Olivia Matas Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Olivia Matas is passionate about elder advocacy, a talented singer, and the current Miss Riverside City. I was so excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So, let's see what happens when Olivia Matas visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Riverside City crown?

After the long and exciting night, my family and I thought it was only appropriate if we had dinner at the Mission Inn! Their creme brûlée with coffee was delicious.

What did you learn about yourself at the Miss Riverside City competition that will help you when you compete for Miss California?

Interviews are pretty nerve wracking as it is, but if you keep in mind that this is just an opportunity to speak about yourself and what you're passionate about, it’s just like talking to your family and friends. 

Is there a specific goal you’d like to accomplish during your time as Miss Riverside City?

With places opening up more and more, I would love to start volunteering at senior homes again. When I lived in Texas, I used to do nail painting and wheel chair dances with the residents and they would always tell me how much they adored those events.

How did you select your social impact initiative, “Elder Advocacy”?

Growing up, I had to watch my great grandmother (G.G. Mary) be abused from nursing home to nursing home. Even with some family members. Since then I’ve dedicated my life to helping the elderly and currently pursuing a Bachelor degree in Sociology with a specification in Gerontology.

What do you enjoy most about performing your talent on stage?

I’m a sucker for sad songs. I love how emotional and really dramatic you can get with the performance! When I pick songs I usually pick songs that some of the residents from the senior homes particularly like as an homage to them. 

How would you complete the sentence, “I get great satisfaction when ___”?

I get great satisfaction when I know I’ve done my absolute best effort with a task. It doesn’t matter if I succeed or not, just knowing I did my best is enough for me.

If you could be a Disney Character for a week, who would you choose? Why?

First character that comes to mind is Tinker Bell, her sassy personality and her tinkering skills are things I find so charming. Plus, how cool would it be to fly around as a fairy for a week?

As a Dodgers fan, what were you doing when they won the 2020 World Series?

Not only am I a Dodgers fan, but I’m also a full time student! Unfortunately I was spending my time studying and taking midterms, but, next year (when they win again) I’ll be sitting in the front row. 

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

It has always been my dream as a kid growing up and going to baseball games to be a part of the side games they have on the field! Even when I sit in the nosebleed section, I still jump up and down, waving my arms around to maybe get a chance at being part of those audience participation games. 

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That is always so much fun!

As usual, I want to thank Olivia for visiting with us, and for sending along the picture to go with the interview.

As Olivia continues her time as Miss Riverside City, I encourage you to check out her title's Instagram account! It's a great way to keep track of everything she has going on! 

I also want to wish Olivia luck when she competes for Miss California! It would be fantastic to have the first Section 36 Forever wear that crown.

Thanks again Olivia, and good luck!

Kyra Bake Visits Section 36!

Photo by Randi Davies

Section 36 has another visitor! Kyra Bake is passionate about connecting generations, a talented dancer, and the current Miss Western Idaho. I was excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. I am also excited that she is our first visitor from the state of Idaho!

So, let's see what happens when Kyra Bake Visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Western Idaho crown?

The night I won my crown was so fun and exciting. All the girls who competed in both the Miss and Teen competition were invited to go to an after party at a local pizzeria. When we got there our directors handed out some additional awards and scholarships to other candidates while Lacie Willet, Miss Three Rivers, and I got ready to film a live interview with a local news station. Even though I had just done well in competition, I remember feeling like everything I had learned about speaking calm and confidently had gone out the window. I was so excited and overwhelmed that I said the wrong name for my social impact initiative, Generation Connection, and was all over the place with my responses. Looking back, it was a funny situation, but I wouldn’t change anything that happened that night because it showed my genuine excitement toward winning my first local title. Afterwards I got to talk to another reporter and answer some questions for the newspaper. We talked about my social impact initiative and my plans for my year of service. The rest of the night was dedicated to eating, playing arcade games, and talking with members of my community. It was such a fun night that I’ll never forget. 

What has been the most pleasant surprise about your time as Miss Western Idaho?

