Miss St. Tammany Heritage 2012

“Stripped” Southeastern Louisiana University...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:54:14 -0400

“Stripped”

Southeastern Louisiana University Department of Dance

Spring Concert 2013

Choreography & Performance by Averi Harris

aveeee: Dancing in the Dark I’m reblogging this again...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:56:15 -0500

aveeee:

Dancing in the Dark

I’m reblogging this again because of how many times I’ve found myself watching it in the past week. I’m truly obsessed with their movement.

They’re perfect.

So peace out you guys! I have officially retired my title of...

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 18:40:41 -0500

So peace out you guys! I have officially retired my title of Miss St. Tammany Heritage. I may keep this blog running and just change the name. Who knows?! Maybe I’ll compete again for Miss Louisiana, or maybe not! It’s all up to the Lord and what He has in plan for my life. So thank you to all of you who have followed my page. I was shocked to see that people have actually kept up with my shenanigans and read my posts about my journey.

Much Love,

Averi

P.s- Merry Christmas season to all of you! I hope y’all have a blessed holiday season!

My farewell speech presented to those in attendance of the Miss St. Tammany Heritage 2013 pageant.

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 18:11:51 -0500

Farewell

I just want to take this time to thank you all for being here. From experience I know that having this kind of support from the audience makes this evening different. It does something to change the atmosphere. Having your friends and family here, cheering your name, is a reminder of what one is doing up here on this stage. It’s a remedy for the nerves and helps the ladies relax, knowing that no matter what you are making someone proud.

On December 10, 2011, I was crowned Miss St. Tammany Heritage 2012. I was given the chance to represent my city and my parish and I could not have been more honored. Almost exactly a year ago I received more than a sash and a crown. However, I received more then that. I received a new sister. Alexa Aertker. If you haven’t met her, I urge you to at some point tonight. She is a phenomenal young woman. Within just a couple weeks of being crowned, Lex cut something like ten inches off of her hair to donate to a precious little girl in her family that is battling brain cancer. I was still getting to know her at that time and when I saw her new “do” I instantly learned more about her character in that single moment then any conversation with her could have ever taught me.

Together we rode in various Mardi gras parades, rocked it at the East St. Tammany Relay for Life event, attended the Louisiana Bicentennial Celebration here at Slidell’s Heritage Park, represented St. Tammany Parish in the Miss Louisiana and Miss Louisiana’s Outstanding Teen pageants in Monroe, and along with Miss Missy and Rachel we attended the Children’s Miracle Network event entitled Boo at the Zoo this past October.

This being said, I’d like to thank Alexa for being an amazing representative of this organization. I am so proud of her and all that she has done.

Since the night that I was crowned there has always been a group that no matter what I was doing, they have been the epitome of a support group. I remember vividly the majority of them stumbling in late for the pageant. I could see them from this very stage while I was modeling for fitness in my swimsuit. So a massive thank you to my best friends. They are the slightly ridiculous, always obnoxious siblings that I absolutely could not live without.

And to my family, they’ve put up with all of this for the last four or so year that I’ve participated in the Miss Louisiana Organization. None of them are shy about my wardrobe choices. Especially Joe, poking fun at my heels. I don’t know if I’ve ever thanked you enough. And mom, I can’t even begin to accurately thank you. At least this last time around I could drive. For those of you who probably don’t know I waited to get my drivers license for a while. Throughout high school, when I held a couple of outstanding teen titles, she literally drove me EVERYWHERE imaginable! So mom and Joe, I love both of y’all so much. Thanks for putting up with me.

To Nicole, my first ever sister when we held the titles of Miss Slidell and Miss Slidell’s Outstanding Teen 2009. She has been my role model and I had the privilege of walking in her wedding as one of her bridesmaid when she and Jeremy got married. She has truly helped me beyond words. She helped me prepare for my Miss Louisiana interview and supplied what seemed like half of my competition wardrobe. She loaned me this evening gown and it is what I was wearing when I was crowned Miss St. Tammany Heritage and I took it to Monroe with me as well.

