Standout Retreat in Virginia

As I boarded my plane, I wondered what my weekend was going to be like. I was excited to get to the Master's Inn retreat and meet the girls who would be going to Miss Teen USA with me. I expected to do some team building activities, have a ton of fun with the girls, and leave with some new friends. I never could have expected to take away what I did from my weekend. Although all of those things happened, I learned so much about myself that I had never realized. I came away from the weekend more confident in my abilities and was more confident in the person I have become. I would recommend these retreats to anyone because although you do so many fun things, there is also a deeper benefit to going.

As we unloaded our stuff into camp, I looked around the area and felt at home. Virginia in January looked a lot like Vermont in October. Everywhere I looked there were tall trees, rocks and you guessed it, dirt! Some girls weren't keen on the rustic area at first, but I loved it. I was comfortable in this setting, and that level of familiarity pushed me to do some crazy things! Team building and bonding with the other girls was a huge part of the weekend. We raced up a 40 foot rock wall, only to walk on a skinny board to the other side of the wall to be attached to a zip line. It was so invigorating once I was finally

flying through the air and thought, " wow, I can't

believe

I am doing this!" Next we traveled a little ways into the woods to an activity called "The Leap of Faith." Wow. I was strapped into a harness then climbed up the tiny pegs on the side of a telephone pole ( it was inactive of course!) and stood over 40 feet in the air on the top of the telephone pole. It was the most exciting yet terrifying thing I had ever done. Once I had stood up, my next goal was to jump like Superwoman to grab onto a trapeze located in the front of the pole. On the count of three I jumped and caught the trapeze! As I dangled 50 feet in the air I had never felt so confident in my strengths as a person. Although it sounds crazy, these were some of the best activities I have ever participated in. After this, we went horseback riding. I love to ride horseback, so this was the thing for me. Since I have experience as a rider, the ranch owners gave me one of the more "temper mental" horses. Oh boy was that an interesting ride! After that, we had the opportunity to try lassoing and riding a fake bull. The bull was such a fun thing to try! I stayed on for quite some time before tumbling off. I have to say, I had a great time at the ranch!

The next evening came, and many of the girls from the weekend had caught their flights home. Some of us however had one more activity to try. We went to the Snowflex which is the only snowboarding and skiing place in the country right now that has no real snow and uses turf instead. I was skeptical at first because I am a Vermont snow bunny, but was quickly proven wrong. I was able to inner tube down the mountain and it was incredible! There was no snow, yet I was zooming down the hill like if I had been back in Vermont. It wasn't cold, and you never got wet! Chelsea Cooley, Miss USA 2005, and AT Dunn definitely made sure we all had a fun-filled weekend! I am never going to forget all of the crazy things we did!

As the weekend came to a close and I boarded my plane back to Vermont, I sat and thought about what I had just experienced. Not only did I meet some amazing girls that I will be able to keep in touch with, but I experienced things I may never have experienced if I hadn't been crowned Miss Vermont Teen USA 2010. I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am to have been given this year full of opportunity. I am thankful to everyone who helped me get here, and can't wait to see what comes next.

Thank you to all the people who made my weekend possible- I will remember this weekend and what it taught me for the rest of my life.

Love always, Shelby Gregoire.

I'm headed to Virginia!

I have a very exciting weekend ahead of me. I will be attending a contestant retreat with many of the other state titleholders in Virginia. It is let by led by former Miss USA, Chelsea Cooley. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to meet the girls I will be going to nationals with, and am grateful to have the chance to improve my skills with Chelsea's expertise. Although we will participating in seminars, we will also have time to relax. We will be horseback riding and doing a ropes course. As a Vermonter, I can't wait to do something outside!

I must admit that I am a little nervous because this is the first time I will be flying alone. I am very independent and will be able to handle it with ease, but it is a little nerve-wracking to know I will be totally alone! I am excited though, and can't wait until tomorrow afternoon when the weekend will begin!

I will let everyone know how it went and post lots of pictures!

Best Wishes, Shelby.

Official Photo Shoot!

