Ms California United States 2011

Ms. California United States attends the Camarillo Bridal grand opening

2011-05-04T15:50:00.014-05:00

Last week I was able to attend the Camarillo Bridal grand opening in Camarillo, CA. This bridal and prom shop is one of the sponsors of the California United States Pageant, so I was very honored to be invited to the event. They loaned me a beautiful Tony Bowls colorful animal print cocktail dress. It was a great event with decadent deserts, coffee, and champagne......they even gave away raffle prizes every 30 mins or so......one prize was a trip for two to Las Vegas with $1000 spending cash + hotel!! I was lucky enough to win a spa bag with house slippers and a rhinestone custom hoodie (fun!)....It was nice mingling with so many people! With all the beautiful and sweet ladies there I hope that some of them decide to compete at next year's California pageant!! =) Also I attempted to use my techie skills and I made the 1st of many videos for you viewing pleasure.......enjoy!!

Mrs. California Pageant and a week in the life of.......

2011-04-20T02:54:00.006-05:00

This past week I was able to attend my 1st pageant event in California!! It was the Mrs. California United States Pageant, held in Thousand Oaks, CA. It was a great production, with a ballroom dancing introduction (worthy of Dancing with the Stars!), and wonderful talented women who all brought their A-game! Christy Van Der Westhuizen was the well deserving winner in the end..... I also got the chance to spend time with my director Quiana Anderson (former Ms. United States 2009) and my teen counterpart Gabby (Miss Teen California). It was a great day and I left feeling really excited that even though I miss my pageant friends back in Texas, I am making new friends here in California =) My life is feeling complete....LOL!! Other highlights of my week were that I discovered an AWESOME farmers market only 3 blocks from my apt, AND it is open 7 days a week from 9am-6pm. It not only has fresh produce, but all kinds of food stands. For those of you that may not know, I am a huge foodie and I am always looking for those "hidden gems" of authentic food cuisines (a la Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations)! Also I started my on-camera hosting classes in Hollywood. I really enjoy public speaking, being a conversationalist, and emceeing live events, and feel that the next steps would be to learn how to translate that on-camera. My class has started out really fun, focusing on different areas of on-camera work each week..... Also the California United States Pageant set up a Twitter account for me. So you can follow me @mscaus11, and I also just got in my new blog camcorder (SO EXCITED!! Now I will be posting videos up on my blog)!! That's all for now, good night!

XOXO -Jade

Going, going....back, back.... to Cali

2011-04-11T02:59:00.030-05:00

I have not updated my blog for the last 8 months or so, and during that time I decided to take a huge leap of faith and move back to California. I previously lived in San Francisco for college, when I attended The Art Institute of California. This time I decided that I wanted to see what it was like living in Southern California. I traded in my apartment in downtown Dallas, Texas for an apartment 1500 miles away in downtown Los Angeles, California! Everyone asks me why? Why would you want to move when you have a good job and family in Texas? I don't really have a clear answer, but some of the reasons were that I needed more and that I wasn't satisfied being chained to a desk for 40+ hours a week. I wasn't too sure what I wanted to do in Los Angeles, but I had a few things that I could fall back on. For the 1st month or so, I didn't have too much to do so I took a vacation to Hawaii and saw my family. I was also doing some promotional modeling jobs(since I have experience doing that from high school and college), and background extra work. Here is a picture of some of the other extras and I that will be in a new Justin Timberlake movie being released in 2012. Also during this time I found an organization (www.paceshow.org) that was looking for an emcee to host upcoming musicians and bands in a school setting. I thought that this was the PERFECT opportunity to be able to talk to middle and high school students and continue to spread my message as a positive role model. What can I say I LOVE IT! I go with the show and talk to schools all around the L.A. area. I even got to start my own teen advice column, that provides then a safe place to ask their personal questions....anonymously!! As of right now, I got a great opportunity to work for the Ritz Carlton hotel as a bartender (another one of my jobs from college), I get to talk to people from all over the world everyday which is REALLY interesting and fun! So far I even got to squeeze in judging the California International Miss Pageant (of course, pageants......one of my FAVORITE pastimes). I have to say that right now in my life I am so happy that I am living my life to the fullest. Right before I was leaving Texas I was having awful dreams at night that would wake me up and I could tell that I should be doing something different with my life. My new motto is: "If you can't wake up everyday and enjoy what you are going to do, then it is time to find something else that will make you feel fulfilled". I really feel that that saying can be applied to all areas of your life. I will be updating my blog regurarly now, as I was just awarded the title of Ms. California United States (www.misscaliforniaunitedstates.com) and will be competing at the national pageant on July 15th in Las Vegas for the title of Ms. United States (yes it is Ms. I have officially graduated to the next level! lol). I am so honored to be representing this wonderful and diverse state!! So you can watch my blog for all the latest and greatest pageant related activities AND all of my new adventures in California (come and explore the "Golden State" with me)!!! =)

Watching the Miss Fort Worth USA Pageant

2010-08-08T00:13:00.011-05:00

Last weekend I went to Arlington to watch the Miss and Teen Fort Worth USA Pageant. The competition was extremely competitive and it was overall a great show. The girls competed in swimsuit, evening gown, and then the top 5 had on-stage questions. The in-between dancers were so fun to watch and I got to do an on camera interview taking about myself and what my mission is for promoting positive mentoring for our nations youth. I really enjoyed catching up with old friends, and I even got to meet our very own Miss Texas USA, Kelsey backstage.

Queen for a Day!

2010-07-15T17:10:00.005-05:00

Queen for a Day is an organization that caters to pediatric cancer patients. It give these children one day to be queen/king over their cancer! During the event we pamper the girls by giving them "makeovers" with nail polish and lipstick, they also get to play dress up in costumes of their choosing. The great thing about the event was that the girls were given sashes (donated from www.sashedesigns.com) and a crown of their own to keep. The boys were "crowned" with firefighter hats and a sash that labeled them as "kings", they were not considered queens for a day but "Heroes for a Day". The Dallas fire department came to show the children their fire truck, and to talk about being a real hero! It was such a good time to get these children's mind off the other issues that they are dealing with. I had crowns that were sitting on my shelves collecting dust, I was honored to donate 3 of them to young patients that will treasure it. If any former queens have crowns that are not being used, please think of contacting your local "Queen for a Day" and donating them to a pediatric patient, it will definitely bring a smile to their face! :) www.qfad.org

Emcee for the Building Inner Beauty Pageant

2010-07-07T17:12:00.011-05:00

What I love about the Building Inner Beauty program is that they teach young girls the importance of what is on the inside, and that through that they can shine on the outside. It starts with self confidence and the way that you treat others, it is about making a lasting impression when you first meet someone, it is about making eye contact and smiling even when things don't go your way, it is about how you make other feel that will be remembered. Crissy Garcia makes it her mission to see that young girls get the basis of these ideas, so that they can grow up knowing that they can do whatever they set their minds to and not to listen to any doubt that may come to them in the form of themselves or other people. I was honored to emcee the event with my co-host P.O.K. for the 2nd annual year. I have been involved with this organization through its inception and was glad to be a part of it again! At the end I was even honored with a honorary Miss Inner Beauty Award! I am so proud of our new winners! More pictures to follow!

Jade Monfils featured in La Jornada News speaking out on gang violence in the Dallas community

2010-06-05T20:14:00.009-05:00

I had the opportunity to give an interview with The La Jornada News, one of Dallas's premiere bilingual newspapers for the Hispanic community. One of the questions that I was asked was how I thought parents could get their children to stray away from gangs and gang activities, since this problem is very high with the Hispanic community. Here is the featured article:

"Jade Monfils helps community against gang violence
Viernes 28 de Mayo de 2010 16:57 | Escrito por Guital Ornelas

An issue between teenagers and gang related violence has always been an issue in our community. Not to mention the endless cycle law enforcement has worked on to maintain stability and peace in our community.

