The Miss America Organization is proud to announce that Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler has been named by STEMconnector.org as one of the Top 100 Women Leaders in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

According to STEMconnector, Laura was chosen based on her efforts to promote "education for young women and her personal platform: mentoring children of incarcerated parents."

"Much of Laura's time is spent encouraging young women to pursue studies in STEM subjects in an effort to bridge the gender gap among an already pressing issue," according to the STEMconnector publication.

"As I look at the statistics and see that 49 percent of female students say that they chose a STEM profession to help make a difference in our world, I become even more passionate about promoting this type of education. Every day I meet children from all walks of life throughout my travels and they share amazing stories about their hopes and dreams. If we can channel those dreams into applied sciences and formal education and an application of their personal interests, then we can foster them into reality rather than simply smiling with pride," Laura says.

This one-of-a-kind publication honors the careers and initiatives of one hundred women in all STEM industries. With this, STEMconnector aims to advance the cause of more girls and women pursuing a STEM career as the United States' economy relies more than ever on a prepared STEM workforce. The publication was presented for the first time at the U.S. News STEM Solutions Summit.

The women included in this tribute share the commitment of taking over the cause and serving as mentors and sponsors of those who are next in the jobs pipeline. In the STEMconnector publication, readers learn the inspiring stories that showcase the traits needed to advance in the STEM world and how women can make a difference.

The publication will feature several key CEOs, presidents, and key public officials, including four U.S. Senators, an EPA/NASA Administrator, and a Deputy Administrator respectively.

One hundred Women Leaders in STEM will also present opinion editorials featuring interesting data on women in STEM. Some of the pieces written include commentary from the Society of Women Engineers; ABT Associates / TERC; Center for Energy Workforce Development; American Association of University Women; Girls, Inc; National Science Foundation; U.S. News and World Report; The American Institute of Architects; Aerospace Industries Association; and Bayer USA Foundation.

Source and photo: MAO 

Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler was in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, this week on behalf of her sponsor, Joseph Ribkoff, to participate in events surrounding the one hundredth anniversary of the Calgary Stampede. For one hundred years, the Calgary Stampede has brought people from all over the world together to experience Calgary’s unique Western heritage and values.

Laura participated in several media interviews to promote her appearance in the Stampede Parade, and visited two local Joseph Ribkoff boutiques for autograph sessions.

This week, she is in Helsinki, Finland with Joseph Ribkoff, where she is conducting magazine interviews and press conferences, participating in autograph sessions, and visiting a children's hospital.

Source: MAO

Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler participated in the U.S. News STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Solutions Summit last month. The Summit was the first event of its kind and brought together major players to work towards a competitive STEM workforce. Taking place on a national stage, the Summit had a lineup of top speakers ranging from educators, technology experts, policymakers, business executives, government officials, and community leaders. Also for the first time, U.S. News STEM Solutions brought together youth delegations to participate in the Summit so they could actively engage in creating solutions.

As Miss America 2012, Laura encourages women to pursue a college education and focus interests in the arts, as well as STEM education. Along with the Miss America Organization, she supports and targets female students who are currently underrepresented in STEM professions. Laura spoke in the Summit's session on "Leading by Example: The Need for STEM Mentors." She was also a keynote speaker at the Innovate+Educate Youth Summit, where she spoke on the importance of the youth voice in STEM education.

Source: MAO Photo: Deb Knoske

Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler has a huge week of events in celebration of Independence Day. To kick off the week, Laura will spend the day with media today and will participate in the closing bell ceremony with Macy’s at the New York Stock Exchange.

Wednesday, July 4, Laura will join Macy’s Star Spangled Sing Off winner, Kory Leigh Glattman, to sing a special rendition of the National Anthem prior to the start of the New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies baseball game at Citi Field. After the game, Laura and Kory will attend Macy's Thirty-Sixth Annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration. Laura served as a vocal mentor to Kory, who recorded a special rendition of the National Anthem, which will be played during the finale of the fireworks spectacular.

The Thirty-Sixth annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks will fire more than forty thousand pyrotechnic shells during an approximate twenty-five-minute synchronized display. Designed in collaboration with SOUSA Fireworks, the show will be set off from barges positioned on the Hudson River from 18th to 48th streets. With an average of sixteen hundred shells launched per minute, Macy’s Fireworks show is truly a dazzling spectacle.

Independence day revelers from coast-to-coast will have a front row view of the pyro in the sky by tuning to NBC’s national broadcast of Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular beginning at 9 p.m. (check local listings).

