Highland Park Photo Shoot

This morning i woke up really early about 6:30 to be exact to get ready for my photo shoot as Miss Genesee Valley! Why so early you ask? Well I was really anxious to make sure everything was carefully planned out before the hour drive to Rochester and that my make-up was done perfectly and i didn't have to rush. I hate rushing! Did i mention my dog Hampton wakes me up early every morning! He's a annoyance and hes whining at me right now as i blog...he's spoiled. Any who while I'm doing my make up he chews my beloved make-up brush, i almost screamed. It was almost 8:20 by then so i hurried hopped in my car picked up my boyfriend and headed to Rochester. We arrived at Highland Park where we met Calista and John. The smell of Lilacs were breathtaking. Did i mention Highland Park hosts the Lilac Festival and the Lilacs bloomed early, good for us, not so good for the festival which will be held sometime next week until the 22 of May. The photo shoot went great! John Smilie, the Photographer took some great shots!

Leadership Institute

Yesterday i had the honor to share my story with the first graduating class of Just say Y.E.S. Network: Youth Empowerment for Success Leadership Institute. These Jr. High Students went through months of training in life skills and leadership workshops. The Erie County Chapter of the Links, Incorporated founded this program to help young people become assets to their communities and to become future leaders! Where was this program when i was growing up? Its a great start to the future of your youth! Dr. James Williams Buffalo's Superintendent of the Buffalo Public School system gave a inspiring charge to the graduates. After the graduation was over i mingled with the kids and parents congratulating them on their accomplishments. I met a few of the teachers who taught the leadership skills we shared a lot in common especially the fact Buffalo State College was their Alma Mater and soon to be mine. I also had the oppourtunity to speak with Dr. William's the Superintendent of BPS. I introduced myself asked if we could set up a meeting to talk about a proposal i would like to share with him about the lack of arts in the Buffalo Public School system.He willing agreed and i was thrilled! Stay tuned!

Research

April 30, 2009 i presented on research i have conducting for the past 6 months at Buffalo State's Student Research and Creativity Celebration. I presented on Anatomy and the effects Dance has on individuals. Since September i have been working with a group of students during a after school dance program that i teach. From my observation our young ones have horrible posture! Having scoliosis and a hyper extended back i have felt the effects of bad habits that should have been corrected in my youth. So i proposed this....if corrected early on the corrective exercises i have implemented in my dance program will strengthen muscles of the back and help slow the process of degeneration of the bones in the spine. (If alignment is severe)Pretty cool huh? I think so! I am having a great time conducting it, also i learned a thing or two from the chiropractor that helped to back my research. :)