Lenore Rendina - Elite Ms. Indiana Petite

09/02/2026

Ciao Bella Beautiful People! 👑💝💫

I am officially back for another year of excitement, challenging my personal growth, & bonding with the beautiful ladies of Petite USA🌟💃 So grateful for the opportunity!🥰🙏

I hope you will tune in for another year as I continue to learn the ropes! 🤭🤣😘XO

09/02/2026

Recent features in LMA Magazine showcasing my journey with Petite USA! Petite USA

09/02/2026

Buongiorno Beautiful Ones! 👑💝💫

The absolute best way to end a tough day! 👑📦 🤩

I came home tonight to find 2 recent LMA Magazine features waiting for me, shipped all the way from Nigeria! ✈️🇳🇬Talk about the ultimate pick-me-up. 🥹✨

I am so honored to be featured in two recent publications with LMA Magazine as Elite Ms. Indiana Petite 2026. Being selected to showcase the incredible Petite USA system, share my heart for education, the connection to my pageantry journey, and how my community service efforts directly link to supporting my students’ needs was a very special experience.

Huge thanks again to International Community Leadership Awards - LMA Awards for this beautiful spread! Please swipe to see the professional layout, and stay tuned for pictures with the physical magazine soon! 📖👏🎉 (Honestly, after a day like today, I was just too wiped out for a public pics, 🤣😉😭)

08/25/2026

08/25/2026

"It costs a lot of money to look this cheap." -Dolly Parton 💖✨🤭

Today, we lost a woman who embodied the very best of what it means to be a humanitarian & a woman whom I have personally adored since I was a child, so I would be remiss if I did not honor her passing here.

In pageantry, we strive to exude poise, confidence, self-expression, and a servant’s heart. Dolly Parton served as the prime example of all these qualities; she was a perfect pageant QUEEN! 👑💞🌟

As a teacher and a lifelong fan who has visited Dollywood and swayed along to her iconic music for as long as I can remember, Dolly Parton has always been a personal “shero” of mine. To me, she possessed all the qualities I admire in a woman: she was glamorous and charming, but never arrogant; she displayed unmatched warmth, kindness & generosity; she was ridiculously talented and hard-working;
and she never apologized for being her authentic self.

Dolly proved that you can love glamour and still be selfless & self-effacing. I loved that about her. 🙏

This past summer, I had the privilege of visiting her exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and taking these photos. Please enjoy a little glimpse of Dolly’s wardrobe along with some artifacts. (The bag is my school tote that I carry every day.)💗😉👛

I’ll leave you with a final Dolly quote: “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

Thank you, Dolly, for teaching us to strive for more, to love others as we do so, & to laugh along the way. You will be missed. 🦋👑💝

Petite USA

08/23/2026

Ciao Bella Beautiful People! 💝🌸👑

It’s Sunday Story Time: The Universe Always Knows Best! 💫🌱🙏

As I wrapped up my first full school week with my new freshies, fingers crossed, they seem like a promising group,🤞I was feeling pretty worn down on Saturday morning. But, I had slotted volunteer time at my beloved Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Park Forest to help beautify the grounds.

When I looked at the obnoxious neon of the digital clock glaring at me (And yes, I still have one. Don’t you dare laugh. I’m Gen X through and through!)😜 I complained to Dan, “I really want to go, but it’s so early.”
He did not let me off the hook. “Early? What time do you wake up every other morning?”
“5:15…” I groaned.

And so, I arrived wildly ill-prepared with just my Dunkin' ☕ and a smile. 😄(How was I to know I should bring gloves, rakes, and buckets to help with groundskeeping?!)🤷‍♀️🪏🧤

Thankfully, my fabulous counterparts provided all that and more… they brought SNACKS! 🍩💃

What began as a project to tackle needed improvements to the outdoor environment at UUCCPF resulted in deepening friendships and lots of laughs as we worked alongside each other to harness our inner Thoreau. 💪🪵

Thank you to my community at UUCCPF and to my always supportive partner for the push. When we give back, we always get back. This experience was absolute proof of that! 🌳🌸💫

A presto! (See ‘ya soon!) 🇮🇹😘❤️

Petite USA

08/17/2026

New School Year, New Opportunities…💃🍎🌟

I am absolutely thrilled and deeply honored to announce that I have been officially awarded the title of Elite Ms. Indiana Petite 2027 with Petite USA! 👑🎉💝

After competing in my very first national pageant this past July, I learned just how much preparation, effort, time, and energy it takes in fulfilling the important role of a state titleholder & ambassador for the Petite USA system. Carrying out my role with my highest degree of fidelity as your Elite Ms. Indiana Petite/Ms. Congeniality, Elite Division 2026 has given me immense pride and pleasure. 💞🙏

