They say “Big things come in small packages”… and at 5’1 and a half (wink*wink), Miss Montana 2013 Sheridan Pope is the epitome of such a statement.  She’s got one of those ‘live out loud’ personalities – which makes some of us ‘laugh out loud’… Especially when reading her tweets!  We’ve copied a few here so you can see what we mean… Enjoy!

   – Apparently no one knows. So if you don’t hear from me again, vanilla black tea and NyQuil was my demise. #sicklife #goodnight
   – I bet housekeeping is always afraid of the random fake eyelashes scattered across the hotel room. #thoughts
   – 24 oz coffee…… I’m gonna pop a squat next to the highway if a rest stop doesn’t present itself ASAP. #montanaprobs
 

Lol… Yes, Sheridan is open with her thoughts, but she’s just as open with her heart… Here’s another set of tweets during the same month in which she posted all of the above comments…

    – Katie, a girl with facial deformity who is completely deaf & has a trache cried happy tears to her fave adult bc “Miss MT touched her face”

    – Can’t stop these tears. I’m going to design my cape and make my plan to change the world over ice cream and red wine. #brb

When someone lives their life this ‘open’, you know they’re going to give their all to everything they do… They ‘love greatly’ and are disappointed greatly.  They’re fiercely loyal and are righteously indignant when others don’t respond the same way.  The live big and love big.  And we’re glad Sheridan Pope was able to share all of herself with the state of Montana and the nation as Miss MT.  Keep it up Sheridan – there are many more ‘big things’ coming your way 🙂

When it comes to Miss Montana 2014 – Let’s just say… Montana isn’t one of those states that’s super easy to pick.  This year, there are lots of fresh faces, but there’s also a group of experienced contestants as well… So – Here’s our best shot!:)

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Victoria Valentine – MT OT ’08
Olivia Dowler – 1st runner up ’13
Katherine Sizemore – 4th runner up ’13
Ariana Lake – Univ. of Montana cheerleader
Desja Eagle Tail – Lovely voice
Aly Bjorneby – strong ballet dancer
Junkie Dark Horse – Allyson Peterson

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  KNOCK ‘EM DEAD!  JUNKIES LOVE MONTANA 🙂

MAJ

From Miss Delaware 2013, Rebecca Jackson’s blog…

“Growing up, I had never dreamed of becoming Miss America.  My parents discouraged me from playing with Barbie Dolls, cable television, and the Miss America pageant as a whole.  I grew up seemingly not preparing for pageant life but the lure of scholarship money caught my attention and I decided to compete in locals. I competed at my first local using my Senior Prom dress as my gown!  While competing, I had still never seen a Miss America Pageant – meaning I had no idea I that I was given the opportunity to change my life. It wasn’t until I was competing for Miss Delaware 2012 that I envisioned myself becoming Miss Delaware and later competing on the Miss America stage…”

Just goes to prove… Miss America contestants come from ALL walks of life!  Thanks Rebecca for sharing your story 🙂 

And now – in case you didn’t know it… the state of Delaware has been on a roll…

Galen Giaccone – Miss DE ’08 – Top 15 and Prelim Talent Winner
Kayla Martell – Miss DE ’10 – Top 10, People’s Choice and 1st runner up Quality of Life
Maria Cahill – Miss DE ’11 – Non-finalist Talent Award
Alyssa Murray – Miss DE ’12 – Non-finalist Interview Award, Quality of Life finalist
Rebecca Jackson – Miss DE ’13  Non-finalist Talent Award
 

In “Junkie-land”… this is the kind of thing that reminds us… Big Things can come from Small States!  Pay Attention!  You gotta be someone special, if you’re going to win Miss Delaware! 🙂

And guess what??? DELAWARE HAS VIDEOS!!!  Check out their People’s Choice videos when you click this link 🙂  Say it with me… “Junkies LOVE videos!!!” 🙂