Going to my official photo shoot was awesome! I traveled to Massachusetts with my parents to meet up with the rest of the queens. Neil transformed me with beautiful hair and gorgeous make-up. It felt great to be in that type of setting, and I couldn't wait to put on some of my gowns and pose for the camera. Between shots I got to talk with Lacey, Ashley, Brooke, Alyssa, and Nydelis and it was fun to have everyone together for the first time.

I took photos for my autograph cards ( soon to come!) and photos for the website. At the end of the day, we were also able to get some great group shots

with all six Clemente girls.

Right when the shoot was done, we were swept off to a wonderful dinner with our directors, Laurie and Anthony Clemente. They treated us like royalty and I had an amazing time getting to know them, my sister queens, and their families. I left that meal thinking, "Wow, how can this be happening to me?" I am still on cloud nine, and I am so thankful to have been given this opportunity. I am optimistic that this is going to be the

best year of my life, and I can only imagine what tomorrow will bring! : )

Miss Connecticut USA

At the end of November it was time to go to Miss Connecticut USA to meet the last two ladies who would become part of the Clemente family, and become my sister queens. I could not wait to find out who was going to win, and I had my bags packed a week early because I was so excited for the weekend. Throughout the weekend I was able to get to know the contes

tants and knew from the beginning that it was going to be a tough competition!

I was so exciting to be rooming with Nydelis again because we always make our time together something to remember. I also started getting to know Mass Teen, Brooke, and we hit it off from the start! After only spending a few hours together we were finishing each others sentences and laughing together like we had known each other for years. It felt great to have been blessed with sister queens that I loved spending time with.

During the night of crowning I was nervous, but excited for all of the girls. You could tell they all had put in the time and really wanted the title. I knew that only two could win, but I also knew that each and every girl wanted to walk away with the crown. I've always believed that you will win some and lose some, but a true test of your character comes when you can go up to the girl who has just placed ahead of you and give her a "congratulations" from the heart. I've been in that position before and I know that it can be hard. In the end though, hard work and dedication pay off and the girls who walk away with the crowns set out on a new journey that will change their lives forever.

As the music began to boom and the contestants c

ame out on the stage for opening number I was in heaven. I could remember the feeling of being on stage, ready to see what the the competition would bring. After all of the phases of competition and the call of top 5, I was ecstatic because I knew I would soon be finding out who I would be spending my year with.

I was thrilled when Alyssa won. I was literally jumping up and down because I love her! I had competed with her in the past and we had connected from the first time we met. I knew from the moment she won that we were going to enjoy out year together! Soon, the Miss winner was being called. When Ashley won I knew the Clemente family was finally perfect! I could not be more proud of the Connecticut girls and I am excited to be in the USA Class

of 2010 with them as well!I had an amazing weekend with all of my sisters and I know that I will never have to carry out this new journey I am on alone!

Christmas Tree Lighting on Church Street

Nydelis and I had an appearance for the Christmas Tree Lighting on Church Street in Burlington early this winter. I must say, we had a blast! Even though it was snowing, pouring rain, and extremely cold we still had a good time together. We were able to take pictures with many of our supporters and were interviewed on WPTZ. Nydelis and I were the first people to donate toys to a local holiday drive called " Toys for Kids" and our contribution was recognized on the evening news. It felt great to trek out into Vermont's unpredictable weather to give back to a community that has given me so much support. After the lighting, Nydelis and I decided to have even more fun by going to get some of Church Street's famous kettle corn popcorn, and shop in one of our all-time favorite stores.

I am loving my year and can't wait to see what is to come!

Off to Welcome My Miss Mass Sister Queens

One the things I was most excited about at the beginning of my reign was meeting the girls I would be spending my year with. Attending Miss Massachusetts USA with Nydelis was a great kick off to the year. When I arrived at their rehearsals, I could see the ladies were ready for competition. Some girls were stressing out, and I felt for them. I was in the same seats they were in just a few weeks before and I know what it is like to want something so bad. I took a moment to tell the contestants vying for the title to embrace the experience and take it for what it was. I think it helped some of the ladies to know that it had taken me four years to win the title, and that even if it wasn't their year, persistence would pay off if they kept coming back to compete.