Over this next season as Elite Ms. Indiana Petite 2027, I am committed to continued learning, improving, and growing, while maintaining a positive example for all my young people to push past their fears and work towards excellence! (And of course, I just had to continue, as I simply could not walk away from all my beautiful petite sister queens I have bonded with this past year!)😘👯‍♀️

Representing the Hoosier state is a privilege I cherish. In this next chapter, I cannot wait to strengthen my reach & continue my impact; my focus centers on 3 overarching goals:

Community Service: Connecting with my community through local outreach and volunteer work 🤝

Advocacy: Supporting marginalized groups via my personal platform, “The Ripple Effect” 🌊

Sisterhood: Supporting my incredible sister queens & their personal platforms across the nation (exciting events lie ahead!) 💖

I want to send a HUGE thank you to everyone who has supported me with your kind words, enthusiasm, and encouragement, whether on this page, in person, or via simple positive energy. Your generosity of spirit means more to me than you can ever know! 🥰🙏☮️

Stay tuned for ongoing adventures in pageantry! 😉🌎👑

08/10/2026

Ciao Bella Everyone! 💖🌸👑

It’s that time of year already…we are back to school on Wednesday! 🍎👩‍🏫
So join me for a little “Sunday Night Story Time” before the crazy chaos of a new school year begins! 😵‍💫📓

“How I Successfully Avoided My Housework This Summer:” 🤷‍♀️👑

🏆 Competed at a national pageant with Petite USA
(The stage had better lighting than my disorganized closet.)

👑 Returned home with the sweetest surprise — Ms. Congeniality for the Elite Division-an honor I was truly grateful to receive

(Finding the perfect spot to display took precedence over dusting!) 💕

📸 Wound up in 3 magazine features instead of finishing the landscape projects
(Thank you again Joshua A Vinson Salon 22 International Community Leadership Awards - LMA Awards More Than a Crown Magazine.)

🧳Explored new travel destinations in IN, KY, & TN
(Can’t clean cabinets when you’re not home!)

👯‍♀️Befriended amazing women who have become a beautiful support system
(Chatting with all the queens was of highest priority!)

📦Continued my volunteer efforts in my community- Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, Village of Park Forest, Phil's Friends, Crown

(Apparently, volunteer efforts OUTSIDE the home outweigh organizing my overflowing junk drawers!)

🧑‍🧒‍🧒Enjoyed quality time with my precious “beasties.”
(I am getting a tad too old for Marco Polo!) 🔫💦🤣

💃Ventured WAY outside my comfort zone, and collected enough stories to make those dirty dishes feel completely insignificant.🧽🫧

And honestly? I wouldn't trade one moment... 💫🙏🥰

Now that summer is officially winding down (yes, we teachers equate end of summer=new school year😭), I should probably acknowledge that all the domestic projects are STILL waiting for me…

Maybe when Fall rolls around? 🍁🧹

And what was YOUR favorite adventure this summer? 😎👇I can’t wait to hear all about it! 👏👏👏

08/04/2026

Ciao Bella Beautiful People! 💝👑💫

This one is not rain-damaged, YAY!!🎉 👏😆☔️
A fun perk of being a state title holder with Petite USA™️ Pageant is the opportunity to share your personal story with others!

Sending my gratitude to Sara @ MTAC Magazine for this wonderful feature on the inspiration for my 1st pageant journey, & for capturing my authentic self and how pageantry connects to my personal mission in this beautiful piece!

My 250th Birthday MTAC Look Book feature was fabulous, as well, despite the wavy pages. 😆 Thank you, Sara for helping to get a fresh copy delivered!😉

This feature posed a unique opportunity to share my enthusiasm & heart with others & so grateful for being included in a community of women who empower, support, & inspire each other.
💃🌟🙏

Any girlies who are 5’6” and under who are interested in joining me in an uplifting, positive, & impactful venture, and have a heart for self-growth, service & sisterhood, drop a ❤️ and a line & I am happy to share more-applications for the 2027 queens are underway! 👑

Light & Love to you all! 🌟💫✨


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08/03/2026

Buongiorno Beautiful People! 💝🌸👑

Lean in for “Sunday Story Time”!👇

Have you ever heard of the phrase “Don’t get too big for your britches”?
This is a phrase my mom used to say, in that no-nonsense, utilitarian way of hers, basically issuing a stern warning not to get too full of myself!😬 Well, I suppose I was just a wee too excited for my initial magazine debut, because mom’s long ago warning & the universe swooped right in to put me back in my rightful place when I was feeling just a little too proud! 😂🤭🤣

Check out my video to see what happened! ⛈️👀☔️📖

P.S. (Please excuse the awkward edits…I’m still learning how to cut seamlessly when I talk too long!) 🤦‍♀️😑

Petite USA™️ Pageant
MTAC
Erin @ Salon22 | Crete