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Brittany Lewis – 2nd runner up ’13, 3rd runner up PA ’12
Amanda Longacre – Top 15 DE USA ’14
Amanda Debus – DE Teen USA ’11, DE OT ’08, non-finalist talent ’13
Rebecca Lusk -Top 10 ’13
Taylor DeMario – Miss DE United States, DE USA non-finalist interview ’12
Janemarie Covel – Great video, back to Miss DE after 3 years
Junkie Dark Horse – Keturah Braithwaite

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  YOU HAVE SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL!!! 🙂

MAJ

If you were lucky enough to be in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the “Show us Your Shoes” parade, you saw Cara McCollum, Miss New Jersey in her mermaid costume, kicking her feet back and forth, back and forth, back and forth… It was the CUTEST flipper kick The Junkies have EVER SEEN!  And boy oh boy – was she having FUN!  If you’re ever in Atlantic City for Miss America – don’t miss the parade!  It’s fantastic!

Ok – now, back to NJ… Cara, who is originally from Arkansas, attends Princeton University and captured the crown on her very first trip to the state competition.  Even though she was a rookie, The Junkies were taken with her headshot and resume which caused us to list her on our ‘Here’s Who to Watch List”.  Truth is, with beauty, brains and talent like hers, EVERYONE should be watching what Cara does in the coming years!  

Our favorite quote of Cara’s was given to the contestants at their orientation a few months ago…

 “You have to look at it (Miss New Jersey) as a job. If you want a crown, you can go buy one at Dollar Tree for a buck. This is an opportunity to pursue your passion,” she said.

Who will be the next person to represent New Jersey?  It’s not easy to pick a winner here… but…

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Brenna Weick – 1st runner up ’13, NJ OT ’09, 1st runner up at Nationals
Cierra Kayler-Jones – 3rd runner up ’13, Prelim Talent ’11 and ’12, overall Interview winner ’13
Kaitlyn Schoeffel – 4th runner up ’13, 1st runner up ’12, Prelim SS ’13, Prelim Talent and Gown ’12, NJ OT ’07
Anna Negron – 4th runner up ’11, Top 10 ’12, Prelim SS ’11 and ’12, Prelim Talent ’13
Lindsey Giannini – 2nd runner up ’13
Ayla Gentiletti – Top 10 ’13, Prelim Talent ’13
Courtney Fairfield – Top 10 ’13, Prelim Gown ’13
Ellen Chu – Top 10 ’12 and ’13

BEST OF LUCK JERSEY GIRLS!  JUNKIES LOVE YOU!!! 🙂

MAJ

I don’t know if you’ve ever been to an Alabama Football Game… But Founding Junkie has  (thanks to awesome friends who have season tickets!).  And let me tell you… When I stepped foot into Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and saw the ‘Million Dollar Band’ in all of it’s glory, the first thing I did was count the insane number of baton twirlers!!!  LOL!  Seriously – People thought I was crazy – but I’d never seen THAT MANY twirlers in one band!  It was absolutely amazing!

That’s why – when we found out Miss Michigan 2013, Haley Williams was an Alabama Crimsonette who had also served as an Outstanding Teen, we knew she was an easy pick for our “Here’s Who to Watch” list in 2013.

Haley certainly did not disappoint us.  At Miss America, she was named the winner of the coveted Quality of Life award for her outstanding work helping children conquer childhood grief after the loss of a loved one.  The Quality of Life award reminds us that it’s not just about a girl in a crown… it’s about the contributions she makes in her community and the impact she makes on others.  Haley’s Quality of Life win is certainly something to celebrate – and emulate in our own lives.

And now – who has the chance to do the same from the state of Michigan???

