Kaycee Krell Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Kaycee Krell is passionate about bullying and suicide prevention, a future wellness specialist, and the current Miss Cowley County. I was so flattered she wanted to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So, let's see what happens when Kaycee Krell visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Cowley County crown? 

After I was crowned Miss Cowley County 2023 in September, my amazing parents took me to Braum’s (my road trip treat) and we drove the three hours back to Leawood. I vividly remember getting in the car and crying just staring at my crown and sash feeling so proud that I did it! 

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

I am a diehard perfectionist and hold myself to an incredibly high standard. I wouldn’t say I am nervous per se, but I am definitely anxious about being able to perform the way I practice! I put my heart and soul into everything I do, especially when preparing for the Miss Kansas competition, so the pressure to reach my goals and make myself proud is immense! 

What has been the biggest surprise about your time as Miss Cowley County? 

Definitely the partnerships and sponsorships I have established. I knew that I wanted to expand my CSI this year of service, but I am incredibly humbled to have brought on REDCARD KC, DARE Greater Kansas Chapter, and BabyJay’s Legacy of Hope as my partners. I still have some in the works! At this point, I have also brought on 15 brand new sponsors and counting. I am just surprised and appreciative by the amount of support I have received from local businesses and organizations this year! 

How did you select your CSI “The MIRROR: A Reflection on Bullying and Suicide Prevention? 

My passion stems from my own tragic story as a bully victim. Six years ago, I was forced out of my high school when I was falsely accused of “snitching” on students using illegal substances. I faced a mob of over 400 students chasing me down the hallway trying to kill me. I endured daily abuse, hate crimes, death threats, and all of the horrible acts you could ever imagine. Not only was this detrimental to my growth and development as a brand new freshman, but it followed me to the next four high schools that I would later have to attend because I could never escape the false persona made for me or the bullying that it attracted. Yes, my experience was traumatic, but it led me to build an entire platform focused on saving the lives of bully victims and helping them regain their strength, just like I did. 

I established six steps toward overcoming bullying guided by the acronym M.I.R.R.O.R., because I want everyone to be able to look into the mirror and recognize their inner strength–recognition and reflection are the first steps to healing. This framework brought me out of some of my darkest times and I have seen firsthand the impact it has on the lives of others who have gone through similar experiences. 

You’re currently studying Community Health at the University of Kansas? What drew you down that path? 

I actually started out as a Journalism major wanting to go into

News Anchoring. I quickly realized I was listening to everyone else’s opinion of what I would be good at instead of what I knew deep down I wanted to do. I have always been passionate about healing others, whether that was abandoned animals at an animal shelter, cancer patients at my local hospital, elderly individuals in a nursing home, or ultimately victims of bullying like I once was. My sophomore year, I found the courage to deviate from the path that was chosen for me, and instead follow my dreams of pursuing a career in healthcare. 

As someone who has struggled with health conditions, I was validated by many healthcare professionals and I want to replicate that positive and nurturing experience for others. I want to be a Wellness Specialist either in a corporate setting, for a nonprofit organization, or a hospital. This ambition stemmed from serving as the Wellness Specialist for a sorority I was part of in earlier years of college. Promoting the utmost healthy lifestyle (mentally and physically) is a passion of mine and I want to help others reshape their behaviors and patterns and live a life they can’t wait to wake up to! 

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

I would be Mirabel from Encanto! Her story resonates with me a lot and I see myself in her. She was surrounded by others who received “gifts” and spent years searching for her own, but she was always encouraging those around her despite her own internal struggle. She never villainized her family members who had gifts or acted on jealousy, she was in awe of them and treated them as such. Her gift was not something tangible, it was the power and knowledge she possessed inside. She is a perfect reminder that the gifts we have in life may not be traditional, but we are always given exactly what is meant for us! 

If you had an extra ticket to see the Red Sox play the Kansas City Royals, who would you take with you? Why? 

Last year around this time I saw the Kansas City Royals play the St. Louis Cardinals and, of course, KC won! If I had an extra ticket to see the Red Sox play the Royals, I would take my sister who is my best friend. Although she is not into sports at all, I think she’d be amazed by the funnel cake (but only if it is dairy free!) 

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

In high school, I was the designated National Anthem singer for all of the sporting events and it was the biggest honor and joy for me. I’d love to sing the National Anthem at an MLB game for sure!

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That would definitely be a fantastic experience!

As always, I want to thank Kaycee 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 Kansas! It would be fantastic to have the first Section 36 Forever wear that crown.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with Kaycee during her journey as Miss Cowley County. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account. In fact, check out her whole linktree. It's a great way to keep track of everything she has going on. 

