I just spent the sweetest weekend in Chadbourn, NC celebrating one of the sweetest fruits. The strawberry!

Some of my sweetest childhood memories revolve around strawberries. Picking them with Grandma in Robeson County, sharing strawberry shortcake dessert with my sister (If I remember correctly, I liked the fruit and she liked the cream).

As children our parents always tell us to eat our fruits and vegetables in order to grow strong. Many parents watching this weekend's parade probably used my sweet ride as an opportunity to emphasize this lesson. I rode in an enormous shopping cart promoting the "Goodness Grows" campaign for the Department of Agriculture. When I say enormous, I mean my crown would have taken out the telephone lines had I not ducked.

The oversized shopping cart was worth more than the chance to take funny pictures in it and honk its blaring horn. It got me thinking. I used to grow with the help of fruits and veggies, but now I grow as a result of experiences. Even strange ones like riding in a shopping cart with a motor.

During this year I can feel that I've grown up in numerous ways. I had always heard that every young woman who takes on this role comes out changed and I have watched it happen to many of my predecessors, but I never imagined what the year would do for me. Now I know.

Others may not think that you can become worldly simply by experiencing one state to the fullest. But I know it's true. Our state is diverse. As I have traveled from the Tennessee border to the ocean, I have learned more than how to navigate my car. I have learned how to navigate myself through any situation, with any group of people. I have learned to be flexible and comfortable with ambiguity. And as strange as it sounds, I have learned how to be myself. I have been pushed down a path of self-discovery and have come out on the other side with the gift of being comfortable in my own skin and comfortable with knowing that everyone else has their own unique skin, too.

I haven't changed, just amplified the person that I have been. You'll only see slight differences because now I have broadened my horizons and accepted more experiences. In other words, if someone served strawberry shortcake, I would no longer stop with the strawberries. No, no, no! I would enjoy the experience of eating the whole thing!

Signing off Rachel Ray style...

Yum-O!
Jessica

This is a copy of the job description I created to help guide this year's contestants. Hopefully it clarifies what is expected of the titleholder. From my experience, this is what a recruiting post for the position of Miss NC would look like on a job search engine.

Miss North Carolina Job Description

Position description: Miss North Carolina will be obligated to represent North Carolina at a variety of events statewide, implementing the platform of her choice, acting as an official ambassador for the Children's Miracle Network, visiting schools, and preparing for the Miss America competition. She will be expected to perform numerous functions such as speaking, greeting, performing, and interacting with people young and old. She must demonstrate leadership and creativity to generate support in building her platform. Initiative will be an important aspect of the job, as she will be accountable for integrating her role as CMN ambassador into an already-set schedule. Over the course of the year it will be her duty to visit at least 20 middle and/or high schools to discuss making healthy decisions with students. It will be her own responsibility to structure her time so that she can prepare for the Miss America competition.