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

KT Maviglia – 1st runner up ’13
Sarah Suydam – 3rd runner up ’12 and ’13
Shelby Gardiner – 1st runner up ’12 , Top 10 ’13
Carliegh Rowley – MI OT ’08
Emily Kieliszewski – 2nd runner up ’11, Top 10 ’13
Malllory Rivard – 3rd runner up MI Teen USA ’12
Victoria Lines – Top 10 ’13
Cameron Learman – ’11 Prelim SS, 1st runner up MI Teen USA ’08

GOOD LUCK LADIES!  WE’RE SMITTEN WITH THE MITTEN!!! 🙂

MAJ

I’m sorry… but how can you NOT love Rebecca Yeh???

Especially – when you read this article from the Brainerd Dispatch.com…

“Miss Minnesota Rebecca Yeh — working on about 2 1/2 hours of sleep when she woke up Monday morning — was still on cloud nine when thinking about her experience with the Miss America pageant.  Yeh, 20, the daughter of Tim and Kathy Yeh of Nisswa, Sunday was named the fourth runner-up in the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, N.J.
          “I am ready to come home,” Yeh said in a telephone interview with the Dispatch as she waited for her flight at the airport. Yeh said the pageant was exciting and when it was done no one could sleep. She went to bed at 5 a.m. Monday and woke up at 7:30 a.m. She had to wake up to pack all of her personal belongings and get ready to fly back home.
          “It was an amazing experience and I am so fortunate to have made it that far. I couldn’t have done anything better. I did my best with everything I was in control of.”

Seriously.  Staying up with your fellow contestants that long after the most draining 2 weeks of your life?  And to be able to say you’re completely fine with the outcome after only 2 1/2 hours of sleep?  I’m pretty sure I might’ve started spontaneously crying from exhaustion shortly just after saying ‘hello’!

Everyone could see how beautiful Becca is… and once you heard her outstanding talent, you could easily see why she was given the Preliminary Talent award for her night!  Real Junkies know the significance of Becca’s journey… it was nearly a mirror image of another famous Miss MN!  In fact, 25 years earlier, Gretchen Carlson was named a Preliminary Talent winner for playing the violin as well!  Fans of Miss Minnesota hoped Becca would be following in the same footsteps as Miss America 1989 – and she came oh so close… In fact, Becca was the first Miss Minnesota to even make the Top 15 since Gretchen did in ’89.  We say, BRAVO!!! 🙂

PS – The Junkies were at the special Miss America luncheon where Gretchen Carlson was honored for her 25th anniversary… AND SHE WORE HER EVENING GOWN!!!  It was AMAZING to see her in that fabulous Stephen Yearick gown TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LATER!!!!   Super-Duper Impressive to say the least (click on the photo to see it larger!) 🙂

And now – Who will follow in Rebecca Yeh’s footsteps???  There is a considerable amount of interest and excitement in this year’s Miss Minnesota pageant… Mainly because of the amount of veterans returning to the stage and the strength of this year’s contestants!  However – we’re also excited because…

THE JUNKIES ARE GONG TO MINNESOTA!!!!!  WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

We Can’t Wait to see prelims on Thursday night, attend the Gala on Friday night, and witness the crowning on Saturday night!!!  The Junkies have already been welcomed with open arms by the Miss Minnesota team and we’re SO EXCITED to meet you all in person!!!  YAY!!! 🙂

Obviously, our picks can all change once we arrive – but because we look at every state “on paper” first, we gotta do the same thing for you! 🙂  Here we go!!!

Junkies Say Here’s Who to Watch:

Chantal Wilson – MN OT 07
Savannah Cole – 1st runner up ’13, Prelim Talent ’13
Lauren Johnson – 1st runner up ’11, 3rd runner up ’10, 4th runner up ’13
Emily Kallis – 3rd runner up ’13
Kate Wilson – 3rd runner up ND USA, competitor at ND
Kayla Brown – ice skater – Disney on Ice performer, Top 10 ’13
Bailey Wachholz – MN OT ’12
Rachel Latuff – Junkie Dark Horse

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  CAN’T WAIT TO SEE EVERYONE SHINE ON STAGE!!! 🙂

MAJ