2011 TITLEHOLDER
Tara Ann Althaus
Miss Monroe County 2011
Miss Monroe County 2011
Tara Ann Althaus
Miss Monroe County 2011
Age: 18
Hometown: Temperance
Platform:Once Upon A Time - Youth Literacy and Disabilities
Talent:Vocal Performance
School:Bowling Green State University
Scholastic/Career Ambition:
Obtain a Degree in Music Theatre, to become a Broadway performer
Leadership Roles:
I organized the Bedford High School Senior Baccalaureate; Bedford High School Drama Club secretary; Member of Student Council, PAC (Principals Advisory Committee), Student Leadership Club, and Link Crew at Bedford High School; Dance and Vocal Teacher at the Peg Harris Dance Studio; Chosen for Toledo's "Hand-in-Hand" program; High School Cheerleader; Prop manager for Drama Department at Bedford High School; Danced for the Monroe Salvation Army; I read to students at Custer Elementary.
A Thought From Tara:
Once Upon A Time there was a little girl who was scared to read out loud in class, afraid of being laughed at by her peers. She couldn't read as fast or as well as the other children in her class and what she did read she didn't comprehend. She struggled daily just to make it by. Everyday she left the classroom to join a special group of children in the hall to work on their reading skills, and between that and the help of her family this little girl overcame her reading disability. Once upon a time...I was a little girl with reading disabilities.
Many children face reading problems and struggle in school and yet most people don't realize how big of an issue reading disabilities are with children that seem perfectly normal in elementary schools everywhere. Reading disabilities hurt people everywhere, especially children at elementary school age. When you struggle to read and comprehend the information you're reading, you have a disability and many people facing this problem don't know what to do to help themselves or their child facing the problem. Reading disabilities do not have to overtake your life and they don't have to define who you are.
Many children prefer Internet games and TV to reading a book, and it's not hard to see why. With electronics you get loud music and bright lights and when children look at books all they see is flat pages with lots of words. Children everywhere are facing difficulties in school because they don't read. When reading a book you are forced to use your own interpretation and imagination, reading opens many different parts of the brain that need to work together to decipher letters and give them meaning so without reading our students are going to struggle more and more in classes. Many children don't prefer reading because they haven't had the chance to find the perfect book for them that would show them the limitless possibilities in their own imagination and show them all the fun that reading can be with the right books. All they need is the help to find these books, but with the constant school budget cuts school libraries are finding it harder and harder to keep new books on the shelves for children to explore.
Once Upon A Time is a non-profit organization that I created to help children overcome their reading disabilities, to help them become confident in themselves and to find the magic that lies in every storybook. Through Once Upon A Time I organize book drives to obtain more books for children's libraries and places where children spend a lot of time at, such as local churches and small day care centers. I collect donations to help buy fun literacy games and newer books for children so that ALL children can have more options and to find a book they love that will show them the joy in reading and the magical world inside their own imagination. Children need good role models to look up to and to help them see the things they should do, so I volunteer at local elementary schools, public libraries, and the Salvation Army to read to the children and I encourage high school students to volunteer after school to read to a class of elementary students and become that positive role model young students need.
With the title of Miss Monroe County I will have a better ability to get the message about youth literacy and disabilities out across the county. I will use the crown as my megaphone to bring awareness to these issues facing our youth and bring help to the children who truly need it. Together, Monroe County and I will help improve our youths reading abilities and help them succeed throughout school and throughout life. Once Upon A Time is a program that came straight from my heart, to help All children become involved in reading and to be the best student they can be. Once upon a time...we all had a difficulty, but Once upon a time doesn't have to be forever.
Miss Monroe County 2011
Age: 18
Hometown: Temperance
Platform:Once Upon A Time - Youth Literacy and Disabilities
Talent:Vocal Performance
School:Bowling Green State University
Scholastic/Career Ambition:
Obtain a Degree in Music Theatre, to become a Broadway performer
Leadership Roles:
I organized the Bedford High School Senior Baccalaureate; Bedford High School Drama Club secretary; Member of Student Council, PAC (Principals Advisory Committee), Student Leadership Club, and Link Crew at Bedford High School; Dance and Vocal Teacher at the Peg Harris Dance Studio; Chosen for Toledo's "Hand-in-Hand" program; High School Cheerleader; Prop manager for Drama Department at Bedford High School; Danced for the Monroe Salvation Army; I read to students at Custer Elementary.
A Thought From Tara:
Once Upon A Time there was a little girl who was scared to read out loud in class, afraid of being laughed at by her peers. She couldn't read as fast or as well as the other children in her class and what she did read she didn't comprehend. She struggled daily just to make it by. Everyday she left the classroom to join a special group of children in the hall to work on their reading skills, and between that and the help of her family this little girl overcame her reading disability. Once upon a time...I was a little girl with reading disabilities.
Many children face reading problems and struggle in school and yet most people don't realize how big of an issue reading disabilities are with children that seem perfectly normal in elementary schools everywhere. Reading disabilities hurt people everywhere, especially children at elementary school age. When you struggle to read and comprehend the information you're reading, you have a disability and many people facing this problem don't know what to do to help themselves or their child facing the problem. Reading disabilities do not have to overtake your life and they don't have to define who you are.
Many children prefer Internet games and TV to reading a book, and it's not hard to see why. With electronics you get loud music and bright lights and when children look at books all they see is flat pages with lots of words. Children everywhere are facing difficulties in school because they don't read. When reading a book you are forced to use your own interpretation and imagination, reading opens many different parts of the brain that need to work together to decipher letters and give them meaning so without reading our students are going to struggle more and more in classes. Many children don't prefer reading because they haven't had the chance to find the perfect book for them that would show them the limitless possibilities in their own imagination and show them all the fun that reading can be with the right books. All they need is the help to find these books, but with the constant school budget cuts school libraries are finding it harder and harder to keep new books on the shelves for children to explore.
Once Upon A Time is a non-profit organization that I created to help children overcome their reading disabilities, to help them become confident in themselves and to find the magic that lies in every storybook. Through Once Upon A Time I organize book drives to obtain more books for children's libraries and places where children spend a lot of time at, such as local churches and small day care centers. I collect donations to help buy fun literacy games and newer books for children so that ALL children can have more options and to find a book they love that will show them the joy in reading and the magical world inside their own imagination. Children need good role models to look up to and to help them see the things they should do, so I volunteer at local elementary schools, public libraries, and the Salvation Army to read to the children and I encourage high school students to volunteer after school to read to a class of elementary students and become that positive role model young students need.
With the title of Miss Monroe County I will have a better ability to get the message about youth literacy and disabilities out across the county. I will use the crown as my megaphone to bring awareness to these issues facing our youth and bring help to the children who truly need it. Together, Monroe County and I will help improve our youths reading abilities and help them succeed throughout school and throughout life. Once Upon A Time is a program that came straight from my heart, to help All children become involved in reading and to be the best student they can be. Once upon a time...we all had a difficulty, but Once upon a time doesn't have to be forever.
