It is almost here...the past year on my journey...

Representing Ghana, where one
of my students is from

The time has come... The Mrs. North Carolina Pageant is only 5 days away.  All of the hard work and dedication comes down to one weekend, or does it?  I am not doing this pageant to prove that I am beautiful, or can get on stage and impress a crowd.  I am doing this for the children, the ones who may not have a voice.  Over the last four years of my teaching, including raising my own daughter, and several moves across the state, I have realized something, our children are suffering. We may not see it, or hear about it, but they are.  Opportunities are disappearing, health care and research for life- threatening diseases are being cut, and the education system in our state is barely hanging on. Being a teacher is not enough. Here is a glimpse of my journey, through pictures, of what I am doing to make a difference in my community and my home state of North Carolina.



Learning about Cultural Awareness

Lt. Girty coming to thank my students for the Red Cross Card Drive
we did for injured soldiers and those serving overseas.  We continue to chat with
Lt. Girty through the web, to uplift him, and the fellow soldiers stationed with him.

A very special Make a Wish Young Lady getting her wishes granted!
I was so happy to be a part of this!

Working with Kelly Pickler to make wishes come true!
So happy I had the opportunity to meet her!

Relay for Life team captain for Koontz Elementary for the 2nd year! Amazed at
the dedication of the students at Koontz for working to make a difference! Through
our class efforts we raised over $1,000 dollars in only 5 months!

My class on Tacky Day for Relay.  My little fellow Quincy (front row with glasses)
is such an inspiration.  Fully blind from a brain tumor at birth, but has so much
determination! I am truly blessed to be inspired each day by my students.

Horsing Around Day for Children with Disabilities. 
Prevent Child Abuse Rowan put this amazing event, and I loved working
with each of the children!

This is AJ, another one of my students in my class. This
was his first experience on a horse! I am so happy I was
there to see it.



What I love about being a volunteer and speaker with Hope Cancer Ministries is that they not only provide support
for those suffering from cancer, but also their families, caregivers, and those grieving.
Here I am meeting with two little fellows who have been helped through the
amazing work of Hope Cancer Ministries. 

                                                  

Guest Speaker for Hope Cancer Ministries Concert and youth event. 



My First Airport Greeting for Make a Wish.  This little fellow is
about to meet Mickey!



March of Dimes "March for Babies".  I am so thankful to have a healthy
daughter, even after being born 3 weeks early.  Being a volunteer for March of Dimes
has been a wonderful, and yet sometimes sad experience.  I know this
organization making a difference, and giving every baby a chance!

A very special moment with a very special boy.  Me and my tutoring

buddy Cameron.  I have worked with Cameron for a little over a year

and he is able to be in a regular education classroom! I am so proud of all
of his hard work!

My goal is not just to do all of these great things for these wonderful organizations, but to be a role model for my students and my daughter. I want to show them how they can make a difference, to make sure they know that although they are kids, they are noticed and have the power to do anything.  This is not a platform for me, this is my life.

The Miracle of Make a Wish

By my stand serving drinks!

What an amazing, exhausting day this was! I woke up this morning extremely tired, and really wanting to stay in bed.  I sure am glad I did not.  This afternoon the Make a Wish Foundation of Central and Western Carolina threw a huge special event to raise money for our chapter.  If you have never looked into the Make a Wish Foundation you should.  It is such a wonderful feeling knowing that you are giving a child their wish, especially after they have been through so much.  I have had the opportunity to work in several areas including airport greeting, attending fundraisers and just being a general volunteer.  I can not wait until I get to be a wish granter!

  Today was a special day for the Make a Wish children, and local people to come and have a day of fun at a huge Mansion uptown.  Big thanks to the Johnson family who provided the location (their amazing house), food, and drinks. I also want to thank the DJs, vendors, photo booths, magicians, clowns, and YMCA volunteers. Also thanks to Rachel Carter for taking some great pictures for the event (check it out at My Carolina Town) It was amazing to see how much fun the kids were having, and to see others giving donations throughout the whole event was so encouraging. I even dressed up and went to the photo booth with two Make a Wish Children to get silly, and I had a GREAT time (see pictures below, does not do it justice, will work on scanning a better photo!)!  I got to hear first hand about wishes granted, children going to Disney, a little girl making a documentary about bone marrow donation, and a story of a boy who met Elton John, then was asked by the star to fly to Dubai to see another show! Incredible. Some of these precious children ask to be a police officer, or have a puppy.  The innocence of a child at it's best :)  I know first hand how amazing this organization is, and I am so happy to be a part of it. 





  Why in the world would I be volunteering for an organization like Make a Wish? #1 I love children.  I have a deep passion for children and helping them succeed in the future.  Make a Wish is fulfilling dreams.  I have had 2 separate students I have taught  get to go on Make a Wish trips, and I saw from them, the joy that the whole family experienced! I have had personal family members go through life threatening diseases, and see the emotional and financial stress this can cause.  Many families forgo food and other expenses to pay for treatments, generally vacation is out of the question. I look forward to getting the emails to help with Make a Wish events, because each one reminds me of why I do this. No matter how tired I am, how much I want to rest, I have been given so many blessings and it is time I give some back.  I encourage you to get involved and make a difference.  Donate to the Make a Wish Foundation, and make a difference in a child's life!




The Johnson Mansion, where the event took place.

After the event was over.
Picture by Rachel Carter

I had the honor of serving each one of these special kids

What a cutie! She loved the hi-c and I loved getting them
for her!

 



Sorry for the confusion

Hey everyone, sorry this is such a slow process! Apparently my blog was not available on the web, and not all of my postings were transferred. I am trying to do this process as quickly as possibly, but it is difficult one by one, Thanks for bearing with me!