Jade Monfils, a 28 year-old fashion designer, born and raised in Dallas, Texas is considered to be a teen hero around her community. She is a full time apparel designer and does part time Modeling , she has also committed herself to contribute in fighting against a tremendous problem of gang violence among teens. She has volunteered over 300 hours of her time at local non-profit organizations like "The Boys and Girls Club" and "Big Brothers and Sisters" where she received an outstanding reward from our former President George W. Bush for helping the community. "This was definitely an honor to receive! It was something that just came about" says the honored Ms. Monfils.

Her love for fashion has motivated her to become a model and a role model for inspired young teens which have admired her work.

She has grown an interested in helping such cause that she helps non-profit organizations mentoring children and encouraging them to grow interest in education. After school programs are offered where teenagers can do their homework, play sports and do other activities. "The Big Brothers, Big Sisters" is a mentoring program where an adult "big brother" or "big sister" meets a few times with a teen to get involved with them and help them by providing a positive influence in their lives.

Ms. Monfils also thinks that a parent should get involved and be positive role models in their children's lives. Ms. Monfils says "adolescent years are very critical in a person's life, and these years need to be spent with positive reinforcement". She encourages parents to maintain a healthy relationship with their children and recommends The Big Brothers, Big Sisters to parents who have troubled kids who are going through a very significant stage in life.

The Dallas area has seen an increase in gang related problems within the Hispanic/Latino community. Ms. Monfils has invested some of her time as well with several organizations like "Bea's Kids" and "Isabel's Community Outreach Center" that focuses in this particular group to help Hispanic teenagers in need.

It has been hard work for Ms. Monfils joining forces with the community to help our young teens stay healthy and most importantly stay away from crime. But you as a parent can also participate in your child's education by attending to school meetings, supervise what they do, and know who they're making friends with, these small but yet amazingly great acts can definitely help reduce the risk of having your child away from the streets. "Just a little time can make the biggest difference in some one life!" Ms. Monfils says".

You can read the online version here: http://www.lajornadanews.com/entrevistas/25-jade-monfils

Miami Dallas Fusion Fashion Show

2010-05-18T22:08:00.006-05:00

I was asked to participate in the fabulous Miami Dallas Fusion Fashion Show that was held in Downtown Dallas at the Mosaic. It was a great view on the 8th floor with the runway right by the water that ran along the side of the building. It was a night that showcased the designs of independent designers from all over the US. I modeled a red dress by Darian Thomas who is a local Dallas designer. Also there were several other queens from all over Texas, it was a great time reconnecting with them all :)

Tips to Help Build a Teenager's Self Esteem

2010-05-14T19:22:00.005-05:00

We are all aware that females tend to have less self esteem then men. Young girls face low self esteem while in their teen years, and young boys feel a need to belong to a group. These are the key findings that I believe drives them to destructive behavior. While online looking at Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign I discovered these startling facts:

- 7 out of 10 girls believe they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members.

- 75% of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in negative activities such as disordered eating, cutting, bullying, smoking, or drinking when feeling badly about themselves (Compared to 25% of girls with high self-esteem).

- 57% of all girls have a mother who criticizes her own looks.

- More than one-third (34%) of girls with low self-esteem believe that they are not a good enough daughter (Compared to 9% of girls with high self-esteem).

Now after reading those depressing statistics here are some tips to give young ladies to help build their self esteem :)

1. Celebrate you!
Reward yourself when you have accomplished something! You don't need to wait for others to recognize what you've done.

2. Surround yourself with positive people.
Spend time with people who are upbeat and feel good about themselves. They, in turn, will put a smile on your face and help you feel good about yourself.

3. Challenge yourself to try new things.
Try a ropes course, learn some new dance steps, speak in front of a large group. Stepping outside of your comfort zone to try new things is a great way to grow.

4. Be good to your body.
Exercising, eating well, and getting plenty of sleep will help you move toward a healthier you—inside and out!

5. Find and express the real you.
No other person has the unique combination of qualities that you have! Be proud of yourself and be courageous enough to express your true feelings.

6. Have a positive mental attitude.
A positive attitude is contagious! You'll feel good and people will want to hang out with you.

7. Learn from your experiences.
Learn from your actions—both good and bad, and use the knowledge you gain to make positive decisions in the future.

8. Find the humor in everyday life.
When you can see the funny side of things, you'll be less stressed and more likely to handle tough situations better.

Carter Blood Drive

2010-05-11T16:47:00.005-05:00

This weekend my friend Debbie put together a blood drive in Garland. Debbie is a lady that I had the opportunity to meet through Dress for Success, and now she is helping others that are in need themselves. The blood drive was sponsored through Carter Blood Care, and was held outside Lifetime Fitness. I got to meet some very sweet young ladies that were waiting for their mothers that were giving blood, and also mingle with very generous donors that were giving blood to help others!

Want to change a life? Donate blood this Saturday!

2010-05-03T15:22:00.003-05:00

WANT TO CHANGE A LIFE???

MAY 8th 2010
2pm to 4pm

LIFETIME FITNESS
5602 Naaman Forest Blvd.
Garland, Texas

DONATE BLOOD:
give blood and help save lives

DONATE NEW or GENTLY USED BUSINESS ATTIRE & ACCESSORIES:
benefiting Dress for Success

*Please join us for a life changing event filled with giveaways, food, and fun*

Here is the link for the Advanced Signup, those on a time constraint can schedule an appointment:

https://iwebb.carterbloodcare.org/pls/iwebb/adrv?pdz=75038&pdr=DRV0377291

Jade Monfils wins the Texas Perfect Miss Pageant and is headed to nationals!

2010-04-29T23:10:00.011-05:00

I recently competed in the Texas Perfect Miss Pageant that was held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Irving, TX. It was a fun fashion filled event where we competed in on-stage interview (press conference style), swimwear, and evening gown. I was honored to walk away with the crown. My new title is Texas Perfect Miss and I will be competing at nationals which will be for the title of America's Perfect Miss. The pageant is going to be held in Orlando, FL on August 15th. I can't wait to meet all the girls from all over the U.S.!! It is going to be a great experience :)

Miss Fort Worth and Miss Dallas International featured on Fishbowl Radio Network

2010-04-23T11:28:00.007-05:00

I love to see our International queens out and about in the community! Here Miss Fort Worth (Rachael Burns) and Miss Dallas (Kelli Ansley) were featured on Fishbowl Radio Network. Great job ladies!! :)

Crowning My Miss Texas International Successor

2010-03-29T23:02:00.012-05:00

This weekend was the 2010 Miss Texas International Pageant. I was there to crown my successor. It was a hard job for the judges, there was plenty of competition. These women are not only beautiful on the outside, but smart, and have a dedication to the community. Each contestant has a personal platform that is near to their heart. The International system is great about helping promote the woman and her platform so that she can help elevate it to a higher level. The new winner is Ashley Smith, Miss Houston and her cause is Breast Cancer Awareness. Her mother is a survivor and she will do a great job this year to help others. It was a fabulous weekend, we had orientation on Friday night and I was so moved to meet all the contestants. Many of them had touching stories about their causes and I just applaud them for being able to speak out and help others who may not have a voice. Saturday we visited the Alamo and had a Riverboat ride on the Riverwalk, and Sunday we had rehearsal all day. Each time I go to a pageant I am just amazed and inspired by everyone. It has been a great year, and I am happy to now pass on the crown! I know that Ashley will do great things this year! :)

My Year as Miss Texas International

2010-03-26T01:09:00.004-05:00

I have had a wonderful and fulfilling year as Miss Texas International 2009! I will be crowning my successor this Sunday March 28th, at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas. It has been such an honor to not only hold the title for one year, but to be able to make such a difference in the lives of others. This past year I traveled over 7,000 miles across the great state of Texas. I was able to promote and advocate my personal platform of "Preventing Youth Gang Crimes: Through afterschool programs and mentoring". I also helped to raise over $600,000.00 for youth mentoring and afterschool programs, with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Clubs. I just wanted to say "thank you" to all of my sponsors and supporters! Without all of you I would not have been able to fulfill my dreams!

