Wow, I am just amazed at how quickly the time has flown by! It feels like just yesterday I was announced as the new Miss Minneapolis 2013; I was ecstatic to be able to represent such an energetic and prestigious city, and now in just a matter of minutes a new successor will be announced and her life will change forever. Minneapolis is, in my opinion, one of the best cities to represent because not only are you a representative but you are also a local celebrity.
Not only has the last year of my life flown by but I feel like my whole Miss America experience has gone by in a flash. If four years ago you would have told me I was going to be 2nd runner up to Miss Minnesota four years in a row I never would have believed you. This has been the most unexpected and wonderful journey I have ever taken. I am certain that the last four years I have spent in the Miss America system has shaped me into the woman I am today; and I feel that especially in this last year as Miss Minneapolis I have truly discovered myself.
This past year I have focused all of my efforts in the domestic abuse community. From creating partnerships and putting on events with The Dwelling Place and NO MORE to weekly volunteering as a community advocate and working the crisis lines at Tubman. I am grateful for the many opportunities I was given to share my message with large groups of people. I was also given the opportunity to perform in an art movement as the dancer in ‘Raise Your Voice’ and helped organize the first ever Anna’s Hope fundraiser where we raised over $5,000. Getting emails from high school students only helped motivate me more in my fight of ending domestic abuse. I continued my work with Gillette and I am still a weekly volunteer, for over 2 years now.
My experiences would not have been as significant if it weren’t for all the people that touched my life and motivated me to be the best I can be; and well, this wouldn’t be a farewell without thanking the people who have made these last few years ones I will never forget. So, here we go…
I’m never one to save the best for last so first I would like to start by thanking the BEST parents in the world, MINE! It’s funny to look back to the weeks leading up to my first pageant four years ago when I had no idea what to expect. I remember calling mom and her thinking I was a joking, but once realizing I wasn’t kidding you both have always supported me even when we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Mom, thank you for all of your paper work help and for being my chaperone at events. Dad, thank you for all of the ‘behind the scenes’ work you do to keep my life running smoothly and for helping me financially prepare for my pageant needs; I promise one day that I will pay it all back. You both mean the world to me and my most successful moment of this whole Miss America experience was hearing you both tell me how proud you are of me. I love you both with all of my heart!
To my little sister, Ali, thank you for letting me and my pageant stuff take the spotlight in our family- the next four years can be all about you! Thank you for having the courage to let me share your story. I admire the extreme amount of strength you possess that is often over looked and I am proud to call you my sister.
Aubri, Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, and the rest of my family, thank you for being the most supportive and loudest cheering section at all of the pageants I have competed in. Your support has kept me motivated at times that I felt defeated and your love has given me the strength to feel like I can accomplish anything. I can never thank you enough for coming to cheer me on at pageants no matter how expensive or far away. I seriously do not know how I got so blessed to have all of you in my life but I am grateful every day.
To my friends who have had make back through thick and thin. Especially Mary, Caitlyn, Natalie, Liz and the whole Scipioni family, thank you all for your help preparing me for Miss Minnesota and for being there for me through all of it. Adam, I met you at high Miss Minnesota prep time and you couldn’t have been more supportive and patient, thank you for that. I’m lucky to have each of you in my life and I truly treasure our friendships.
My Miss Minnesota roommate, Maren Goff, I couldn’t have asked for a better person to share my last Miss Minnesota experience with. You are one of the smartest, funniest, and kindest women I know; which may have kept us up late at night talking but I loved every minute! Congratulations on your new title and I can’t wait to come cheer you on at Miss Minnesota.
I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank a few of my personal sponsors- Cheri Kennedy of The Image Group, you are not only my coach but also my friend. Thank you for everything you have done for me from mock interviews to teaching me the right way to do my make up; you are wonderful and I am so glad I have had the chance to work with you over the years. Thank you Salon Ave for your generous sponsorship to our pageant and to Amy for being the best hair stylist around; you have made me a lifelong Salon Ave costumer. Thank you to Alli at American Laser Skincare in Maple Grove for permanently removing all my unwanted hair before Miss Minnesota, and to Oak Tan for giving me a beautiful glow before hitting the pageant stage. Michele at Larkin Dance Studio thank you for your choreography over the years. It’s awesome to work with the best of the best and that’s what all of you are- Thank you.
