"What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?"

It is 6:01am and I am leaving for my final state competition in Albany in exactly t-minus 59 mintues (but who's counting!?). I cannot believe how fast this day arrived!

Four months ago I was told that the Miss Greater Rochester Organization was coming back. Excluding Miss Greater Rochester I was eligible to compete for 10 local titles across our state. I was faced with a tough decision of competing for the other titles or putting all my eggs in one basket and going for the opportunity to represent my hometown competing in the last local of the season in my last year of eligibility, Miss Greater Rochester.

I prayed for a sign. I prayed hard. I talked about how I wished there was a big book where when you were faced with a tough decision you could just open up the book and all the answers were there telling you what to do. Wouldn't that be nice?

I came across a quote that said, "What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?" I knew immediately what my answer was. In my heart I wanted to go to Miss New York and represent my hometown of Rochester, NY. Nothing felt more right and nothing would compare. So I took a pretty big risk and was honored to find it pay off. I cannot put into words how tremendously proud I am to be Miss Greater Rochester.

This is my last trip to Miss New York. My fourth and final year competing in the Miss America Organization. I've learned over the years how fickle judging can be, how subjective it is, and how one can never really count on anything. And that's ok.

I feel like I've already won. When Miss Greater Rochester is called I am the girl who gets to step forward. I am so excited to represent this area, my home. What an amazing group of people Rochesterians are! So passionate, proud, intelligent, dedicated...ranked one of the top cities in the nation to raise a family! Teeming with culture, music, restaurants, sports, festivals. And I get to brag about it all week long in Albany!

I am going to pageant week this year with a whole new sense of calm. I have worked HARD. I know I am deserving. I know I am ready. I know I would work day in and day out to be the best Miss New York this state has ever seen. I am calm because I am trusting in that work. The hard stuff is done! This is the week where I get to celebrate the area I'm representing and trust that everything else is out of my hands. What's meant to be will be.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped me get here. I am so blessed to say the list is far too long to name but you know who you all are. I want more than anything to make you and to make Rochester proud.



"Give it your best shot and take what comes"-Dad