My Dog Leia is a Cover Model!!

2010-03-24T16:52:00.009-05:00

My Boston Terrier Leia made the cover of the Dallas Voice this week! It is because she was chosen out of 400 entries, and made Top 10 and was put online for voting. From there she had the most votes and was chosen to be on the cover!! Thanks to everyone who voted for her!! She also got a check in her name donated to LifeBark, which is an organization that is dedicated to helping people living with HIV and AIDS. We were honored to attend a party where we accepted the check for $2500.00.

Judging for the Denton County United America Pageant

2010-03-08T21:35:00.016-06:00

This past weekend I was honored to judge the Denton County United America Pageant and there were so many great contestants! I had so much fun with my fellow judges Jain Hall and Tiffany Sherrell. There were 5 age divisions, where the girls compete in on-stage question, fashion wear, and everyone's favorite evening gown. Here I am with the emcee, national junior teen winner Blair Lynch and Mindy Le the Denton County junior teen winner. I wish all the winners the best of luck when they go to state in June!

Happy Birthday Texas!!!

2010-03-02T13:34:00.002-06:00

Today is Texas Independence Day! It was 174 years ago, on March 2, 1836 that 59 delegates worked overnight to write the Texas Declaration of Independence during the Texas Revolution. It was then that Texas declared it independence from Mexico. The event happened at what is now Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park. To learn more visit: www.birthplaceoftexas.com.

Texas International Workshop and Rodeo Parade

2010-02-23T18:04:00.009-06:00

This past weekend I was in Houston for the Texas International Pageant contestant workshop. About 40 contestants traveled from all over the state to get some extra pointers before the pageant next month. My Mrs. sister queen Bonnie was gracious enough to have all the ladies over before the event for a brunch meet and greet. There we were all able to talk to one another in a casual setting. Afterwards when the girls headed to the workshop- Dymond, Bonnie, and I did an appearance in the Montgomery County Rodeo Parade which was in Downtown Conroe. It was great getting to spend time with my sister queens and showing off our Texas flair! After the parade we headed to the workshop and met up with the contestants who were getting lessons from some of our wonderful sponsors. There was Valerie Hayes www.valeriehayes.com who worked on interview, Misty Twellman who taught walking lessons, and Sheila Ybarra who gave all the contestants a "glam kit" and taught them how to apply the perfect pageant make up www.makeupbysheila.com (I was super excited when she used me as her make-up model)! It was a busy but great day and I was happy to finally meet many of the contestants. There are so many great girls, the judges are going to have a really tough time. But good luck to all, it is really all about your own personal journey during this time so take it in and enjoy it! :)

National Wear Red Day 2/5

2010-02-08T21:53:00.006-06:00

National Wear Red Day was Friday 2/5. Thousands of Americans wore red to draw attention to this startling fact, that over 430,000 women are silenced each year by cardiovascular disease and most of these deaths are preventable. I met up with some fellow queens to draw attention to this cause. Here are some helpful hints that will keep you living HEART HEALTHY!

1. STOP SMOKING: If you smoke, quit. If someone in your household smokes, encourage them to quit.

2. CHOOSE GOOD NUTRITION: A healthy diet is one of the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease. The food you eat, and the amount can affect other controllable risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and being overweight. Choose nutrient rich foods which have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients that are lower in calories. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grain and high fiber foods, fish, lean protein and fat-free or low-fat dairy products is the key. And to maintain a healthy weight, coordinate your diet with your physical activity level so you're using up as many calories as you take in.

3. REDUCE BLOOD CHOLESTEROL: Fat lodged in your arteries is a disaster waiting to happen. Sooner or later it could trigger a heart attack or stroke. You have got to reduce your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol and get moving. If diet and physical activity alone don’t get those numbers down, then medication may be the key. Take it just like the doctor orders. This is where those numbers need to be:

Total Cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL

LDL (bad) Cholesterol should be less than 160 mg/dL if you're at low risk for heart disease, less than 130 mg/dL if you're at intermediate risk for heart disease, and less than 100mg/dL if you're at high risk for heart disease

HDL (good) Cholesterol should be 50 mg/dL or higher for women

Triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dL

4. LOWER HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE: It’s the single largest risk factor for stroke. Stroke is the No. 3 killer and one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. Stroke recovery is difficult at best and you could be disabled for life. Shake that salt habit, take your medications as recommended by your doctor and get moving. Those numbers need to get down and stay down. Your goal is less than 120/80 mmHg.

5. BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE EVERYDAY: Research has shown that getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 or more days of the week can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and keep your weight at a healthy level. But something IS better than nothing. If you’re doing nothing now, start out slow. Even 10 minutes at a time may offer some health benefits. Studies show that people who have achieved even a moderate level of fitness are much less likely to die early than those with a low fitness level.

6. AIM FOR A HEALTHY WEIGHT: Obesity is an epidemic in America, not only for adults but also for children. Fad diets and supplements are not the answer. Good nutrition, controlling calorie intake and physical activity are the only way to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity places you at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, a precursor of type 2 diabetes. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) can help tell you if your weight is healthy.

7. MANAGE DIABETES: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of diabetes related death. People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease due to a variety of risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and lack of physical activity.

8. REDUCE STRESS: Some scientists have noted a relationship between coronary heart disease risk and stress in a person's life that may affect the risk factors for heart disease and stroke. For example, people under stress may overeat, start smoking or smoke more than they otherwise would. Research has even shown that stress reaction in young adults predicts middle-age blood pressure risk.

9. LIMIT ALCOHOL: Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and lead to heart failure or stroke. It can contribute to high triglycerides, produce irregular heartbeats and affect cancer and other diseases. It contributes to obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents.

Visit www.goredforwomen.org for more.

Speaking at Charter School in Oak Cliff

2010-02-02T17:23:00.003-06:00

I recently spoke to a group of students at a charter school in Oak Cliff, a section in West Dallas. I had about 30 minutes to speak to a group of about 50 students. The main message that I conveyed to them was to stay in school and to set high goals for yourself. Believing in yourself you can achieve anything. I also shared my story of my friend Lisa who lost her life too soon, and for them to stay off the streets, out of gangs, and to not do drugs. Even though a lot of them are so young I know that they knew just what my message was trying to get across. They all had a lot of questions for me that I was happy to answer, I am so glad that I had this opportunity to speak to them and hopefully make an impact on their life. When they get put in a bad situation I hope that they will make a better decision with the knowledge that I shared with them.

