Pinch me is this real?! Illinois, I’m yours! From watching Miss Universe every year with my family to stepping on the Miss IL Teen USA stage for the first time 3 years ago, this has been a dream of mine ever since I can remember—and now, WE’RE GOING TO MISS TEEN USA!!! Of course I couldn’t have reached this point without the support of so many people, so I have a couple of thank you’s. First goes to my family and friends! Thank you so much for your endless support, putting up with me yapping about pageants, driving me back and forth to coaching sessions, and making me believe this title could one day be mine. I love you all so much!! ❤️ Next a huge thank you goes to @thepaigedennis and @joannsoftennessee for helping me create the gown award WINNING GOWN! Never in a million years would I have thought of orange+pink, but I trusted your vision and it was beautiful! I had the time of my life with the amazing @sherrihill and I’m so excited to be back this year! Team @emeriejones there’s no where else I’d rather be at 5:00 am. Thank you for the glam but also bringing such positive energy that always put a smile on our faces! To the whole @vanbrosgirls family, I’m beyond thrilled to spend this year with you guys! You all are the reason I kept competing each year. To @ariannajthompson thank you for showing me how it’s done! Being a titleholder is no easy task and I’m so lucky to have the chance to follow in your footsteps. Niki, we’re officially TEAM ILLINOIS! I’m ecstatic to be the teen of someone so beautiful inside and out and I can’t wait to have an amazing year alongside you. My last (but certainly not least) thank you goes to @steph_lisadeaninc and @lisadean_consulting. Stephanie I don’t even know where to begin except that thank goodness I found you because you transformed me from someone clueless about competing to going to Miss Teen USA! You’ve become more than a coach but my biggest role model and shaped my entire life. Thank you to the whole @lisadean_consulting team for the coaching, mocks, pep talks, wardrobe guidance, and being the most wonderful group to work with. Now we get to prepare for nationals! Illinois I am so ready for you! 💌