Danielle Trumbull

I can always count on my sisters in the Miss America organization to brighten my day and put a smile on my face :) That is something I greatly value with the stress of school and planning. Today I logged onto my computer in the library with an ambitious mood and ready to plow through all of my assignments. I got a lot done but now it is time for a little fun! ;) Chelsea Brumagen is one of my good friends and we share a lot of the same interests. She introduced the Pumpkin Fund to me which she founded with her family. I always enjoy her deep and moving posts in "You don't need a crown to be Miss America". When I checked it out today I found that she had nominated me for the "Leibster Award"! The Leibster Award is based on a pay it forward system and it helps to promote the blogs of young women who feel strongly about a cause and in our case the Miss America Programs/our platforms. Here are the guidelines and the meaning of "Leibster"

Liebster is a German word that means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Here's how it works:

Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.

Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

Go to their page and tell them.

No tag backs!

Here are the questions Chelsea chose for me!

1. What's at the top of your bucket list?
2. If you were an animal, what would you be?
3. In the spirit of Halloween, what's you favorite candy?
4. Did Santa wrap your Christmas presents or no?
5. Have you ever broken a bone, and if so which one?
6. Favorite kind of coffee?
7. If you had $100 and you could do anything with it, what would you do?
8. Favorite color?
9. Tell me about someone or something that has influenced you to be who you are today.
10. If you were elected president, what's the first thing you would do?
11. Who is your role model?

What is at the top of my bucket list?
My focus is constantly on my platform. I would like to see a great decrease in the amount of animal abuse that occurs and a big INCREASE in the amount of people who are educated about it. I want to implement a list of offendors just as there is for child abuse so that people who harm animals can never do so again. I will continue working as hard as I can to help New York State strengthen and enforce animal protection laws until I have not another day to live. This is my cause, my passion and what I will dedicate a lot of my life to! That is quite a few things for the top of my bucket list but they are all in the same category right? :)

If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

I have always been a very compassionate person with a concern for the well-being of others. Along with that part of my personality I tend to take the role of a caretaker which I also enjoy. I would be a therapy dog, because I care about others greatly and it gives me so much joy to know that I helped someone even if it was just in a small way. I am also studying Gerontology to become a gerontological specialist in a nursing home where I want to establish the "Eden Alternative". This includes bringing plants, animals and children into the nursing home environment to decrease the amount of required medication and levels of depression and to increase overall happiness, independence and comfort. The nursing home environment and hospitals is often where you will find therapy animals! Being there for others is a huge part of the Miss America Organization and is one of the reasons why I love being apart of it so much! The point of service plays a big role in my life and heart! I also met a famous therapy dog! Most of you probably know him: Bocker the Labradoodle!

In the spirit of Halloween, what is your favorite candy?

I am definitely one of those chocolate girls! I try really hard not to eat it too often though because it is pageant season already! However, women of the Miss America Organization are healthy role models. WE DO EAT AMERICA! :)

Did Santa wrap your christmas presents or no?

LOL I had to laugh right out loud when I read this question because Chelsea was arguing with her fiancee over this for some odd reason? :p gotta love her! and of course he did!

Have you ever broken a bone? and if so, which one?

When I was very young, I was riding my bike at my grandparents house when I hit a crack in the sidewalk and went over the handlebars. I landed on my collar bone and broke it but I proceeded to get up and walk my bike back to the house. The Miss Fulton County pageant was that night and I looked forward to it every year as I still do! I knew if I told my grandparents they would take me to the hospital and I would miss the pageant so I did not tell them! They of course knew something was wrong, but they knew how important it was to me to go see the women I looked up to and longed to see every year so they took me to the pageant and to the hospital we went right after!

Favorite kind of coffee?

I actually do not like any kind of coffee at all. :p I love hot chocolate though! because, well, it's chocolate :D

If you had $100 and could do anything with it, what would you do?

I would donate it to the Pumpkin Fund so that they can continue helping animals get medical treatment. Vet bills are incredibly expensive and so families who cannot afford these bills need assistance in order to avoid euthanization! anything I can do to help prevent this tragedy, I will do and every dollar helps.

Favorite Color?

everyone knows this one: PINK! :)

Tell me about something or someone, that has influenced you to be who you are today

I met Dianne Scribner when I was a little girl competing in the Little Miss Fulton County Pageant. I was singing "A spoonful of Sugar" from Mary Poppins as my talent and I won! She made sure that I had a rockin Mary poppins outfit and that I was on the right track. I did not have a lot of confidence as a child but the stage was my home and I knew it! I loved to perform and be in the spotlight but when it came to talking and interviewing, I did not have enough confidence yet. It is now 12 years later and I have my first title in the Miss America program and overwhelming confidence that helps me tremendously in my endeavors to advocate for animals AND people! Dianne instilled confidence in me and she taught me one of the most important lessons you can learn in life: Nothing is impossible if you have willpower, a drive to succeed and a big heart! Dianne has always believed that I can make it to the Miss America Stage and now so do I!

If you were elected president, what's the first thing you would do?

I would really like to see America become a more open-minded place where one does not have to be afraid to wander from the solid line of the societal norm. I would greatly show my support for same sex marriage and send my love and support to those who struggle with this issue. I would also ban kill shelters and implement alternative solutions to the overabundance of homeless animals. These solutions would be along the lines of mandatory spay and neuter while lowering the vet bills substantially.

