Sarah Corrow Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Sarah Corrow is passionate about supporting veterans, a talented singer, and the current Miss Exeter. I was thrilled that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more!

So, let's see what happens when Sarah Corrow visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Exeter crown?

I celebrated winning the Miss Exeter crown with my new sister titleholders at our pageant directors house! Everyone was so excited, and little exhausted, but we spent the night chatting about our plans for the year and laughing together. The next morning I went out to breakfast with my Mom, Dad, Sister, and Grandmother. It was great to be able to celebrate with them, as they are always my biggest supporters! 

 

What did you learn about yourself during the Miss Exeter competition that will help you at Miss New Hampshire?

Miss Exeter was my first ever competition, so I was super nervous. I learned that it is okay to be nervous because it means you care, and the most important thing is to be yourself and have fun! I also was so lucky to have been competing with the kindest, most amazing women in the world. I truly don’t know if I could have done it without them. I’m so excited to be able to go to Miss New Hampshire with them in the spring! 

 

Do you have a specific goal you’d like to accomplish during your time as Miss Exeter?

My overall goal this year as Miss Exeter is getting out into the community as much as possible and volunteering my time. I am especially hoping to volunteer a lot of my time to the local Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) in the area. My social impact, What it Means to Serve, is advocacy for Military Veterans and their families. One of my goals is to not only volunteer my time to VSOs, but specifically tp offer free programming to military families in New Hampshire. 

 

How did you select your social impact initiative, “What it Means to Serve: Supporting Veterans and Their Families”?

As the daughter of two Army officers, selecting my social impact initiative was simple for me! I moved around 7 times as a child, sometimes every year and even to other countries. It was hard making that transition, especially when we moved to locations that didn’t have other military families that I could relate to. My goal is to offer programming, like hiking, surfing, and theme park trips, along with offering performing arts classes, for military children to come together to create a community in New Hampshire!

 

You’re heavily involved in theatre. What do you enjoy most about being on stage?

What I most enjoy about being onstage, and performing in general, is the opportunity to bring happiness and entertainment to others. When I was growing up, I would beg my parents to go see plays and musicals. Afterwards, I would carry that excitement and joy that I saw in the show with me for weeks. That is what I hope to bring others with my performances and appearances on stage! 

 

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

That is a tough question, but I would choose to be Rapunzel from Tangled. She not only craves adventure, but has the passion and drive to do whatever it takes to achieve her dreams! Rapunzel also felt isolated as a child, but ended up finding an unlikely community of friends through a shared experience. I think that is something all military children can relate to! 

 

You had the opportunity to spend some time in London. What was that experience like?

Studying abroad in London was a dream come true. I had visited a couple times before when I was living in Germany, and from those visits I knew I wanted to live there at some point in my life. Though I wasn’t living there full time, I really felt immersed in the culture of the city and with the diversity of the people who live there. I was also able to see ten plays/musicals when I was there, which was a blessing as a Musical Theatre Major. I still hope to live there full time someday!

 

If you had an extra ticket to see a Red Sox game, who would you take with you? Why?

If I had an extra ticket to see a Red Sox game I would definitely bring my dad! My dad was a baseball player all through high school, and has a huge collection of baseball cards. Going to professional baseball games was a special part of his childhood, and I would love to share that with him! 

 

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

As a singer, I of course love when they play “Sweet Caroline”! It is a classic song, it looks so fun, and kind of beautiful, to sing-along to a song with an entire stadium of people!

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That’s definitely a lot of fun!

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

As Sarah continues her time as Miss Exeter, 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 want to wish Sarah luck when she competes for Miss New Hampshire! It would be fantastic to have another Section 36 Forever win that crown.

Thanks again Sarah, and good luck!

Aileen Auclair Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has a new visitor! Aileen Auclair is a dancer, a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Exeter! I was thrilled she was able to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So let's see what happens when Aileen Auclair visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Exeter crown?
I celebrated winning Miss Exeter by going to my director’s house and meeting all of the other girls at a cookout. After that I came home and hung out with my family.

What did you learn about yourself at the Miss Exeter Competition that will help you at Miss New Hampshire?

At the Miss Exeter competition I learned that I am a lot braver than I thought I was. For years I have been a very shy person and public speaking was never my strong suit. At Miss Exeter I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to work on my public speaking skills and meet many new people. This will help me at Miss New Hampshire because I will go in feeling comfortable with the other titleholders and with more confidence in my public speaking abilities.

What made you decide to compete for the Miss Exeter crown?

I competed for the Miss Exeter crown to take an idea I wanted to

work on over the summer and make it something bigger. My platform, Creating a Better Environment Today for a Better Tomorrow, came from my desire to do all sorts of cleanups this summer to better our environment. I decided that as Miss Exeter I could expand this idea so much more and participate in many more activities to benefit our community. 

