place June 7-10 in North Platte, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Heartland 2017 Allison Tietjen

NEXT.. Miss Harvest Moon Festival 2017 Lianna Prill

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

Oh, The Places You’ll Go

Mar2

I was that kid who walked home from school with her nose in a book.  Well, as far as my nose could get with my big glasses.  <blink, blink>  I still remember trying to read my Babysitters Club books in my bed long after the lights had been turned off, and eventually my Mom walking past my room and saying ‘Brandi, book down! Sleep!’  I even started ‘testing’ myself to see how many pages I could read out loud without making a mistake.

I had friends as a child.  I swear.

My Grandpa still loves to share the story of how, at 3 years old, I stood behind him while he read the paper, and I sounded out the words in the headline.  A love of reading has simply been in my soul from a very early age..

brandi-reading

..and still is.. at a much older age.  When Westside’s Oakdale Elementary asked me to come in for Read Across America week, I eagerly accepted.  This was the HIGHLIGHT of my Tuesday (my Fox in Socks game is ON POINT!)  Anytime a school asks me to read, I try to make it happen.  I just love seeing children excited to read or be read to, and I hope to foster that same passion for reading in other kids (especially my own!)  So does an Omaha teenager, who likely draws a few more ‘wows’ and smiles than I do every time she walks into a classroom.

Miss Eastern Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Naomi Turner

“Most children and teens have simply forgotten what a great book does to your attitude and mind,” Naomi told me recently.  “I wanted my platform to involve reading because I feel as if many do not fully understand the importance of reading in the world of technology we’re living in.”

Naomi does, because reading hasn’t always come easily for her.  She grew up with dyslexia.

“Reading was always a challenge for me, no matter the book,” said Naomi.  “Although I did not want to read much, with help from family and friends I grew a love for reading because when I read more, my dyslexia (I refer to it as ‘fighting words’) was not as prominent as before when I would read less.  It might seem a bit odd for a dyslexic individual to say ‘read more!’ but reading really improves a person’s mindset, attitude and overall lifestyle.”

As she faced these challenges, Naomi also explored other ways to express herself through music and photography.  She plays the cello, one of the reasons she was drawn to compete in the Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen program.

cello

“With various orchestra activities like All-City Orchestra, Pit Orchestra and my Honors Orchestra class at school, I work with a  large group of individuals to help showcase all of our talents and how we can sound incredible when working together,” said Naomi.  “In the talent competition, I am able to deviate from the usual and showcase my own talent without other helping me.  I love playing in an orchestra, but playing solo is also a great challenge!”

And Naomi is used to being in the spotlight; she also models in the Omaha area for businesses including the Winning Crown Dress Boutique and Lady Beverly Cosmetics.

All photos courtesy Marc Longbrake Photography

Naomi is also interested in what goes on behind the camera, taking part in broadcasting at Omaha Burke High School and learning all she can from local professionals.

broadcasting-class

“At Skills USA, I compete in short films challenges,” said Naomi, who is the President of her Chapter at Burke.  “I’m also an active volunteer for the Omaha Film Festival each year and I attend their academy for teens that brings in professional actors and filmmakers to hold workshops.  I have already taken college courses in film and plan to continue to pursue my passion for it.”

Naomi is ready for those job interviews and grant proposals, crediting public speaking skills to her time as a titleholder within the National American Miss Organization and as Miss Nebraska High School 2015.

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“Preparing for and competing in pageants teaches important life skills!” said Naomi.  “I feel interview prep especially has benefitted me.  My parents always taught me to look adults in the eye and speak up.  Pageants reinforce this with the interview portion of competition; it is a great chance to practice speaking to people you don’t know and being confident in yourself.  I have paid close attention to what is going on in my community, state, and world to be prepared to speak about important issues.  [These] are important for my future, wherever that may take me.”

Throughout the years, Naomi has also used her titles and exposure to take part in a variety of events advocating for numerous causes, often connecting her to other young women with the same goals and interests.

“I remember all of the friends I made while I competed, and I wanted to meet even more inspiring young women from around our state,” said Naomi.

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. – Dr. Seuss.

Miss Eastern Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Naomi Turner IS one of those inspiring young women.  This self described vivacious leader has displayed ambition and drive from her own classrooms, to those of younger students all over the Omaha area.  For her, reading is not simply a lesson in school; it’s a pathway that leads to countless experiences and opportunities throughout life.  She hopes to continue sharing that message on a larger scale as Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen.

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“Being a leader means looking out for others around you, not just yourself,” said Naomi.  “With Read Across America, I hope to restore children and teens’ love for reading by reintroducing the concept of reading for fun back into their minds and lives.  I also want to empower those who are struggling with dyslexia.  I want to inspire as many kids and teens as possible to read more and help them to understand the many benefits they can gain from it!”

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The Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant takes place April 21-22 in Omaha, Nebraska.

CLICK HERE for more details, HERE to follow on Twitter, HERE to follow on Facebook. For more information about becoming a contestant, email Director Heather Edwards at heatheraloseke@gmail.com.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Harvest Moon Festival’s Outstanding Teen 2017 Kiera Rhodes

NEXT.. Miss Kool-Aid Days 2017 Krista Hinrichs

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2014-2016 click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

Chasing Destiny

May11

When recently asked what his mommy does for her job, my son Easton said ‘my mommy tells the news at the train station.’