Thanks again Kaycee, and good luck!   

Emma Gibney Visits Section 36!

Steve Smith Photography

Section 36 had another visitor! Emma Gibney is passionate about suicide prevention, a talented speaker, and the current Miss Worcester County's Outstanding Teen. I was so excited that she wanted to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So, let's see what happens when Emma Gibney visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Worcester County’s Outstanding Teen crown?

How did I celebrate winning the MWCOT crown? That's a really good question. I'm actually still quite in shock from my win. I have only started in the Miss America Organization about 7 months ago but the first thing I did to celebrate this amazing accomplishment was go out to dinner with my family after. It was kind of crazy to actually go to a restaurant and get stares and wonder why everyone was looking at me remembering that I had a crown on my head but I kept it on the whole time. 

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

A goal that I would love to be able to accomplish during my time as MWCOT would be to bring awareness to my Social Impact Initiative. By going into as many schools as possible and promoting "Suicide Prevention: Erasing the Stigma". I would love to show other teenagers like myself the importance of taking care of your mental health and all the reasons to stay!

What has been the biggest surprise about your time as MWCOT?

So although I’ve only been MWCOT for a very short amount of time there have already been some surprises on the way by having the amazing opportunity of being able to go out into the community and be hands on with the community and its members. It's shown me that there are many things to be done with my social impact and many other things. It has opened my eyes to all that I can do for the time that I have this title.

How did you select your social impact initiative, “Suicide Prevention: Erasing the Stigma”?

I selected my Social Impact Initiative entitled "Suicide Prevention: Erasing the Stigma” becuase of my close relation to the topic. Sadly a few years ago I lost my cousin to suicide, and being on the other end of that news and being the family member and feeling; and knowing that something like this could be prevented with the right knowledge and the right education on the topic of mental health and its importance to take care of your mind is vital and thats why I chose this topic because knowing that even if my SII can help just one person feel less alone then my job as a titleholder has been fulfilled. 

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

Something that I enjoy most about performing my talent is actually something that comes after I perform it. My favorite part is the amount of people that come up to me after and express to me how much they needed my poem or how it deeply connected to them and how it was in some ways inspiring. Because that is why I get up on the stage and face my fears, in hope that I can connect with the audience. 

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

I would finish the sentence "I get great satisfaction when.... I help others". Volunteerism and community service are both two really vital aspects in the MAO and so helping someone not only is helping them and the community but it makes me feel good about myself and the things that I am doing.

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

If I could be a Disney character for a whole week I would choose to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Not only do I believe that I deeply connect with her personally, we both share a love for reading and gaining as much knowledge as possible. In addition, I would like to say a kind heart, but I feel like she represents everything the organization and a Miss America's Outstanding Teen or Miss America should be. She is kind, smart, witty and extremely independent.  

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

If I had an extra ticket to a WooSox game I would take my dad. My dad loves everything sports and even though he doesn't know much about tennis, the sport that I play, you will see him at every single one of my matches without fail, and always trying to give pointers. He's my best friend and that's why I believe that I would take him.

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

Steve Smith Photography

An activity or feature that I would love to experience would be throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game. I have always seen other people doing it on TV and I think that it would be such a cool thing to experience. 

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Agreed, that would be an amazing experience!

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

I also want to wish Emma luck when she competes for Miss Massachusetts' Outstanding Teen! It would be fantastic to have the another Section 36 Forever wear that crown.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with Emma during her journey as MWCOT. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account. It's a great way to keep track of everything she has going on.

Thanks again Emma, and good luck!

Maura Spence-Carroll Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Maura Spence-Carroll is passionate about military mental health, a talented singer, and the current Miss Colorado. 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 Maura Spence-Carroll visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Colorado crown?

I had a lot of friends and family fly in from around the country to support me, so we had a small get together. It consisted mostly of my family passing around the crown and my mom crying because she was so excited for me; there weren’t many food options, though, so my 2 close friends and I ended up going to Waffle House at 1am. The staff all laughed because apparently my teen had come in about an hour earlier! I’ve never been so thankful for a waffle and some orange juice in my life.

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

I have SO many goals I want to accomplish. I find myself having these big ideas, and the difference between now and a few weeks ago is that now I can enact them with more support. The biggest is one I doubt I’ll see during my year, but I can put the pieces in motion to change the way service members think of mental health. It’s a cultural shift, which is why it’s going to take time. The other main one is that I want to see the Brandon Act passed in Congress. It’s a bipartisan bill that would allow service members to receive confidential access to mental health care. I fully believe it would save lives once enacted, so service members don’t feel as desperate as Brandon Caserta did (for whom the bill is named after).

