Vivian O'Neal Visits Section 36!

Photo: Frank Carnaggio

Section 36 had another visitor! Vivian O'Neal is passionate about inclusion in education, an author, and the current Miss Mississippi. I was so excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. I was especially excited that Vivian is the first visitor to Section 36 with a title from the state of Mississippi! So excited to fill in that portion of the map.

So, let's see what happens when Vivian O'Neal visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Mississippi crown?

There is always an after-party following the final night of the competition to celebrate the show and the new winner. For me, the after party was my first opportunity after being crowned to see all my friends, family, and the Miss Mississippi delegates! It truly takes a village to prepare for a competition like this, so the best way to celebrate for me was getting to hug all of those people and thank them for helping make this dream a reality! 

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

I have several, but my top two goals center around expansion. The first is to expand the Miss Mississippi Corporation through recruitment and retention efforts to grow the program and the number of women involved. The second is to expand the efforts and reach of my community service initiative, CapABLE. So far, CapABLE has reached over 20,000 students across five states and my goal is for it to be a nationally recognized nonprofit and double the number of students reached. 

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

I don’t really have any nerves! I’m sure that may change as the national competition grows closer, but I’ve truly dreamed of competing at Miss America for so long that any nerves have been overpowered by joy, excitement, and gratitude! 

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

Honestly, my social impact initiative chose me. I am the daughter of educators and the sister to a child with a disability, so growing up, I was very aware of how students with disabilities were perceived and treated in the classroom. I realized that there are not any programs or curricula in place that are dedicated to actually teaching inclusivity when it comes to disability inclusion, so I worked with educators to develop a five-day character education curriculum for Kindergarten-3rd grade students. It harnessed such incredible success and impact, that I was contacted by someone from the University of Southern Mississippi to create a STEM version of the curriculum for 4th-6th graders. I wrote a companion children’s book called “Josiah’s Big Day!” and plan to expand it into a series! Additionally, I combined my passion for inclusion and higher education by partnering with the Mississippi Community College Board to create a disability inclusion training for college-age students. I had no idea when I first started CapABLE that it would grow into what it is today. Still, I’m grateful for the opportunity to elevate such a necessary conversation and mission as Miss Mississippi. 

What is your personal fitness routine?

These days, my fitness routine is any workout I can do in a hotel room or hotel gym! I can get bored easily with fitness routines, so I love changing things up and trying different classes when I can, such as pilates, yoga, cycling, etc.! I’m also a dancer, so my Miss America talent practice can double as a cardio workout!  

You received your MEd from the University of Southern Mississippi. Where do you see those studies taking you?

After my year as Miss Mississippi, I plan to trade in that title for the title of Dr. O’Neal by earning a Ph.D. in Education! I hope to be a public speaker, or “mobile educator” as I call it, within the realm of disability inclusion and my nonprofit, CapABLE.

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

Princess Jasmine - she was my favorite Disney princess growing up! I always loved her fiery personality and independence. Her pet tiger reminds me of how protective my dog is of me! 

If you had an extra ticket to see a Mississippi Braves baseball game against the Biloxi Shuckers, who would you take with you? Why?

I would probably take my friends Katelyn and Tyler. Katelyn is from Biloxi, so I know she would enjoy cheering for her hometown team! I’m more of a football game girl, but Tyler loved baseball games in college, so she could probably explain everything to me throughout the game, ha! 

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

I’ve always loved the general culture of sporting events! I was on the dance team in college, and one of my favorite things about the gameday experience besides performing was the energy and simply being in that environment with everyone excited to watch the game! 

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True. Nothing really competes with the gameday experience!

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

I also want to wish her luck when she competes for Miss America! It would be fantastic to have another Section 36 Forever wear that crown.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with Vivian during her journey. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account and website. They're great ways to keep track of everything she has going on, and you'll be sure not to miss anything. You should also check out the instagram and website for her CSI CapABLE to learn more about that initiative.

Thanks again Vivian, and good luck!

Callie Cox Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Callie Cox is passionate about inclusion, a talented singer, and the current Miss Missouri. I was so glad that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. I was also excited that she was the first visitor from the state of Missouri!

So, let's see what happens when Callie Cox visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Missouri crown?
After packing up all of my things from the dressing room, my parents and I drove 20 minutes to Denny’s and had a pancake celebration at 11pm. My parents are my biggest and greatest supporters, so having that time with just the two of them after probably the wildest night of my life was a very sweet moment I will keep in my heart for a long, long time. 

What did you learn about yourself at the Miss Missouri competition that will help you at Miss America?

You know, I really learned the importance of taking time to be in silence. I feel like Miss Missouri week was a whirlwind. I loved chatting with my Miss MO sister and spending time with the teens during rehearsals and constantly thanking volunteers, but that time in my dorm room where I was able to just sit and soak in what was happening in silence continued to ground me amidst the chaos that is competition week and that is something I will for sure be taking into Miss America. I mean, I’m competing for MISS AMERICA. My time in Connecticut is something I want to never forget, no matter what happens. 

Do you have a specific goal you’d like to accomplish during your time as Miss Missouri?
I really really want to shine a light on businesses that employ individuals with disabilities across the state of Missouri. They are such an integral part of inclusion and they deserve all the recognition! 

How did you select your social impact initiative, “People First”?

People First was truly a no brainer for me. The trajectory of my life has been greatly impacted by my friend, Nick, who has truly changed my life for the better when we became close friends in middle school. We both have a huge love for musical theatre and the arts and when we were partnered together for a performance in seventh grade, I saw him as a performer who craved a stage and not someone with a diagnosis of Autism… Through this epiphany in middle school, I decided I wanted it to be my life’s goal to advocate for inclusion and the Miss America Organization is the perfect platform to do this.

As a talented singer, what do you enjoy most about performing on stage?
I love a stage. Especially when I'm able to interact with the audience. The pieces I choose to perform are typically jazzy and allow me to add so much personality and interaction within my performance. That’s definitely my favorite part! 

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

People feel seen and heard by me. My mission in life is for every person I interact with to feel valued and important. My heart is full when I am able to do this for all individuals. 

If you could be a Disney Character for a week, who would you choose? Why?
Most definitely Rapunzel from Tangled. She’s driven, has the cutest sidekick and really isn’t the "typical" princess who is prim and proper…. Which I love! 

If you had an extra ticket to a Royals-Cardinals baseball game, who would you take with you? Why?
Miss America 2017, Savvy Shields. I would love to personally receive wisdom and advice from her in a casual way where there isn’t any pressure to have the perfect sentence or speech. It would be so fun to just enjoy a frozen lemonade and ask her questions about her journey not just as a past Miss America, but also her life outside and after the crown. 

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience?
I would love to sing the National Anthem at a Cardinals game… And something may be in the works so stay tuned! 

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That would be exciting! 

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

As Callie continues her time as Miss Missouri, I encourage you to follow her title's Instagram and Facebook accounts. You should also check out the official Miss Missouri website. They're great ways to keep track of everything she has going on! 

 
I also want to wish her the best of luck when she competes for the Miss America crown this winter. It would be fantastic to have another Section 36 visitor wear that crown!

Thanks again Callie, and good luck!