Upland teen devoting time to community
Helen Catherine Wood is only 13 years old, but has already devoted so much of her time to helping others.
The San Antonio Heights resident has traveled to Alaska to help a former Mt. Baldy resident in her first Iditarod race. She's also been active in the Girl Scouts and other community projects.
Q: Why do you like to do charity work?
A: I have grown up doing charity work my whole life. Our family spends a lot of time doing things together, just having fun, not really watching much TV or playing electronic games. Instead, I guess what our family really likes, is getting out and doing things. I spend a lot of time doing things with my twin brother, and although I have a lot of other friends, my brother is really my best friend. Our family has always participated in community events and charity work, and we all enjoy being able to serve in the community.
My family has taught me that it is not what you get out of life, but what you contribute to life, and to others along your way, that really matters. I think this is especially true because you never really know when your life, or someone in your family, or a friends life might be over. I have had two very good friends of mine die unexpectedly, and you just never know when this could happen, so it is important that people focus on what really matters in life. I think you need to appreciate your life and be the best person that you can be. I believe that the saying " the more you give, the more you receive," is really true. The best thing that you can do is to give of yourself, your time, and your talents. Volunteering in the community is really a great way to do that. My dad is from Nashville, Tennessee and Tennessee is officially known as the "Volunteer State". My parents have taught me that it is the volunteers that have made our country great and different from so many other countries in the world. They also taught me that the best jobs in the world are the jobs you do as a volunteer, and if you volunteer for something you need to take it seriously.
Q: What other charity work have you been involved with?
A: I have been involved in lots of other charity work with my family for years. For example, the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life of Upland. I have been very involved in this community effort to raise awareness, education and continue the fight against cancer since I was eight years old when my best friend Jessi died of a brain tumor. It was very hard to lose your best friend when you are only eight years old, but we decided to do something about it and get involved. Each year we get more and more involved in the fight against cancer.
My family has been volunteering for our local Fire Station #12 ever since Sept. 11th 2001. I have helped do different things at the station. I have helped the fireman raise money for our community by helping to wash cars, helping with "Boot Drives" and various other activities at the station . I even sang the National Anthem for them at a 9/11 Memorial Service. We have a terrific Fire Department and I really like helping the firemen. We have gotten Christmas trees donated in the past for the station and then got our scout friends to help us decorate it.
I like to volunteer at our church in many ways. We attend Life Bible Fellowship Church in San Antonio Heights, I have a great youth pastor who has a great message for people my age every week. It is something you can take home and really use. Our youth group meets every Tuesday at 7pm and is open for any Junior Higher to come. We also have lots of other things at church going on throughout the week that people would enjoy. I think it is very important to be involved at church. You can be young and be a good example to others your age. I like the scripture, 1st Timothy 4:12. It say's "Do not let others look down on you because you a young, but be an example to others in your speech, your conduct, your love, your faith, and your purity".
For the past five years, my family has a tradition on Labor Day. We get up at 5:00am head to the top of Mt Baldy. Mt Baldy hosts an annual "Run to the Top". We ride up the back fire roads in the back of a supply truck. We help prepare hundreds of water cups and cut up fruit for approximately 600 participants. We then serve runners as they arrive at our station on the top of the mountain. We do this until the last runner comes through and by 12 noon we pack it up and take all the trash and supplies back down the hill. Volunteering for this is really a lot of fun!
I like to help get good local people elected to office by doing different types of campaign work. I like to help stuff envelopes, set-up for receptions, put up signs or rally on corners holding signs . This last election my brother and I probably served more than 100 hours helping in our local campaign. It is lots of fun!
My family has hosted many exchange students in our home. They have been with American Field Service and have attended Upland High School. They are still like big brothers and sisters to us. We keep in touch with them and have even visited some of them in their countries.
There are many little ways you can help people in the community and everyone should try to do something. When I was in 5th grade at Upland Christian School, my teacher challenged our class to do something special for the community with 10.00. Because my brother and I were both in 5th grade, we worked together and had 20.00 for this project. Our school gave each 5th grader the 10.00 to work with and then we could raise more if we wanted to. My brother and I made a donation can and raised a little more. We took what we had into Chicks in Upland. They partnered with us on a project to donate a brand new ping pong table to the Gibson Senior Center in Upland. It was really neat to see so many happy seniors when the Chicks manager, our school principle, my teacher, my brother and I came into the Senior Center with a ping pong table wrapped in a large red ribbon. We even got to play the first round with our principle Mr. Barnes.
It's fun to spend time with senior citizens. First of all, they have done a lot with their life, you can learn from them and they can tell you great stories about history. Also, they are never really in a hurry and they love to listen. My Great Aunt Martha is going to be 91 on the Fourth of July. She still goes fishing and she will be spending a week with us at our house in August. I can't wait! Also, my grandpa is 88 years old and still lives in his house in Upland. He was in World War II and has some great stories. I know I can find him almost everyday around 5pm eating at either Brandon's Diner in Upland or Denny's in Upland. He is a really great person and I love him very much!