 

You’re the first Active Duty soldier to wear the Miss Colorado crown. What does that mean to you?

It’s surreal because I’m being posted EVERYWHERE – I found an article about me that was on the Yahoo News featured page. I’m Miss Colorado, first active duty soldier to compete at Miss America, all these other things – but I’m still just me. I didn’t expect to have so many people contacting me with messages of support and encouragement. I’ve had veterans tell me about their experience battling depression; mothers message me to say they appreciate me talking about mental health because they lost their child to suicide (those messages are the most heartbreaking), other soldiers tell me that they hope we can enact change because they know what it’s like living with a mental health condition. . . I see myself as the same woman I was before I was crowned, so it’s a true testament to the platform that being a state titleholder awards you.

 

How did you select your social impact initiative, “#EndTheStigma Surrounding Military Mental Healthcare”?

I noticed during my time that there were two barriers to service members seeking mental healthcare: social stigma, and lack of command support (which stems from the social stigma that exists). I decided to use the phrase “22 Too Many” because it became a cultural sticking point a few years ago, but also because I want to make it clear that doing pushups on social media in support, while heartfelt, isn’t enough. Research has shown that people who receive treatment for mental health conditions are less likely to commit suicide. We need leaders at every level who encourage service members to receive care. We need SMs to know that they won’t be judged for receiving that care. Most importantly, we need those who are comfortable talking about it openly discussing the ways that treatment improved their quality of life – from top to bottom of the ranks. Cultural change, legislature, and proactive care – THAT is how we prevent service members and veterans from committing suicide.

As a talented singer, what is your favorite part about performing on stage?

I love telling a story through music! There’s this electric thrill that comes from taking a piece and telling the story not just through the lyrics and melody, but through the emotional aspect, as well. My mom was a Celtic musician growing up, and my grandfather loved bluegrass – both of which are about the story told as much as they are the music itself.

 

You’ve been able to work at the Texas Renaissance Festival. What was that experience like?

That was one of the best jobs I have EVER had. I didn’t mean to audition, but my Aunt Christi convinced me to go to a rehearsal – and by the end of the day, I was on the Scottish court! I was on cast for 4 seasons, from 2014-2017, and I learned a lot about myself as both a performer and human. It also helped me with the anxiety and depression I developed at the time because I was newly homeschooled my first year, and my second season started a few months after my sister Kitty passed away. My cast “fairemily” lifted me and my family up when we needed it most, and I met some of my closest friends from my time there, such as my best friend Maddie!

 

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

Merida from Brave. She’s Scottish, I’m Irish (with a Scottish stepdad), and I would kill to be able to do anything as athletic as being a skilled archer! I’m assuming this includes being in her home for a week, and the Scottish Highlands are breathtaking.

 

As an Astros fan, If you had an extra ticket to an Astros-Red Sox game, who would you take with you? Why?

If I could invite ANYONE, I would invite Aubrey Plaza. I don’t know if she likes baseball, but I’m pretty sure her commentary would be hilarious regardless, and would only be better if she had no idea what was going on.

 

Real life? I would take my cousin Jackson. We grew up together, and we’re still close friends. He also only vaguely understands the rules of the game – that someone throws a ball and someone else hits it and runs – so, again, hilarious commentary. (I just called him to ask what he knows, and he said “I know there’s a ball and sometimes they run a lot”, so I was correct.)

 

Is there a feature or activity of a game at Minute Maid Park that you’d especially like to experience?

I would LOVE to throw out the first pitch at a game! I have approximately zero athletic ability, but to me that’s the perfect gig. I get to throw the pitch and then watch my favorite team play IN PERSON? Magical.

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I'd love to be able to do that as well! 

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

As Maura continues her time as Miss Colorado, I encourage you to follow her title's Instagram and Facebook account. You can also check out the Miss Colorado 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 Maura, and good luck!

Arcadia Ewell Visits Section 36!

Photo by Steve Smith Photography

Section 36 has another visitor! Arcadia Ewell is passionate about the learning to love, a talented author, and the current Miss Worcester County. 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 Arcadia Ewell visits Section 36! 

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Worcester County crown?
The first thing I did was go out to a celebratory dinner with my mother. Afterwards it was pretty much straight to work though. The next few days included a meeting with my new director, a visit to the Miss Middlesex competition, the establishment of my new titleholder account (@missworcesterco) and the beginning of conversations with non-profits in Worcester County to start new partnerships. It definitely was a very busy few days after crowning!

