Anna Spaulding Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Anna Spaulding is passionate about helping children in crisis, a talented dancer, and the current Miss Thousand Islands. 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 Anna Spaulding visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Thousand Islands crown?

Winning the title of Miss Thousand Islands was more than just winning the title itself. I was able to win with my best friend Ashlyn Hilts who is the current Miss Adirondack. Ashlyn and I met through the Miss Adirondack/ Miss Thousand Islands Organization and we’ve held titles together for almost 3 years. Being able to celebrate with my best friend was such an amazing experience. Additionally, I was not only celebrating my win that night but my family was also celebrating my sister Emma Spaulding who was Miss Adirondack 2020. Emma gave up her crown that day so my family had a lot to be thankful for. The next day we went out to eat at my favorite restaurant which is the Chinese Buffet in Watertown, NY. I’ve been eating at that restaurant for as long as I can remember so I love going there and creating more memories with my family. I also celebrated by visiting my favorite place in the Thousand Islands, Cape Vincent. 

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

The Thousand Islands region has a special place in my heart. I grew up there and my favorite memories as a child were on the lake or river in the Thousand Islands. My personal goal is to highlight small businesses in the Thousand Islands but I also want to show people how beautiful and interesting the Thousand Islands region is. I encourage everyone to visit the Thousand Islands because the scenery, food and people are amazing. Please check out my social media where I will highlight areas of the Thousand Islands and suggest places to visit. 

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

This is my first title as a “Miss'' candidate and I’m very excited to compete in the newer phases of competition. I am nervous about the Social Impact Pitch because I’ve never done that phase of competition at the state level. However, I have been working hard on preparation for the Miss New York Competition and I’m sure my confidence about Social Impact Pitch will get stronger with some practice. 

How did you select your social impact initiative?

About five years ago, I found the Pajama Program nonprofit organization while scrolling through social media. I instantly connected with The Pajama Program’s mission of providing new books and new pajamas to children in a crisis like foster children, orphans, and children in shelters. As an adoptee and a former foster child, I can relate to these children on a deeper level. Additionally, my entire family is built by foster care and adoption, which is why I am so driven to always put the most effort I can for these children.  I collect, count, and distribute every single book and pair of pajamas. Over the past five years, I’ve collected over 1400 new books and 1200 new pajamas. These items have been donated to three local foster care systems(Lewis, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence)  and 2 local shelters. The goal of providing books and pajamas to children is to promote good bedtime routines by making children feel more secure and comforted. Hopefully, a good bedtime routine will help a child to feel more confident and positive throughout the day, despite going through a challenging time. 

My goal now is to expand the impact of the Pajama Program across New York.

What is your favorite part about performing your talent on stage?

I’ve always loved performing since I first stepped on the cheer mat 15 years ago. My love for performing has only grown as I’ve been able to become more creative on stage. I love portraying my story and expressing my creativity through my dancing and fan work. My most recent performance was a Fan Veil Fusion Dance to the song “Live Your Story” with rainbow fans. This performance was represented my journey of coming out as pansexual and becoming more comfortable in who I truly am. I also can represent my Chinese heritage through the gorgeous silk fan veils. I find dancing therapeutic because I can portray my feelings through my movements. When I perform on stage, it’s the best feeling ever because all the hard work comes together and there’s a sense of accomplishment when I hit all my skills. 

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

I get great satisfaction when accomplishing a long term goal especially if that goal regards my service or scholastic aspirations. Recently, my parents bought me an organizing unit for the Pajama Program and I was able to redo my counting system for the Pajama Program. I honestly felt so amazing after filling the unit with pajamas because I’ve been doing this for 5 years and it felt like the right time for an upgrade. Moments like that where everything feels improved is always nice because then I can make new goals for myself and the Pajama Program. 

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

I always connected with Mulan because I admired her strength and courage but also because she was one of the first Chinese characters I saw in an animated film. As a child, Mulan was the first character I saw that looked like me and that representation helped me be comfortable in my own skin. 

If you had an extra ticket to see the Buffalo Bisons play the Syracuse Mets, who would you take with you? Why?

I feel like my Dad would enjoy this game and I love spending time with my Dad as much as possible. I’m currently living in Ohio during the school year therefore, moments where I can bond with my Dad are extra special since I don’t see him as often.  I remember when I was younger and my Dad coached me in Tee-Ball. I think it would be awesome to bond over baseball again. 

