Section 36 has another visitor! Sarah Tubbs is a dancer, a Red
Sox fan, and the current Miss Greater Derry. I'm so glad that in-between her many activities she agreed to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. I'm sure you'll love what she has to say!
So, let’s see what happens when Sarah Tubbs visits Section 36!
You have twice finished as first runner up at the Miss New Hampshire competition. What did you learn from those experiences that will help you at the next Miss New Hampshire?
I like to compare it to running a small business, it was a 24/7 responsibility, but worth every minute. We were a student led organization and did not have much support from the school. My goal as captain was to build a team that shared a passion for dance, a love for their teammates and the drive to want to succeed as a whole. I made my very best friends on the UNH Dance Team and we all surpassed our goal as a team by making it to the "Finals" round of Nationals for the first time ever in UNH History! That first year that I was captain tested my strength as a leader, but seeing my team in tears of joy after months of hard work, late night practices and lots and lots of team bonding made me realize I'm at my best when I'm leading my peers to success.
Children in Uganda do not get to go to school unless they can afford it. This means they are at home, malnourished and getting into trouble or are living as orphans on the streets with no guidance. Every child should have the right to an education. APSI: Love to Serve is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization that I created that matches sponsors in America and the UK with neglected, abandoned and orphaned children in Uganda. For $160 the child received a full year of education, two meals a day and access to health care. The opportunity to receive an education and be properly fed is the only chance these kids have at a brighter future. I started the organization after my first service trip to Uganda in July and since then we have sent almost 60 children to school that would not otherwise have been able to afford it. We have created
jobs at schools, helped fund small businesses for families to be able to have an income and have supported many medical needs.
How did you celebrate winning the Miss Greater Derry Crown?
I was so excited to win the very first local of the Miss NH Season last June, I'm sure I celebrated with a good night's sleep as I had a dance recital the next morning for one of the studio's I teach at.
Gosh, I have grown an incredible amount since my first year on the Miss New Hampshire stage when I was first runner up (the first time) it's hard to even summarize. I was able to attend the National Sweetheart Pageant that Fall and I was so humbled to be amongst the most driven, accomplished and intelligent women in the country during my time there. Truthfully, I wasn't sure how I even fit in with everyone! Here's what I learned- to believe in myself, because clearly other people believed in me. I had the potential to grow in the program to become just as accomplished as the young women I met on my journey.
Each year I have competed in Miss New Hampshire I have brought
a different version of myself because each year I have been in a different place in my life. Last year, I went into the week of Miss NH knowing that nothing would make me happier than being able to spend the year immersed in service and practicing, teaching and performing dance as Miss New Hampshire. I didn't walk away with the crown, but first runner up (again!), and that didn't stop me. I made some courageous decisions and believed in ME, one year later I'm a full time dance teacher and the owner of non-profit organization with two missions trips to Africa under my belt. You could say service and dance have become my life despite my initial goals.
So how will these experiences help me at the upcoming Miss New Hampshire competition? I am confident, I am brave, I am full of faith in myself and my abilities and most of all I am ready for another amazing week. I am grateful for each experience I have encountered- from not even winning a local title my first year to the woman I have become today five years later! Keep learning changing and growing!
You’re a former captain of the University of New Hampshire Dance Team. What was that experience like?
Your competition talent is lyrical dance. How does that performance differ for you from a Dance Team performance?
The UNH Dance Team did perform many jazz and pom styled
routines at sporting events, rallies and shows however we were also always working on our nationals routine which was a "lyrical" style jazz dance. The main difference is dancing as a team vs. a solo! The athleticism of perfecting a 2 minute routine to be perfectly synchronized (down to our breathing) is an insane process but an incredible to be a part of something bigger than you could ever do by yourself. In my talent solo, it is a much more intimate setting where I am able to share my own personality and my own story.
How did you select your platform, “Welcome to Holland: The Beauty of Diff-abilities”?
There is a poem called "Welcome to Holland" that has been hanging on my fridge since my little sister, Nicole, came home from the hospital with a Congenital Heart Defect. Anyone reading this should google it and read it fully! It expresses the importance of opening your life to accept the beauty that comes with our difference, instead of being closed up and upset that your life may have been pointed in a different direction than you were expecting.
I would like to mention however, that I decided to change the title of my platform this year to "The Beauty of Diff-abilities: Creating Opportunities for a Brighter Future," as I believe it is more relevant for a larger audience to understand and be able to relate to. My goal is to create opportunities for children and adults with disabilities that will help them build genuine connections, normalized friendships and an expansion of activities (most of which are in the form of movement and dance!) My platform is something that I need to get everybody involved with, whether you have a disability or you are able-bodied, because we all have so much to offer in each others lives.
What should I know about “APSI: Love to Serve”?
Who was your favorite Red Sox player growing up? Why?
Big Papi, of course! He was a part of the team to break "the curse" and always fun to watch. You could tell that he was a guy everyone liked, even the guys on the other teams he seemed to be friends with!
What is your favorite part about being at Fenway to watch the Sox in person?
I love the atmosphere of Boston fans! It's always so fun seeing how everyone comes together for the love of baseball, and of course my very favorite part is singing "Sweet Caroline!"
What are you most looking forward to about the upcoming 2018 Red Sox season?
Well.... every year the newly crowned Miss New Hampshire along with the executive board attend a Red Sox game together. I look forward to seeing who gets to attend this year!
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Agreed, that would be a fun trip!
As always, I want to thank Sarah for visiting. She had a lot of wonderful things to say. I also want to thank her for sending along so many pictures to accompany the interview. They covered every aspect of what we talked about, which is great.
As Sarah continues her time as Miss Greater Derry, I encourage you to follow her on the official Facebook page and Instagram account. You should also check out the Facebook page for her non-profit APSI: Love To Serve to follow along with all the good work she's doing there.
And, of course, I want to wish Sarah luck this spring when she competes for the Miss New Hampshire crown. Can you believe that Sarah marks the 20th titleholder that will be competing this year who has visited Section 36? How awesome would it be for one of them to come out on top?
Thanks again Sarah, and good luck!
