While in Florida for the MAOT competition, I did have a journal. I am copying my journal almost exactly as it was written. Enjoy!

August 17^th, 2009

I AM GLAD TO BE HOME! I don’t think you realize how much you truly miss your family, and friends until you are not in contact with them for 10 days.

August 15^th, 2009

The final day at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. Kelly and I thought nothing else could go bad but boy, were we wrong. We had two alarm clocks in our room. One just in case the hotel alarm clock didn’t work. Friday night, we had set them for 5:30 A.M. because Kelly was going to get up early and take a shower and then wake me up at 6:30 A.M. because I am a little less motivated in the morning. So she wakes me up, I lazily wash my face and then look at the alarm clock closest to my bed which reads as 5:35 A.M. I ask Kelly what time it is and she says it’s 6:30 and I tell her that this clock must be wrong then because it says 5:35. We are a little unsure (not to mention it’s too early to really think.) So, Kelly goes outside our room to ask the security guard what time it is and she replies that is 5:30 and she was wondering why we were up so early when no one else will be getting up for at least another hour. We laugh and set our alarms now for 7:00 A.M. Next thing I know, it is 8:46 A.M. and I can hear, “Alabama, Alaska, Arizona…” outside our door. Our alarm clock never went off and we were about to miss roll call too! Frantically, we pack up our Dolly Duffle (that is what we all called our duffle bags we brought to the convention center each night) to go to rehearsal. We had no make up on, no breakfast in our stomachs, and had just woken up. Five hours of rehearsal was tough on an empty stomach. Luckily, a few of the girls had some snacks they generously gave to me. Good thing I had spent that night packing everything up for my mom to take out of my room!!

August 14^th, 2009

Our free day (not quite):

9:00- 9:30- Breakfast

10:00- 12:00- Casual workshop

12:00- 1:00- Lunch

2:00- 3:00- Workshop

3:00-4:00- Photo shoot

3:00- 4:45- Prep for Taylor’s party

5:00- 6:30- Princess make over

6:30- 10:00- Taylor’s party

**Bowls dresses go over to Convention Center Saturday**

This was the last night all the contestants would spend together. The ambiance of our night was one of sorrow to leave newly made friends and excitement for what was in store for one lucky girl the next day. I was in my room alone packing up my belongings when I heard a quiet tap on our door. It was not the hotel room door but the door that conjoins our room with Alabama and Nevada. Alabama was standing on the other side of the door with a sad, tearful face. I welcomed her into our messy pigsty. We had the most touching conversation. The main point was that we were all chosen as the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen class of 2009 for a reason. This was how God had wanted it. We all were supposed to meet each other and make these everlasting friendships. I would have NEVER wanted it a different way. Each contestant added her own flair to our experience. It wouldn’t have been the same without one.

I went to Miss America’s Outstanding Teen with one simple goal. It was not to make the Top Ten, although that would have been awesome. It was to get people to realize who Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen truly is and what she is most passionate about and I believe I did this. First of all, my red hair did set me apart from everyone else, but also I became friends with all the contestants, was always polite, and competed to the best of my ability. I made the best of the experience and I believe that it really did show on stage that Minnesota is a fun, and energetic, but also genuine and sincere young woman. Often, I receive Facebook messages from other contestants saying that they talk about Minnesota at their appearances and to their friends and how much they all miss my Minnesotan accent and me. While getting off the bus at the State Fair, a lady turned to me and said, “Coming to you from the state of blonde hair, blue eyes, and one red head…” That was my introduction at MAOT. How crazy is it that a lady that I don’t even know would remember that?! This is a simple legacy and I believe it will stick.

Funny Stories:

We were all enjoying the delicious breakfast that was donated to us each day by the hotel when we heard this story. It was coming to the end of our ten days and the mornings were getting earlier and earlier. This particular morning, Alabama had requested a wake up call for 6:30 A.M. When 6:30 A.M. came around, she answered the phone and told them to call back in 30 minutes.

On the final night of preliminaries, North Carolina had to perform her talent. She is a very talented dancer. Once she got off stage, there was a bottle of water sitting on the table. She thought it was hers and quickly took a gulp of it because she was out of breath and thirsty. Kelly, my roommate, looked at her and said, “Kat, that’s not your water. That’s Katie’s.” Kat replied, “Who?! You’re roommate, Minnesota?” And Kelly replied, “No! Miss America, Katie Stam!!!” North Carolina’s mouth dropped and she said, “Oh my gosh! I just made out with Miss America!”

(These stories might not even sound that funny but if you were as tired and exhausted as we were, you would have been laughing with us.)

