Thankful Countdown

November is one of my favorite months of the year- cool weather, boots and scarves, Pumpkin Spice everything, and of course the little clues that Christmas is just around the corner. November is also the month for giving thanks, and with so many blessings in my life, there are so many things to be thankful for. I thought it would be really fun to count down the top 10 things on my thankful list this year!

1. My Family 

My family is my everything. I love them so much and I know that I wouldn't have the same opportunities if it wasn't for my family and the support they give me. 

I am grateful for my cousins, who make me laugh and bring so much happiness to my life.

I am grateful for my grandparents, Nomi and Nopa, who are always my number one fans and who inspire me every day.

I am grateful for my grandparents, Liz and Pat for loving my brothers and I so much, and for supporting our dreams.

I am grateful for my brothers, who are my very best friends and who I miss more than anything when I am at school. Jack, Matthew, and Cooper I really love you guys.

And last, but certainly not least, I am grateful for my parents. Thank you to my dad for always checking up on me and encouraging me to work hard towards my dreams. Thank you to my mom for always picking up the phone and listening to me, and for being my rock through the journey. I love you both!!

Basically, I have the best family ever and I am so grateful for them!

2. My Friends

Major shout-out to the people who give me so much happiness and joy on a daily basis. God gave me the greatest friends in the universe and I love them all so much. I would be nowhere without them and I am grateful for the friendships in my life.

3. National American Miss

Where do I even begin? NAM has opened so many doors for me and I can't express my gratitude and excitement to serve as a representative of their organization. Thank you to everyone involved with NAM for consistently producing top notch competitions run by dedicated and enthusiastic staff. My sister queens are all stellar girls and I can't wait to cheer them on at Nationals! I am grateful for my Namily!

Love this collage made by Miss California Junior Teen, Taylor Longbrake!

4. My School

UC Santa Barbara is so much more than a school on the beach. I have been challenged, pushed, and encouraged to do my best in every class. My professors are insanely cool and experts in all of their fields, which makes lecture interesting and relevant. Also, I get to wake up the sound of ocean waves, run along the beach, and wear shorts every day. I have never fallen in love so fast as I have with UCSB. I am grateful that I am attending the best school on earth! 

5. My Sorority

The transition from high school to college is a big one, but it has been the best experience of my life thanks to my sorority sisters in Delta Gamma. I am so lucky to be surrounded by such impressive, genuine, hilarious, and driven people. I have found my home in DG and I am so grateful for my sisters!

6. California 

Wonder why National American Miss Nationals are in California? Because this is the most gorgeous state in the U S of A! But really, where else can you walk along the beach one day and go skiing in Lake Tahoe the next? And we have Disneyland!! Cali is really the best of both worlds. I am grateful to live in such an awesome state.

7. Travel 

I love to travel. I have been lucky enough to travel a ton during my 18 years of life; from growing up in Australia to adventuring around the world over the summers, I have had the opportunity to see so many interesting places. I am grateful for the chance to explore other countries and learn from my experiences.

8. Kids

Nothing in the world makes me as happy as spending time with kids. We can learn so much from their excitement and attitude. Being at college has made me miss kids so much, so beginning in Winter quarter, I'll be tutoring/mentoring a student at IV Elementary twice a week! I can't wait to get to know my buddy and spend time with them for the rest of the year!

9. Blogilates

My latest obsession, Blogilates, is simply my favorite workout ever. Since doing the beginners workout calendar in August, I fell in love and now I try and fit in a little Cassey every day. Even better, the girls on my floor LOVE the workouts too, so we tend to take over the study lounges for an intense "What Makes you Booty-ful" workout. I am grateful for blogilates and good health!

10. You!

I can't put into words how grateful I am to have such a stellar support system in my life. Thank you to everyone who reads my blog and encourages me to succeed- I love you all so much and I am the luckiest girl in the world!


What are you grateful for? Happy Thanksgiving!