Support the Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Haiti

2010-01-18T14:47:00.006-06:00

On January 12, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti just outside the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The devastation – in lives lost, property destroyed, and families displaced – is immense. Our immediate priority is to save lives. The critical needs in Haiti are great, but they are also simple: food, water, shelter, and first-aid supplies. The best way concerned citizens can help is to donate funds that will go directly to supplying these material needs. Through the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, we will work to provide immediate relief and long-term support to earthquake survivors. We will channel the collective goodwill around the globe to help the people of Haiti rebuild their cities, their neighborhoods, and their families.

Please visit https://re.clintonbushhaitifund.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=3884 to donate now.

My Club My Life.com

2010-01-14T14:14:00.003-06:00

Check out the new Boys and Girls Club website made espically for teens!!
http://myclubmylife.com

Please vote for my dog Leia!!

2010-01-02T00:51:00.003-06:00

My dog Leia made it to the Top 10 of the Dallas Voice top dog contest out of 400 dogs. Please vote for her so that she has a chance to be on the cover of the March issue of Dallas Voice. There is no need to register for anything, just one vote per computer!

Go to:
http://www.dfwreadersvoice.com/topdog/
and vote for LEIA the Black and White Boston Terrier.

Thanks!! :)

Giving Back is the True Meaning of the Holidays!!

2009-12-26T14:06:00.008-06:00

During the holiday season it is important to remember the true meaning and not get too caught up in the material aspect. Giving to others is the the true meaning and being sure that those less fortunate are taken care of. Every year I like to make sure that during this special time of happiness that others are not forgotten. I went to the North Texas Food Bank and helped box food for people that are struggling to put food on the tables for their families. Also I went to the Boys and Girls Club and helped the kids make cards for their families. Lastly one of my favorite events to go to, is on Christmas Eve. The Soupmobile and the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Dallas put up 500 homeless for one night and serve them Christmas dinner. Here is a video of them arriving to the hotel. It is a great feeling, knowing that you helped others and gave them a Merry Christmas! :)

Miss Inner Beauty is Crowned!

2009-12-17T23:49:00.005-06:00

This past weekend was the Miss Inner Beauty Pageant for grades 1-4. There were 9 girls age 6-10 who were all learning the skills needed to be not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. We taught them the importance of being excited for whoever was to win later that day, that it is not always about competition and who is the best. But it is about making friends and having a good time! The winner stated in her own words that "If you are nice to someone, then they will be nice to someone else, and that person will continue to pass it around and around". That is really what the message of the day was, to be kind to other people and it will make the world a better place!

Jade Monfils is a judge for the 2010 Miss & Teen Duncanville Pageant (MAO)

2009-12-12T17:52:00.007-06:00

I was honored to be a judge for the Miss and Teen Duncanville pageant, part of the Miss America Organization. I know the dedication and hard work that one puts into preparing for a pageant, and I was excited to be changing 2 very lucky young women's lives. It was an enjoyable day, starting with the personal interviews, where we got to know about each lady and their passions. Also the talent portion is always fun to watch. I'm so proud of our new winners (both named Ashley) they will do a great job representing Duncanville this year at Miss Texas and Miss Teen Texas!!

Efren Penaflorida IS the 2009 CNN "Hero of The Year"

2009-12-03T13:41:00.008-06:00

I was so excited to watch the CNN Heroes special this weekend. Mainly because it honored so many wonderful people that are "heroes" within their own communities. These people are some of the most humble people that are draw to their "calling" in life. Earlier this year I voted online for my favorite hero, Efren Penaflorida. He was announced as the 2009 winner and was given $100,000 for his charity called Dynamic Teen Company. This organization is a mobile school program for the children of the slums in the Philippines. CONGRATULATIONS EFREN!!!

Black Tie Ball Benefiting Big Brothers and Big Sisters

2009-11-22T14:22:00.011-06:00

I was thrilled to help out for the 2nd year in a row at the Big Brothers and Big Sisters black tie auction and dinner. Having worked with this organization for 2 years as a youth mentor, I know the importance of this program and how the funds raised at this auction will go to benefit the children. In this program, high risk children are placed with either a male (big brother) or a female (big sister). These adults help mentor the child through bi-monthly meetings. We just hang out with each other and get to know more about what is going on in their lives, we also with help out with tough decisions. During my 2 years as a mentor I not only shared my experiences with my little sister, but she at the same time taught me more about myself. I took her to many different places and showed her that she has options in her life. She can choose what she wants, and that people don't have to tell her how her life is going to end up. Many times these kids just want someone to listen to them,and to have a positive role model in their life. During the night I helped during the live auction as a spotter. There were many extravagant vacations being auctioned off. Also many great pieces of art, I was so excited because the last auction was for a 10 piece art work that was commissioned specifically for this event. It was painted by 3 children in the program, and in the end I helped sell the painting for $6,250.00. We were also able to raise $210,000.00 in 10 minutes from some VERY generous donors! I'm glad that I could help raise money for this great cause that is near to my heart.

Jade Monfils at the Greater Lake Houston Heart Walk

2009-11-17T22:58:00.006-06:00

This past weekend I traveled to Kingwood, which is right outside of Houston. I participated in the Greater Lake Houston Heart Walk which is put together by the American Heart Association. It started out bright and early at 7:00 with several "walkers" from the medical fields. I presented awards to the teams that raised the most money, and got to meet the emcee Dr. Susan Curling who is running for State Representative of district 127. It was wonderful weather for the walk, and the right before the walk trainers from Gold's Gym came and had everyone stretch out to the "I got a feeling" song from the Black Eyed Peas. Everyone had a smile on their face and was excited to be on the track of being heart healthy and staying fit. It was a good moment.

OneSight Helps Over 3000 Fresh Air Children by Giving the Gift of Eye Screenings

2009-11-16T14:30:00.005-06:00

This past summer OneSight partnered with the Fresh Air Fund and helped over 3000 Fresh Air children. Making sure that every child who needed the gift of sight was screened. The Fresh Air Fund is so happy OneSight and their traveling optical clinic are able to help at Fresh Air camps. The Fresh Air Fund is able to partner with Onesight to provide free eye exams and eye wear to the children who need them each year. Here are some startling facts:

-One out of four school children in the U.S. has vision problems, and 86% do not get their vision checked before age 12.

-Many Fresh Air children do not have access to affordable vision care. Glasses break, are too expensive to replace, or are never prescribed in the first place. And often as a result, children's performance in academics, sports and activities suffers.

-For the fifth summer in a row, OneSight offered to bring their traveling optical clinic to all five Fresh Air Fund camp.

-Together with OneSight's Vision Vans, and a team of local doctors and volunteers. OneSight provides free eye exams and eye wear to thousands of children in need each year.

-This summer at Fresh Air camp, OneSight's staff screened 3,295 children and counselors, gave 1,757 eye exams, and made 1,629 pairs of glasses, with 1,458 of them on-site and 171 specially driven in. The team stayed at Camp Hayden-Marks for two camp sessions, to make sure every child who needed the gift of sight was screened.

Thank you so much to OneSight, please visit www.onesight.org for more information.

Miss Texas International at the TEXO Chili Cook Off

2009-11-15T15:11:00.012-06:00

TEXO is an association for the construction industry, their vendors and those that support them. They had their 1st (of many) Chili Cook Off at the regional TEXO office. Each company brought can food that was donated to the North Texas Food Bank (6 HUGE boxes were dontated in all). I chose 15 chili judges from the crowd and presented the awards to the top 3 companies for the best chili. Charter Builders won the best chili and the people's choice for best booth theme.

