Miss Greater Rockville Makes it to New London

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Miss Greater Rockville reports from the 2012 Miss Connecticut pageant:

Tuesday was the first of our five-day Miss Connecticut Week. It was the shortest, and easiest, of the days, and yet I am exhausted by 10:30 p.m.

Uh-oh!

We descended on New London this afternoon, nearly 50 of us in all, between Miss and Teen contestants. Check-in was from 3 to 5, and we were free to go up to our rooms, bond with our roommates (Misses and Teens room together), unpack, and mingle. We freshened up, donned our crowns and sashes, and walked over to the Garde Arts Center for some photos in front of the marquis proclaiming that our pageant would take place this weekend. After this photo op, everyone headed back up to our rooms to change into rehearsal clothing, and then things got serious!

Our chaperones and other volunteers welcomed us warmly and while we waited for supper, we began rehearsing our big opening number for Saturday night's final show. Miss CT's choreographer, John Carter, has a personality that lights up the room. He jumps around, teaching us the steps and doing them better than we can, and makes us laugh constantly during rehearsal. Needless to say, I love rehearsing our dance - although let's see how long that lasts, with the long rehearsal days to come!

We took a break when our supper arrived (it was pizza, and I DID partake!), and then kept rehearsing until John was satisfied with the number "for now."

He mercifully let us go early, so we could all get some rest.

Before we adjourned, we heard from a number of people involved with the Miss CT organization, including Scott Organek, the Children's Hospital liaison (the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals are the Miss America Organization's national platform, and all contestants fund-raise on behalf of the children treated there); Tom Prete, the state executive director; Marla Prete, Miss CT 2003 and the director of the Outstanding Teen Program; Nicole Nemense, Miss CT's Outstanding Teen 2011; and of course, Morgan Amarone, the reigning Miss CT.

Morgan's words really resounded with me as she encouraged us to support one another and remember the goals of the organization, and congratulated us on our hard work so far. She followed the example of Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, when she took a stone out of her crown for each girl competing at Miss America this past year, explaining that each contestant was a part of the crown as much as she herself was. Morgan thanked us for reaching out to communities and events that she cannot, due to time constraints, always support or attend. Each of us received a dainty necklace, with a single stone from Morgan's crown hanging on a silver chain. I'll cherish it always. Morgan is such an example of beautiful, compassionate, and thoughtful person. I'm sure people always say that about their Miss State, but Morgan is one of the loveliest people I've ever met. Whoever is crowned on Saturday will have a tough act to follow.
So now I am off to bed, and I will update on my travels tomorrow! Wish me luck, Rockville!
- Katlyn