Required Skills/Characteristics:
Time-management- Don't be late, be early. Fit Miss America prep in where you can.
Communication- You must keep an open line with Beth Knox, your business manager. She books events and takes care of billing and contracts. You will be in constant correspondence, especially via email. This is the only way to stay on top of a hectic schedule.
Using maps- this is not a Miss Teen SC slam! You need to know how to follow directions.
Energetic- Traveling takes a lot out of you, although it is always a good time when you get there. Let's just say I was caffeine-free until this year!
Organized- Because you are always on the go, it is important to have everything you need, where you need it. In other words, you will live out of your car. It should have clothes for any occasion; any needed materials, your crown, a towel so that you can eat out of your lap, etc. You will also need to know where you are going and when you need to be there. Writing things down on your calendar and keeping it with you at all times is a must!
Gracious- I have never competed in a Miss NC pageant that Kay Dickinson didn't mention this word. You will come in contact with a number of hosts, sponsors, children who adore you...it is important to demonstrate thankfulness for the opportunities set before you. Write thank you notes promptly.
Friendly- This goes along with gracious and is a no-brainer. You will find yourself making friends everywhere you go, engaging in conversation. You must show that you are relatable, approachable and a modern young woman (a few terms that the Miss America Organization has really started to emphasize).
Independent- You will most likely do some traveling alone, especially if you choose to become very involved and busy with your platform (which I highly suggest because it adds richness to your year that you could never anticipate). There is not always going to be someone to guide you, sometimes you have to figure it out yourself.
Creative- It is important to let those creative juices flow, especially when putting together your platform. The possibilities of what you can accomplish with the title of Miss NC are endless. Just your name will open doors to making a difference in communities everywhere. Start thinking now about what kinds of things you would do if you were to become Miss NC.
Ambitious- You will receive help from so many generous people throughout your year. However, it is important to remember that the legacy you leave for your year is dependent on your ambition. Others will be happy to help you reach your goals, but they can't do it for you.
Writing- First of all, there is a ton of paperwork involved with Miss America (think how much you had to turn in this weekend!). Second, I have found that people really appreciate when Miss NC blogs about her adventures...and you will have plenty to share. People want a glimpse into your life and writing on the Web site is a great way to give them that.

Primary objectives:
1. Be an involved and engaging Miss North Carolina.
2. Represent your state to the best of your ability on the national level.
3. Leave the Miss North Carolina organization better than you found it.

Final thought: This job description is not just applicable to the position of Miss NC. You can use this as a guideline for everything you do as a local title-holder. Remember that your position in your community is an important one. You don't have to be Miss NC to accomplish great things.

We had a fabulous work weekend. What an incredible batch of young ladies, committees, and families. I hope that everyone left feeling excited and like they gathered lots of necessary information.

Here is an essay I wrote for this year's competitors about the many roles a state titleholder plays:

A common question posed by students across this state is "Do you always wear the crown?" Sometimes I reply saying "Yes, always. They superglue it to your head when you win and it never comes off. I wash my hair around it, sleep with it on. I forget it's there and hit my head on the roof of my car when I get in and out. But it never ever moves." They may believe it for a while, depending on the quality of my delivery. But they usually figure out, that this is not true.

The ladies in here today who are contestants for this year's pageant know that this is not true from experience. They know it is not true because throughout their years as titleholders, they wear many different hats so to speak, not just a crown. In other words, being Miss North Carolina is more than being a typical beauty queen with a sparkly piece of jewelry sitting on her head. As Miss North Carolina, I have learned what a juggling act it can be to manage all of the different roles expected of me.

I have spent much of my year in the role of teacher. Traveling extensively across the state, I have dedicated the majority of my days as Miss NC in schools, reading aloud to children. At times I felt less like a teacher and more like the voice of the book on tape you might be listening to in your car. I also spent hours in the role of motivational speaker, encouraging middle and high school students to engage in healthy decision-making.

In order to get to all of these schools, I have been a chauffer (for myself!) and an excellent gas station attendant. You may not realize this, but I have also been a bookstore owner this year. I don't have to pay rent for my store, it's in my trunk. And I don't make much of a profit, the books are free. I have found great joy in delivering loads of books at a school because it means that my little car gets better gas mileage on the way home.

Sometimes I feel like a press secretary because, at the end of every school presentation I take questions, some of which you would never be able to prepare. The questions keep coming, some inane and some intelligent. "Do you live in a castle?" "Are you rich?" "Do you have a boyfriend?" These prompt me to go into role of comedienne, answering as creatively as possible. "I do have a boyfriend. He thinks he is Mr. NC. Should I get him a Burger King crown to make him feel special?" What I love are getting questions about book suggestions and hearing about student favorites. This is because I am also a lobbyist, a reading lobbyist. It is ultimately my job to convince as many people as possible that reading is important.