Xoxo,
Jane Kennedy
NAM Miss California Teen

Santa Barbara Marathon

Today I woke up at 5 am and headed out the the streets of Santa Barbara with my Delta Gamma sisters to volunteer at the Santa Barbara Marathon. Even though it was freezing (see me huddling below), we had such a great time cheering on all of the runners. It was so inspiring watching all of the people who have been training for months or even years sprint uphill at mile 9. Thank you to the Santa Barbara Marathon for having us!

Xoxo,

Jane Kennedy

NAM Miss California Teen 2013

NAM Volunteer Service

Volunteer service is an important part of my life because it enables me to help make the world a more positive place. One of the reasons that I love National American Miss is because they encourage their girls to get involved in the community and make a difference: 10% of our national score is based on our community involvement, not to mention that my service is an awesome topic for the interview competition!

Check out how NAM girls are making a difference in their own communities! (Can you spot me? I appear twice!)

Xoxo,
Jane Kennedy
NAM Miss California Teen 2013

Diablo Magazine Blog

Thank you so much to Diablo Magazine writer Mahsa Dinyari for her fantastic article on National American Miss and my involvement as Miss California Teen!

Read the post here: Local Beauty Queen Serves Community

Be sure to check out Diablo Magazine's website at http://www.diablomag.com/  for more information on exciting things going on in the East Bay!

Xoxo,
Jane Kennedy
NAM Miss California Teen 2013

Role Models

Happy almost-Halloween everyone!

Today I want to talk about one of my favorite parts of being a NAM titleholder- the responsibility to serve as a positive role model for young girls.

I can still remember being at camp when I was in third grade, looking up to the junior counselors as though they were princesses. Or getting a big buddy in first grade, and idolizing her like she was a rockstar. Every time I met an older girl, she made an impact on me in some way. Thankfully, I was surrounded by positive role models, and they helped shape me into the young woman I am today.

So what does it mean to be a role model, specifically in today's culture?

With so many negative influences from society, young girls need friendly, confident, and ambitious role models to inspire them. Organizations like the True Beauty Movement and Dove's Real Beauty campaign are working hard to battle the negative forces in our society. Unfortunately, this is not enough. We need superheroes. We need role models!

One of my favorite things about NAM is the quality of girls who compete. Each year at state, I met more and more girls who were incredible in their own ways. NAM girls are already making a difference in their own communities.

We all have the chance to serve as role models- we just need to be ready to take on the challenge. Look for volunteer opportunities that involve working with younger girls- such as working at summer school, a camp, or as a tutor in your favorite subject. Find a way to get involved in the life of a younger girls.

Personally, I love working at Diablo Day Camp (you can read about my experience here). Seeing the girls grow each year gives me the opportunity to see the beautiful and intelligent young women they are growing up to become. It's incredible to be a part of something like that- where you can see your campers grow up and be a part of their journey.

Of course, wearing my crown and banner around always brings flocks of little girls dying to know how I became a princess. I use that opportunity to explain to them how every little girl is a princess, they each just need to let their inner beauty sparkle.

It isn't hard to serve as a role model and often times the best role models don't even know the impact they're having on those around them.

So remember, always act in a way that would make your 10-year-old self proud. You never know when you're going to touch a life!

Thanks for reading!
Xoxo,
Jane Kennedy
NAM Miss California Teen 2013

Daily Dose of Inspiration

Here's a little inspiration I found while scrolling through my Pinterest boards.

As Nationals gets closer by the minute, it's so important for me to just take a deep breath and trust in God's plan. For anyone who is feeling stressed out- whether it's from school, family, or the pressure to succeed- always remember that there is a bigger plan. Do your best- and God will do the rest!

Have a wonderful week!

Xoxo,

Jane Kennedy

NAM Miss California Teen 2013

College Life Update!

Okay, first of all I'd like to apologize for the lack of blog posts lately! So many new and exciting things have been happening that I've just been so carried away. But I'm back! So here's a quick update on what I'm doing, my new projects, and my life as a college student!

All summer, I have been getting more and more excited to begin my life as an honors student at the University of California, Santa Barbara! With a double major in communications and political science, I couldn't wait to start studying what I love!