Q: How did you become so involved in the community?
A: My family is very outgoing, and we are all pretty talkative, which probably gets us involved in the community. It is kind of like a chain link effect , getting to know other people and then one person or another links you to another person or an activity or community event. Then it just kind of snowballs from there. Then once you volunteer for something, you usually find out about other things that other people are involved with, which gets you more and more involved in the community. My family really likes people.
Q: You were recently crowned Miss Teen Community of Upland. What does this accomplishment mean to you?
A: Being crowned Miss Teen Community of Upland is both an honor and a privilege. More importantly, it is an opportunity to serve and represent the community, which is a really big responsibility. It allows me the opportunity to work on myself, to be a better person and a good role model for others, while representing the teens in our community. However, I am still the same person, whether I am wearing the sash and crown, or I am not. I think it is really fun to dress up and I am learning to make sure that I am well put together. It allows me to continue to work on my outside appearance as well as my inner self. My parents have always taught me that it is what is on the inside, that matters most. Although, I think it is also important to make a good impression and to practice good grooming habits, wear clean and neat clothes, have good manners, speak well, and represent yourself in a responsible way. A present is appreciated more if it is wrapped nicely, but it is the gift inside the box that matters most. When I am wearing the sash and crown, I know that I am looked at as I am representing the community, and it helps remind me that I really do need to look and act my best. I am very happy to have this opportunity, since it is something that I am very proud of, and an opportunity that you may not have very often.
Q: What do you do as Miss Teen Community of Upland?
A: As Miss Teen Community of Upland, I serve as a role model for others my age. I participate at community events, help at different functions and learn more about the community. By doing this it helps me to grow and to be a more responsible person in the community. Many of the things that I will do as Miss Teen Community of Upland, I have already been doing with my family for a long time. My parents are very involved in the community, so I have had the opportunity to be involved in a lot of community events already. As Miss Teen Community of Upland, I will attend community events and functions, while representing the community.
I recently had the opportunity to be a greeter for a community concert and really enjoyed listening to the music from the composer Gershwin. I also had the opportunity to attend an Upland City Council meeting and listen to the 2009-2010 budget for the city. It was really interesting to learn where our tax dollars are being spent. The Mayor and City Council members presented me with a certificate of recognition for serving as Miss Teen Community of Upland. I was honored and very appreciative of this recognition.
On Memorial Day, I attended a service at Belleview Cemetery, remembering the soldiers that have died fighting for our freedom. I have been going to this Memorial Day Service for five or six years with my family. This year I got to go as Miss Teen Community of Upland. This was really special and a great way to remember and respect those who have lost their lives to give us our freedom. I think it is important to show our appreciation every year. I wish more teens would come to this service and then go have their Memorial Day fun.
I am looking forward to participating in many more upcoming community events, including the Fourth of July parade, the Christmas parade, attending a Kiwanis luncheon, participating in the Upland Neighborhood National Night out on August 4th, the annual 9/11 service at the fire station, wrapping and passing out Christmas presents for the seniors in our community, and many other special charity events throughout the year.
Q: What is your biggest accomplishment so far?
A: Everything is important in life. It makes you who you are. But, probably my biggest accomplishment is the work that we do in Eastern Europe. After being arrested and detained in a military facility for two days and two nights by the Russian Military, we prayed hard and had to stay calm in a very uncomfortable situation. This was a huge accomplishment as your first instinct is to panic. Instead, we prayed and depended on God to take good care of us and our needs. He did, and we were then able to stay calm and get through it. We were deported to Latvia and then traveled back to Lithuania to see our friends from Upland. This experience turned out to be quite an education for us, and through this experience, we decided to get involved in their work and start helping others in Eastern Europe. We soon began working on a large project that keeps growing and helping many people in Lithuania. Going through and learning to travel in foreign countries is an accomplishment. Learning to truly appreciate the freedoms and everything we have here in America is a huge accomplishment. Learning to really understand how important our freedom is when you see what dictatorships have really done to the core spirit of people who have lived in those countries. I truly appreciate the basics of family, food, shelter and the opportunity of going to school. I think that if more teens my age could see what it really is like in some other countries, they would genuinely appreciate what we have here. They would not be disruptive and rude to their parents, teachers and others. They would be a true friend to others and really try to help people one at a time. They would be humble and say that the world does not revolve around them. If you knew that it was the last day that you would ever see someone, I think you would treat them better. You really need to treat people better at all times because you really don't know when it may be the last time you would see someone. My mom tells me that kindness and consideration of others is important at all times. Girl Scouts oath says that we are responsible for what we say and do. The Bible says that we should help those in need. Learning and truly understanding these things are my biggest accomplishments so far!
