I've seen it from four points of view!

Through this week of midterms, essays, and packing for Spring Break, knowing that I would be able to make my way back to Hartsville this weekend kept me going! Last night marked another first in my book. Now, I can truly say I've experienced a pageant from four different points of view. I've been in the audience, competed on the stage, served as the emcee, and as of last night, I have had a seat behind the judges' table. I judged my first pageant, Miss Hartsville High School 2012, yesterday and I will be the first to tell you that the group of girls didn't make my job easy! Each and every girl had her own spunk and it was blast watching all of them command the stage with their beauty and gorgeous dresses. When it was all said and done, Sarah Floyd was crowned Miss Hartsville High School! Judging is a totally different experience than any other I've had. It's like being an audience member, yet you have the job of picking the winners. It's a tough, tough job and it really enabled me to obtain the utmost respect for each and every judge. I will have a completely different outlook from now on when I step in front of a panel of judges, for now I have a true feel for how hard their job can actually be!

In true Miss South Carolina fashion, there were some local queens in attendance to support the event, which is one of the main fundraisers for the Hartsville High School prom. A few of us took a moment to snap a quick picture after the crowning of the new Miss HHS, including my Miss Hartsville sister Mika Friday, Miss Pageland Teen Kerri Gardner, and the newly crowned Miss Society Hill Bethany Johnson! Participating in the Miss South Carolina system is really such a wonderful experience, merely because of the family that we truly become. 

Not only is March a busy month in general, it's also one of the most exciting for me and my platform! In 1943, President Franklin Roosevelt declared March as Red Cross Month, the time of year for heavy emphasis to be placed on donations in many forms towards the American Red Cross. With my platform being blood donation through the American Red Cross, this is especially exciting for me! The Red Cross provides an astounding 40% of the nation's blood supply, and it is only through the work of volunteers and generous donors that this can happen! In honor of Red Cross month and in my efforts to promote their wonderful cause as I make my journey to Miss South Carolina, every day during the month of March, I will be sharing facts, statistics, and blood drives with which you can get involved! I look forward to helping make this month one of the most productive months of the year for the Red Cross! For more information on the American Red Cross and blood donations, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/!