There have been so many wonderful surprises that I’ve experienced while being Miss Western Idaho. One thing I found interesting was all the women I knew that have shared that title with me in the past, including my local director, Mardine Olsen, and the current Miss Idaho, Grace Zimmerman. I feel really lucky to share my title with such beautiful, strong women. Another surprise that I certainly did not expect was the extra time that I have had with my title. The original date for my state competition was set for early June 2020, but it was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Our state directors have not decided a new date yet, but I’m anticipating competing for Miss Idaho sometime in the summer of 2021. Until then, I will be spending my year of service mostly as a virtual titleholder. 

What did you learn about yourself at the Miss Western Idaho competition that will help you when you compete for Miss Idaho? 

My biggest lesson to learn as Miss Western Idaho was the importance of being genuinely myself.  I know that there are young girls who look up to me and see me as a role model. I don’t ever want to set a precedent that a woman has to look or act a certain way to be successful. I truly believe that the best thing that a woman can be is confidently herself. I am intentional in showing the everyday version of myself online so that young women can see that they don’t need to be glamorous every day. I think it is important to teach young women that natural beauty and an unorganized bedroom is just as lovely as a full face of make-up and a fun venue. My hope is that if I become the next Miss Idaho, others will not just see a beauty queen, but instead as a woman that they can relate to. 

How did you select your social impact initiative, “Generation Connection”? 

I created my social impact initiative, Generation Connection,

because I am passionate about fostering a better environment for senior citizens and because I believe that there is a great benefit for getting younger generations involved with seniors. I spent a few years as a hospice volunteer in my hometown before I moved for college. During those years I got to build relationships with people much older than me and learn from them. I noticed that I became a much more understanding and empathetic person because of these relationships. Not only that, but the hospice team was able to see a noticeable difference in mood with patients who had been assigned a youth volunteer. Both the young and the old received help from establishing an intergenerational relationship. My goal as Miss Western Idaho is to help encourage the youth to reach out to the elderly and make those healthy relationships. 

As a talented dancer, what do you enjoy most about performing on stage? 

I love dancing. To me, dance is an outlet that allows me to use my extra energy and emotion in a healthy way. One of my favorite things about dancing on stage is sharing art that I have practiced and worked hard on. There’s something really exciting about hearing people cheer and clap after you nail a part in a dance. It makes me feel alive. 

What is your personal fitness routine? 

In all honesty, I do not have a rigid fitness routine. My method of being healthy and active is listening to my body and doing what makes me feel good. Most of the time that looks like going on walks and hikes, taking dance classes, and stretching before bed. I don’t believe in a “perfect” body type. Instead, I train my body so that it can move and function in a way that makes me happy. For example, I’ll work on leg exercises for the sake of being able to leap higher, rather than for the sake of slimming down. At the end of the day, I think it’s important to do what makes you feel good. 

If you could be a Disney Character for a week, who would you choose? Why? 

My favorite Disney princess is Rapunzel. I love her cheery attitude and fierce determination. I would love to be her for a week and go on her adventures. Not to mention all that beautiful hair! 

If you had an extra ticket to a Boise Hawks game, who would you bring with you? Why?

If I could take anyone with me to a Boise Hawks game, I would take my youngest sister. She currently plays softball and I like to watch her play. I would love to let her see some professionals play! 

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That sounds like a great idea! 

As always, I want to thank Kyra for visiting with us, and for sending along the wonderful pictures to go with the interview.

As Kyra continues her time as Miss Western Idaho, I encourage you to follow her Instagram account. It's a great way to keep track of everything she has going on!

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

 

Thanks again Kyra, and good luck!

Brooke Young Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Brooke Young is passionate about multigenerational interactions, a talented performer, and the current Miss Heart of Ohio. I was excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. I’m just as excited that she represents the first visitor from the state of Ohio!

So, let's see what happens when Brooke Young visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Heart of Ohio crown?