To my Miss St. Paul sister queen, Courtney, I can’t believe our time is up already! I am grateful to have had the chance to get to know you over the years. I loved how we would never plan on going to the same events but I we always managed to see each other, we must be meant to be together. I truly admire how much you stayed true to being yourself this whole reign and I can’t wait to see what is in store for you next, but know whatever it is I will always support you.
Lastly, I would like to thank my pageant family that I have formed over the past four years. My Mankato directors, Shelly and Paul, thank you for taking this clueless college student and helping her find her way in becoming a confident and successful woman. To my Coon Rapids family for always supporting me, even after giving up my Miss Coon Rapids title; this truly is a family I will be a part of forever. To the directors of Miss Minnesota Pageant, thank you for making us feel like celebrities and for putting on a pageant that we are all proud to be a part of. Last but certainly not least, a huge thank you to my Miss Minneapolis directors, Ashley and Jodi. Thank you for helping me find my true style and for letting me be an individual. You two are the sweetest and most supportive people I know and I feel like I have learned so much from you both that I will apply often in life.
I have had the time of my life through this system. I will always remember when I got to serve Blizzards on Miracle Treat Day at Gillette with the CEO of Dairy Queen, and the time I jumped into the icy waters with my pageant sisters at the Polar Plunge. I will never forget representing our state at the Miss National Sweetheart Pageant in 2011 and taking home the Producers Award (a first award recipient for our state), or being a Quality of Life Finalist this past year at Miss Minnesota. I have had many successes over the years and we can always joke about how consistent I am to have placed second runner up every year at Miss Minnesota. Once again thank you all for ending this Miss America dream of mine with class, style, and grace. This has been an adventure I will never forget! As I end this chapter of my life I look forward to seeing what the future brings.
Forever your Miss Minneapolis 2013,
Samantha Phillippi
Not only has the last year of my life flown by but I feel like my whole Miss America experience has gone by in a flash. If four years ago you would have told me I was going to be 2nd runner up to Miss Minnesota four years in a row I never would have believed you. This has been the most unexpected and wonderful journey I have ever taken. I am certain that the last four years I have spent in the Miss America system has shaped me into the woman I am today; and I feel that especially in this last year as Miss Minneapolis I have truly discovered myself.
This past year I have focused all of my efforts in the domestic abuse community. From creating partnerships and putting on events with The Dwelling Place and NO MORE to weekly volunteering as a community advocate and working the crisis lines at Tubman. I am grateful for the many opportunities I was given to share my message with large groups of people. I was also given the opportunity to perform in an art movement as the dancer in ‘Raise Your Voice’ and helped organize the first ever Anna’s Hope fundraiser where we raised over $5,000. Getting emails from high school students only helped motivate me more in my fight of ending domestic abuse. I continued my work with Gillette and I am still a weekly volunteer, for over 2 years now.
My experiences would not have been as significant if it weren’t for all the people that touched my life and motivated me to be the best I can be; and well, this wouldn’t be a farewell without thanking the people who have made these last few years ones I will never forget. So, here we go…
I’m never one to save the best for last so first I would like to start by thanking the BEST parents in the world, MINE! It’s funny to look back to the weeks leading up to my first pageant four years ago when I had no idea what to expect. I remember calling mom and her thinking I was a joking, but once realizing I wasn’t kidding you both have always supported me even when we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Mom, thank you for all of your paper work help and for being my chaperone at events. Dad, thank you for all of the ‘behind the scenes’ work you do to keep my life running smoothly and for helping me financially prepare for my pageant needs; I promise one day that I will pay it all back. You both mean the world to me and my most successful moment of this whole Miss America experience was hearing you both tell me how proud you are of me. I love you both with all of my heart!