Q: How do you hope to inspire others through your accomplishments?
A: I hope to inspire others through doing my best, encouraging people to do their best and trying to be a good role model. My parents have always been encouraging and told me that I can do anything if I put my mind to it, practice a lot and don't give up. My mom say's it is a matter of what you think. You are right if you think you can't and you are right if you think you can. It's only a matter of what you think!
There are people I know whose accomplishments have really encouraged and inspired me. I hope to do this same thing for others. Kim Rhode is a family friend and a real role model and inspiration to me. She's a champion skeet and trap shooter and the best gun shooter in the world. She practices a lot and has won gold, silver and bronze medals in four different Olympics. Another good friend, role model and inspiration to me is Maegan Ridley from Alta Loma. She has been one of the people who helped me learn how to ride horses. She is the current Miss Rodeo America and is traveling the United States representing all Rodeo queens in the country. The Air Force just took her up for a ride in one of their F16 Thunderbirds.
I would like to encourage teenagers to find someone in need, look for the good in people and truly show compassion towards others. Then, turn off your games once in a while and use that time to do something to help someone else. You'll end up feeling better about yourself if you have spent a little time helping others. One of my goals in life is to encourage and help kids with cancer. My brother and I want to speak in schools and teach other kids how to fight against cancer. We also want kids to know that it is not contagious and if someone in your school gets cancer, then you should not stay away from them, you need to be there for them and help them through it. This is when they need you the most! I hope one day that cancer awareness will be taught in the schools. Inspiring and encouraging one another is extremely important. More so than people realize.
Q: Can you tell me about your trips to Lithuania and Russia? What do you do there?
A: Our first trip to Eastern Europe was during spring break in April 2007 to visit a family from Upland who was living and working in Lithuania for one year. We went to school with their kids and their dad was the youth pastor at Pomona First Baptist Church. They were there to encourage and help people who lived through the reign of the Soviet Union dictatorship.
According to Gallop Poles, Lithuanians have the highest suicide rate in the world. Many Lithuanians feel that they have no hope. Through the Soviet control, many Lithuanians were killed or mentally, physically and emotionally beat down for so many generations that they tend to isolate themselves and develop a severe case of hopelessness and despair. Suicide is their escape. They are very discouraging people towards each other and this has paved the way for an epidemic of suicides. We are working hard with others to show them that there is hope and to encourage them to break free from this cloud of darkness that covers their country.
My brother and I work to encourage the kids in Lithuania. We have helped in many ways. For example, we have thrown a birthday party for the orphans, taught American football and baseball to kids and tried to help them learn English as they help us learn Lithuanian. Our job is to smile, be their friend and to encourage them in what ever they are trying to do. We have bought a small house in Lithuania and have made many new Lithuanian friends.
My family is working very hard to develop a ministry of "Hope" for Lithuanians. In order to help people, you need to have a place or building to work from. My family helped establish "The Manna Center", a place where people can come to for help. This is an ongoing project and vision of a Lithuanian Christian Church located on the Baltic Sea in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Here is the link to the center if you would like to know more about this project. www.serving.lt
Q: You have also traveled to Alaska for the Iditarod. What was that experience like for you?
A: In March of this year, for ten days, we lived in a girl scout cabin in Wasilla, Alaska. Most of the time it was below zero degrees. We had no running water, a wood burning stove for heat and an outhouse about 200 feet away from the cabin. We took our one shower at a community center in Anchorage. We spent each day working at a dog kennel learning how to care for dog teams, learning the art of dog mushing, the history of the Iditarod and other things to earn our dog mushing and Iditarod badges. It was cold, exciting, fun, educational and adventurous. It was exciting because we got to hang out with the dogs, learn from the mushers how to take care of the dogs and be a part of a working dog kennel. We formed a small bond with some of the dogs. It was fun working and playing with these dogs and learning that each dog has their own talent and personality (just like people). We participated in "Vet Check" day at the Iditarod headquarters and learned about their extensive health checks from the Chief Veterinarian.
In addition to learning and experiencing the 2009 Iditarod, we were able to experience and understand the alaskan culture. Even though Alaska is part of the United States, they have a much different culture than the rest of the country. We learned about Eskimo's and their Native Alaskan lifestyle. We ate salmon, moose burgers, caribou stew, and reindeer dogs. Reindeer and caribou is the same animal except a reindeer is domesticated. We went to the reindeer races in downtown Anchorage and had lots of fun watching the reindeers run. The weather was very cold and we realized that Alaska has some very interesting and different wildlife than what we are use to in California. It was a great adventure and experience.
Q: What are some of your experiences being home schooled?
