Sabrina Ponte Visits Section 36!

Photo by Justin Hammond Photo

Section 36 has another visitor! Sabrina Ponte is a singer, a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Cranberry Country! I've always regretted not getting in touch with her much earlier, so I was thrilled when she agreed to visit and discuss those topics, and a few more.

So, let’s see what happens when Sabrina Ponte visits Section 36!

What made you decide to compete in the Miss Cranberry Country pageant?

I have a passion for the Miss America Organization, what it stands for and how it encourages me to be the best version of myself. I wanted to be able to promote my platform "Fit and Full: Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle" as well as have the opportunity to compete for Miss MA. With charity events I always found myself driving to the south shore so I found the job of Miss Cranberry Country to be very doable.

Massachusetts is known for its cranberry bogs, especially down the Cape where I have spent a good amount of my summers so having the title of Miss Cranberry Country sounded like a great representation of Massachusetts that I personally could connect to and be proud to represent.

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Cranberry Country crown?

The night off with my incredibly supportive family!

As an amazing singer, what is your favorite part about performing your talent on stage?

(Thank you) haha and there are so many things that just light a fire inside of me when it comes to performing but my favorite part about performing my talent on stage would have to be how it makes other people feel. For Miss Cranberry Country and for Miss Massachusetts I have and will sing Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" which is quite a powerful song, so knowing that it can make people feel something

and hearing their reaction is not just my favorite part of performing my talent but probably the best feeling in the world to me.

How did you select your platform?

My platform’s intention is to educate young adults how to be the healthiest and to love themselves for it.  Approximately ninety one percent of American children have poor diets, in addition, more than eighty percent of children and young adults do not meet the guidelines for daily physical activity. It is crucial to teach a healthy lifestyle at an early age to bridge the gap when there is a lack of education on nutrition and fitness.

You spent some time as a Bruins Ice Girl. What was that experience like?

It was an amazing experience and if the Bruins still had the program I would still be a part of it! It was extremely rewarding getting to work with the Boston Bruins Foundation, I was able to travel to cities across New England and set up fitness events for children to engage in, especially with hockey. I was also able to work the Bruins games and engage with fans doing activities like 8-spoke Salute, fan of the game, and Patrice's Pals.

You appeared on NESN as part of Dirty Water TV. What challenges did that present?

I had a great experience hosting and interviewing on NESN's Dirty

Water TV, I was the youngest host so it was a lot of putting myself in new situations and needing to challenge myself.

Which of the four young B’s (Betts, Bogaerts, Bradley, and Benintendi) are you most excited about?

Benintendi

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

I would love and be honored to one day sing the national anthem at Fenway Park

How do you think the Red Sox will finish the 2018 season?

World Series!

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That sounds good to me!

As usual, I want to thank Sabrina for visiting. I was glad we were finally able to make it happen. I also want to thank her for sending along the pictures that accompany the interview. They always make for a better post!

As Sabrina continues her time as Miss Cranberry Country, I encourage you to check out the official Miss Massachusetts website as a great way to keep tabs on what's going on.

Also, you should take the opportunity to make a donation to Sabrina's personal Children's Miracle Network donation page! Every little bit helps, and I know she'd appreciate your efforts!

And, of course, I want to wish Sabrina luck next month when she competes for the Miss Massachusetts crown. There will be several Section 36 visitors on stage with her, and it would be amazing to have another one take home the crown!

Thanks again Sabrina, and good luck!

Sherene Iskander Visits Section 36!

Sherene Iskander is a Red Sox fan, a world traveler, and the current Miss Cranberry Country. With all those topics to discuss, I thought

it would be fun if Sherene visited with us. Thankfully, even though she’s busily getting ready for the Miss Massachusetts competition in July, she agreed. 

So let’s see what happens when Sherene Iskander visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate being crowned Miss Cranberry Country?

The first thing I did was Facetime my parents. They live in Oklahoma, so they were unable to attend, but they were so excited to see me with the crown on my head! After that, I went out to

dinner with a few of my friends and had a giant piece of chocolate cake! Definitely my weakness!

What lesson did you learn at the Miss Cranberry Country competition that you can bring with you to the Miss Massachusetts competition?

I’m a pianist and during the talent portion I decided that my goal that day was to have fun with my Liberace-style Chopsticks because it is truly a fun piece to play! The audience could clearly tell I was enjoying myself because they started clapping along, which in turn helped me perform better! So the lesson I took away is to be in the moment and have fun and to not worry about “messing up”, because I’ll perform better if I’m having fun!