Speaking of your social impact initiative how did you select “Creating a Better Environment for a Better Tomorrow”?
I selected my Social Impact Initiative due to a community service day my high school had that inspired me. In around four hours, 200 students picked up over 1,200 pounds of trash. This made me realize what an issue littering is and how important each person is in creating a better environment. If every person recycled, or chose reusable options, or picked up some trash they saw, that's one less piece of trash in the ocean or polluting our environment.

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

As a dancer my favorite part about performing on stage is watching

everything we have been working on for months coming together. The satisfaction of nailing a step you have been struggling with for months on stage is very hard to be matched.

You recently returned from the American Dance awards in NYC. What was that experience like?
American Dance Awards was one of my most valuable experiences of my life. There were dancers there from all over the world and the talent was unlike any competition I've been at. All of the dancers were so professional I would have paid to see them. The experience drove me to work harder and strive to be the best dancer I could be.

Who is your favorite Red Sox player? Why?

My favorite Red Sox player is currently Xander Bogaerts because not only is he a good player, he seems to be a very supportive

teammate and good person.

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

If I were to go to Fenway one activity I would be very interested in is trying all the different food. I've heard it is expensive but very good.

If you had an extra ticket to see the Red Sox play at Fenway, who would you take with you? Why?

If I had an extra ticket to Fenway Park I would either bring my grandmother or grandfather because they are both really big Red Sox fans.

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I'm sure they'd both have a wonderful time!

As always, I want to give huge thanks to Aileen for doing this interview, and for providing the pictures to go along with it. They're all so wonderful!

As Aileen continues her time as Miss Exeter, I encourage you to follow her on the official Miss Exeter Facebook page! It's a great way to make sure you know what she's up to!

I also absolutely want to wish Aileen luck this spring as she competes for the Miss New Hampshire crown! Once again there will be several Section 36 visitors gracing the stage. It would be incredible to have her take home the title! 

Thanks again Aileen, and good luck!

Katie Carlson Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Katie Carlson is a twirler, a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Exeter. Just after winning her crown, she

agreed to discuss those topics with us, and a few more. I’m sure you’ll be glad she did!

So, let’s see what happens when Katie Carlson visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Exeter crown?

It's funny, I really enjoy being busy, so I agreed to perform in my baton team's summer show the next day. So I went to a little get together after I was crowned and then went home to sleep so that I could perform to the best of my ability the next morning at the Red Star Show! I had a lot of fun being able to perform my talent routine again! 

You recently competed for the Miss Pennsylvania crown. How do you think your multi-state experience will help you at Miss New Hampshire?

I actually started competing in the Miss America Organization in New Hampshire. I competed for Miss New Hampshire's Outstanding Teen and placed top 5, I then competed in Miss New Hampshire twice as Miss Seacoast and Miss Greater Plaistow before taking a year off and then competing in Pennsylvania. I have enjoyed being a part of both organizations tremendously! I think that seeing how other state organizations work is always beneficial because there is always room to grow. I am so excited to be back in New Hampshire, competing to represent the state that I call home! 

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

I have many goals I’d like to accomplish as Miss Exeter. My

biggest goal is to know that I have helped change someone else's life. Whether that is through community service or working with my platform, I am here to be a role model and to help others live positive lives so they can be role models as well. (one of my biggest life goals is to see the statute of limitations in child sexual abuse cases eliminated. I plan to work toward that goal as Miss Exeter!).

What is your personal fitness routine?

I have always loved working out! I never really took to eating healthy until college, but since then I have learned a tremendous

amount about my health and the goals I strive to reach. I work at Orangetheory Fitness, so being healthy and working out is a part of my life every day. I take Orangetheory Fitness classes almost daily, but outside of that just getting in around 30 minutes of exercise a day is very important to me. What I have found to be extremely important for me is how I fuel my body. I have a meal plan that I follow pretty much every day (everyone needs a cheat day every once in a while!). The journey I have been on with my health and fitness has not been easy, but I'm so happy to be at a place where I feel healthy and confident in my own skin! I just recently started a lifestyle blog to document my best pieces of advice, favorite workouts, and daily motivations! I hope you will all joking my journey by following @katieelizabethcarlson on Instagram and visiting www.katiefueledbycoffee.wordpress.com! 

How did you select your platform, “Child Sexual Abuse – Protecting the Innocent”?

