It is with great excitement that I sit down to write a quick update about a special young lady. Miss Kendria Perry has served the great state of North Carolina beautifully as a local titleholder for various preliminaries. She most recently held the title of Miss Garner 2007, and it was at that time that I had the opportunity to get to know her on a more personal level. She crowned me Miss Garner 2008, but little did I know that our journeys would bring us together in Las Vegas at Miss America.

Saturday, members of the Garner committee and I loaded into a van and drove over nine hours to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, where Kendria competed for the title of Miss Pennsylvania. She looked stunning on the stage and captured our hearts with her beauty, talent, and poise. As the pageant came to a close, Kendria was left standing beside her soon to be first runner-up, Shannon Doyle. It was at this point, that I felt as helpless as I had standing on the Miss NC stage three weeks prior.
Kendria Perry was crowned Miss Pennsylvania 2008 and I could not have been happier! We will soon have the opportunity to travel together to Los Angeles for one month, beginning on September 10th.

As preliminary pageants begin to approach, I encourage all young women to consider the possibility of competing in their respected communities. If you need scholarship funds, or you simply want to make a positive impact in the lives of others, the Miss America Organization could be perfect for you! Never give up on your dreams.

Sincerely,
Amanda Lauren Watson
Miss North Carolina 2008

Last Saturday I headed to Newton, North Carolina, for the grand opening of Ana Godoy Jewelers. Mrs. Godoy has graciously agreed to sponsor the Miss North Carolina Organization and also provide me with a gorgeous, hand-made, pair of earrings of gold and fresh water pearls. At the grand opening, I was joined by Mya Hipps, my beautiful Outstanding Teen, the Town of Newton elected officials, and many members of the community. I am excited about the opportunity to travel back to this beautiful town to see Mrs. Godoy and help her to design more exquisite pieces of jewelry to adorn her newly opened shop.

On Sunday it was back to my favorite town of Garner for a homecoming party fit for a queen! The Mayor, Mr. Ronnie Williams, Garner Carolina Princess, and many of the town officials were in attendance. The Miss Garner committee worked diligently to ensure that this was a day that I would cherish for a lifetime.

Monday morning was the culmination of all of the hard work, time, and effort that all of the local queens and families put into the Back Home Boxes for soldiers. Beth and I met with the local representatives for this special project and dropped off all of the boxes, as well as packaged and stuffed a few more, to be mailed overseas. Each and every person was very appreciative to have us with them. Thank you to all who helped us in making a difference.

Tuesday I headed to the North Carolina Legislature to speak on the Miss America Organization as well as my personal platform of ALS. Both Senate and House of Representatives received me with utmost gratitude and even presented me with our beautiful North Carolina state flag. This was a powerful reminder of how a person’s dream, hard work, and determination can make it to the forefront of our leaders.

Thursday I drove to the coastal area to prepare for the oldest Fourth of July celebration in our nation. The people of Southport are truly delightful and very proud of the Miss North Carolina Organization. On Friday morning I was greeted with a delicious breakfast overlooking the gorgeous waters of this area. Then it was off to the famous parade in which thousands gathered to enjoy the festivities. I had the unique privilege to ride in a horse drawn carriage, which definitely claimed attention from young to old. I met everyone from Mrs. Elaine Marshall, Secretary of State, to Marshall the clown who insisted that I trade in my horse drawn carriage for his ride of choice, The Pooter Scooter!

For many people, this is a week filled with family vacations, cook-outs, shopping, and the much dreaded traffic delays, but amongst the fast-paced activities, it is often easy to forget what this Fourth of July Holiday is all about. As I stood in front of 50,000 people on Friday evening to sing the national anthem at Fort Bragg, the independence of our great nation was seen in the eyes of the men and women of our military who stood before me. Never have I been so humbled, honored, or proud to be an American!

Miss North Carolina 2008
Amanda Lauren Watson