Francesca D'Alessandro Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Francesca D’Alessandro is passionate about the arts, a talented stage performer, and the current Miss Thousand Islands. I was so excited she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more!

So, let's see what happens when Francesca D’Alessandro visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Thousand Islands crown?

It was so gratifying when I was able to call up my contacts and notify them that my plans as Miss Thousand Islands could begin! My first celebration was going out to dinner with my family, but my favorite celebration was spending a night at Dave and Buster’s to play games and spend quality time with friends! 

What part of the upcoming Miss New York competition are you most nervous about?

Currently, I am mostly focused on preparing myself so that I can feel ready and just be present and in the moment during the week of the competition. I am mostly excited to share all my stories and goals for my social impact initiative as well as perform a talent that I love. At the end of the day, if I know that I put my all into preparation and being present on stage, then I have already learned and gained so much experience. That alone is a HUGE win in itself.

What has surprised you the most about your time as Miss Thousand Islands?

Photo by
Eve Taverne

I have been FLOORED by how warm and receptive the community has been in Jefferson and Oswego counties as well as my school in supporting my journey to educate our local communities. What’s been surprising to me, especially, is how excited they were to learn about and explore the topic of Autism. There are many misconceptions about what Autism is and I have been so impressed at how respectful, inquisitive, and accepting everyone is in learning about others who are different than themselves. 

How did you select your social impact initiative, “Triple-A: Adaptation and Awareness for Autism”?

There are many reasons why Autism has been so close and near to my heart. Overtime, the goals of my initiative have changed and evolved and I’m beyond excited to compete for Miss New York to make my vision a reality. Growing up with a parent who was an aid for special needs adults and having multiple friends on the spectrum, has truly opened my eyes on what their perspective on life is. Currently, I work at a school specialized for children on the spectrum and I get to bring my skills as a speech-language pathologist to help them grow in their relationships and it helps with any disruptive behaviors.

As a talented opera singer, what do you like most about performing on stage?

When I perform, I get to step into someone else’s shoes for a moment and to me, that is the most exhilarating experience to share with others. It’s always a humbling feeling when someone in the audience feels the story I’m singing and shares their personal experiences with me.

You’re also passionate about making sure everyone who wants an education can get one. How did that become important to you?

Education to me is not about knowing the most, but knowing that there’s always something new to learn. It’s important to break glass ceilings for yourself and others. When I became a first-generation college graduate, I got to share my experiences and stories with many different organizations. This helped me understand and appreciate how important scholarship organizations such as the Miss America Organization is to promote not just leadership, but how important funding is for young women leaders locally. 

What is your personal fitness routine?

I love anything that makes me sweat and pushes my mental boundaries. To me, a good workout is one where I got to relieve some stress and push myself to do better than the last session. I never strive for an “ideal” figure. Right now, I mostly incorporate a mix of running and weight lifting and I always feel on my game. 

What do you remember from your first baseball game?

At the time, I had lived in a small town for many years and was shocked at not only how massive the crowds were, but how intense the fans are before, during, and after the game. It was amazing to see the pride and dedication that a city has for their team and I see a lot of correlation with competing within the Miss America Organization. It’s a very similar experience of how communities are so proud and excited to see their local titleholders go on to compete for Miss New York and eventually Miss America. 

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience?

Previously, I have sung for over a dozen basketball games but I would be honored to sing on the baseball field. It would mean everything if my students could attend since they love watching baseball games and we have had outings where we got to watch some games from the box. Their support on the sidelines as I sing the National Anthem would be so meaningful to me since they inspire me everyday. And ESPECIALLY if it was for the New York Yankees!

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That would definitely be an amazing opportunity, even if it was for the Yankees!

As usual, I want to thank Francesca for visiting and for sending along the wonderful pictures that accompany the interview. They make the post so much better.

As Francesca continues her time as Miss Thousand Islands, I encourage you to check out her official Instagram and Facebook Pages. It’s the best way to make sure you don’t miss out on anything she’ll have going on. You should also be sure to check out the website for her SII: Triple-A Autism. It has a lot of really great information.

You also won't want to miss her Instagram Live series "Spectrum Sundays" performed with fellow Section 36 visitor Meghan Sinisi.

I also want to wish her the best of luck when she competes for the Miss New York title. It would be wonderful to have the another Section 36 visitor wear that crown!

Thanks again Francesca, and good luck!