Another busy week ahead

I love getting involved with so many great organizations and helping out with my community. This weekend is another fun filled weekend starting off with chaperoning a school dance tomorrow night. This always makes out for a great time since I am ALWAYS the gym monitor, meaning I stand in  the gym and dance with the students all night long.  Now I am not complaining, this is GREAT exercise, and I love being there for the students and them knowing that Mrs. Merritt can let loose and be tons of fun! Especially when they play the Michael Jackson songs! Some may know that last year I led a dance team in the talent show, and it was such a great experience working with those 12, fourth and fifth grade girls.  I had so many girls ask me this year if I was going to do it again!
Saturday is going to be filled with "Pageant Prep". I will be visiting Top Notch salon to get my hair done by the talented Amber Sprinkle. I can not wait because we always have such a great time, and my mom is coming along to get her hair cut too!  We will then be headed to look for opening number shoes (those of you who have been keeping up with "Fab Fun Mom" know what a crisis this is. The situation has been fixed, found the PERFECT shoes today (Friday).

After the pampering I will go and do some pampering for others and I can not wait! Saturday is a huge Fundraising event for the Central and Mountain Region Make a Wish Foundation. I will be volunteering and working with some amazing and inspirational children for most of the day.  I always leave Make a Wish Events with such an uplifted spirit (and several damp tissues). The drive and will of these kids never cease to amaze me!

Sunday I will have the chance to meet some fellow contestants at Reign Fine Apparel for some coaching and interview practice. A necessity for us "retired" pageant queens to "freshen up".  I look forward to meeting all of the women, and having a great time!

After that I hope to get to downtown Salisbury to see a truly inspiring teen gather together hundreds of people downtown to talk about the problems with bullying! I look forward to going, and hopefully making a difference.  This is a problem that is plaguing schools across the country and is starting younger and younger.

*If you see me driving around town like a maniac in my Dodge honk your support!*

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Get Your Tickets Now!

Here is a link to get your tickets for the Pageant June 4, 2011.  I hope you can all make it, and if not please support me, and Rising Hope Farms by voting for People's Choice. All money goes toward the Farms and all of the great work they do.  I have personally visited stables like Rising Hope Farms, and see what a difference it makes in the lives of Disabled Children.  Please vote (only a dollar) and make a difference.

Vote here

 Here are some photos taken of me and one of my students. *We are not at Rising Hope Farms * but we are at stables who also do therapeutic riding for disabled children. This was last week at Prevent Child Abuse Rowan's Horsing Around Event for children with disabilities. So glad I could be a part of it!

"It may take a lifetime, but it should not take a life"

     I have been involved with Relay for Life for the last 5 years.  I have been a  part of teams in 4 different Counties in the state of NC, and each one is an inspiration for me.  While living in the Mountains of North Carolina and teaching, I donated to Relay so I could wear my jeans to school.  I had no idea what Relay was or what they did.  It wasn't until my Great Uncle was diagnosed with Cancer in 2008 that I really looked into what Relay for Life is, and decided that I wanted to be a part of it.  I was amazed at all of the different areas the American Cancer Society focuses on, from scientific research, transportation, seminars and classes for those dealing with cancer, 24 hour counseling for those with the diagnosis, Health and beauty classes for women who have lost their hair, and Relay is only a part of this.  I have lost several family members over the last 2 years due to this terrible disease.  A fellow co-worker had on a shirt the other day that said "it may take a life time, but it shouldn't take a life".  What a message.  When I started at Koontz Elementary last year my principal called together the community committee at school (which I was a part of) and asked if anyone would like to step up to be the Team captain for our schools Relay for Life.  I immediately shot my hand up.  What a great organization to get involved with, and get the whole school involved in. 
      It has been a tremendous amount of work.  Each month we have "theme" days where student's bring in a donation for Relay for Life and they can dress up like the theme.  I give out prizes to the students who have the best look in the school, plus I give a staff prize also.  The day of the theme I also take pictures around the school and create a video to play on the morning broadcast to show the whole school! The students love seeing each other dressed up and it really encourages others to get involved the next time! Below you will see some pictures from some of our themes.. Tacky Day, Book Character Day, Hippie Day, College Day.  Not only was I taking on the project of Relay for Life, I encouraged my students to take a part.  A huge part of my job as a teacher is not just to teach them what they need to know for 3rd grade, but to teach them life lessons.  Through Relay my students have learned compassion, humility, and giving back to others.  Our walk is May 13 and 14th and I look forward to spending the time with others who are fighting against this terrible disease.  I look forward to seeing several students from my school walking the first lap with the survivors...showing that these kids will be given more birthdays, these kids will have the cure for cancer in their lifetime, and these kids thank those survivors for paving their way.. What a statement.  This is what it is all about, "Giving Every Child a Chance".

My Tacky Students! Even Quincy, my fully blind student got in on the action!

 Serious Hippie Picture. These students of mine collect and help count the money each month

   Book Character Day- Fancy Nancy- A true Character of me as a child!

Thank you for everything!

I wanted to thank my sponsors for all of the support! With out you I would not be able to do what I am doing! Please click on each business and visit their website. I hope you all will support them like they have supported me!

Lil' Joe's Heavenly Dogs

Carolina's Natural Beauties Pageant

Farmhouse Restaurant

Fuze Salon- Who is also giving a gift to the 2011 Mrs. North Carolina

Studio 7 Salon and Spa

Our Town Photography

Premier Jewelry Designs- Janice Harris

That's Sew Sarah

Sensible Solutions- Michelle White
Shear Magic Hair Care

McGill's Gift Shop

Redsky Gallery

Trust Electrical Company

Tupperware- Bridget Kyriacou

*If I have left someone out I am so sorry and will continue to update at more ads come in! Thank you everyone!