In an odd twist of events, I am not only lobbyist but also a politician. I think there may be a conflict of interest there...I am a politician because I consistently feel as if I am on the campaign trail. Making first impressions, kissing babies, shaking hands. Representing a set of values that others will use to judge me with.

I can't seem to leave the public eye. You see, I am also a B-list actress. Didn't you see my reality television show? It was called Reality Check and was featured on TLC for four entire weeks. I know all of America is anxiously awaiting the release of the boxed DVD set of the season, coming soon to a Target near you. On my off days from being an actress, I dabble in a little bit of modeling. Besides working the runway during the Miss America pageant, there are print opportunities out there too. There are plenty of photographers in North Carolina who have sponsored my modeling career, and it seems that their pictures pop up in some of the most prestigious magazines and newspapers across the state, and even nation. One of my portfolio shots made it into the Miss America program book! Forget the fact that every state titleholder had her very own page; this is still quite a feat!

Of course, articles and bios are always expected to go along with these pictures. That is why I am also a journalist. Luckily I studied this particular area in college. I spend time blogging, writing speeches, and sending write-ups on my various Miss NC activities to media outlets. My life is also like that of a journalist because I meet a tremendous number of people, which means asking a ton of questions. I am constantly interviewing others. And being interviewed, I play both sides you see. Being intereviewed is the spokesperson side of me. I represent the Miss NC organization; I represent literacy; and I represent me. Whether speaking with a newspaper, magazine, radio show, or television news program, I am acting as a spokesperson. That means I have to be poised a ready with a quick comeback for anything they may pose.

I have to be quick in other ways, too. Quick wit is one thing, but quick-footed is quite another. I am a pro-athlete. My event? Swimsuit competition. It's an extreme sport. They are looking to include it in the 2012 Olympics. But by then I hope to be retired. There are times when I logged two-a-days. That's about 3 hours of gym time within 24 hours. Most of it light cardio and Bootcamp classes. But my favorite activity to keep my arms in shape would definitely have to be flinging the first flounder into a frying pan at the Seafood festival.

Now, when attending such festivals, sometimes I am expected to fill in as a food critic. They give me lots of chances to taste test a variety of foods such as yams and pecans, but I don't have much artistic license when giving my feedback. There is no way that Miss NC could give anything but a glowing review to those who host her and feed her! Just to add to the confusion, I am also a rock star at these festivals (and many other places). Let's just say, my signature has taken on a frenetic quality that is mine and mine alone.

Being a famous "rock star" is nice, but I am more than that. I am also royalty. I have ridden in a horse-drawn carriage like Cinderella (please overlook the fact that this was at Farmer's Day Festival), I have cruised through the Caribbean aboard my very own ship that boasts all the amenities such as an entertainment facility and a buffet (please overlook the fact that I shared the ship with hundreds of others, including queens from such faraway lands as Colorado and Maine), I have been adorned with custom-made jewelry to complete my evening gowns of choice (and there is nothing to overlook there). If that doesn't make you feel like royalty, I don't know what will.

But you have to come off that high-horsedrawn carriage at some point and realize that there is work to be done. Especially since I am my own secretary and emails abound along with that Miss America paperwork due three weeks into the job. Luckily I do have a business manager who lifts a significant load off the clerical work. I love you Beth Knox! And along that vein, I have a promotional agent, too. I love you Mom! They both freed up my time so that I can be that hands-on kind of manager I aspired to be. I like having that interaction with other people (I mean, that is what I boast about in my cover letter). In order to do that, I have to spend less time in the virtual world of my computer, and more on the road visiting others. And in order to visit others, I have to get there without at hitch. That’s why I became a certified GPS associate. I can get myself anywhere across the state. I have a hundred percent success rate. Only one minor glitch occurred on the way to Perquimmons County, but I am convinced that it was user error.

