Hello! After a little bit of relaxing after Miss Indiana week, I wanted to reintroduce myself and my community service initiative!
ATHLETE MINDS MATTER 🧠✨💚
My goal is to advocate for athlete mental health in collaboration with non-profits such as @thehiddenopponent (and potentially more)!!
Here I plan on posting my advocacy work in the community as well as promoting resources and posting facts/statistics regarding topics related to athlete mental health (this time with an Instagram that finally let me post! I love sports but I am not the best with tech :) )
MY WHY:
I’ve played sports for as long as I can remember. While I’ve had amazing and unforgettable experiences, often times pushing limits meant pushing down my feelings. As a student athlete, I experienced the pressure firsthand, and the silence around mental health was deafening. Had it not been for my support system of current coaches, friends, and family, there’s no way I would’ve been able to pull myself out of the holes I’ve been in. I stumbled upon the account @thehiddenopponent , which changed my entire trajectory and mindset. This led me to become a Campus Captain this past year to further the initiative as well as becoming Vice President of Student Athlete Wellness for Purdue SAAC. For the first time, my feelings felt validated. I was scared to start an account like this and to share my struggles, because I’ve faced battles as recent as this past school year, so who am I to be an advocate for a battle I am still fighting? What’s the point? Where is the “finish line” and the “first place”? But I think that is the beauty of sharing my story. I am still actively living these experiences, and want others to know that they are not alone! With recent stories about athlete suicides and getting flack from the media for taking mental health breaks, I feel it is more important than ever to advocate for causes such as these to combat the present stigmas. I want to build a community where mental wellbeing is just as important and just as celebrated as the physical accomplishments of sports.
#AthleteMindsMatter#AthleteMentalHealth#breakthestigma#studentathlete
Thank you Lebanon Elks Lodge 635 for hosting a brunch on Thursday morning for the Miss Indiana contestants! 🫎💞
The Elks have been longtime scholarship donors to the Miss Indiana organization, and we are so grateful for their support! Their hospitality (as well as the food at the brunch) was amazing, and I loved interacting with the Elk members and the kids!!🫶
Thank you again, Lebanon Elks!
Parade on Main Street !! 🚙☔️ 💛
Thankful the weather was able to hold off just enough for us to have our parade down Zionsville’s Main Street! HUGE thank you to the @zionsvillelionsclub for setting up all of the contestants with parade cars as well as the autograph signing in the Farmers Market lot. I am so grateful for Zionsville’s hospitality and excitement for the Miss Indiana parade of contestants! Being a titleholder for the Zionsville Fall Festival, I had so many people come up to me at the autograph signing expressing how much they love the festival which makes me so ecstatic for the event in September!! I also got so many compliments on my yellow dress, lovingly named “Big Bird,” which always guarantees some laughs.
Thank you, Zionsville 💛
Rising Star Brunch!!🦋🌸🫧
Playing catch up since Miss Indiana week has concluded! I had so much fun spending time with my Rising Star, Amelia! She has been my rising star every year I have been to Miss Indiana, and I cherish the time I get to spend with her and how much she flourishes from year to year 💕
Miss Indiana Prelim Night 3: Fitness❤️🔥💪
I had so much fun repping my @rebelathletic x Miss America Red Collection for the fitness phase of competition! Fitness has a special place in my heart as an athlete and I love promoting health and wellness on the Miss Indiana stage!🌟
Preliminary night two: Talent!!🤍🌟
I loved performing my Michael Jackson routine last night! I had a blast showing my personality on stage and paying homage to the King of Pop!🕺
Just interviewed for a job promotion, no biggie!!🫶
I had such a wonderful time in interview! I felt blessed having the opportunity to share my thoughts and passions, especially my CSI and athlete mental health advocacy. We talked neurobiology, technology, Harry Potter, and so many fun things in between! Now on to on stage competition!! ➡️
Miss Indiana Day 2: Women’s Empowerment Luncheon!!🥰❤️
Thank you Amanda Mills, Executive Director of the Central Indiana America Heart Association, for speaking to us about women’s heart health and what we can do as titleholders to spread awareness of cardiovascular disease! 🫶
It was also great to hear from Miss Indiana 2023 Cydney Bridges and Miss Indiana’s Teen Keegan Connor about their community service initiative and how they overcame adversity to become resilient advocates 💟
Miss Indiana Day 1: Part 2!!🤍🌟
One of my favorite events every year, the Lions Club dinner! This year was even more special as Miss Fall Festival, due to the Zionsville Lions Club being the sponsor of the Miss Fall Festival Scholarship Program!
I’m so appreciative of their hospitality and support for the Miss Indiana organization, and for the exceptional scholarship funds and experiences they’ve provided me thus far! 👑