On the opening night of the show, I could feel my heart begin to race as the very song that I had won to began to play. As the girls stormed the stage I think I was just as nervous as I had been when I was competing! I could not wait to meet my new sister queens, so by Sunday night I was so excited to see what the outcome would be. I can honestly say that I could not be happier with my Mass sister queens. Lacey and Brooke are talented women and I am so proud to be in the USA Class of 2010 with them!

BEA Scholarship Fundraising Event

In November, Nydelis and I supported my school's Barre Education Association by going to the Harlem Superstars vs. School Faculty Scholarship Fundraiser basketball game. The gym was packed with little kids waiting to see the stunts and comedy that the basketball team was made famous for. We were introduced at half time and took pictures with fans as well as team members. I was happy to support this event not only because I attend Spaulding High School where the scholarship money goes, but because I am an aspiring teacher. This event was fun, family oriented, and the perfect way to get out into the public eye. What a great way to start off the month!

Barre Here I come!

My first appearance that I did in my town was the Barre Veteran's Day Parade. I was thrilled to have the chance to do something in my home town to show all of my supporters my gratitude. I met some really great people and had a fun time with my Dad. He was a great sport and tagged along with me. My Dad and I don't get to spend a lot of time together where it is just the two of us, so it meant a lot to me that he proudly drove me in the hometown parade. After the parade was finished the people in my community met in the center of down town and Veteran's delivered speeches of their experiences in war and shared memories of the friends they lost. This appearance made me realize that there is so much that I should be thankful for in my life. I am healthy, have the love and support of my family, and everyone is safe. Where I come from has always been important to me, and I know that I will always have a home here in Barre, no matter where life takes me. Regards, Shelby.

My first appearance!

Going to the Castleton football team's last game was my first appearance with Miss Vermont USA, Nydelis Ortiz. We had a great time and were welcomed onto the field at half time. The announcer said a little bit about each of us and afterwards tons of people wanted pictures with us! It felt great to be recognized for my accomplishments, and I have found that there is no better feeling than having a little girl come up to you and ask you to take a picture with her. Nydelis and I had a great time at the game getting to know each other. After the game, we headed to Ben & Jerry's and indulged in a victory sundae. After all of our training for the pageant, we wanted something sweet! We had an exciting day, and I know there are so many more to come. Best Wishes, Shelby.

And the Journey Begins

On November 1st, 2009 I was crowned Miss Vermont Teen USA 2010. To date, being crowned has been one of the most rewarding moments in my life. All of the hard work and determination it took for me to prepare was finally recognized when my name was called as Miss Vermont Teen USA 2010! It took me four long years to win the title, and each year of preparation brought me closer and closer to achieving my goal of becoming Miss Vermont Teen USA. It wasn't an easy road to the crown, but I am ecstatic to finally have this opportunity to represent my state.

Although the crown rests on my head, I never could have done it without the support of my family and friends. My mother and father have always believed that their job is simply to do whatever they can to bring me to the door,

and then it is my job to walk through it. My parents made sacrifices to help me achieve my dreams and supported me every step of the way. I could never repay them for everything they have done, but I feel like winning the title was the best way I could thank them. The support of my brother, aunts, uncles and cousins has also made a huge difference in my life.

Their love and support has always made the trials and tribulations that a pageant girl often faces, much easier to handle. I truly believe that you have to remember the people who got you where you are, because if you forget them you will have nothing to push and guide you forward. I owe so much to my family for my success and I thank them for helping me achieve my dream.

First off, I want everyone to know I am proud of my state and the town that I come from. I am excited to get into the community and do what I can to make any difference. Whether it be big or small, I know that I can do something beneficial for my community as well as the many other towns that make up the beautiful state of Vermont. I will use my title to its fullest by supporting and volunteering for charitable organizations throughout the year.

To all who have believed in me: Thank you for your support throughout this process. I feel blessed and honored to be representing Vermont this year and will strive to make you proud.

Best Wishes, Shelby Gregoire your Miss Vermont Teen USA 2010