To my little sister, Ali, thank you for letting me and my pageant stuff take the spotlight in our family- the next four years can be all about you! Thank you for having the courage to let me share your story. I admire the extreme amount of strength you possess that is often over looked and I am proud to call you my sister.
Aubri, Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, and the rest of my family, thank you for being the most supportive and loudest cheering section at all of the pageants I have competed in. Your support has kept me motivated at times that I felt defeated and your love has given me the strength to feel like I can accomplish anything. I can never thank you enough for coming to cheer me on at pageants no matter how expensive or far away. I seriously do not know how I got so blessed to have all of you in my life but I am grateful every day.
To my friends who have had make back through thick and thin. Especially Mary, Caitlyn, Natalie, Liz and the whole Scipioni family, thank you all for your help preparing me for Miss Minnesota and for being there for me through all of it. Adam, I met you at high Miss Minnesota prep time and you couldn’t have been more supportive and patient, thank you for that. I’m lucky to have each of you in my life and I truly treasure our friendships.
My Miss Minnesota roommate, Maren Goff, I couldn’t have asked for a better person to share my last Miss Minnesota experience with. You are one of the smartest, funniest, and kindest women I know; which may have kept us up late at night talking but I loved every minute! Congratulations on your new title and I can’t wait to come cheer you on at Miss Minnesota.
I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank a few of my personal sponsors- Cheri Kennedy of The Image Group, you are not only my coach but also my friend. Thank you for everything you have done for me from mock interviews to teaching me the right way to do my make up; you are wonderful and I am so glad I have had the chance to work with you over the years. Thank you Salon Ave for your generous sponsorship to our pageant and to Amy for being the best hair stylist around; you have made me a lifelong Salon Ave costumer. Thank you to Alli at American Laser Skincare in Maple Grove for permanently removing all my unwanted hair before Miss Minnesota, and to Oak Tan for giving me a beautiful glow before hitting the pageant stage. Michele at Larkin Dance Studio thank you for your choreography over the years. It’s awesome to work with the best of the best and that’s what all of you are- Thank you.
To my Miss St. Paul sister queen, Courtney, I can’t believe our time is up already! I am grateful to have had the chance to get to know you over the years. I loved how we would never plan on going to the same events but I we always managed to see each other, we must be meant to be together. I truly admire how much you stayed true to being yourself this whole reign and I can’t wait to see what is in store for you next, but know whatever it is I will always support you.
Lastly, I would like to thank my pageant family that I have formed over the past four years. My Mankato directors, Shelly and Paul, thank you for taking this clueless college student and helping her find her way in becoming a confident and successful woman. To my Coon Rapids family for always supporting me, even after giving up my Miss Coon Rapids title; this truly is a family I will be a part of forever. To the directors of Miss Minnesota Pageant, thank you for making us feel like celebrities and for putting on a pageant that we are all proud to be a part of. Last but certainly not least, a huge thank you to my Miss Minneapolis directors, Ashley and Jodi. Thank you for helping me find my true style and for letting me be an individual. You two are the sweetest and most supportive people I know and I feel like I have learned so much from you both that I will apply often in life.
I have had the time of my life through this system. I will always remember when I got to serve Blizzards on Miracle Treat Day at Gillette with the CEO of Dairy Queen, and the time I jumped into the icy waters with my pageant sisters at the Polar Plunge. I will never forget representing our state at the Miss National Sweetheart Pageant in 2011 and taking home the Producers Award (a first award recipient for our state), or being a Quality of Life Finalist this past year at Miss Minnesota. I have had many successes over the years and we can always joke about how consistent I am to have placed second runner up every year at Miss Minnesota. Once again thank you all for ending this Miss America dream of mine with class, style, and grace. This has been an adventure I will never forget! As I end this chapter of my life I look forward to seeing what the future brings.
Forever your Miss Minneapolis 2013,
Samantha Phillippi