Jade Monfils Celebrates in the Veteran's Day Parade

2009-11-13T14:21:00.007-06:00

This Veteran's Day I celebrated and honored the men and women who so gratefully serve our country. We had a parade in downtown Dallas that ran from Reunion Tower down Main Street and ended at Dallas City Hall. There were 150 different groups in the parade which made it a long event (about 2 hours), but an exciting one. There were several military veterans as well as those who are currently serving. Also future recruits, there was over 250 ROTC teens. A BIG "THANK YOU"! to my fabulous driver Glen, and to everyone that has or is fighting for our country, making it what it is, and giving us the greatest gift of all..... FREEDOM!!!!

Building Inner Beauty's Pre-Teen Seminar and Pageant

2009-11-10T16:04:00.012-06:00

This weekend I attended another Building Inner Beauty Pageant (www.buildinginnerbeauty.com). This time it was focused on pre-teens (age 11-13), I love working with children from this age group because this is an especially sensitive time where girls and boys start to feel insecure with themselves and can turn to destructive behavior. During our morning I helped the founder Crissy, and Mrs. Texas Galaxy Kayla in teaching the girls about social skills and how to introduce yourself in public and how to start conversations. Later on in the morning I taught the girls how they were going to walk down the "runway" for the pageant. Also skin care experts from Aveda came to talk to the girls about how to take care of their skin for life. After the pageant a limo from Sweet and Sassy came to pick up the girls. They loved it and said that they all felt like a rockstar, like Hannah Montana!

Texas International Queens at the Chili Cook Off

2009-10-28T12:06:00.011-05:00

This weekend I was so excited to meet my sister queen Bonnie (Mrs. Texas) at the Chili Cook Off benefiting the families of slain firefighters. Of course being in Texas our state dish is Chili! The event was set up in Grapevine, TX with several booths decorated each with its own individual theme. There were 3 categories, starting with the professional level of chili cooker (all who are certified) down to the novice chili cookers. It was a great day to be outside and we presented the winners with the awards. It is so great to be the first person to say congratulations to a winner who has worked so hard at their craft!

Judge for the Newark Cruisin' Days Pageant

2009-10-23T15:56:00.012-05:00

I was thrilled to meet up with some of the Mrs. Texas International 2010 contestants to judge the Newark Crusin' Days Pageant. It is a pageant for young girls and boys with a fun 50's/60's theme. All the little girls had cute poodle skirts and the boys looked like little James Deans. The pageant was held in Newark, TX a small town of 1200 people just north of Fort Worth. It was a beautiful day and I really enjoyed Newark's hospitality! :)

Vote Efren Penaflorida for CNN "Hero of The Year"

2009-10-14T09:34:00.002-05:00

Each year, CNN gives $100,000 to the winner (from a field of ten finalists---chosen from 9,000 nominees from all over the world) for its "Hero of the Year" award. This year, a 28-year-old Filipino, Efren Penaflorida, made it to the top ten. (A panel of 12 well-known personalities from various fields picked the finalists. Colin Powell was among the judges this year). If Efren wins this year's award (based on how many votes he gets, which will depend on us), he will be able to expand his mobile school program for the children of the slums in the Philippines . What this young man is doing to improve the lives of the kids in the slums is truly inspiring. Here is Efren's story and his Dynamic Teen Company (the organization he founded).

CAVITE CITY, Philippines (CNN) -- At 16, Rhandolf Fajardo reflects on his former life as a gang member. "My gang mates were the most influential thing in my life," says Fajardo, who joined a gang when he was in sixth grade. "We were pressured to join." He's not alone. In the Philippines, teenage membership in urban gangs has surged to an estimated 130,000 in the past 10 years, according to the Preda Foundation, a local human rights charity. "I thought I'd get stuck in that situation and that my life would never improve," recalls Fajardo. "I would probably be in jail right now, most likely a drug addict -- if I hadn't met Efren."

Efren Penaflorida, 28, also was bullied by gangs in high school. Today, he offers Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education. "Gang members are groomed in the slums as early as 9 years old," says Penaflorida. "They are all victims of poverty." For the past 12 years, Penaflorida and his team of teen volunteers have taught basic reading and writing to children living on the streets. Their main tool: A pushcart classroom. Stocked with books, pens, tables and chairs, his Dynamic Teen Company recreates a school setting in unconventional locations such as the cemetery and municipal trash dump. Penaflorida knows firsthand the adversity faced by these children. Born into a poor family, he lived in a shanty near the city dump site. But he says he refused to allow his circumstances to define his future. "Instead of being discouraged, I promised myself that I would pursue education," he recalls. "I will strive hard; I will do my best." In high school, Penaflorida faced a new set of challenges. Gang activity was rampant; they terrorized the student body, vandalized the school and inducted members by forcing them to rape young girls, he says. "I felt the social discrimination. I was afraid to walk down the street." Penaflorida remembers standing up to a gang leader, refusing to join his gang. That confrontation proved fateful. At 16, he and his friends "got the idea to divert teenagers like us to be productive," he says. He created the Dynamic Teen Company to offer his classmates an outlet to lift up themselves and their community. For Penaflorida, that meant returning to the slums of his childhood to give kids the education he felt they deserved. "They need education to be successful in life. It's just giving them what others gave to me," he says.

Today, children ranging from ages 2 to 14 flock to the pushcart every Saturday to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and English from Penaflorida and his trained teen volunteers. "Our volunteers serve as an inspiration to other children," he says. The group also runs a hygiene clinic, where children can get a bath and learn how to brush their teeth. Since 1997, an estimated 10,000 members have helped teach more than 1,500 children living in the slums. The organization supports its efforts by making and selling crafts and collecting items to recycle. Through his group, Penaflorida has successfully mentored former gang members, addicts and dropouts, seeing potential where others see problems. "Before, I really didn't care for my life," says Michael Advincula, who started doing drugs when he was 7. "But then Efren patiently dug me from where I was buried. It was Efren who pushed me to get my life together." Today, Advincula is a senior in high school and one of the group's volunteers. Penaflorida hopes to expand the pushcart to other areas, giving more children the chance to learn and stay out of gangs. I always tell my volunteers that you are the change that you dream and I am the change that I dream. And collectively we are the change that this world needs to be."

You can vote for Efren by clicking on the link found in the article. (There is no limit on the number of times you may vote for the Hero of the Year).

http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/vote/

Voting is open between now and Nov. 19. CNN will announce the winner and give out the award at a star-studded show on Thanksgiving night in L.A. at the Kodiak Theater (same venue for the Oscars). So, let's all help Efren win so that he will, in turn, be able to help more impoverished kids. The more votes Efren gets, the greater his chances of winning the "Hero of the Year" award and the $100K. It will take less than a minute to click a button to cast your vote. Let's all help Efren continue to make a difference in those slum kids' lives. Without his mobile school and his group of volunteers, those kids will probably never have a chance to set foot in a real school and learn their ABCs. Let's all vote for Efren!

Jade Monfils at Austin National Night Out

2009-10-10T08:42:00.012-05:00

This week I traveled to our state capital (Austin, TX). While there I attended the annual National Night Out event, whose purpose is to promote crime safety in the community and honor our law enforcement agencies. At the event was the Austin police dept, the fire department, S.W.A.T., and many other organizations dedicated to building a safer city. It was held in Chinatown with a special guest, the Austin police chopper! I helped out at the State Farm booth with the "wheel-of-prizes", signed autographs, and got to meet some great people. I even spoke with a group from the Austin Boys and Girls Club, I made sure to tell them to "stay safe and out of trouble" so that we can make Austin a safer place!!