Who is your role model?

I have quite a few. Each one contributes more than one attribute that I strive to have! My mother and father were my very first role models. They are kind and compassionate and I am so lucky to have a comfort source such as them for one things get tough. Of course my role model is Miss America as well. She successfully upholds the four points of the crown and applies it to her everyday life. It would not be possible for me to do this as well without a great example! Lastly, my role model is Wangari Matthai. She unfortunately recently passed away but she will always be a role model in my life! She was the first african american woman to receive the nobel peace prize due to her establishment of the Green Belt Movement in Kenya. The Green Belt Movement empowered and encouraged women to restore their environment. The Kenyan Government met Wangari Matthai with great opposition but she did not give up on what she believed in no matter what punishments or obstacles they threw her way. She will forever be a reminder to me that anything I want to to accomplish is possible. There may be some major difficulties along the way but nothing worth working for ever comes easy! This is an attitude that will change the world and I'm ready to do that!

I was also nominated for the "Leibster Award" by my own sister queen, katelynn Smith! haha thanks squirm ;) but now I can't tag you back! :p

1. If you could be anybody, who would you be and why

2. What does your favorite outfit look like?

3.Favorite TV show?

4. Favorite Book?

5.Describe yourself in one word

6.What is in your purse?

7. Do you believe in ghosts?

8.What is your favorite holiday and why?

9. Where do you see yourself in 30 years?

10. We all support a cause, what's yours?

11. You're at Starbucks, what do you order?

If you could be anyone, who would you be and why?

I think everyone knows what I am going to say here ;) I would be Miss America! I love being a role model and contributing in any way I can. As Miss America, I would have many different opportunities to make a difference not only in my platform but in the Children's Miracle Network and so many other organizations. Scholarship, Service, Style and Success are extremely important in my life and as Miss America, I would be honored to promote them to others to the best of my ability!

What does your favorite outfit look like?

I love to dress up! My favorite outfit is a multicolored sequin cocktail dress that my good friend Amanda Boyer gave me. Not something I can wear to school but I love to be flashy when I go out!

Favorite TV show?

This was my onstage question at the Miss Oneonta pageant! You guessed it! My favorite show is the Miss America pageant. I do not have a lot of time to watch TV but you can bet I am counting down the hours every year when Miss America is scheduled to air! I am really interested in the different platform of the women and what they have accomplished for their causes so far. It is also really fun to get together with my friends of pageant world and to print out pretend score sheets so that we can try to predict who will win! :) We had a Miss America party last year at Katelynn's house!

Favorite book?

My favorite book is BY FAR "The Bond" by Wayne Pacelle, The CEO and president of the Humane Society of the United States. In writing, Mr. Pacelle goes into detail about his endeavors to protect animals and tells heartwarming stories about each animal he met and how the HSUS played a role in saving their lives. Any animal lover will fall in love with this book. It really teaches us a lot about our responsibility to defend and be a voice for the voiceless.

Describe yourself in one word

Generative. I strive in everything I do to hand down my knowledge to those who may look up to me or to those who will soon be following in my footsteps. One of my favorite things to do as Miss Empire Star is to go into elementary schools and talk to children about the importance of recognizing animal abuse and its signs. I then explain to them how to handle this situation safely. I believe that my generativity will help me to accomplish my goal of educating my communities about the importance of protecting our animals and how protecting our animals ultimately results in the protection of our communities in entirety.

What is in your purse?

A lot of makeup, my cellphone and some healthy power food to get me through a busy day! oh, and sometimes at appearances I shove my flats in there when my feet can't take my 6 inchers anymore :p

Do you believe in ghosts?

My hometown just had an excellent event at the Fulton County museum in which they brought in paranormal researchers to investigate the building. I followed along with it online and got the creeps! I am not sure if I fully believe but it is a pretty cool thing to investigate/ ponder!

What is your favorite holiday and why?

I love christmas because it reminds me so much of my grandma! She absolutely loves christmas and it makes me so happy to see her so filled with joy. I get a lot of my personality traits from her. I love to give to others and it is probably one of the things that most gives me happiness in life :) Also, being a christian, I thank Jesus every year for dying for me <3 p="p">

Where do you see yourself in 30 years?

As I said earlier, I will be a supervisor in a nursing home with the implementation of the Eden Alternative in which a nursing home brings in plants, animals and children into the environment of the residents. This reduces depression and the amount of medication needed and increases independence and happiness! I would like to be a supervisor of a nursing home that has flexible rules opposed to rigid ones so that people who live there do not feel like they are in an institution but in their own home where they absolutely have a say.

We all support a cause, whats yours?

As you are all very aware, my cause is Preventing Animal Abuse and Neglect. I take action for my cause in various ways. I started out smaller by organizing and hosting variety shows and food drives for local shelters. I am now visiting schools to talk to and educate children about the importance of respecting and loving our animals and I have also met with state legislatures/ prominent public figures about the importance of strengthening animal protection laws and what I should be focusing on the most within my platform. In the VERY near future, I will be doing promotional videos for adoptable animals as a sort of public relations method so that our communities are aware of their existence and of their need for forever homes!