What is a goal you'd like to accomplish during your time as Miss Cranberry Country?

Well obviously one goal is to become the next Miss Massachusetts and compete at Miss America! This is my last year of eligibility to compete in the Miss America Organization, so my main goal is to take away everything from this experience that I possibly can and truly enjoy it and make a difference by spreading awareness of my Platform “The Gift of Giving”.

What made you interested in "The Gift of Giving"?

When I was growing up my parents taught me to always appreciate what I had and give back however I could to those around me. But, it never really clicked why, it was just something I was taught. However, in 2013 I was a volunteer at the Boston Marathon Finish Line. The horrible tragedy that happened that day truly showed me the importance of a community and how when we come together and support each other we are stronger. I realized that giving back is really just a way to support others in our community. The whole purpose of “The Gift of Giving” is to show the various ways we can

give back. Not everyone has money to donate or time to volunteer, but everyone can give every single day in some way. It’s about smiling at the person on the T who looks like they’re having a rough day, or helping a classmate understand something. The Gift of Giving is about giving in whatever way one can to create a better community in every aspect.

You've been able to visit all seven continents. What was the trip to Antarctica like?

I love to travel and fortunately when I was growing up, my parents saw the value that travel provided. It opened my eyes to the world and helped me understand the importance of diversity and understanding that differences are to be celebrated, not condemned. When I was 16 I was able to travel to Antarctica, which was no easy task. But, the experience was unlike any other I had while traveling. To go somewhere few have gone and realize how incredibly small I am compared to the world was an eye-opening experience. We even got to go swimming in a volcano... The sand about 8 inches down is incredibly hot, so we dug holes in the sand that when the waves came up and filled them, it would create a “hot tub”. But, the agreement was that if we wanted to enjoy the hot tub, we had to run into the cold ocean water first. Brrrr. I can’t put into words how that trip changed my life, but I am so grateful that my parents were willing to give in to my persistence and trust that I could handle a difficult trip at such a young age. Thanks mom and dad, I owe ya!

You've competed in several "Run Disney" events. What do you like about those races?

Sherene and Alissa

The first Run Disney event I ever ran was the Disney Princess Glass Slipper Challenge in February of 2016. The “challenge” involved running a 10k on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday. I actually decided to participate because the presenting charity was Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which is the national platform for Miss America! I even ran as a charity runner for CMNH and raised $1,200. It was such an incredible weekend because I was able to meet several miracle children and even Miss America, and of course, go to all the Disney parks! The race courses even run through the parks, and there’s no experience like running through the Magic Kingdom castle or around the World Showcase at Epcot. Plus, everyone is dressed as Disney characters and princesses, so it definitely makes the miles seem to go by faster. And as a fair warning to anyone reading this, once you run one, you’ll be back! 

The Red Sox are playing this season without David Ortiz for the first time in a while. What's your favorite Ortiz memory?

Absolutely, without a doubt, his speech at the first home game back after the Marathon bombing in 2013. Boston is a strong city and that speech proved to anyone with doubt that this city would recover and be more resilient than ever. This city is and forever will be Boston Strong. 

What do you remember about your last trip to Fenway Park?

My last trip to Fenway Park was amazing (as they always are)! I graduated from Northeastern University last May and one of our events during Senior Week was a Red Sox game! It was such a blast because the entire section was filled with Northeastern students celebrating our graduation! We also beat the Yankees 8-0 that night, so what’s not to love, right?

How do you think the Red Sox will finish the 2017 season?

Obviously they’re going to win it all!

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Oh, obviously!

As always, I want to send out a huge thank you to Sherene for doing this interview. These visits are always very popular, and I have no doubt that here will continue that trend. Also, a big thanks for providing the pictures to accompany the interview. She did a great job of providing shots that matched up with the questions.

As Sherene continues her reign as Miss Cranberry Country, I encourage you to follow her on the official Facebook page, and Instagram. Also, please consider joining in on the “Gift of Giving” by visiting Sherene’s personal Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals donation page. Every little bit helps! 

And, of course, I want to wish Sherene luck in July as she competes for the Miss Massachusetts crown. It would be fantastic for another Section 36 visitor to claim that title.

Thanks again Sherene, and good luck!