Dallas Family Day Out at the Dallas Zoo

2009-10-09T00:18:00.004-05:00

After I left the Van Oil Pageant I had my second appearance of the day at the Dallas Zoo, celebrating Family Day Out sponsored by State Farm, WFAA Channel 8, and Target. I hadn't been to the zoo in years, but as soon as I arrived it all started to come back to me. I helped emcee the event and signed autographs. I also joined Kelli, our current Miss Dallas International. The weather was perfect, it didn't start to rain until the very end of the event. All the colorful characters made for a great day!!

The Grand Opening of SoupMobile Village

2009-10-08T10:44:00.004-05:00

Announcing the Grand Opening of the 1st phase of SoupMobile Village!!! In the Dallas area there are over 10,000 homeless people and only 2,000 shelter beds. Imagine if you will, SoupMobile Village group homes located all over the Dallas area that are designed to bring homeless people off the streets and transition them back into regular working members of society. Well imagine no more. The SoupMan and his fabulous SoupTeam are proud to announce that the SoupMobile's first group home is up and running. The Dream has become a Reality! Jesus said, "Feed MY Sheep." At the SoupMobile, we believe that means more than just food. We believe it also means love, caring, compassion and yes.... shelter.

The SoupMan needs your help to make this 1st phase of SoupMobile Village a success. Your donation can make a monumental difference in the quality of life of one homeless person … or several. Please note that any donation you make to SoupMobile is tax-deductible. If you would like to make a donation using check or money order, please make it payable to SoupMobile Inc.

SoupMobile, Inc.
3017 Commerce St.
Dallas, Texas 75226

Phones: 214-655-6396, 800-375-5022

For credit card donation, please CLICK HERE

Jade Monfils Judges the Van Oil County Pageant

2009-10-07T22:05:00.006-05:00

I was able to be a judge for my friend Andrea's pageant in Van Zandt County Texas for the 2nd year in a row. It is Andrea's last year a a director which made this year even more special. The morning part of the pageant was for babies to 4 year olds. It was such a refreshing surprise to see dads as the majority when it came to bringing the children up on stage! Here I am with an old friend Stayc who was also a judge, and who has continuously helped me on my pageant journey! We rode to Andrea's house together and had an 80's themed car ride listening to Michael Jackson songs, love it! The pageant is named the Van Oil Pageant because of the historic oil wells in the county. It is great to see little children as young as 3 and 4 with so much poise and confidence on the stage, they sure surprised me!!

Miss Texas and Miss Dallas International to be at WFAA's Family First Day at the Dallas Zoo

2009-09-30T12:36:00.003-05:00

Come join me and Miss Dallas International Kelli Ansley this Saturday October 3rd for WFAA Family First Day at The Dallas Zoo!!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
9 AM – 5 PM
Half-Priced Admission ALL DAY

650 South R.L. Thornton Freeway – Dallas
(I-35 & Marsalis Ave)

It’s your chance to check out new exhibits or old animal favorites, visit Channel 8 personalities, explore interactive centers and children’s area.

11 AM – 3 PM SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

Enjoy bounce houses, live entertainment and zoo animal talks.

Stop by Family First booth and meet Channel 8’s Rebecca Lopez, News 8 Investigative Reporter Brett Shipp, as well as News 8 reporters Monika Diaz and David Schechter.

Bring and donate old cell phones to help endangered habitats, get your family photo snapped, take the scavenger hunt challenge, pick-up child safety kits, visit with community officers and beauty queens.

All AGES ARE WELCOME!

Grab your family and friends, jump in the car or hop a ride on Dart Rail.

FAMILY FIRST SPONSORS:

Medical City Children’s Hospital
Sylvan Learning

Seniors (65 and over) – $4.50
Children (2 and under) – Free
Adults (12 - 64) - $6
Children (3 - 11) - $4.50

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/familyfirst/stories/wfaa090928_kd_ffzoo2009.1c57cf80d.html

Jade Monfils Believes that Patients Come First in the Health Care Reform Debate!!

2009-09-29T15:14:00.007-05:00

No one should have to choose between the medical care they need and food or rent. I stand with the American Heart Association to make sure Congress puts patients first in the health care reform debate. If you agree, post your status and take action at:
www.heartsforhealthcare.org

Jade Monfils in the State Fair of Texas Parade

2009-09-28T17:00:00.002-05:00

The State Fair of Texas is an annual fair held in Dallas, TX and has been around since 1886. Yes, 1886! It is a tradition here in Texas, and workers and students are given a day off to attend the fair. There are millions that attend each year where there are carnival rides, live music, and a huge array of our famous fried foods. In the past we have had fried coffee, fried PB&J sandwiches, and this year it looks like there is deep fried butter!! There is a parade to kick off the start of the fair which runs through downtown Dallas and I was honored to be a part of it this year! :)

The Fresh Air Fund Ends Another Successful Summer Camp!

2009-09-22T12:47:00.004-05:00

Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or attend Fresh Air Fund camps. This summer was amazingly successful thanks to the generous support from all of The Fresh Air Fund volunteers and donors. With your help, next summer will be wonderful too.

2009 Summer Highlights:

- Nearly 8,000 children enjoyed their best summers yet
- 370 students participated in the Career Awareness Program
- 11 counselors-in-training spent three days on the Appalachian Trail
- 168 young people were Leaders-in-training

Thanks to host families who open up their homes for up to two weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighborhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air vacations. More than 65% of all children are reinvited to stay with their host family, year after year. There is no such thing as a "typical" host family. If you have room in your home - and your heart - to host a child, you could be one too.

Fresh Air children are boys and girls, six to 12 years old, who reside in low-income communities in New York City and are eager to experience the simple pleasures of life outside the city. You can give a child the experience of a lifetime with your gift to The Fresh Air Fund! Whether it's a two-week trip to visit a volunteer host family, or a fun-filled and educational stay at one of our camps, these programs make for unforgettable memories – and open a world of new friendships and fresh possibilities.

Emcee for the Delores H. Hudson Foundation to Fight Ovarian Cancer

2009-09-21T13:24:00.006-05:00

I was the emcee for the evening at Seven Senses honoring the late Delores H. Hudson. Her daughter Jacque started the foundation for her last year, shortly after her passing in February 2008. The foundation is dedicated to finding a cure of ovarian cancer. There was a silent auction, as well as a live auction of a painting being painted live! Also the guest speaker was Dr. David Miller, an accomplished doctor specializing in gynecology and oncology who spoke about the dangers of ovarian cancer as well as steps being taken to find a cure.

Here are some common facts about ovarian cancer:

- all women are at risk
- symptoms can be vague, but increase over time
- early detection increases survival rate
- a pap test DOES NOT detect ovarian cancer

Also here are some common symptoms, if they persist more than 2 weeks please talk to your doctor!

- pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort
- vague but persistent upsets (such as gas, nausea, and indigestion)
- frequency and/or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection
- unexplained weight gain or loss
- pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness
- ongoing unusual fatigue
- unexpected changes in bowel habits

To learn more about the foundation visit: www.dahfoundation.org

The Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year Announced!

2009-09-16T12:42:00.002-05:00

Carolina Correa
BGCA's 2009-2010
National Youth of the Year

A seven-year member of Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket, R.I., Carolina Correa is the first Hispanic female and 63rd youth to receive the title of National Youth of the Year and will serve a one-year term as the national teen spokesperson for the 4.5 million youth served annually by Boys & Girls Clubs.

Correa recently graduated from Charles E. Shea High School, where she mentored freshmen and tutored other students. She was nominated to the City of Pawtucket’s Teen Hall of Fame, received the Rhode Island Presidential Student of the Year Award and was inducted into the National Honor Society of High School Scholars. She also graduated in the top 3 percent of her class.