A: We chose to be home schooled this year for many reasons. Because we are an active family, we decided that we wanted more time as a family working on our education together. Home schooling has given us that opportunity. We can take our laptops with us and can do our schooling anywhere we have an internet connection. It is a really cool online program called K12 and we are done with our book academics within three hours each day. There are many field trips that are offered so that you can interact with others your age. We can go at whatever speed we like and don't feel the stress of certain homework or project deadlines. I attended Mt. Baldy School for elementary school between kindergarten and fourth grade and then attended Upland Christian School for fifth and sixth grade. Then, for seventh grade, I asked to be home schooled. Every school was a different kind of experience, but all of them were really good, in their own way. Home schooling is good because you get up in the morning and you can make your own schedule. I am home schooled with my twin brother, John Wesley, which makes it even better because there is someone else to be able to learn and study with. When you are home schooled, you can really focus on your subjects and get more done in just a few hours, instead of all day, like in a regular school environment. You also have a more flexible schedule, which allows you to be able to take trips, or travel to interesting places, so you can experience and learn, when you can actually go somewhere and see things, in person. When you are home schooled, you have a lot more time to do other things that you want to do.
Q: What other activities and hobbies do you enjoy?
A: I am involved in a lot of activities and have a lot of interesting hobbies. I have been doing Tae Kwon Do for four years at a studio in Upland. I currently am a junior black belt with plans of taking my black belt test in November. This will be a very strenuous test and I am now in serious conditioning to get ready for the test. I recently won a gold medal for my division at a state tournament.
I have been in Girl Scouts for the past seven years and am now a cadet. I will soon begin working on my silver award. This is highest award possible for a cadet's to achieve. It involves planning, coordinating and implementing a project that benefits our community.
I love horses, and have an Arabian named Alazaar. I really like riding on the local horse trails near my house with my family and friends. Quite often I enjoy riding between the trees on Euclid. We are members of the Alta Loma Riding Club and enjoy the "Play Days" at Heritage Park . I just finished the spring season of Upland City Pony League. I played on the Red Sox and our team won the Championship for the league. It was a great season, a lot of fun and I had great coaches that really helped me. I learned a lot from watching the other players, going to practices and trying hard. I was the only girl on the team and the only girl in the league, but the coaches and team members really encouraged and helped me. I really hope more girls start playing fast pitch baseball. It is a lot of fun. Because of the encouragement and support from my coaches and my team, I want to play again next season. I recently watched the movie "A League of their Own". It was about keeping professional baseball alive during World War 11. Women took over real baseball during the war because most of the men were in foreign countries were serving in the military. These women became famous and are now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. I enjoy doing many other things in the community or with my friends. I really love athletics. I like tennis, racquetball, football, volleyball, bike riding, roller skating, and ice skating. I am an advanced swimmer and certified in lifesaving and CPR. I was on the swim team at The Claremont Club for a year. They are a really good swim school with great coaches. While on the swim team I competed in backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. I really like all kinds of water sports like surfing and snorkeling. We are a sail boating family. My Dad was living on a sailboat for 3 months before he met my mom. He actually really wanted to raise us traveling on a sailboat. But my mom wanted a home with a yard and animals. She won, but he still takes us sailing on the ocean. This is why my mom insisted that we were advanced swimmers. We spent 6 weeks every summer for six years at the Claremont Club in their swim school. It was great and it is fun for us and assuring for my mom that we are good swimmers.We are involved heavily with Ovation School for the Performing Arts in Upland. My brother and I take classes there in theatre, acting , dance, music ,hip hop, tap, jazz, and voice. This is a great school in Upland. We have also been in many local community theatre plays at the Grove Theatre. I've been in Annie, Honk, Peter Pan, Esther, the Star of Persia, Broadway Revue and others. In my quiet time, I love to draw, paint and do ceramics. I've taken many classes from Kids Art in Claremont and it is very relaxing. We own a cabin in Mt Baldy where we do lots of hiking on the local mountains. We are involved in the Mt Baldy community and love the mountain life. In the winter time, we do lots of snowboarding near our cabin. We entertain a lot and we host many parties for our family, friends and neighbors in our home.
Q: What are some things that most people may not know about you?
A: There are lots of things that people don't know about me. I was named after my grandmother who was Helen Catherine Clair. She was a great lady! My nickname is "Sweet Pea". I love working with animals and I want to be a Veterinarian. I've swam with sharks at Scripps School of Oceanography, climbed a Volcano in Hawaii at 6am in the morning with my parents just to find the best spot to watch the sun come up and went river rafting on class 5 rapids on the St Laurence River in Montreal, Canada. Also, we adopted our white lab from a camel farm in Yuma, Arizona (he still sits like a camel) and I like to country line dance with my dad to the Boot Scoot Shuffle and the Electric Slide. I've been on the auto bon in Germany and have been lost in Warsaw Poland in the Middle of the Night. I shovel a barrel full of horse poop everyday, my brother and I cut the grass at our house, do a lot of yard work and do the dishes in the kitchen. We play hard as a family and we work hard as a family.