YES. Yes I do.

We are now marking our 8th month in our new home at 7 Burlington Station.  This place just RESONATES history.  The floor tiles are the original pieces that travelers walked on when the station opened in 1898.  We have our afternoon story meetings just yards from the same tracks where trains carried countless passengers arriving in Omaha.  Everything from the walls, to the ceiling, to the clock upstairs.. all original and restored.

CLICK HERE to watch Rob McCartney’s Murrow Award winning documentary: The Rebirth of Burlington Station

Certainly not the original architects, perhaps not even those who followed decades later, envisioned that this beautiful building would someday be home to one of the country’s state of the art television facilities.  However, the Burlington is still a hub.  This is still a place our city turns to to connect to the outside world.  Let’s call it FATE.  Some things were just meant to be.

Case in point.. Chadron’s Aubree Noble, perhaps fulfilling a destiny always meant for her.

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Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photograpy

“I’ve pretty much been a part of [the Miss America system] my entire life,” Aubree told me recently.  “My mom was the Miss Chadron/Miss Northwest Director along with Marleta Hastings.  Every year, I helped with the pageant, even if it was just small parts of it.  I loved watching the girls advance on to the state and national pageants.”

And Aubree, like so many other titleholders, watched in awe as Miss Nebraska became Miss America in 2010.

“My biggest role model was Teresa Scanlan,” said Aubree.  “It amazed me when she became Miss America.  Her impact she made on the world during her year of service inspired me to get involved in pageants.”

When Aubree was old enough, her mother stepped down from her position as a local pageant director to allow her daughter to compete to become one of Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teens.  Still, Aubree need one more person’s approval to seal the deal.

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“Miss Fur Trade Days Outstanding Teen Brooklyn Stack and I have been best friends since pre-school,” said Aubree, now Miss Dawes County’s Outstanding Teen.  “We also said that we would do pageants together and be what people call ‘sister queens’.  Well, we may not have won the same pageant, but we have been doing events alongside each other all year!”

And with every event, from Chadron to North Platte and beyond, Aubree has made even more connections she describes as life-long friendships.

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“Some of my fellow titleholders and I talk daily.  We’ve bonded,” said Aubree.  “I love this system because even though we are competitors we are still friends and supportive of each other in every aspect of each other’s lives.”

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Aubree is using her year as Miss Dawes County to spread awareness of her personal platform, ‘Read to Succeed!’, based on her own development with reading and the impact it’s had on her life.

“Studies show that kids who read more often tend to do better on tests,” said Aubree.  “Also, they tend to score higher on their ACT.  I never scored as high as my classmates on the state reading tests, but when I made it my goal to improve my reading, things changed.  My scores improved and reading then became one of my best subjects in state testing.  Last summer alone, I read 19 books!  My favorite thing in the world is escaping to another world through a book.  My goal through my platform was to make kids excited about wanting to read.”

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Aubree is also a passionate dancer with 13 years of training.  She’s completing her second year on the Chadron High Dance Team, a squad that placed 7th at state in 2016.  The sophomore is also involved with math club, speech, student council, she’s a class officer, and she golfs, shooting a hole-in-one at a meet this year.  Outside of school, Aubree plays piano and volunteers at the Chadron chamber of Commerce.  She credits her family for their constant support in all of her activities, bonds strengthened in tragedy when Aubree’s father died a few years ago.

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“My family is most important to me in my life,” said Aubree.  “They are my biggest supporters and my favorite ‘fans’ in everything I do from school functions to pageants.  I wouldn’t be able to do anything without them.”

They’ll have a busy summer; Aubree, on the Leadership Team for Future Business Leaders of America, recently finished first at state in Website Design, beating out 43 other submissions.  She’ll compete at nationals this June.. AFTER she competes for the title of Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen.

‘I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it’s both. Maybe both is happening at the same time.’ — Forrest Gump

Maybe this title is Aubree Noble’s fate, a breeze that’s swirled around her for most of her life.  But this young woman has worked hard to achieve her successes.  She has persevered despite hardship.  She’s using her ‘destiny’ to her full advantage, and appreciating every step of the journey.

“I have benefitted from this program because of the confidence it has given me,” said Aubree.  “It’s a great way to build self esteem!  Even after competing in one pageant, you’re a new person.  You learn something new about yourself each time you compete.”

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Maybe.. that the road you’re walking is the exact place you’re meant to be.

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CLICK EACH LINK to follow Miss Dawes County’s Outstanding Teen 2016 Aubree Noble

on Facebook and on Instagram.  You can also email Aubree for appearances and events at noble.aubree@gmail.com.

For more information on becoming a Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen contestant, contact Director Heather Edwards at heatheraloseke@gmail.com or Director Kali Tripp at kalinicoletv@gmail.com.

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The 2016 Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant takes place June 10 in North Platte, Nebraska.  Learn more on THEIR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK PAGE, or follow ON TWITTER and ON INSTAGRAM.

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PREVIOUS.. Miss Scotts Bluff County 2016 Allison Baird!

NEXT.. Miss Kearney 2016 Stacy Pospisil!

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2015 & 2014, click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!