Once I received my certification, I had more room in my life to listen to NPR. That investment of time moved me closer to reaching my goal of being a nationally-renowned political commentator. A talking head, so to speak. I had my first on-camera consultation in front of a panel of 6 people in Las Vegas. I think they liked me. They called me back to share more with America a couple of days later. 19 million people watched as I gave my own opinion on political topics.

Just as I can GPS and NPR simultaneously, I can multi-task in other arenas as well. This is not so much a job, as a gift. A gift that many women seem to posses! I can eat, put on a crown, apply lipstick, talk on the phone, read a map, and drive all at the same time. Yes, this may be my downfall. I am a menace.

Although I have a businesswoman's mentality (focused, organized, always on my Blackberry), lately I have found the artist in me. I have danced since age 7, but less for art then for the regimented routine of it all. Now I have taken up an art that will actually pay quite handsomely in the future. I am a scrapbooker by trade. My creations hold memories that are so precious to me and I look forward to sharing with the children that I hope to someday have. What a reward that will be. The secret to being a good scrapbooker is having an experience to document and share. And I certainly have that thanks to the incredible blessing of being Miss North Carolina. I plan to return to my former job as an 18th grader, as I explain to my students statewide, but I have another title that I hold proudly and forever. Someone once explained to me that no matter how many Miss NC's follow in my footsteps, no matter how far removed I am from my experience, I will always and forever be "Miss NC 2007". Now that's a job I will always remember.

Best wishes to the Miss NC class of 2008!

Vote anytime for Dancing Like the Stars!

http://www.bubelaiken.org/DancingLiketheStars/tabid/201/Default.aspx

I have been practicing with Roland, my dance partner. What a fun dance!

Swing, swing, swing,
Jess

So, did anyone watch Dancing with the Stars last night? I prefer American Idol, but that's neither here nor there (although I do vote for David Archuleta any chance I get!). After being in Miss America it is fun to know that I understand what a thrill it is to be a part of live television like that!

Well, apparently my performing days are not over yet. Instead of Dancing WITH the Stars, I am participating in Dancing LIKE the Stars. Clever, huh? The event is a fundraiser for the Bubel/Aiken Foundation started by Clay Aiken (hello fellow American Idol fans). All proceeds go to special needs children and programs. As someone who has become super familiar with many schools this year, I know that the foundation has a worthwhile place in our communities.

Here is how it works. A number of local "celebrities" are partnered up with local ballroom dancers to compete in a variety of genres. I have been assigned the East Coast Swing. Through the Bubel/Aiken Web site (which I will post below) there will be an opportunity to vote for your favorite dancers based on clips and pictures. This element will be coming soon, so keep your eyes open for that. The live performance will be on April 27 at 1 p.m. at the NC State Fairgrounds for the Southern Women's Show. There will be judges, including the one and only Joey Fatone, and audience voting opportunities.

Let's just hope that my feet don't get too tangled! This will be a little different from ballet, but I've been promised that I can wear a cute costume...

It should be a blast! Please check out the press release online at http://www.bubelaiken.org/GolfAuctionItems/tabid/201/Default.aspx

Cha, Cha, Cha!
Jessica

This week, during a random exchange with someone I met, that person asked if I have children. Now, I am getting used to that question from students that I visit. My answer to them is always, "No, I do not have children. I am not married either...If I were married my title wouldn't be Miss North Carolina, but what would it be?" Then I hear a chorus of "MRS. North Carolina!"

But when I answered "No, not yet" to the adult, I realized that it's not an entirely true statement. I feel like I have adopted thousands of North Carolina children this year. They are like my very own.

I can see how teachers get hooked, despite the obstacles they must overcome on a daily basis. It's the kids that do it. As a presenter or teacher, it is easy to feed off their energy. And their enthusiasm. And their hugs. You just have to be careful to brace yourself when they hug because they can, and will, take you out right at the knees!