The San Antonio Heights resident has traveled to Alaska to help a former Mt. Baldy resident in her first Iditarod race. She's also been active in the Girl Scouts and other community projects.
Q: Why do you like to do charity work?
A: I have grown up doing charity work my whole life. Our family spends a lot of time doing things together, just having fun, not really watching much TV or playing electronic games. Instead, I guess what our family really likes, is getting out and doing things. I spend a lot of time doing things with my twin brother, and although I have a lot of other friends, my brother is really my best friend. Our family has always participated in community events and charity work, and we all enjoy being able to serve in the community.
My family has taught me that it is not what you get out of life, but what you contribute to life, and to others along your way, that really matters. I think this is especially true because you never really know when your life, or someone in your family, or a friends life might be over. I have had two very good friends of mine die unexpectedly, and you just never know when this could happen, so it is important that people focus on what really matters in life. I think you need to appreciate your life and be the best person that you can be. I believe that the saying " the more you give, the more you receive," is really true. The best thing that you can do is to give of yourself, your time, and your talents. Volunteering in the community is really a great way to do that. My dad is from Nashville, Tennessee and Tennessee is officially known as the "Volunteer State". My parents have taught me that it is the volunteers that have made our country great and different from so many other countries in the world. They also taught me that the best jobs in the world are the jobs you do as a volunteer, and if you volunteer for something you need to take it seriously.
Q: What other charity work have you been involved with?
A: I have been involved in lots of other charity work with my family for years. For example, the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life of Upland. I have been very involved in this community effort to raise awareness, education and continue the fight against cancer since I was eight years old when my best friend Jessi died of a brain tumor. It was very hard to lose your best friend when you are only eight years old, but we decided to do something about it and get involved. Each year we get more and more involved in the fight against cancer.
My family has been volunteering for our local Fire Station #12 ever since Sept. 11th 2001. I have helped do different things at the station. I have helped the fireman raise money for our community by helping to wash cars, helping with "Boot Drives" and various other activities at the station . I even sang the National Anthem for them at a 9/11 Memorial Service. We have a terrific Fire Department and I really like helping the firemen. We have gotten Christmas trees donated in the past for the station and then got our scout friends to help us decorate it.
I like to volunteer at our church in many ways. We attend Life Bible Fellowship Church in San Antonio Heights, I have a great youth pastor who has a great message for people my age every week. It is something you can take home and really use. Our youth group meets every Tuesday at 7pm and is open for any Junior Higher to come. We also have lots of other things at church going on throughout the week that people would enjoy. I think it is very important to be involved at church. You can be young and be a good example to others your age. I like the scripture, 1st Timothy 4:12. It say's "Do not let others look down on you because you a young, but be an example to others in your speech, your conduct, your love, your faith, and your purity".
For the past five years, my family has a tradition on Labor Day. We get up at 5:00am head to the top of Mt Baldy. Mt Baldy hosts an annual "Run to the Top". We ride up the back fire roads in the back of a supply truck. We help prepare hundreds of water cups and cut up fruit for approximately 600 participants. We then serve runners as they arrive at our station on the top of the mountain. We do this until the last runner comes through and by 12 noon we pack it up and take all the trash and supplies back down the hill. Volunteering for this is really a lot of fun!
I like to help get good local people elected to office by doing different types of campaign work. I like to help stuff envelopes, set-up for receptions, put up signs or rally on corners holding signs . This last election my brother and I probably served more than 100 hours helping in our local campaign. It is lots of fun!
My family has hosted many exchange students in our home. They have been with American Field Service and have attended Upland High School. They are still like big brothers and sisters to us. We keep in touch with them and have even visited some of them in their countries.
There are many little ways you can help people in the community and everyone should try to do something. When I was in 5th grade at Upland Christian School, my teacher challenged our class to do something special for the community with 10.00. Because my brother and I were both in 5th grade, we worked together and had 20.00 for this project. Our school gave each 5th grader the 10.00 to work with and then we could raise more if we wanted to. My brother and I made a donation can and raised a little more. We took what we had into Chicks in Upland. They partnered with us on a project to donate a brand new ping pong table to the Gibson Senior Center in Upland. It was really neat to see so many happy seniors when the Chicks manager, our school principle, my teacher, my brother and I came into the Senior Center with a ping pong table wrapped in a large red ribbon. We even got to play the first round with our principle Mr. Barnes.
It's fun to spend time with senior citizens. First of all, they have done a lot with their life, you can learn from them and they can tell you great stories about history. Also, they are never really in a hurry and they love to listen. My Great Aunt Martha is going to be 91 on the Fourth of July. She still goes fishing and she will be spending a week with us at our house in August. I can't wait! Also, my grandpa is 88 years old and still lives in his house in Upland. He was in World War II and has some great stories. I know I can find him almost everyday around 5pm eating at either Brandon's Diner in Upland or Denny's in Upland. He is a really great person and I love him very much!
