This past weekend, 9 state titleholders were crowned! Talk about an exciting weekend for a ton of people. I wish I could have been at all of those pageants, but unfortunately I just waited for the results at home. I am thrilled for all of the young ladies, both Miss and OT, who now wear state crowns and you can find out more about them on our news page. But I have to admit that I was particularly excited to see that Sydney Friar is Miss Missouri 2011. As you may know, Missouri is the first state pageant I ever judged and I just love them to bits. And as fate would have it, Sydney Friar competed the year that I judged. She didn't win that year but she really stuck out to me and I hoped fervently that she would keep competing - because I knew that if she did, she would win. And she did! I mean, clearly - Sydney did all the heavy lifting on this one and the judges saw the light in her. But I'm just so inspired when I see someone stick with it and pull through and make their dreams happen. 

Do you have an inspiring "stick with it" story you want to share?