The students I have come in contact with this year have truly impressed me. Even the groups that I thought would be the scariest audiences, MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, have been among the very best. Just this week I visited an after-school program for 6-8th graders who struggle with academics. The school received a grant to pay teachers to stay once a week to help them with their studies. Students are chosen through an application process. It was amazing to see that the students see attendance of the program as a privilege and take their time there seriously. They far exceeded my expectations.

But then again, students usually do. My favorite encounter is usually one when a child asks a very grown-up question that reveals his or her level of understanding. Recently, as I try to drive home the message that community service is more than a punishment entailing picking up trash on the side of the road, I have received lots of questions about helping the poor and feeding the hungry. That's another thing to feed off of...their inspiration.

Two weeks ago, I had another encounter with an exceptional group called "Girl Power." These middle school girls also apply for this program and see it as a privilege. They become young ladies powerful with self-knowledge and world knowledge. I was honored to be the keynote speaker of their ceremony and luncheon. When I walked in I noticed and complimented them on these great t-shirts they had made. It wasn't until I saw the back that it hit me just how special their wardrobe was for that particular day. Printed on the back was the outline of North Carolina and a big "Welcome Miss North Carolina." I autographed the shirts and numerous other things (i.e. napkins, pictures, but NO body parts as a general rule!). They made me feel like a rock star! But, more importantly, I hope they also all have a chance at success and that feeling of be recognized in a positive light. It seems to me that their teachers are seeing to it that they unleash their power to do that very thing.

At almost every school I go to someone tells me I should be a teacher. To me, that is a supreme compliment because it is one of the most difficult jobs a person could have. But despite the difficulties, these faculties dedicate their lives to the job. And to the children. It is unfortunate to me that teachers are not compensated for their role in molding our young people; they should not have to be recruited into a sainthood of sorts, but should be clamoring for benefits rewarded to those working in a tough industry.

Although I may not be a public school teacher, I appreciate the confidence this experience has given me for my next endeavor. In the fall I will begin my last year of graduate school, or what I tell students is the "eighteenth grade." During that time I will also be a public speaking instructor for undergraduates. I could not think of better on-the-job training than the position of Miss North Carolina. It truly prepares you for anything you will do in the future, especially if you throw all of your energy into a cause you find important. I cannot wait to watch young women in upcoming years as they discover this for themselves.

On a final note, Happy Read Across America Week! Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss! Students everywhere love being invited to this party and celebration. They love his literature and the opportunity to wear red and white hats and eat green eggs and ham. Ice hogs love Dr. Seuss, too. This week I traveled with Stormy the Ice Hog, the Carolina Hurricanes mascot. Just don't ask him if he has tried green eggs and ham...

Still tearing up the road,
Jessica

This time last week I was making my way home from one of the most exciting and memorable experiences of my life. One of those weeks where you think, "I can't believe that happened to me!"

And I still can't. It all seems unreal. I. Had. The. Chance. To. Compete. At. Miss. AMERICA. I feel blessed beyond belief.

Of course each of the 10 days was jam-packed with rehearsals, meetings, filming promos, and appearances at the Rambo premiere and STOMP! But despite the lack of sleep and personal time, it all went by so quickly. I think this is largely due to the fact that all of the contestants felt like friends. It was a relief to show up in Vegas knowing all of the girls...actually looking forward to seeing them. Having taped the reality show not only promoted Miss America LIVE!, but it removed the awkward meet-and-greet period and allowed us to truly enjoy the events. It also allowed for us to show sincere support of each other in all of our successes throughout the week.

But the other contestants were not the only ones showing support. I received cards, emails, messages from people at home and hugs from people in Vegas. These are all people who showed support as I worked to get to Vegas; people who cared about me and my goals before I was Miss North Carolina. Thank you for embracing me and the dream of competing at Miss America! It became a dream for us all and we are fortunate to have had the chance to see it come true.