Q: How did you become so involved in the community?
A: My family is very outgoing, and we are all pretty talkative, which probably gets us involved in the community. It is kind of like a chain link effect , getting to know other people and then one person or another links you to another person or an activity or community event. Then it just kind of snowballs from there. Then once you volunteer for something, you usually find out about other things that other people are involved with, which gets you more and more involved in the community. My family really likes people.
Q: You were recently crowned Miss Teen Community of Upland. What does this accomplishment mean to you?
A: Being crowned Miss Teen Community of Upland is both an honor and a privilege. More importantly, it is an opportunity to serve and represent the community, which is a really big responsibility. It allows me the opportunity to work on myself, to be a better person and a good role model for others, while representing the teens in our community. However, I am still the same person, whether I am wearing the sash and crown, or I am not. I think it is really fun to dress up and I am learning to make sure that I am well put together. It allows me to continue to work on my outside appearance as well as my inner self. My parents have always taught me that it is what is on the inside, that matters most. Although, I think it is also important to make a good impression and to practice good grooming habits, wear clean and neat clothes, have good manners, speak well, and represent yourself in a responsible way. A present is appreciated more if it is wrapped nicely, but it is the gift inside the box that matters most. When I am wearing the sash and crown, I know that I am looked at as I am representing the community, and it helps remind me that I really do need to look and act my best. I am very happy to have this opportunity, since it is something that I am very proud of, and an opportunity that you may not have very often.
Q: What do you do as Miss Teen Community of Upland?
A: As Miss Teen Community of Upland, I serve as a role model for others my age. I participate at community events, help at different functions and learn more about the community. By doing this it helps me to grow and to be a more responsible person in the community. Many of the things that I will do as Miss Teen Community of Upland, I have already been doing with my family for a long time. My parents are very involved in the community, so I have had the opportunity to be involved in a lot of community events already. As Miss Teen Community of Upland, I will attend community events and functions, while representing the community.
I recently had the opportunity to be a greeter for a community concert and really enjoyed listening to the music from the composer Gershwin. I also had the opportunity to attend an Upland City Council meeting and listen to the 2009-2010 budget for the city. It was really interesting to learn where our tax dollars are being spent. The Mayor and City Council members presented me with a certificate of recognition for serving as Miss Teen Community of Upland. I was honored and very appreciative of this recognition.
On Memorial Day, I attended a service at Belleview Cemetery, remembering the soldiers that have died fighting for our freedom. I have been going to this Memorial Day Service for five or six years with my family. This year I got to go as Miss Teen Community of Upland. This was really special and a great way to remember and respect those who have lost their lives to give us our freedom. I think it is important to show our appreciation every year. I wish more teens would come to this service and then go have their Memorial Day fun.
I am looking forward to participating in many more upcoming community events, including the Fourth of July parade, the Christmas parade, attending a Kiwanis luncheon, participating in the Upland Neighborhood National Night out on August 4th, the annual 9/11 service at the fire station, wrapping and passing out Christmas presents for the seniors in our community, and many other special charity events throughout the year.
Q: What is your biggest accomplishment so far?
A: Everything is important in life. It makes you who you are. But, probably my biggest accomplishment is the work that we do in Eastern Europe. After being arrested and detained in a military facility for two days and two nights by the Russian Military, we prayed hard and had to stay calm in a very uncomfortable situation. This was a huge accomplishment as your first instinct is to panic. Instead, we prayed and depended on God to take good care of us and our needs. He did, and we were then able to stay calm and get through it. We were deported to Latvia and then traveled back to Lithuania to see our friends from Upland. This experience turned out to be quite an education for us, and through this experience, we decided to get involved in their work and start helping others in Eastern Europe. We soon began working on a large project that keeps growing and helping many people in Lithuania. Going through and learning to travel in foreign countries is an accomplishment. Learning to truly appreciate the freedoms and everything we have here in America is a huge accomplishment. Learning to really understand how important our freedom is when you see what dictatorships have really done to the core spirit of people who have lived in those countries. I truly appreciate the basics of family, food, shelter and the opportunity of going to school. I think that if more teens my age could see what it really is like in some other countries, they would genuinely appreciate what we have here. They would not be disruptive and rude to their parents, teachers and others. They would be a true friend to others and really try to help people one at a time. They would be humble and say that the world does not revolve around them. If you knew that it was the last day that you would ever see someone, I think you would treat them better. You really need to treat people better at all times because you really don't know when it may be the last time you would see someone. My mom tells me that kindness and consideration of others is important at all times. Girl Scouts oath says that we are responsible for what we say and do. The Bible says that we should help those in need. Learning and truly understanding these things are my biggest accomplishments so far!