After taking a break from competing, what made you decide to compete for the Miss Worcester County crown? 

I've known since I was a little girl that I wanted the opportunity to serve my state and the Miss America organization. After I graduated from undergrad though, it was important for me to focus on my career and preparing to apply for graduate school. That break was an important time for me to learn about MAO from a volunteers perspective and really think critically about the type of titleholder that I wanted to be. So, after taking three years off to continue developing my network and social impact initiative, and after successfully settling into my Ph.D. program, it was the perfect time to return to MAO for one last year of service before I age out.

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

I have lots of goals I'd like to accomplish! I certainly have a lot of plans with my social impact initiative and plans for connecting with my community. One big goal is to grow my local organization though. The Miss Worcester County org has really welcomed me into the family and I truly believe part of the job description of a titleholder is to build up the program that has given you so much. I hope to start building a network and community in Worcester so that the next Miss Worcester County has a wealth of opportunity and resources at her disposal.

How did you select your social impact initiative, “Learning to Love”?
I like to say my social impact initiative really chose me. When I

was fourteen, I was asked out on a date by one of my classmates and I politely declined. Afterwards, he started disruptively giving me attention in class, following me throughout the hallways in class, and even followed me to my bus each day. He also was harassing my friends and I online. At the time I didn't think much of the behavior and brushed it off as a normal reaction to having hurt feelings. Luckily the behavior stopped after my mom contacted the school counselor, but as I started studying psychology as an adult I realized how problematic it was that at the time I didn't think there was anything wrong with his actions. In fact, that behavior was incredibly unhealthy and fits the definition of stalking, a form of dating violence.

I firmly believe that no one should be accepting unhealthy and abusive behavior because they haven't been properly educated to identify those warning signs and that became the motivation behind starting Learning to Love. Now, I try to prevent dating violence before it starts by providing children, teens, and adults with evidence-based educational information on healthy relationships, forms of abuse, ways to seek help, and so much more. Over quarantine, the Learning to Love website, instagram, and twitter were all launched and I'm thrilled to continue to grow them over the next year as Miss Worcester County. 

You’re the author of the book “Katie Kitty Wants a Hug”. What was the experience like to bring that to fruition?

Photo by Steve Smith Photography

I am so unbelievably proud of this book. I started working with my social impact initiative around six years ago and I often faced the critique that dating violence can't be talked about with children. As a developmental psychologist (in training), I couldn't disagree more! Kids are capable of understanding LOTS of intense topics if we as adults scaffold information down in a developmentally appropriate way. So, I set about creating this book as a tool in my kit when working with my social impact initiative.

"Katie Kitty Wants a Hug" tells the story of a little kitten out for a walk with her mom. She sees lots of fun things she wants to go and do but her mother constantly reminds her that she always needs to ask permission before playing with others or using their things. At the end of the book, Katie Kitty asks her mother for a hug before saying goodnight, demonstrating that she has learned an important lesson about bodily autonomy and consent.

Having this book has been very special. On my instagram I like to track Katie Kitty's travels. Katie Kitty has even made it all the way to China during some of my work as an ESL teacher.

You also wrote the one act play “Breathe”. What can you tell me about it?
"Breathe" is something very close to my heart. As a teen, I lost one of my friends to suicide, unfortunately. This was particularly challenging both because of that specific loss and also because it was my first real experience with suicide. I spent a while struggling through grief and anger, and as a writer I let those feelings out in the best way I knew how - through the creation of a one-act play. I had the honor of actually directing the play for a performance in which all proceeds were donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. "Breathe" went on to win numerous awards from the International Thespian Festival, make headlines from multiple news channels, and be performed internationally by multiple different theatre programs. I am always amazed to see the impact the show has gone on to have.

Photo by Steve Smith Photography

At Miss Massachusetts I will actually be performing a monologue from the show for my talent. I've been working hard to really capture the grieving process within 90 seconds and am excited to get the chance to highlight my talents as both an author and an actress.

If you could be a Disney character for a week, who would you choose? Why?
Belle is probably the Disney character I relate to most! I'm a total bookworm myself and I love how independent and strong she is.

If you had an extra ticket to a WooSox game, who would you take with you? Why?
My best friend unfortunately lives in Maryland so we don't get to see each other too much but she's a HUGE baseball fan so a WooSox game would be the perfect reason to schedule a visit!