To my fleur-de-lis princess Brielle, thank you for being by my side on that massive Miss Louisiana stage! I was so thrilled to share that moment with you and I hope you had a blast in Monroe!

And last but not least, Miss Missy. This is a lady who means the world to me. She has been there for me since the beginning of my journey through the Miss Louisiana Organization. So Miss Missy, don’t think you can get rid of me very easily! I’m not going anywhere.

Once again, thank you to everyone in attendance. It truly means the world to these girls on stage.

And to the next Miss St. Tammany Heritage, congratulations a head of time. I hope all of you girls are listening. Don’t ever forget who you are representing. This parish is full of wonderful people and wonderful experiences to had. Break a leg at Miss Louisiana and just have a wonderful time!

Thank you,

Miss St. Tammany Heritage 2012

Averi K. Harris

I’ve officially crowned the new Miss St. Tammany...

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 18:05:27 -0500

I’ve officially crowned the new Miss St. Tammany Heritage! We had to manage the event in a basketball gym. Less than 24 hours before the pageant m pageant director received an email stating that we could no longer use their facility, which included a stage, a formal dressing room and a wonderful tech system. However, we made do with what we had an had a wonderful evening.

So I introduce to you, Miss St. Tammany Heritage 2013, Olivia Ruby. All the contestants were phenomenal and I hope that they truly enjoyed their experience this past weekend.

Treating my girls right! Like I’ve mentioned before, I...

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:23:47 -0500

Treating my girls right!
Like I’ve mentioned before, I will be crowing the new Miss St. Tammany Heritage this Saturday! I spent my day today making little gifts for all of the girls who are participating. I hope they like them and I hope their ornaments serve as a reminder of a wonderful weekend.

Lauren Vizza- Miss Louisiana 2012 Follow the link below to vote...

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 19:41:03 -0500

Lauren Vizza- Miss Louisiana 2012

Follow the link below to vote for the People’s Choice Award for the Miss America pageant that is January 12, 2013.

http://www.missamerica.org/videocontest/

In 21 days, I will be crowning the new Miss St. Tammany...

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 12:10:00 -0500

In 21 days, I will be crowning the new Miss St. Tammany Heritage.

21 Days, 7 Hours, 2 Minutes.

I’m happy to share this experience with someone. I hope that their time holding this title will mean as much to them as it has to me. I’m blessed. My town and the St. Tammany Parish area as a whole have been so welcoming to me and they have truly treated me as their representative-I could not have asked for anything more. Also, the director that the new title-holder is going to have to guide them through their “reign” is, in my opinion, the most amazing and talented women in the Miss Louisiana Organization. Mrs. Missy. She truly has helped me more than I think she even realizes. She was my director when I was Miss Slidell’s Outstanding Teen. My first pageant and my first title. Since then she has always been there.

It’s rather cheesy and typical to say that the end of my “reign” is “bitter-sweet.” I can’t help it, I have to. All of this is coming to an end and it’s very bitter-sweet.

adventures-of-bri: Stand up against bullying and show your...

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:56:00 -0400

adventures-of-bri:

Stand up against bullying and show your support!

Paint your pinky nail blue as a pinky swear and gang up for good!

Hashtag your blue pinky swear photos on Twitter and Instagram!

#GangUpForGood #AntiBullying #PinkySwear ♥

Bullying: More Long Term Than You Think

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:34:00 -0400

Okay, so as many of you know, October is National Anti-bullying Month. As I was walking across my university’s campus this morning a reminder of the reason the awareness this month became very prominent in my mind.

I lost my Daddy when I was in elementary school; yes, I still refer to him as Daddy- he was so much more than just a father. Well, when he was in high school, he fell prey to bullying because he found himself in the wrong place, at the wrong time. He watched a drug deal go down in the very hallways of his school. The bully in this scenario did a lot more damage than he will ever know.

The bully threw my Daddy into a locker, thus giving him damage to his skull. The padlock of the locker created an indention in his skull just above the base of his neck. The true problems that this injury caused would surface many years later.