August 13^th, 2009

Another day at MAOT:

8:30- 9:00- Breakfast

10:30- 1:00- Princess Luncheon

12:15- Red Group (my group) leaves for Convention Center

1:30- All other contestants leave for the Convention Center

2:00- 5:00- Rehearsal

5:00- 6:00- Dinner

6:00- 7:00- Prep

7:00- 9:00- Preliminary competition

9:30- 10:00- Visitation

10:00- 10:30- Travel to hotel

10:30- 11:00- Meeting

12:00- Lights out

**Bring Tony Bowls dresses back to the hotel with shoes and jewelry**

I was thrilled to see Carrie and Alyssa Mayfield and Lauren Johnson and her mom! They had come down to watch me compete. It was a great treat! Thank you all for your support and encouragement.

August 12^th, 2009

Kelly and I returned to our room after yet another long, tiring, but fun day. We had the desire to change clothes and sleep. We open the door to our room to the smell of smoke. Yet again, we are faced with a problem. Immediately we step out of the room and grab our hostess. She then calls the janitor who comes up to look around our room. He finds nothing. We know we did not leave our curling irons or straighteners on and the only conclusion is that our heater turned on. Neither one of us turned it on. Who would when it’s over 100 degrees outside! Eventually, the smell went away and we fell asleep. It seems like fate just wanted to keep us up all night!

August 11^th, 2009

This is what a typical MAOT day looks like:

7:00-7:30- Breakfast

7:30-12:00- Rehearsal

12:00-12:30- Lunch

12:30-1:00- Travel to the Theater

1:00-5:00- Rehearsal

5:00-5:30- Dinner

5:30-7:00- Prep

7:00-9:30- Preliminary competition

9:30:10:00- Visitation

10:00-10:30- Travel to hotel

10:30-11:00- Meeting

Funny quotes by other contestants:

· After a long day of rehearsal: “Socks are like clouds on my feet.”

· Seeing all the national princesses: “I just want to bake them up in a cupcake.”

· End of Saturday night, our final night together: “Minnesota, you have good connection to me… I mean complexion,” Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen.

· Me: “I’m just joking Kelly.”

Kelly: “Well, I’m just pickin’.”

Me: “What are you picking?”

Kelly: Laughs! “Instead of saying I’m just joooking, like in Minnesota, down in Louisiana we say, I’m just pickin’.”

August 10^th, 2009

I was so exhausted. The past three days we had had eight hours of rehearsal each day. It had been a challenge. If you don’t know me, I am not the most coordinated person on this planet and the choreography is difficult. The choreographer is a national champion dancer; she can move! For someone like me, we had to work two times harder to learn the movies. In addition, we have to sing along too!! Luckily, all the girls and assistants had been very generous to make sure that I knew the moves. We all needed to look the best possible because “it’s our time to shine.”

My interview was that morning. I felt that the judge panel was full of qualified people. Jennifer Berry was sitting right in the middle in front of me! Honestly, I got tongue-tied. How could you not when a former Miss America was judging you! I think my interview went well and I could not wait for the competition to actually start tomorrow night!

It had been so fun to hear all the accents but, I swear, everyone thought mine was the cutest. If there would have been an award for the best accent, Minnesota would have won. Do I really have an accent?! I don’t hear it!

· “Minnesoooda”

· “You betcha. Don’t cha know?”

· “I’m just joking.”

· “Whatever floats your boat.”

These are common things many contestants had me say just to hear the “O.

We were all so tired. Many of us honestly would laugh for no reason. Today at dinner, one of the contestants said something at our table. Thinking back to it, it was not funny at all, but we all cracked up laughing and could not stop. We had tears in our eyes!

Interview notes:

o Be Kate with a little bit of Rockee. Show the serious and fun side.

o I have a job… It is to represent Minnesota to the best of my ability.

o Remember the fun I had at Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen while performing the fitness production number. Apply that energy in my voice, poise, and presence in the interview.

o Why do I want to be MAOT?

· Want to be a role model

· Dedicated to platform and work

· Want to make it national

o Tell me about your platform.

· Remember: Dogs are man’s best friend

· Therapy Dog Temperament: Tripp, my other Dog, has ADHD

Current events (just in case):

o Obama’s health care plan- We will pay for a national health care system

o Cash for Clunkers- paying for old cars to get new ones

o Typhoon in China

· One million were evacuated

· 8 ½ feet of rain in Taiwan

August 9^th, 2009

Today was a long day. It felt as if it would never end. After another 8 hours of rehearsal, we finally got back to our rooms at about 10:30, which is earlier than usual. We decided we would pick up our room a little and finish unpacking. I was on the phone with a friend, and all of a sudden I hear, “Oh my God, oh my God, OH MY GOD!” I had no idea what my roommate was talking about. I thought maybe she forgot something because she ran out the door.