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience?
My director and I recently talked about potentially trying to sing the national anthem at a baseball game so that would definitely be something super cool to get to do! More simply though, I'm convinced that hot dogs just taste better at the ballpark. I haven't been able to get to a baseball since quarantine started so I'm definitely looking forward to my next chance to stock up on hot dogs and popcorn to munch on while I cheer on my team. 

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That would definitely be a great opportunity!

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

As Arcadia continues her time as Miss Worcester County, I encourage you to follow her on her Facebook and Instagram accounts. They're great ways to keep track of everything she has going on! 

I also absolutely want to wish her the best of luck when she competes for the Miss Massachusetts title. It would be wonderful to have another Section 36 visitor wear that crown!
 
Thanks again Arcadia, and good luck!

Nicole Steinhagen Visits Section 36!

Photo by Akadia Marles

Section 36 has another visitor! Nicole Steinhagen is passionate about ending the silence surrounding suicide, a black belt in Shotokan Karate, and the current Miss Greater Portland. I was thrilled that she wanted to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So, let's see what happens when Nicole Steinhagen visits Section 36! 

What made you want to participate in the Miss Maine program as Miss Greater Portland?
I have been a part of the Miss Maine organization from the time I was 10 until I was 13. I started in the princess program and participated until I was 13 when I officially decided to compete for Miss Maine’s Outstanding Teen. After a couple of years of losses, I decided to pursue other activities.  The organization is one that I have always loved and admired. Upon retiring from competing in Martial Arts Tournaments, I decided to compete for Miss Maine since it would give me the opportunity to show off my talent. The fact that this year I get to represent the area that I grew up in makes this year even better!

What did you learn about yourself at last year’s Miss Maine competition that will help you the next time you compete?
That sisterhood is the most important part of this organization. I have been able to lean on the sisters I have already met, and I’ve been able to connect with sisters around the country. These girls have seriously become some of my best friends and I haven’t even met them in person. We bounce ideas off each other, stay up until midnight on Facetime, help each other with paperwork, and that is only the tip of the iceberg. 

Do you have a specific goal you’d like to accomplish during your time as Miss Greater Portland?
One specific goal that I have is to educate the Greater

Portland area on the idea of suicide prevention and what we can do to help each other especially as we are coming out of COVID. In Maine, suicide prevention is still very new and I am beyond grateful to pave the path for the future. 

How did you select social impact initiative: End the Silence, Let’s Talk about Suicide?
I grew up thinking that suicide was never going to affect me personally. Five years ago, I lost my grandpa to suicide, and it completely blindsided me. He was my go to for everything and really he was my best friend. The fact that he suffered in silence absolutely kills me. Now I am determined and dedicated to educating as many people about the confidential resources available to everyone, the warning signs of someone contemplating suicide, and what we can to help each other. 

You have a black belt in Shotokan Karate. What got you involved in that activity?

I got involved at the age of 6 when I went to my neighbors birthday party! It was hosted at the karate school and they had classes for us! It was seriously the best birthday party I’ve ever been to!

If you could be a Disney Character for a week, who would you choose? Why?
Princess Anna. Definitely Princess Anna. She is a strong female who didn’t need a prince to save her and she is not afraid to be herself. As an extrovert myself, I love seeing another extrovert in a princess role is so good. These are the women that little girls look up to and want to emulate.  

Portland is, of course, home to the Red Sox AA club, the Sea Dogs. Have you been able to make it to any of their games?
I love going to Sea Dogs games! When I was growing up, I

would go all the time with my family. My favorite was always the fan appreciation day where the players reenact the “Field of Dreams.” Once I got on the performance team at the karate school, we would go and do a pregame show! We once got to perform at a game that David Ortiz was in town for rehab.

If you had an extra ticket to a Red Sox game, who would you take with you? Why?
I would take my sister. Going to any kind of sporting event is always more fun when she is there. Also she’s my best friend and we make any situation more fun when the two of us are together. 

Is there a feature or activity at Fenway that you’d especially like to experience?
I definitely want to go to a Dropkick Murphy’s Concert. I love the Murphy’s and they did a performance at the stadium during quarantine which was absolutely amazing so it’d be more amazing in person, right? 

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It would definitely be more amazing in person! I had the opportunity to see them play a song at Fenway once -- before a playoff game perhaps -- and it was quite an experience.

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

As Nicole continues her time as Miss Greater Portland, I encourage you to follow her on her title and personal Instagram accounts. They're great ways 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 Maine title. It would be wonderful to have another Section 36 visitor wear that crown!
 
Thanks again Nicole, and good luck!