I was fortunate to be crowned Miss Heart of Ohio on March 14th. As many people in 2020 can recognize, this was during the beginning of the Pandemic, and Social Distancing was coming into prevalence. Winning in my hometown of Mansfield, Ohio, with my Mother in the audience, was the most amazing gift I could have been given. My Sister and Father watched via Livestream at home, and during the short drive back, they decorated the mailbox for my win. I adore my family.

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

In all honesty, I'm a tad nervous to share my voice and

message through my Vocal Talent on the Miss Ohio Stage. Singing, and sharing a part of your heart, is absolutely vulnerable; I am both nervous and elated.

Is there a specific goal you’d like to accomplish during your time as Miss Heart of Ohio? 

My utmost goal is to share and educate as many as possible with my message. My Social Impact Initiative focuses on creating meaningful opportunities for individuals of different generations to learn from, grow from, and engage with one another. I'm so passionate about this, and was fortunate to embark on the following projects thus far: A Statewide, MultiGenerational PenPal Program: Pandemic Pals, zoom speaking engagements, a partnership with Colorado Non-Profit Wish of a Lifetime, partnership to create meaningful veteran services with children via Ohio's Hospice, creation of Assisted Living Zoom Concert Series, and I continue open to any way to impact. I love service.

How did you select your social impact initiative, “Fostering Meaningful Interactions between Generations”?

Selecting my Social Impact was exceptionally simple, as the passion for Multigenerational Interactions has remained strong throughout my life. At the age of 8, I trained my First Therapy Dog, Molly, along with my Grandpa, and spent over 5 years serving with the elderly population in our State. Being so young, and so exposed to these concepts and the way these friendships changed and impacted my life, while leaving a profound impact on my older friends as well, changed my life. Exposure to this shifted my perception of the world, and I want every person, regardless of age, to experience joy, meaning, and pursue through the generational gap.

You once appeared as the “leg lamp” in the Christmas Story Musical. What was that experience like?

An avid Musical Theatre Performer for more than a decade:

dance, song, and acting have always been in my veins. I often joke and share that performing as A Human Leg Lamp in the Christmas Story Musical is my favorite Christmas Memory, and bringing genuine chuckles to the audience forever remains my favorite Theatre Memory.

What is your personal fitness routine?

Exercise and wellness plays a significant role in my life, especially for stress reduction. Owner of a Saint Berdoodle (Saint Bernard/Goliathdoodle Poodle), We embark on at least 2 walks per day, and I spend a great deal of time with pilaties, yoga, strengthening exercises. I'm active in my everyday life, with Golf and Recreational Baseball.

If you could work for a Major League Baseball organization, what would you want to do? Why?

Having collaborated with a regional network to provide Sports coverage in College, working as an In-Park Host for a MLB Organization continues to be my greatest dream. Growing up in a Baseball family, I knew that holding that microphone and appearing on the JumboTron would remain one of my biggest life dreams: Sport Reporting is my passion.

As a sports broadcasting minor, you’ve been able to interview several national champion athletes. Do you have a favorite that sticks out in your mind?

Being able to connect and honor Sports as the wonderful

unifier they serve as in our culture is one of the greatest gifts and honors. Entrusting me to tell stories, whether in-game hits, or personal interviews with National Champions (I have been blessed to speak with several), I'm grateful for the chance to sit down and authentically experience, authentically share with talented athletes.

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

I'm known for my sporadic dance moves. Anytime I hear a good beat, I just have to get my feet moving a bit. The environment, the culture of Baseball and the collective energy in the air is my favorite part. I can't wait for sunny afternoons, smiling, and maybe a bit of dancing, at the ballpark again.

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I think we’re all ready for that!

As always, I want to thank Brooke for visiting with us, and for sending along the wonderful pictures to go with the interview.

As Brooke continues her time as Miss Heart of Ohio, I encourage you to check out her official Instagram account. It's a great way to keep track of everything she has going on!

I also definitely want to wish her the best of luck whenever she competes for the Miss Ohio title. It would be wonderful to have the first Section 36 visitor wear that crown!

 

Thanks again Brooke, and good luck!