At the age of 11, I walked down the stairs of my family's vacation

cottage and told my family that my brother had been sexually abusing me for years. It was those three long and painful years that shaped me into the woman I am today. I have dealt with setbacks and struggles for a majority of my life because of the sexual abuse, but I never let that stop me. I used it as my motivation to prove that I could and would be better, I would not let what happened to me define my future. The Miss America Organization helped me to find my voice, it helped me to use my pain and suffering to stand up and help others. I now stand confidently and share my personal experiences with the world. Knowing that I shouldn't statistically be where I am today makes me want to help people even more. I want victims to know that no matter the circumstances, we can live positive and happy lives. I want children to know it's okay to come forward if this has happened to them. I want parents, teachers, and anyone that is around children to know the signs of a sexually abused child and to be able to talk to kids about child sexual abuse so that we can prevent it from ever happening. I want to end child sexual abuse. Through my platform, I fight for the most innocent...our children.

As a former Penn State University majorette, does the experience of performing in front of such large crowds help you during the talent portion of the competition?

Absolutely! I LOVED performing in front of 110,000 screaming fans in Beaver Stadium, so I pretend that when I'm on stage I'm twirling in Beaver Stadium again! 

You recently attended a Luke Bryan concert at Fenway. How did you like Fenway Park as a concert venue?

I thought it was one of the best concerts I had been to! They were able to have fireworks during the show and it was a perfect summer night, not to mention Luke Bryan in a Red Sox shirt, singing "Sweet Caroline"...was AMAZING!

Who is your favorite current Red Sox player? Why?

I so wish Big Papi was still playing because it would always be him! However, since he is retired, I would have to say Mookie Betts. I went to a Red Sox vs. Yankees game a couple of years ago and he was still a relatively new name to baseball. I fell in love with him as a player, his attitude and his dedication won me over!

How will the Red Sox finish the 2018 season?

As the World Series Champions of course! The Red Sox have a

great record and are playing really well this season...I know they will go all the way!

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I can't disagree with that!

As always, I want to give lots of thanks to Katie for doing this interview, especially so soon after winning her crown. I also want to thank her for providing so many pictures to accompany the interview. They made it a lot more fun!

As Katie continues her time as Miss Exeter I encourage you to follow her on her official Facebook page! In addition to Katie's lifestyle blog she mentioned above, you should also follow her regular blog to make sure you don't miss a thing!

I also want to wish Katie luck as she competes for Miss New Hampshire competition next spring. It would be so exciting for a second consecutive Section 36 visitor to take home that crown!

Thanks again Katie, and good luck!

Alainna Belanger Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Alainna Belanger is a Registered Nurse, a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Exeter. I'm so glad that

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 Alainna Belanger visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate being crowned Miss Exeter?

After I was crowned Miss Exeter I wasn’t able to celebrate like I usually do. I put on my scrubs and headed off to work for a night shift at the hospital. My coworkers were so excited when I brought in my crown and sash!

What portion of the upcoming Miss New Hampshire competition are you most nervous about?

Since this is my fourth year at Miss New Hampshire I would say I’m not nervous about much, but more excited to be back again doing what I love.

What is your favorite part about singing on stage?

I love being able to tell a story, and share my emotional connection to the piece of music I am singing. When I sing, I feel like the world stops for a moment, and I feel so at peace knowing I get to share my love and passion for music.

At a recent appearance, you were able to dress up as your favorite Disney Princess, Ariel. What makes her your favorite?

Princess Ariel has been my absolute favorite princess since I first saw the movie The Little Mermaid when I was about 3 years old. I can remember standing in front of the TV at my grandmother’s house singing along during the movie. I’ve always admired her beautiful voice, and I think that’s how I started singing too!

How did you select your platform: “The PULSE: Creating a Healthy Community”? 

When I was nine years old, my grandparents removed my sister and

I from a situation that involved my parents and drug addiction. Throughout my life I’ve faced losing my dad to a drug over dose, and my mom being in and out of rehab as well as prison. Facing so much adversity at such a young age has taught me the importance of having a strong community and has instilled a drive within me to impact others’ lives. Thus, the creation of The PULSE; Creating a Healthy Community. The PULSE stands for Preventing risky behaviors, Understanding community issues, Living healthy, Saving the vulnerable, and Educating the public. With my platform I act as a motivational speaker and tell my story to kids across the state, and also am a Disaster responder with the American Red Cross.

You currently work as a Registered Nurse. Where do you see that career taking you?

Nursing has truly become my passion, I don’t see it as work anymore. I love what I do! After working in a few different hospitals, I have found that within nursing I really enjoy helping those who suffer from addiction. I currently am in school to become a Nurse Practitioner, and hope to one day have my own practice dedicated to those suffering from substance abuse disorder.

Who was your favorite Red Sox player growing up? Why?

My all-time favorite Red Sox player growing up was none other than David Ortiz. I remember him always hitting grand slams and wishing I could have been at the game to see it! Looking back at his time on the Red Sox, I admire his leadership skills and strength he brought to the Boston community.

If you can’t sit in Section 36, where do you like to sit to watch the Red Sox?

