Amanda Shoopman Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has a new visitor! Amanda Shoopman is a singer, a baseball fan, and the current Miss Florida Everglades. This makes

her the first visitor to Section 36 from the state of Florida! I was thrilled she was able to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So let's see what happens when Amanda Shoopman visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Florida Everglades crown?

As cliché as it is, I celebrated by going to Everglades National Park the next day! I absolutely love spending any free time I have there, so it was the obvious choice to put on my new crown and sash and visit the River of Grass!

What was your favorite part of the recent Miss Florida competition?

My favorite part was the Onstage Interview portion! I had the opportunity to discuss the importance of the Everglades when the judges asked me, “What would you say to lawmakers to convince them the importance of the Everglades?” It was so amazing to be able to share with not only the judges but also the Miss Florida audience, something that I’m so passionate about.

Is there a specific goal you’d like to accomplish during your remaining time as Miss Florida Everglades?

As I’ll be moving to Northern Virginia to attend school at George Mason University, I’m hoping to take my title to Capitol Hill! Using my title of Miss Florida Everglades, I plan to join Florida lawmakers in lobbying for further protection of the vital River of Grass.

What is your social impact initiative, and how did you select it?

My Social Impact Initiative is Get Back to Nature – Connecting Our Youth to Our Public Lands. It is about the importance of encouraging our youth to get outdoors and experience all of the beauty nature has to offer. I chose this as my impact initiative because I wanted my initiative to reflect something I’m truly passionate about. I am an Environmental and Sustainability Studies major, I have over 245 volunteer hours with the National Park Service, and I hope to one day become Secretary of the Interior. I truly have a deep passion for educating our youth on the importance of our lands, and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to have a national platform to share what I care about with everyone else. 

As a talented singer, what types of songs are your favorite to sing?

I do not know if I have a favorite type of song! I love to sing just about anything, from Carole King to show tunes! 

What is your personal fitness routine?

I’d love to tell you all about my gym routine and how healthy I eat, but that would be too far from the truth! I tried the traditional workouts, gym visits, and watching everything I ate, but I found that it was creating an unhealthy mindset within. I absolutely dreaded going to the gym, and I was miserably craving sweets that I didn’t even normally eat. I knew I had to change my mindset to live a happier and healthier life.  Now, I love to be active outdoors, hiking, fishing, and the occasional run. I try to watch what I eat, but I never restrict myself when I’m having a sweet tooth craving. 

As a fan of the Nationals and Marlins, who’s your favorite Red Sox player? Why?

After texting my friends from Boston, they told me the ONLY correct answer is Mookie Betts! I followed up polling my friends with some research of my own, and I will say he seems to be pretty amazing! 

Last year you attended the congressional baseball game at Nats Park. What was that like?

It was an absolute blast! During my summer in D.C., I developed a sort of fascination with Nats Park, due to the fact that it is SO different from Marlins Park! I love going to Nats Park because it’s so cool to go to a “traditional” baseball field, as opposed to the more “modern” one we have down here in SoFlo. 

If you had two tickets in Section 36 to see the Marlins play the Red Sox, who would you take with you? Why?

I would take my Miss Florida sister, Miss Osceola, Kylie! During Miss Florida Orientation Week, Visit Central Florida took all of us candidates to a Lakeland Tigers baseball game, and it was such a blast sitting with her watching the game! It’s certainly something we plan on doing again, so if you want to give us the tickets, we’ll be there! 

---

Sounds like a great way to watch a game!

As always, I want to thank Amanda for doing this interview, and for sending along the amazing pictures. They really make the post much better.

As Amanda continues her time as Miss Florida Everglades, I encourage you to follow her on her personal Instagram account. It’s a great way to keep up with everything she has going on! 

Thanks again Amanda!