On September 20, my parents and I somehow squeezed all of my suitcases and moving boxes into our Yukon XL- pageant girls aren't known for packing light- and we were off! After a seven hour drive down the golden coast of California, we arrived in the ocean front town of Santa Barbara!

The next morning, we moved all of my stuff into my dorm, which just happens to be less than 100 yards from the beach. I got to meet my fabulous roommate, Brie, and settle in slightly before being whisked around campus to attend as many social events as possible!

On Sunday, September 22, my parents said goodbye and headed home. While it was sad to see them leave, I was so completely excited for everything to come!

I had so much fun exploring UCSB- the most beautiful school ever. 

I love my dorm- I even have an ocean view!

S/o to Brady for modeling (:

Studying on the Lagoon!

Decorating my dorm room was so much fun- thankfully my roommates and I have similar styles so our room is simply fabulous.

My desk- the calendar was a must have!

Can you see my dreamcatcher?

Monday was the start of rush week (eeeep!), which I had been looking forward to for the past month as all of my friends went through the process and came out with new sisters and best friends. I was SO excited to meet all of the girls rushing with me, but really REALLY nervous to meet the girls in the houses. It was a relief to discover that rushing is very similar to the interview portion in National American Miss- short, individualized conversations that help you connect with the girls in each house. On Tuesday night, I made my first preference list and waited. If you know me, I am extremely impatient so it was a great exercise waiting all night and all morning to get my list back for House Tours.

You can imagine my excitement when I got to go back to all of my favorite houses for House Tours! It gave me another opportunity to get to know the girls a little bit better before making another preference list that night.

We got Thursday off, because it was our first day of SCHOOL! That's right, my very first day of college classes. It was strange walking into a gigantic lecture hall and seeing that instead of 20 other students, there were 850 people sitting there, waiting to take notes. But I survived- and I really love all of my professors.

Then it was Friday night- pillar night for Rush. I went back to five houses and had to make my hardest preference list ever- cutting down from five to two. Thankfully, I had the greatest Rho Gam in the world (shout out to Morgan), who helped me think clearly and make the best decision for me.

Saturday was another day of waiting- a lot of waiting. When Morgan finally texted me that I was going back to my two preferred houses I was overwhelmed- how was I going to choose?

Preference Night with Emma!

Preference night was stressful- until I realized that I knew what house I needed to be in. Even though the decision was hard, I felt peaceful for the first time all week after putting in my top choice.

Sunday at noon was the moment of truth. Morgan handed me my bid and I couldn't help but jump up and scream in excitement when I saw that I was a DELTA GAMMA!!

My bid- woohoo!

I have the best anchor sis ever- Emma!

The most beautiful sorority house EVER!

Delta Gamma pledge class of 2013!

Throwing up the DG sign.

Bid day at the beach with my new sisters!

My anchor sis <3

Brady and I- hall-mates and now sisters!

I was beyond blessed to get my top house after the crazy week I had had, and my fellow sisters and I boarded a party bus and headed to the beach for some fantastic bonding time. I LOVE all of the girls in my pledge class and I feel so lucky to be a part of Delta Gamma, a phenomenal sorority with a strong alumni network, love of philanthropy, and inspirational girls. So many women who I love and respect are also Delta Gammas- including my own mom!

So there you go- I'm living the dream at a fantastic school, with new friends whom I love, intriguing classes taught by brilliant professors, and all as a part of my dream sorority!

Now it's time to get into gear for National American Miss Nationals- less than two months away! I am so excited to represent California to the best of my ability, to spend time with my sister queens, and to meet girls from all over the country!

Life is crazy but I'm having the time of my life and I can't wait to see where the future takes me.

Oh, and I promise to post a little bit more often now that I'm all settled. There are so many exciting philanthropy projects coming up that I can't wait to share about!

Also- please don't forget to follow me on Twitter @janekennedyy and Instagram @janekennedyy for more current updates!

Thanks for reading!
Xoxo,
Jane Kennedy
NAM Miss California Teen 2013