At her Boys & Girls Club, the young Latina learned English, met new friends and found her niche in the aquatics program. Correa was named most valuable swimmer three times and created a program to teach the basics of swimming to inner city youth.

Correa has dedicated many hours to community service projects, including tutoring immigrants who were preparing to take the U.S. citizenship exam. An aspiring child psychologist, she now attends Assumption College in Massachusetts.

Jade Monfils at the DFW International Dinner

2009-09-11T12:42:00.004-05:00

Last night was the DFW International dinner with 9 local mayors. Here I am with Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, a great man who is working hard at developing Dallas as an international city by creating partnerships with cities all around the world. The dinner honored the many different cultures that Dallas has to offer, considering that our city consists of 40% first and second generation immigrants. The night started out with a flag ceremony, next there were dishes served from many different cultural cuisines, and speeches from all the honorable mayors about where North Texas is headed. A great night that had so many colorful costumes to add to the festivities of the evening!

Designer Totes give 100% of proceeds to Dress for Success

2009-09-10T10:35:00.005-05:00

This year GLAMOUR magazine is selling a limited edition collection of tote bags by up and coming designers (Jason Wu, Bensoni, Lorick, Pamela Love, and Brian Reyes) at Bloomingdale’s stores in NYC and at www.bloomingdales.com. The bags are $35 and 100% of proceeds will go to Dress for Success Worldwide. Fashion Gives Back is featured in the windows of Bloomingdale’s flagship store at 59th Street in Manhattan this weekend and in a spread in the October issue of GLAMOUR. Be sure to show your support for one of my favorite organizations that helps women on a career path to success, while lifting them out of poverty!! Visit http://www1.bloomingdales.com/search/index.ognc?SearchTarget=*&Keyword=dress+for+success to get yours!

Go Red For Women NBC TV Special Saturday 9/12!

2009-09-09T15:50:00.009-05:00

Set your TIVO's!! This Saturday, September 12th Go Red For Women premieres its NBC TV special "Choose To Live". The second national TV special is hosted by The TODAY Show’s Hoda Kotb, and features celebrity Andie MacDowell’s personal story of heart disease. The show will focuses on choices women have made to be heart healthy, feature one of the Go Red For Women 2009 casting call finalists, well known cardiologist Dr. Susan Bennett, and nutritionist Samantha Heller. Check www.goredforwomen.org/GoRedTV for your local listings, you won't want to miss it!!

First Ever Building Inner Beauty Pageant!

2009-09-08T11:21:00.019-05:00

I have been working with Isabel's Community Outreach Center in Plano, and was thrilled when Crissy (Isabel's daughter) started her own project in helping young girls and women of the center develop skills in self-confidence that will help bring what is on the inside and let it shine through on the outside. Miss Dallas International Kelli Ansley and I helped the ladies by each heading up a topic and teaching them. My group learned about how to get up in front of a group/audience and public speak. I also briefly went over making friends and setting goals. Kelli's group went over skin care and healthy habits. In the end there was a pageant, so that the girls could get a feel for the stage and each contestant cast their ballot on who they thought should win (the girl who showed the most inner beauty) and one winner was chosen! You can visit the Building Inner Beauty website at www.buildinginnerbeauty.com

Join me in taking the "Day for Kids" pledge

2009-08-25T13:30:00.009-05:00

September 12, 2009 is the Boys and Girls Club "Day for Kids". I have made a personal commitment to spend meaningful time with kids and I would like to invite you to join me!

Did you know that when adults spend positive, meaningful time with kids, they are more likely to develop positive self-image, as well as a sense of purpose and meaning? I hope you will also make this commitment and encourage others to do the same! Together, we are making a difference by providing role models, guidance and understanding for our youth. Take this pledge and help make a kids day here:

http://bgca.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=DFK_pledge&s_oo=O-2x3MNi9IwNj5G38_gWHQ..&s_tlid=6764

And find an event near you here for September 12th!

http://www.dayforkids.org/calendar/find_local_event.aspx

Back to School Bash at Isabel's Outreach Center

2009-08-18T22:32:00.009-05:00

Saturday was an exciting day, I went out to Isabel's community outreach center where they were celebrating all the kids going back to school and giving out school supplies. Many of these kids come from families that are not able to provide supplies for them. The supplies (and backpacks!) where graciously donated, 4 bikes were even raffled off, and I got to do the drawing! After lunch there were guest speakers to talk to the kids about their professions (we had a nurse, geologist, accountant) and how if they study hard that they can be whatever they want to be. I was honored to speak on behalf of my job as a designer. It put a smile on my face when all the kids, even ones that couldn't even speak yet raised their hands and said that they to wanted to be an apparel designer!! :)

5th Annual Dallas Charity Expose

2009-08-16T12:46:00.003-05:00

The purpose of the annual Charity Expose is to bring together several different non-profit organizations together and raise awareness through our community. There were around 20 organizations at the event, including ones that I have worked with such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters and Dress for Success. I was excited to meet many other people who share the same interest as myself, make our community a better place. Some other organizations there were Operation Kindness which is a no-kill animal shelter, as well as many other groups dedicated to children which I can't wait to be able to help out! There was also a silent auction going on that benefited these wonderful organizations!

Summer SMART Girls Last Class

2009-08-15T23:37:00.011-05:00

The summer session is ending at the Boys and Girls Club and school is starting on Monday. I had my last SMART Girls class where we talked more in depth about boys/relationships and how they think that they deserve to be treated. We touched on the recent Chris Brown and Rhianna break up and how no girl EVER deserves to be beaten up by any man or male figure. All my girls are "smart" girls because they are the ones telling me that you should NEVER go back to anyone that hits you and to get out of that relationship ASAP!!! I am so proud of them!! :) Also since school starts next week the club had an end of summer "party" and all the kids got sponsored school supplies and backpacks. There was even a talent show were some of my girls got to perform their best talents. Some sang and some danced. Here are some pictures of the memories that I have taken from the past 2 months. I hope that I was able to teach these girls how to be responsible young ladies, they have also taught me a thing or two!!

Jade Monfils promotes National Night Out Awareness Day

2009-08-04T18:17:00.007-05:00

Today was National Night Out Awareness Day, and I celebrated by presenting a few of our local heroes with awards. It was a day to recognize those that protect us and to promote awareness of neighborhood safety. State Farm is a major sponsor of the annual National Night Out event that will take place in October. I was honored to be a part of this event that was held at State Farm's regional office!

Jade Monfils emcee's the Miss and Teen Asian America Texas Pageant

2009-08-03T15:14:00.004-05:00

Saturday I emceed the Miss and Teen Asian America Texas Pageant. It was held at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts. There were a number of talented young ladies in the group. My favorite part about cultural pageants are the talents and cultural costume presentation. The winner of the Miss division is Chinmayi Ghatrazu an accomplished young woman who performed a classical Indian dance called "Kathak". Throughout the night I was able to talk with Angie Chen Button a Texas State Representative and Addison Mayor Joe Chow. I was also excited to meet Cam Tran a Anchor/Reporter for KTXS-TV, the ABC affiliate in West Texas. With so many well rounded women, I know that the judges had a difficult time choosing just one!

Miss International Pageant '09 in Chicago!!

