Teens today face many issues – peer pressure, stress at school, trying to fit in and find their place, and learning how to love themselves.  It may seem like these issues have quick fixes, but as someone who was a teen not long ago, I understand how challenging it can be to battle these bumps in the road.  In today’s society, teenage girls are fed this constant image of what a teen “should be.”  So how do we change this?  We don’t.  How do we fight it?  Let me tell you… with confidence in our own uniqueness!  Nothing fights peer pressure, stress, and the feeling of being an outsider better than confidence.  With confidence and a lot of respect for ourselves, we can overcome issues we face no matter how challenging they may be.

Now the question is, how do we become confident young women?  Well, it takes time, but in order to do so, you must have the right tools.  I’m a firm believer that pageantry, more specifically the Miss America system, gives you those tools and presents you with the opportunity to put them to work.  Now I’m not saying that you have to compete in a thousand pageants in order to fine-tune your confidence building skills.  I, myself, have only ever competed in three pageants – a local pageant, Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen, and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen – but what I learned from those three pageants and the six years I’ve been involved in pageantry has helped me get to where I am today.  Not only did I learn how not to fall down stairs in five inch heels, but I also learned what it takes to be a poised and confident young women.  All of my interview training, pageant prep, and onstage experience has help me realize that whatever issues I face, whether it be nerves before a college interview or not feeling sure that I fit in with a group of people, I know that I have the tools, the skills, and the confidence to face those challenges head-on and be successful.

Now for those of you teens who may not be in to competing in pageants or for those of you who are but want even more, Teens in Training Camp is the place for you.  Teens in Training Camp will give you those same confidence-building tools to use in a fun, stress-free environment.  Teens in Training Camp will provide you with advice and training from the most experienced professionals in the pageant and performing arts world.  Teens in Training Camp bridges the gap between the pageant world and your world and gives you everything you need to be a confident teen today and a successful leader tomorrow.

So instead of a tip this time, I’m going to give you a quote from Liev Lazarow that I believe fits perfectly with this post.  “She who has confidence in herself will gain the confidence of others.”  I’ve learned to live my life by these words and I highly encourage you to do the same!

I hope to see you in Orlando for Camp this summer!

Sincerely,
Tawni

Hello!  And welcome to the one and only Teens in Training Camp blog with fourpoints!  This blog is just for YOU to give you all the details about Teens in Training Camp and to keep you updated on everything Teens in Training Camp straight from MAOTeen!  So without further ado…let’s get started!

My name is Tawni Darby and I am the founder of Teens in Training Camp.  The idea for this program developed years ago after I competed in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen pageant.  I competed in my first pageant when I was 14 and went on to win the title of Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen when I was just 15.  Although I was completely thrilled to be representing my state at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, I was extremely nervous and didn’t really know what to expect.  My directors did what they could to help me prepare and understand how the national pageant worked, but having only done two pageants in my whole life, I was still feeling somewhat stressed about competing on a national stage.  I didn’t have a program like Teens in Training Camp to give me an inside look into what happens behind the curtain of a national pageant.  After completing my year of service and reflecting on my experiences, I began to realize just how invaluable this insight would be to any teenage girl.  And that is essentially why I wanted to start a program like this.  I don’t want any teenage girl to feel unprepared or afraid of what the future holds.  I want them to be able to go confidently into any situation and be successful because they have confidence in what they’re doing and who they are, whether they compete in pageants or not.  Being confident, poised and prepared aren’t just skills needed to be an outstanding titleholder, they’re skills needed to be an outstanding young woman.  That’s what Teens in Training Camp is all about.  We want to provide an experience for teens that will teach them all they need to know to be successful, confident young women, as well as prepare them for what it takes to compete in any national event.  We want teens to leave feeling ready to take on the world!  I am extremely excited about Teens in Training Camp and all the amazing opportunities it has to offer our next generation of leaders.

Now that I have given you the motivation behind Teens in Training Camp, I’m going to give you one of my very own “Tips for Success.”  Each time I write this blog, I will be including a tip from one of Teens in Training Camp’s instructors or sponsors to help you start to develop your very own recipe for success.  So are you ready?  Here’s Tip #1:

As Coco Chanel once said, “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”  Whether you compete in pageants, already hold a title, or are just trying to survive high school, never forget those wonderful words and always STAY TRUE TO YOU… it makes you stand out!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my next blog!

Sincerely yours,

Tawni