Viewing, and other show information is available here!

Source and photo: MAO

Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler was in Pompano Beach, Florida, June 27 visiting with children from the Champions Sports Camp, organized by Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree ministry, an outreach to incarcerated parents and their children. Erika Harold, Miss America 2003 is a board member of Prison Fellowship and emceed the event. Laura was honored to receive the organization's first-ever Star of Victory Award, for children who have had an incarcerated parent.

"I'm a firm believer that everything in life happens for a reason," Laura told the kids. "If you work hard, believe in yourself, dream big, I stand before you to say it really can come true."

The camp is one form of outreach by Angel Tree to children of inmates, including eight thousand in South Florida. It also provides volunteer mentoring and annual Christmas gifts, given on behalf of the incarcerated parent, usually donated through churches.

After her speech, Laura stayed to chat and pose for photos with the kids. She confessed, "I have to put myself on the line every day. I have to make the message hit home, that we're the same. And if my past didn't define me, it doesn't have to define them."

Source: MAO

Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler recently shared the impact of her father going to prison when she was a teenager with the Osborne Association, a nonprofit organization that serves more than seven thousand currently and formerly incarcerated individuals and their families each year, to give a voice to the 2.7 million children in the United States. with a parent in prison. The Osborne Association honored Laura with the Thomas Mott Osborne Medal at this record-breaking fundraising event, which hosted seven hundred attendees. Miss America helped the organization double their audience that night.

“Children of incarcerated parents are an invisible population, and tragically there is no one agency responsible for their welfare,” stated Laura in her platform statement after her crowning as Miss Wisconsin in 2011. “During that time, I experienced emotions of isolation and anger due to the vast publicity this situation was given in my home town. Because of this experience, it has become my mission in life to help children overcome this adversity while understanding they are not alone and must never give up on themselves.”    

Laura spoke at the June breakfast hosted by the Osborne Association, an 80-year-old nonprofit organization that has pioneered programs that empower individuals with current or previous involvement in the criminal justice system to lead positive, healthy, and productive lives, and to deepen connections to their families and communities.  For the last thirty years, Osborne has also led a movement to address the well-being of the children and family members who are left behind after a loved one is incarcerated.  Click here for more information.

Source: MAO

Last week, Miss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler received the Courage Award from the Care Plus Foundation for her platform work in advocating for children of incarcerated parents. She received the award at the Care Plus Foundation's annual Courage Awards in Garfield, New Jersey.

The foundation, in its fourteenth year, honors and celebrates individuals, groups, and corporations that work on behalf of others who face the daily and lifelong challenges of mental illness and substance abuse. Other honorees in attendance at the event include David L. Ganz, Bergen Country Freeholder, and HOMECorp of Montclair, New Jersey.

Source and photo: MAO Photo: Laura Kaeppeler embraces Samira Chapman, a 13-year-old client of the Care Plus Foundation, after they sang "One Moment in Time" together on stage.

Each year the U.S. Dream Academy's Power of a Dream Gala attracts and recognizes celebrities, political figures, corporate executives, community leaders, and this year Miss America Royalty. National titleholder Laura Kaeppeler was honored this week by the academy for her personal platform work with children of incarcerated parents.

To date, the gala event has raised $11 million for educational means to address children of incarcerated parents. The mission of the Dream Academy is to make a difference for at-risk children of incarcerated parents. The academy is an afterschool program that offers academic and learning opportunities to engage children and help them realize goals and ambitions.

Among others recognized at this year's gala were Lars Houmann, President & CEO Florida Hospital; Mark Ingram, Jr., Heisman Trophy Winner New Orleans Saints of the National Football League; Hilton O. Smith, Sr. Vice-President, Community Affairs Turner Construction Company; George Allen "Pat" Summerall, Former National Football League Player and Television Sportscaster; and Kathy Victor, Board of Directors Chairman, Independent Business Owners Association International.

Source and photo: MAO

Miss America Laura Kaeppeler is in New York today kicking off the 2012 Great American Cleanup. Laura will take the stage in Military Square with members of the Keep America Beautiful organization and other city officials. The group will recognize National Volunteer Week and encourage the entire city to focus on environmental cleanliness and sustainability through recycling and volunteering.

There are more than thirty thousand community improvement events throughout the United States made possible by millions of volunteers. Today's event will put these workers in the spotlight and celebration their dedication to keeping the earth clean and green.

Laura will sing the National Anthem tonight at Yankees Stadium. Tune in to your local station to see her and the game! It will air on YES Network and MLB Network.

Source: MAO