Q: How do you hope to inspire others through your accomplishments?
A: I hope to inspire others through doing my best, encouraging people to do their best and trying to be a good role model. My parents have always been encouraging and told me that I can do anything if I put my mind to it, practice a lot and don't give up. My mom say's it is a matter of what you think. You are right if you think you can't and you are right if you think you can. It's only a matter of what you think!
There are people I know whose accomplishments have really encouraged and inspired me. I hope to do this same thing for others. Kim Rhode is a family friend and a real role model and inspiration to me. She's a champion skeet and trap shooter and the best gun shooter in the world. She practices a lot and has won gold, silver and bronze medals in four different Olympics. Another good friend, role model and inspiration to me is Maegan Ridley from Alta Loma. She has been one of the people who helped me learn how to ride horses. She is the current Miss Rodeo America and is traveling the United States representing all Rodeo queens in the country. The Air Force just took her up for a ride in one of their F16 Thunderbirds.
I would like to encourage teenagers to find someone in need, look for the good in people and truly show compassion towards others. Then, turn off your games once in a while and use that time to do something to help someone else. You'll end up feeling better about yourself if you have spent a little time helping others. One of my goals in life is to encourage and help kids with cancer. My brother and I want to speak in schools and teach other kids how to fight against cancer. We also want kids to know that it is not contagious and if someone in your school gets cancer, then you should not stay away from them, you need to be there for them and help them through it. This is when they need you the most! I hope one day that cancer awareness will be taught in the schools. Inspiring and encouraging one another is extremely important. More so than people realize.
Q: Can you tell me about your trips to Lithuania and Russia? What do you do there?
A: Our first trip to Eastern Europe was during spring break in April 2007 to visit a family from Upland who was living and working in Lithuania for one year. We went to school with their kids and their dad was the youth pastor at Pomona First Baptist Church. They were there to encourage and help people who lived through the reign of the Soviet Union dictatorship.
According to Gallop Poles, Lithuanians have the highest suicide rate in the world. Many Lithuanians feel that they have no hope. Through the Soviet control, many Lithuanians were killed or mentally, physically and emotionally beat down for so many generations that they tend to isolate themselves and develop a severe case of hopelessness and despair. Suicide is their escape. They are very discouraging people towards each other and this has paved the way for an epidemic of suicides. We are working hard with others to show them that there is hope and to encourage them to break free from this cloud of darkness that covers their country.
My brother and I work to encourage the kids in Lithuania. We have helped in many ways. For example, we have thrown a birthday party for the orphans, taught American football and baseball to kids and tried to help them learn English as they help us learn Lithuanian. Our job is to smile, be their friend and to encourage them in what ever they are trying to do. We have bought a small house in Lithuania and have made many new Lithuanian friends.
My family is working very hard to develop a ministry of "Hope" for Lithuanians. In order to help people, you need to have a place or building to work from. My family helped establish "The Manna Center", a place where people can come to for help. This is an ongoing project and vision of a Lithuanian Christian Church located on the Baltic Sea in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Here is the link to the center if you would like to know more about this project. www.serving.lt
Q: You have also traveled to Alaska for the Iditarod. What was that experience like for you?
A: In March of this year, for ten days, we lived in a girl scout cabin in Wasilla, Alaska. Most of the time it was below zero degrees. We had no running water, a wood burning stove for heat and an outhouse about 200 feet away from the cabin. We took our one shower at a community center in Anchorage. We spent each day working at a dog kennel learning how to care for dog teams, learning the art of dog mushing, the history of the Iditarod and other things to earn our dog mushing and Iditarod badges. It was cold, exciting, fun, educational and adventurous. It was exciting because we got to hang out with the dogs, learn from the mushers how to take care of the dogs and be a part of a working dog kennel. We formed a small bond with some of the dogs. It was fun working and playing with these dogs and learning that each dog has their own talent and personality (just like people). We participated in "Vet Check" day at the Iditarod headquarters and learned about their extensive health checks from the Chief Veterinarian.
In addition to learning and experiencing the 2009 Iditarod, we were able to experience and understand the alaskan culture. Even though Alaska is part of the United States, they have a much different culture than the rest of the country. We learned about Eskimo's and their Native Alaskan lifestyle. We ate salmon, moose burgers, caribou stew, and reindeer dogs. Reindeer and caribou is the same animal except a reindeer is domesticated. We went to the reindeer races in downtown Anchorage and had lots of fun watching the reindeers run. The weather was very cold and we realized that Alaska has some very interesting and different wildlife than what we are use to in California. It was a great adventure and experience.
Q: What are some of your experiences being home schooled?
