Miss Tri-Cities Blog

WOW! That about sums up the experience. Directly after the crown was pinned to my head I was answering the questions of a reporter and being pulled every which way to take photos. Then it hit that I would make my first speech at the ball in about 30 min. Anyone reading this who actually knows me would laugh because they know public speaking isn’t my strongest suit, and they would guess correctly if they thought I was nervous or anxious. These are the realities of being Miss TriCities. While there are many perks to the job like free passes or food, I’ve come to see that I will always be pushed to be better and at first that is always uncomfortable. I am thankful for the position and even more grateful that the women on the board see fit to push me. As an athlete and a coach I remember what being pushed actually means….someone cares if you succeed at getting better at whatever it is you’re doing….it means someone sees potential in you and will stand beside you to help you meet your goal.

Right now one of my main goals is to bring a group called Children and Adults with ADD (CHADD) to the TriCities. This group is phenominal! This group gives hope to parents, families, and individuals struggling with ADD and ADHD. The conduct free monthly support group meetings, special events and conferences, local resource information related to AD/HD, public education and outreach, and parent to parent training classes. This is a national organization that reaches 7 cities in Washington state, but only 2 on the eastern side, one in Yakima and Walla Walla. It is my belief that the TriCities needs one too. There is one local group that offers support groups in the TriCities, if you’re seeking help right now, and that is the Neurological Center.

As I said before, there are a lot of people helping me through my year, but one group that has been very hospitable is the Center for Pediatrics. They have opened their arms and their office to me, as they do to their own patients. They have offered me an office to work out of in order to bring the CHADD chapter here. I am so honored and excited to have the oppritunity to work with such a wonderful and knowledgable group of people. And who knows, maybe they’ll be able to give me more tips on how to manage my ADD.

As I’m sure some have read, I was diagnosed with ADD in the third grade. I took Ritalin for a few months and decided that it wasn’t right for me. At that time there weren’t many medications available and even less was known about the disorder. So i simply went off all medication and preceded to drive my parents crazy. I say that jokingly, knowing its only funny because it is partially true. I was lucky to have a grandmother who kept a close eye on me as both of my parents worked. She did a great job of bugging me about doing my homework, and about the time I said I didn’t have homework, she’d think of some farm work for me to do if I was done. I was definately more interested in doing homework than shoveling fertilizer on the garden. So the trick for me was motivation. My grades were ok through elementary, but when I got to middle school things started to turn around. I found a group of friends that always got a 4.0 on their report cards, and being the competitive person I am, I secretly competed for grades. I never got a 4.0, but I got pretty close a few times. I also found that sports motivated me. I love playing sports and being competitive, so I was motivated to do well in school or I knew couldn’t play.

Being organized was key to my success. I didn’t realize it until high school, but the more organized I was, the better off I was in that class. So I continued that through college. As my schedule grew more and more hectic with sports, music, school and other extra curricular activities I realized I had to organize those too. A planner never really crossed my mind, I just wrote down on a sheet of paper what I had to do the next day. So as an evening ritual, which I continue to this day, I write down all my activities for the day, the time I plan to complete them, and how long they’ll take. This allows me to make sure I get all my work done in a decent manner and I can put things in perspective so I don’t get overwhelmed with what I have to do.

This isn’t something I have grown out of or will ever grow out of. So many people say “I never pictured you as having ADD” or “You don’t seem like the type.” The truth is, there is a bad stigma placed around those with ADD and ADHD and I hope to play a hand in changing that in our community. I have learned how to compensate for my disorder and will continue to share stories of how I do so. If you have ADD or ADHD or know someone who does, feel free to contact me. I would be glad to chat with anyone struggling and needing support. Or I can connect you with the Center for Pediatrics if you need more than support.

“Shoot for the moon, for even if you miss, You’ll land among the stars.”