08/22/2026
I’ve wrestled with sharing this, but feel like after a series of questions and comments that I should. On the judges form for AUS we are asked to speak on which pearl of the AUS crown Has the most importance. These are the very answers I submitted.
“I remembered this question from last year, as this is my third-year competing. I have wrestled with this for months because I sincerely cannot pick one. As I only get three minutes with our judges, I can’t convey the magnitude of what AUS and the Pearls have done for me with just one. AUS saved my life. Not in a cliché, flippant way, but in the literal sense.
The Pearl-passionate for me emerged first. After competing for the first time, I became passionate about personal growth and began to lean into what I believe is my purpose. Once you become passionate about who you are, you become passionate about the things around you that matter most. Along the way, I discovered I was passionate about helping others, helping the environment, and living authentically.
Over the last three years, in order to continue making changes, I've had to remain Positive. Even in dark moments, it is important for us to share our light of positivity with others. It helps us to stay focused and grounded. For me, being positive has equated to living a life of gratitude in all things.
The Pearl of being Personable perhaps was the most difficult. Up until AUS, I didn’t believe that I had anything to offer. I kept to myself, pouring my time and energy into my career (the admin aspects) and my family. I wanted friends and craved connection, but I lacked the confidence to pursue them. The AUS family allowed me a space to safely bloom, find my voice, and feel valued. The ripple effect continued, and now I have an ever-growing network of friends and acquaintances. I’ve shared with my children that in order to have friends you must be a friend, and that is so true. The irony is that my entire life’s mission now requires me to be that approachable, personable individual who makes others feel valued, supported, and seen.
Pivotal: AUS was a pivotal point in my life. It was the catalyst that allowed me to see my worth. While I have been on my own personal journey of change, I have heard from others that I have inspired them to begin their own. I don’t pretend to be at the goal line. I’m far from it. But if I can play a pivotal role in anyone’s life that allows them to begin truly living, then that is worth celebrating.
Lastly, Powerful. In the last few months, as I reflect on all that I have accomplished, I am finally able to see myself as powerful. I’ve done things in the last year of my life that I never would have dreamed possible. The most powerful of which was, again, only because of AUS, finding the confidence and courage to return to school and complete my bachelor’s degree this year. As soon as the last assignment was submitted, I registered for my master’s degree in executive leadership and have completed my first semester. Powerful in speaking at a Women’s Summit about my non-profit RE. Powerful in making healthy lifestyle changes, where I have invested in myself, which has allowed me to do things such as hike trails to see wild ponies and traverse inlets on the Outer Banks.
For me, I can’t pick one of the Pearls as they are woven together to tell my story