A: We chose to be home schooled this year for many reasons. Because we are an active family, we decided that we wanted more time as a family working on our education together. Home schooling has given us that opportunity. We can take our laptops with us and can do our schooling anywhere we have an internet connection. It is a really cool online program called K12 and we are done with our book academics within three hours each day. There are many field trips that are offered so that you can interact with others your age. We can go at whatever speed we like and don't feel the stress of certain homework or project deadlines. I attended Mt. Baldy School for elementary school between kindergarten and fourth grade and then attended Upland Christian School for fifth and sixth grade. Then, for seventh grade, I asked to be home schooled. Every school was a different kind of experience, but all of them were really good, in their own way. Home schooling is good because you get up in the morning and you can make your own schedule. I am home schooled with my twin brother, John Wesley, which makes it even better because there is someone else to be able to learn and study with. When you are home schooled, you can really focus on your subjects and get more done in just a few hours, instead of all day, like in a regular school environment. You also have a more flexible schedule, which allows you to be able to take trips, or travel to interesting places, so you can experience and learn, when you can actually go somewhere and see things, in person. When you are home schooled, you have a lot more time to do other things that you want to do.
Q: What other activities and hobbies do you enjoy?
A: I am involved in a lot of activities and have a lot of interesting hobbies. I have been doing Tae Kwon Do for four years at a studio in Upland. I currently am a junior black belt with plans of taking my black belt test in November. This will be a very strenuous test and I am now in serious conditioning to get ready for the test. I recently won a gold medal for my division at a state tournament.
I have been in Girl Scouts for the past seven years and am now a cadet. I will soon begin working on my silver award. This is highest award possible for a cadet's to achieve. It involves planning, coordinating and implementing a project that benefits our community.
I love horses, and have an Arabian named Alazaar. I really like riding on the local horse trails near my house with my family and friends. Quite often I enjoy riding between the trees on Euclid. We are members of the Alta Loma Riding Club and enjoy the "Play Days" at Heritage Park . I just finished the spring season of Upland City Pony League. I played on the Red Sox and our team won the Championship for the league. It was a great season, a lot of fun and I had great coaches that really helped me. I learned a lot from watching the other players, going to practices and trying hard. I was the only girl on the team and the only girl in the league, but the coaches and team members really encouraged and helped me. I really hope more girls start playing fast pitch baseball. It is a lot of fun. Because of the encouragement and support from my coaches and my team, I want to play again next season. I recently watched the movie "A League of their Own". It was about keeping professional baseball alive during World War 11. Women took over real baseball during the war because most of the men were in foreign countries were serving in the military. These women became famous and are now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. I enjoy doing many other things in the community or with my friends. I really love athletics. I like tennis, racquetball, football, volleyball, bike riding, roller skating, and ice skating. I am an advanced swimmer and certified in lifesaving and CPR. I was on the swim team at The Claremont Club for a year. They are a really good swim school with great coaches. While on the swim team I competed in backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. I really like all kinds of water sports like surfing and snorkeling. We are a sail boating family. My Dad was living on a sailboat for 3 months before he met my mom. He actually really wanted to raise us traveling on a sailboat. But my mom wanted a home with a yard and animals. She won, but he still takes us sailing on the ocean. This is why my mom insisted that we were advanced swimmers. We spent 6 weeks every summer for six years at the Claremont Club in their swim school. It was great and it is fun for us and assuring for my mom that we are good swimmers.We are involved heavily with Ovation School for the Performing Arts in Upland. My brother and I take classes there in theatre, acting , dance, music ,hip hop, tap, jazz, and voice. This is a great school in Upland. We have also been in many local community theatre plays at the Grove Theatre. I've been in Annie, Honk, Peter Pan, Esther, the Star of Persia, Broadway Revue and others. In my quiet time, I love to draw, paint and do ceramics. I've taken many classes from Kids Art in Claremont and it is very relaxing. We own a cabin in Mt Baldy where we do lots of hiking on the local mountains. We are involved in the Mt Baldy community and love the mountain life. In the winter time, we do lots of snowboarding near our cabin. We entertain a lot and we host many parties for our family, friends and neighbors in our home.
Q: What are some things that most people may not know about you?
A: There are lots of things that people don't know about me. I was named after my grandmother who was Helen Catherine Clair. She was a great lady! My nickname is "Sweet Pea". I love working with animals and I want to be a Veterinarian. I've swam with sharks at Scripps School of Oceanography, climbed a Volcano in Hawaii at 6am in the morning with my parents just to find the best spot to watch the sun come up and went river rafting on class 5 rapids on the St Laurence River in Montreal, Canada. Also, we adopted our white lab from a camel farm in Yuma, Arizona (he still sits like a camel) and I like to country line dance with my dad to the Boot Scoot Shuffle and the Electric Slide. I've been on the auto bon in Germany and have been lost in Warsaw Poland in the Middle of the Night. I shovel a barrel full of horse poop everyday, my brother and I cut the grass at our house, do a lot of yard work and do the dishes in the kitchen. We play hard as a family and we work hard as a family.
Recent Comments