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

I would love to throw out the first pitch of one of the minor league teams in my area. I know my pitch would not be in the strike zone however, I definitely would try my best. 

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I'd definitely love to give that a try!

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

As Anna continues her time as Miss Thousand Islands, 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 Anna luck when she competes for Miss New York! It would be fantastic to have another Section 36 Forever wear that crown.

Thanks again Anna, and good luck!

Francesca D'Alessandro Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Francesca D’Alessandro is passionate about the arts, a talented stage performer, and the current Miss Thousand Islands. I was so excited she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more!

So, let's see what happens when Francesca D’Alessandro visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Thousand Islands crown?

It was so gratifying when I was able to call up my contacts and notify them that my plans as Miss Thousand Islands could begin! My first celebration was going out to dinner with my family, but my favorite celebration was spending a night at Dave and Buster’s to play games and spend quality time with friends! 

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

Currently, I am mostly focused on preparing myself so that I can feel ready and just be present and in the moment during the week of the competition. I am mostly excited to share all my stories and goals for my social impact initiative as well as perform a talent that I love. At the end of the day, if I know that I put my all into preparation and being present on stage, then I have already learned and gained so much experience. That alone is a HUGE win in itself.

What has surprised you the most about your time as Miss Thousand Islands?

Photo by
Eve Taverne

I have been FLOORED by how warm and receptive the community has been in Jefferson and Oswego counties as well as my school in supporting my journey to educate our local communities. What’s been surprising to me, especially, is how excited they were to learn about and explore the topic of Autism. There are many misconceptions about what Autism is and I have been so impressed at how respectful, inquisitive, and accepting everyone is in learning about others who are different than themselves. 

How did you select your social impact initiative, “Triple-A: Adaptation and Awareness for Autism”?

There are many reasons why Autism has been so close and near to my heart. Overtime, the goals of my initiative have changed and evolved and I’m beyond excited to compete for Miss New York to make my vision a reality. Growing up with a parent who was an aid for special needs adults and having multiple friends on the spectrum, has truly opened my eyes on what their perspective on life is. Currently, I work at a school specialized for children on the spectrum and I get to bring my skills as a speech-language pathologist to help them grow in their relationships and it helps with any disruptive behaviors.

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

When I perform, I get to step into someone else’s shoes for a moment and to me, that is the most exhilarating experience to share with others. It’s always a humbling feeling when someone in the audience feels the story I’m singing and shares their personal experiences with me.

You’re also passionate about making sure everyone who wants an education can get one. How did that become important to you?

Education to me is not about knowing the most, but knowing that there’s always something new to learn. It’s important to break glass ceilings for yourself and others. When I became a first-generation college graduate, I got to share my experiences and stories with many different organizations. This helped me understand and appreciate how important scholarship organizations such as the Miss America Organization is to promote not just leadership, but how important funding is for young women leaders locally. 

What is your personal fitness routine?

I love anything that makes me sweat and pushes my mental boundaries. To me, a good workout is one where I got to relieve some stress and push myself to do better than the last session. I never strive for an “ideal” figure. Right now, I mostly incorporate a mix of running and weight lifting and I always feel on my game. 

What do you remember from your first baseball game?

At the time, I had lived in a small town for many years and was shocked at not only how massive the crowds were, but how intense the fans are before, during, and after the game. It was amazing to see the pride and dedication that a city has for their team and I see a lot of correlation with competing within the Miss America Organization. It’s a very similar experience of how communities are so proud and excited to see their local titleholders go on to compete for Miss New York and eventually Miss America. 

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

Previously, I have sung for over a dozen basketball games but I would be honored to sing on the baseball field. It would mean everything if my students could attend since they love watching baseball games and we have had outings where we got to watch some games from the box. Their support on the sidelines as I sing the National Anthem would be so meaningful to me since they inspire me everyday. And ESPECIALLY if it was for the New York Yankees!

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That would definitely be an amazing opportunity, even if it was for the Yankees!

As usual, I want to thank Francesca for visiting and for sending along the wonderful pictures that accompany the interview. They make the post so much better.

As Francesca continues her time as Miss Thousand Islands, I encourage you to check out her official Instagram and Facebook Pages. It’s the best way to make sure you don’t miss out on anything she’ll have going on. You should also be sure to check out the website for her SII: Triple-A Autism. It has a lot of really great information.

You also won't want to miss her Instagram Live series "Spectrum Sundays" performed with fellow Section 36 visitor Meghan Sinisi.

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

Thanks again Francesca, and good luck!