grace – Matt Leverton’s National American Miss (NAM) Pageants Blog

Anna Grace Reep, Miss South Carolina Princess, has been busy volunteering around town.

Anna Grace Reep, Miss South Carolina Princess, has been busy volunteering around town. Anna-Grace was in the Little Mountain Reunion parade in August representing NAM as Miss South Carolina Princess. It is South Carolina’s Oldest Folk Festival and part of her hometown of Newberry County. Even in a light rain, Anna-Grace rode in the parade & afterwards visited with some of the crowd talking about NAM and how it promotes confidence in their girls.

She then met with the Head of School at her school to donate school supplies that were collected at her South Carolina state pageant. Brian Fitzgerald, Head of Newberry Academy thanked her for such a generous donation to go toward the student body. He is so proud of his second grader who is South Carolina Princess for National American Miss. Anna Grace participates in Eaglette Cheerleading and is on the High Honor Roll for the school.

Anna-Grace also met with the Mayors of the towns in Newberry County South Carolina last night. She met with the Mayor Lisha Senn of Silverstreet, SC; Mayor Darryl Hentz of Pomaria, SC; Mayor Derek Underwood of Prosperity, SC ; and Mayor Foster Senn of Newberry. They all wanted to meet with her and wish her luck as she will represent our community & state at Nationals.

Also she met with Mayor Derek Underwood privately as he welcomed her nonprofit thrift store Angels of Grace to the town of Prosperity. She had appeared in an advertisement with her sister in the Newberry Magazine where the Thrift Store had moved to Prosperity. It was featured on page 24 in the September/October edition. Anna-Grace is the ambassador and a volunteer in the non-profit store. She helped it moved and works in the store setting up displays, sorting clothes, and also helping children shop in the store.

After a busy day with school, cheerleading practice & appearances, she stopped by one of her proud sponsors Zesto’s of Newberry to get supper. Mr. Jack the owner knows that their Fried Chicken is her favorite food. They always have their NAM Queen a chicken leg & a milkshake ready.

Baylee Smith SC Pre-Teen Queen and Anna-Grace SC Princess together at Toni Buskers Workshop in Greenville. Anna-Grace attended last year’s MCI event in Nashville and is part of the MCI family.

Tennessee Pre-Teen Anna Grace Smith says farewell.

Tennessee Pre-Teen Queen Anna Grace Smith says farewell.

Just one short year ago, I started the most amazing journey when I was crowned your National American Miss Tennessee Preteen queen. I had no idea at that special moment how much fun and what an honor the following year of service would be. Meeting Governor Haslam, and volunteering over 700 hours with Boys & Girls Clubs, Second Harvest, The Multiple Sclerosis Society and my own organization, Queens for a Cure and making appearances all over the great state of Tennessee with my sister queens have been times I will always cherish. Nationals in California were a fantastic experience where I walked the famed streets of Hollywood, met Mario Lopez at the Farmers Market, enjoyed Disneyland with my NAM Preteen besties, Lauren, Claire and Gracie and of course competed for the National American Miss Preteen title. All the rehearsals and parties were so much fun and Mr. Matt, you truly are the most fun and awesome state director EVER! You don’t know how much I appreciate you dressing to match my formal dress at nationals (even if it wasn’t planned) and I will never forget seeing you dance on stage at nationals! Ava, you are my cute little Princess. Taylor, I love to watch you dance, and our spontaneous swim parties are so much fun. Alex, you are such an inspiration to me and I love singing, volunteering and just hanging out with you. Sarah, you are an amazing role model. You are all amazing and fun sister queens, and you all inspire me to do more in my community and be a better person. I love you all! I am thankful for the best parents, grandparents and sisters a girl could have. Thank you for always supporting me and cheering me on at everything I do. Mom, you are my biggest inspiration because you are always there encouraging me to reach for the stars and you do so much to help others. Olivia, Macie, Kate, Kelsie, Sarah, Cade, Tyler, Ms Christa and Mrs. Jennifer, you are such wonderful friends and inspirations to me. I am blessed and love you all! Most of all I thank my Lord and Savior because I could not do any of this without Jesus Christ. It is through Him that all things are possible. To my successor – enjoy every minute of your year of service and remember that it is an honor and a privilege to wear this crown. You are a role model and an inspiration to everyone you meet. You will make many new friends and have experiences you will remember always. Take lots of pictures because this next year will go by faster than you can blink. You have the most awesome director and team, so take all the advice they offer. Have fun! Thank you Mr. Matt and the whole Tennessee NAMILY and staff– you are all so much fun and I have truly had the time of my life this past year. For the last time, I am your 2012 Miss Tennessee Preteen, Anna Grace Smith.

Miss Tennessee Pre-Teen Anna Grace Smith organizes Queens for a Cure,Think Pink Benefit Pageant for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

National American Miss Tennessee Pre-Teen Queen Anna Grace Smith organizes Queens for a Cure,Think Pink Benefit Pageant for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Miss Tennessee Pre-Teen organized and held the 2nd Annual Think Pink Benefit Pageant. They raised over $3000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure as well as raised awareness about the ongoing need for continued research for a cure for all cancers. Anna Grace and the girls celebrated those who are survivors and honored those who had lost the fight with breast cancer. The contestants ranged in ages from 2-18 and were challenged to collect money before the pageant promoting Queens for a Cure and raising awareness for Susan G. Komen for the Cure Passionately Pink.

Anna Grace Smith, Miss Tennessee Pre-Teen, volunteers around town with many great organizations!

Anna Grace Smith, Miss Tennessee Preteen Queen 2012, organized and directed the second annual Queens for a Cure “Think Pink” Benefit Pageant.

Anna Grace Smith, Miss Tennessee Pre-Teen 2012, organized and directed the second annual Queens for a Cure “Think Pink” Benefit Pageant which was held Oct. 22, 2012. The purpose of the pageant was to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation as well as raise awareness about Queens for a Cure. This year over $3000 was raised for Komen for the Cure and 6 division queens were crowned as well as 1 overall queen. These girls will participate in various events serving their communities throughout the next year as representatives of Queens for a Cure. Anna Grace is the national President of Queens for a Cure which is an organization for pageant queens and contestants to come together and use their crowns to be positive role models in their communities. Anna Grace and her members organize and participate in many events every month.

Anna Grace also volunteers monthly at a local Second Harvest Food Bank Pantry and participates in annual mission trips with her church youth group. On December 1, 2012, Anna Grace volunteered at the Jingle Bell Walk in Franklin benefiting the Arthritis Foundation.