When I can’t sit in Section 36, I like to sit on my couch watching the Red Sox with my puppy Brady (yes he’s named after Tom, sorry Ortiz)! I love spending time with my family, cooking together, and sharing our love of sports and snacking!

What are you most looking forward to about the 2018 Red Sox season?
I cannot wait to see what J.D. Martinez brings to the field, and as much as I LOVE the Sox, anything is better than last season homerun wise!

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I know I can't wait to see what he can do either!

As always, I want to thank Alainna for visiting. She makes the second Miss Exeter in a row to visit with us, and it's alway fun to see a title progress. I also want to thank her for sending along the pictures that accompany the interview. They always make for a better post!

As Alainna continues her time as Miss Exeter, I encourage you to follow her on the official Facebook page. 

And, of course, I want to wish Alainna luck this spring when she competes for the Miss New Hampshire crown. It's humbling to realize how many women onstage with her this year will have visited Section 36. How awesome would it be for one of them to come out on top?

Thanks again Alainna, and good luck!

Samantha Mackes Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Samantha Mackes is a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Exeter. She's getting ready to compete for the Miss New Hampshire crown in just a couple short weeks. Thankfully she was nice enough to take time out of her busy schedule and visit with us to discuss her time as Miss Exeter, the Red Sox, and more. 

So, let's see what happens when Samantha Mackes visits Section 36!

You've been involved in the Miss NH organization for a while. What do you like most about being a titleholder?

I really love the volunteerism part of being a titleholder! Getting dressed up is great, but I love having the ability and the opportunity to go out into the community and make a change. Seeing kid’s faces when you walk into the room wearing a crown isn’t half bad either!

What lessons from previous pageants can you use at this year's Miss NH competition?

To make every moment count and to give it your all, to never feel like you wish you could change something.  

You made a memorable volunteering trip to Africa. What do you remember most from that experience?

There is so much from that trip that I will never forget. I worked in an orphanage for a week with a group of students and we spent time with the kids and worked around the orphanage. I think the most memorable however would be building a library and a sustainable garden – two things that have had a lasting impact for them. Spending the time to create a library and a garden from nothing really makes you appreciate what you have.

What can you tell me about your platform, "Fighting for their dreams: Nurturing their future"?

My platform revolves around mentoring! I spend a lot of time

working with many different organizations as a mentor, and even created my own program to help encourage peer mentoring in schools!  I work with Strong Women, Strong Girls; Big Sister’s Association of Boston; Mission Hill After School Program; and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. The program I created is called WRITES, which stands for Writing Relationships in the Education System. It is a peer based mentoring program that involves students in grades 1-4 being matched with a mentor in grades 5-8, whom they exchange letters with once a week! The program aims to combine a mentoring relationship with a writing relationship to help not only with social skills, but with writing skills as well. My goal is for every child to have a mentor, someone who is always there for them, outside of their family. 

With all the titles you've held in the past, has anything surprised you about your time as Miss Exeter?

How welcoming the community is! This is my 4^th title, but with all of my others, the community hasn’t always been so accepting. In one case, I didn’t have any specific area because I was Miss Granite State! Exeter has really welcomed me in and made me feel welcome. I’m actually part of their Chamber Children’s Fund, which is a great honor! My year as Miss Exeter has been my favorite so far!

This season, the Red Sox have a changing of the guard. David Ortiz is gone, leaving the team with the young kids. Which of the four B's (Betts, Benintendi, Bradley, and Bogaerts) are you most excited about?

I am most interested in seeing what Benintendi can do! The others

have had their shot to show us what they are capable of. 

Speaking of David Ortiz, what’s your favorite Ortiz memory?

Personally, my favorite memory was seeing my first home run! But in the history of the Red Sox, I’d have to say it’s his first walk-off homer against the Yankees that started their comeback! 

What was your first trip to Fenway like?

It was a great experience! I had only ever been to Fisher Cats games, so I was amazed at how big the stadium is in comparison. I also loved all of the food, because let’s be honest, pageant girls eat a lot! I went with my family for my brother’s birthday, so it definitely has a special place in my heart. 

How will the Red Sox do in 2017?

As someone who is going to school in the city, I love the big celebrations after any major win, so I’m hoping for another World Series win! I’m confident that with some hard work, we can do it, even without Ortiz.

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Hard to argue with that analysis! I hope she gets to go to a parade in the fall.

As always, I want to send a huge thank you to Sam for taking the time to visit with us. I hope you enjoyed it. Another big thanks for supplying so many great pictures to go along with the interview. They really make the interview much better than it would be otherwise.

If you'd like to keep up with Sam during her time as Miss Exeter, check out her official Facebook and Instagram accounts. You really should do both.

And, of course, I'd like to wish Sam luck at the Miss New Hampshire competition starting on the 27th. Maybe her next visit will be as Miss New Hampshire! 

Thanks again Sam, and good luck!