Later, I found out from North Carolina that Kelly ran out the door crying. When she was trying to put the iron away it fell down on her cheekbone. When she was a young child, she had felt the same pain but on the opposite side of her face and it turned out that it was fractured. She was immediately taken to the ER for x-rays. I was in shock when North Carolina told me this. It is unbelievable that I had no idea! I did not hear the iron. Luckily, it wasn’t hot! She got back at about midnight with no major injuries, just a red cheek that would be bruised by the next day. I apologized for not realizing what had happened and promised I would keep an eye on her the rest of our stay and iron her clothes for her. She immediately called her parents to explain to them what had happened and that everything was okay. As I say before, we all had calling cards. To call out of the hotel, you have to press 9 first and then the 1-800 number on the card. Well, it is very easy to accidently press 9-1-1. Taylor Fitch, Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2009, had done it the year before as well, but Kelly had not realized that she had called 9-1-1. So about 20 minutes after she had returned to our room, we get a knock at our door. Kelly was still on the phone so I answered it and was greeted by the hotel manager, police, fire department, and ambulance. Kelly explained to them what had happened and the hotel manager even said that it happens all the time. We did not get into trouble. They just had to search our room to make sure everything was okay. And that is the end to a very eventful evening.

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I was only in contact with five people while in Florida. I only have the numbers of five people written down. We could not use cell phones and all had phone cards. These people were the most important to me. I loved sharing my days’ adventures with them every night and almost went through 200 minutes of talking time the whole ten days. That makes it sound like all I did was talk! This is not the case though. These people included Diane, my director, my parents, and two of my closest friends, Jake and Nicole. If I were feeling homesick, Jake would always comfort me. If I missed my house, bed, friends, or just being at home, it always felt like any one of them could brighten up my night. I appreciate all of you answering my phone calls at midnight or later because that was the only time we were given to have down time. Thank you!

August 7^th, 2009

What a fun day! We first got registered and signed about 70 program books! The highlight of my day came next. All the contestants had a photo shoot with Tony Bowls. Tony is so awesome but not as cool as Rod. I even got my picture taken with him! I tried on beautiful gowns and had my hair and makeup done. It was a great time and I felt like a true STAR!

We also had an audio recording today for talent introductions and extra things. We had to stand in front of a green screen. I’ll be honest; it was a little awkward. I had to shake my head and turn it from the wall to the camera and still look graceful without laughing. Acting is definitely not my strong suit.

While waiting for my turn for the audio recording, I had a chance to talk with a few of the other contestants because I was waiting for about two hours. I also had the opportunity to meet my roommate, Miss Louisiana’s Outstanding Teen, for the first time. Let me tell you, her accent was so strong. In our room, we would always be laughing at each other and how we talked.

Common words by Kelly:

Ø “Hey y’all”

Ø “Yes, ma’am” (She was very polite.)

Ø “Mama and Daddy” (I just say Mom and Dad.

Having a great roommate made the ten days in Florida more fun and less stressful. We spent our nights talking over the day, looking through the program book, and sharing interesting facts and what we learned about the other contestants.

August 6^th, 2009

First day in Florida

Air Tran was very generous to let me bring my gowns on the plane (all four garment bags.) All the other passengers were staring at my mom and I as we tried to find an empty compartment. My mom, my dad, and I were seated in the second row of the airplane but had to bring my dresses all the way to the back compartment.

Bag total: 3 bags

2 carry-ons

4 garment bags

Florida was very hot and sticky. I forgot what it feels like. It took me a really long time to get used to the A.C. inside and blazing temperature outside.

OPPS of the day: In Florida, we packed our luggage and ourselves onto a shuttle. It was such a whirlwind once we stepped of the airplane. We barely had time to breathe. Sitting down on the shuttle gave us a chance to catch up and make sure we had everything. We counted our bags… WE FORGOT ONE IN BAGGAGE CLAIM and the race started all over again. Luckily, about 20 minutes later, we returned to the airport and the Air Tran workers pulled my bag aside for the owner, me, to pick up

** You can tell which bags are mine. There’s a piece of duct tape with MINNESOTA on the front. It was easy to identify my bags. **

Walking into the hotel, it was beautiful. We were greeted by three of the other contestants, one being Miss Wisconsin’s Outstanding Teen, now Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. Regardless of the fact that I had just gotten off the plane, was in sweats, and had no makeup on, the girls were so friendly! It was a great way to start the greetings. Only 48 more girls to meet!

The rest of the night was very relaxing. My parents and I went out to dinner and walked around. Tomorrow, it officially starts and I couldn’t wait!