The highlights of the week for me demonstrate how the whole experience really was a dream come true. Receiving a place as a Quality of Life finalist the first day was a nod to the hundreds of hours logged in schools distributing the gifts of books and spreading a love for reading. My work with Communities in Schools of North Carolina has been my favorite aspect of the job, so it was a joy to get to celebrate it and share the details with the community service panel.

The opportunity to interview with the Miss America panel was another highlight. I was especially thrilled to see Robin Meade on the list. When I first met my boyfriend's parents, she was our first topic of conversation because of my journalism studies background and because she is from their hometown in Ohio! A funny world! My every hope for my interview was fulfilled. I was able to speak about things that are important to me and have fun at the same time. My involvement with Miss America began as a result of a couple of people encouraging me to compete after a mock interview session during high school. It is a celebration to look back on those beginnings and how I have evolved in that aspect of competition.

Performing my talent on national television was yet another highlight. Many of you have told me how nervous you were when it came down to the dramatic, American Idol-style eliminations. I honestly did not realize that I had been a character in the "final two moment" during talent until the pageant had concluded. I felt an incredible peace during that moment (and throughout Saturday, really). I felt uplifted by my family, friends, and faith. I knew I was not going to be led into a situation that I could not handle, whether that meant dancing for 19 million people or graciously accepting the fact that I would not continue in the competition. Now that I have watched the show on TV, I see how quickly that elimination morphed into my turn to perform. I had promised myself on Saturday morning that, no matter what happened, I would live in the moment of the event because it only happens once and it would be a shame not to embrace it all. I am glad I made that promise because I do remember it all, including each and every step of my dance. And as I left center stage to reclaim my seat on the bleachers I, for the first time in my life, saw my parents' expressions after an important performance. Now that's a celebratory moment to remember.

And, of course, being named fourth runner-up is a highlight that leads to many more. After catching up with my Vegas contingent (which included family from North Carolina, Michigan, California, and Florida, friends from Raleigh, and 16 sorority sisters from college) I got to come home! Flying into Raleigh, sleeping in my Miss NC apartment, seeing family and friends, and receiving the warmest of welcomes as I continue to travel...these are my life's pleasures and celebrations.

Jessica Jacobs,
Your Miss North Carolina

They say that patience is a virtue. Well, that's too bad because right now I have none of it. Could Miss America PLEASE be here? (They say politeness is a virtue, too).

I have never anticipated something to this degree in my life. Luckily, I leave on Thursday or I might bust. And not because of nerves. My trips to Orlando for MAOT, Florida for the cruise, and L.A. for the reality show allowed me to meet the entire group that I will spend the next week and a half with and took care of any of those butterflies. And you have to trust me when I say that my mother and several others are nervous enough for all of us!

Instead, I anticipate this upcoming event because I see it as a celebration. It is a celebration of years of hard work and dedication. It is my final bow on the talent stage. It is a display of my healthy lifestyle. It is a stepping stone on my educational path. It is an arena in which to share the wonders of my state and the great things that, with the help of Communities in Schools and Children's Miracle Network, I have been able to do for the children in it.

And it is not only a celebration of me and my accomplishments, but of all of those who have helped me get there. In other words, a celebration of all of those people who are nervous for me!

Preparing for Miss America has been a North Carolina project, not an individual one. So many of you have a little stake in what happens on January 26. But no matter the outcome (because not one of us knows if this is in my life plan), I want all of us to revel in the celebration. There could not be a better place to celebrate than Las Vegas!

From a young age, my dad taught me to be a James Taylor fan. I remember hot summer nights with no air conditioning when we would trek down to the cool basement to sleep and listen to my dad play his hits on the guitar. His lyrics ring true to me and my family, especially a particular song that Dad brought up at the dinner table last week:

The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it
There ain't nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to
The top of the hill
But since we're on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride

I have certainly enjoyed the passage of time and will continue to do so. I have a peace and contentment knowing that I have put my all into my job as Miss North Carolina and my preparation for a possible promotion...Miss America. Thanks to all for your help and support.

Love,
Jess