As my Daddy grew older he began to develop a seizure disorder. When I was young I remember many a time, staring in fright as my Daddy acted funny and did not respond to me or my mom. Though he took medication to control this, there were still incidents. Totaled vehicles on the interstate. Stitches, etc.

One night the consequences from this injury peaked. My Daddy had a seizure in his sleep. This led to a suffocating position, and eventually heart failure. Since I was 9 years old I have remembered that Saturday morning countless times. Always hoping that I could meet that man who, as a teenage boy, changed the course of my Daddy’s life, forever. Not only did his impulsive decision affect Jeff Harris’s life, but he changed the world for a wife, a daughter, a mother, three sisters, an entire church community, and the list goes on and on.

This is my personal testimony about how bullying has indirectly changed my life and my world. I’d like to take October and encourage others to take extra time just to think about what you as a single person can do. Is there a situation you know of where you could step in? Do you know someone who is being bullied but is too scared to come foreword about it?

“Stand up, Speak out… End Bullying.”

http://www.stopbullying.gov

http://antibullyingprograms.org

I mentioned coming home from Miss Louisiana with a ton of...

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:24:36 -0400

I mentioned coming home from Miss Louisiana with a ton of pictures. I thought I’d share a few of them!

Everyone meet my beautiful and talented pageant week roommate, Angela! Best roommate I could have ever asked for. I can’t wait to see her!

The group photo is an interesting one! We are in Louisiana, right? So, what better way to celebrate the Miss Louisiana pageant than with the ever cordial family from Duck Dynasty! That’s right, I am not kidding. That’s Uncle Cy!

And last but not least is a fun group photo that we took after a rather long luncheon. We were imitating all of those “fierce” manequins we all see in the over the top store windows.

I was invited to attend the first annual Habitat for...

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:10:00 -0400

I was invited to attend the first annual Habitat for Humanity’s Mr. Habitat fundraiser. I had the honor of crowning Mr. Applegate with his golden hard hat and give him his golden hammer. It was a amazing night full of wonderful people and great food! It was a night that reminded me how honored I am to be Miss St. Tammany Heritage.

Left this morning for the Miss Louisiana pageant! Just made it...

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 21:36:11 -0400

Left this morning for the Miss Louisiana pageant! Just made it to Monroe, Louisiana. Tomorrow morning my week begins when I move into the dorm room provided by the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Then we are off to the Monroe Civic Center to begin a week of rehearsals and appearances and then competition begins Thursday. Saturday night the new Miss Louisiana will be crowned. I am so excited for this journey. More pictures will be to come!

A little inspiration. Know that what you get, comes from the...

Fri, 25 May 2012 20:53:45 -0400

A little inspiration. Know that what you get, comes from the Lord. The only crown that means a thing in my life is the crown of everlasting life that my Father has given me.

Children's Miracle Network

Fri, 25 May 2012 20:48:00 -0400

So part of the Miss America Organization, is the aspect of community service. The MAO is partnered with the Children’s Miracle Network. As part of competing at the state level, I am required to raise a certain amount of money. I am almost there. If you have the means to donate, you are helping to save the lives of children in your own community. Below I have posted the link to my extension of the missamerica4kids website. Thank you all so very much! I am forever in your gratitude!

http://www.missamericaforkids.org/Donate/260306E8AE4203713

Eating my fancy breakfast in my car as I wait. Speaking at...

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:50:11 -0400

Eating my fancy breakfast in my car as I wait. Speaking at Clearwood Jr. High today to the kiddies in sixth grade.

Miss St. Tammany and Miss St. Tammany Heritage’s...

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:51:21 -0400

Miss St. Tammany and Miss St. Tammany Heritage’s Outstanding Teen 2012

Crown cookies! Fundraising for the American Cancer Society!

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:49:08 -0400

Crown cookies! Fundraising for the American Cancer Society!

Miss Louisiana Organization state meeting 2012 was a success....

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:46:56 -0400

Miss Louisiana Organization state meeting 2012 was a success. Love my Miss St. Tammany family.

Parade day! Mystic Krewe of Perseus

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:13:00 -0500

Parade day! Mystic Krewe of Perseus