2009-07-30T11:55:00.018-05:00

Where can I even start about pageant week at Nationals? Well...... the week started out on Sunday when I arrived in Skokie with my parents, on Sunday night we met up with my Godmother who lives in Chicago and ate a delicious Italian dinner in Niles. I have not seen her in 20 years, so it was great to be able to spend sometime with her. She ended up giving me a gorgeous Tiffany's necklace, saying that "Every girl should have something from Tiffany's". Monday was orientation where I got to meet all the girls in the Miss division. EVERYONE was a sweetheart! Tuesday we woke up bright and early and headed to the Boys and Girls Club in Chicago!! This was my favorite visit! We met all the kids and made crafts, played games, and signed autographs. With my platform directly relating to the Boys and Girls club, I was so excited that I was able to see another club outside of Texas. Then we ate lunch at the Navy Pier and walked around signing autographs for the kids on field trips for summer camp. From there 10 of us were selected to participate in a fashion show at the Water Tower Center in downtown Chicago. We were fitted for 3 looks at Betsy Johnson, Cusp, and Custo Barcelona. Then we had out hair done at Vidal Sassoon and make-up by Bare Essentials. After the show we were whisked away in 2 limos back to the hotel, just in time for dinner. Wednesday we went to the Skokie library to take a tour, it is an amazing library with SOOOO many amenities for its patrons. They have it set up with a similar layout as a Barnes and Nobles, I just had to ask where their Starbucks was........ they said that they were still working on that part! After wards we rehearsed and ate dinner with the Teen group. I was glad that I was there with my Teen Dymond (go Texas!!) and that we were able to share the experience together. Thursday was interview, with my time at 11:30, so I didn't have to get up too early! Then we had rehearsal and watched the Teen Prelims later on that night. Friday was rehearsal again and our Miss Prelims were that night. Saturday was rehearsal again and the Top 10 got to compete. The winner was Miss Southeast, Erin Golden, who is as beautiful on the inside as out. Sunday I spent the day with my Mom, Dad, Garee, and cousin Jacob. We went to eat the famous Chicago deep dish pizza, and went to the Navy Pier to just relax by the water. It was an amazing week, and I am so glad that I got to meet so many inspiring young women. After reflecting on my experience, I wouldn't change anything. One saying that I always remember is that "All crowns are different, yours can be made of rhinestones, or the growth of your heart".............

Good Luck!! from my SMART Girls class

2009-07-17T22:59:00.003-05:00

This weeks class was all about how to carry yourself and act like a lady. We went over the proper way to walk, sit, and stand. I told them about the pageant and they all wanted to wish me luck (hence the signs....haha) There was a point when their hyper activeness kicked in, and I had to think of something to get their attention. I said "Girls! We are going to talk about............." as I thought of something to get their attention I said "BOYS" they all came running towards me and gathered in a circle to tell me all about their "crush" and who they thought was "sooooo cute"! Well it was a segway into future lessons, but I wanted them to know that boys are normal, but that they don't need for them to revolve around their whole lives, that they can do things for themselves first. I ended the day with signing some posters that I had made up. I always loved having posters on my walls when I was younger, and it is important that young girls have a positive role model to look up to!

Texas International Queens at the Children's Museum

2009-07-13T14:31:00.011-05:00

This weekend I had the chance to catch up with my fellow sister queens Bonnie and Dymond, at the Woodlands Children's Museum. We had a "Queen for a Day" event where the kids got to make crowns and sit in the "princess" chair. We signed autographs and at the end, Bonnie took Dymond and I out to eat at the Cheesecake Factory. Dymond and I wished her luck, because she is leaving this weekend for Chicago to compete at the Mrs. International pageant! Good luck Bonnie, you will do great! :)
http://www.chron.com/commons/persona.html?newspaperUserId=jwerner&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckUserId=jwerner&plckPostId=Blog%3ajwernerPost%3abf37a06e-a3ad-48ad-b57b-25683a056304&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest

President Obama Proclaims July 9th as "Summer Learning Day"

2009-07-09T12:58:00.004-05:00

National Summer Learning Day, 2009

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation:

"Like an athlete out of practice, a child who takes long breaks from learning can face academic setbacks. This problem is especially prominent during the summer, when students may lose more than two months of progress. Children must remain engaged to maintain and build upon their current academic achievement.

Learning loss can be especially pronounced among low-income children. Recent research suggests that unequal access to summer learning opportunities helps explain
the achievement gap between low-income and affluent students. This gap ultimately means that low-income students may be less likely to graduate from high school or enroll in college.

High-quality summer learning programs help children catch up, keep up, and work ahead. These activities provide students with hours of focused time for hands-on learning and creative projects. Participation can result in gains in writing, reading, and math skills. Through the arts, sports, and other extracurricular activities, summer learning opportunities also promote innovation and physical fitness. These health benefits are especially important because childhood obesity is at an all-time high and children typically gain weight two to three times faster during the summer.

Sustained public service can also dramatically impact summer learning loss. Students can challenge themselves and others through mentoring, environmental projects, and other meaningful volunteer work. Youth and their communities both benefit from these activities. Local opportunities for service can be found at: Serve.gov.

Families and community members play the most important role in the lives of their children. Demands at work and home mean that many parents have less time to spend with their children, but this time, care, and instruction is critical to children's academic success. Especially during the summer, parents should try to find time to read interactively with children. When possible, families should visit public libraries, tour museums and science centers, and explore the great outdoors. Parents can also encourage youth to keep a journal and to practice math skills through cooking and games.

Even though summer has arrived, student learning needs do not take a vacation. On Summer Learning Day, we highlight the need for more young people to be challenged during their time off from school. We also express support for local programs, communities, and families that help children grow through learning initiatives. Working together, we can help students remain engaged and return to school with lithe and limber minds.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 9, 2009, as National Summer Learning Day. I call upon all Americans to support students as they participate in summer learning. I encourage students, parents, educators, and the non-profit community to engage in summer learning activities so that youth return to school poised for academic advancement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA"

Stand Up For Kids Announces Segway Off the Streets

2009-07-08T16:25:00.004-05:00

"Stand Up for Kids" announced its collaboration with "Segway Off the Streets". The mission of "Stand Up for Kids" is to reach out to kids that are homeless, many are coming from abused households and they serve as a prevention and outreach organization. In the U.S. there are more than 1.3 million homeless youth. In 75% of cases it will only take two weeks for them to become involved in theft, drugs, or prostitution in order to survive. A man by the name of Mike Taylor will set off on a Segway, a small electric vehicle, on August 2, 2009 from Rochester, MN and travel 2,500 miles at 12 miles per hour to his final destination, Atlanta, GA where the National Headquarters of "Stand Up For Kids" is located. This very long journey, at a very slow pace, it will take him nearly two months but is for a very worthy cause. This is an amazing campaign, for more information about how you can help "Stand Up For Kids" and "Segway Off the Streets" (SOS Tour 2009) please visit www.segwayoffthestreets.org

SMART Girls Healthy Nutrition and Healthy Body Image Class

2009-07-02T11:55:00.003-05:00

For the 3rd installment of my SMART Girls class we talked about nutrition and eating healthy, at the same time I wanted to discuss healthy body weights. Since the class is made up of younger girls I try to keep it light and fun. We started out by having a "tea party" with out the tea and just snacks. I brought snacks like mango, avocado, peanuts, peas, corn, green beans, pineapple, peaches, & strawberries. I brought them because a lot of the girls had never tried certain things and I wanted to make sure that they knew what it tasted like before they said that they didn't like it. If they still didn't like it, then we both knew that at least they had tried it. After that we played a game, I laid out about 30 different pictures of celebrities, and each of them were to choose 1 body type that they thought was healthy and 1 that was not healthy. Then we went around the room and discussed what they thought. There were a couple of girls that thought that the too skinny girls looked "healthy", but the majority of them had a good perspective. Here is a picture of some of my girls with their "healthy weight" choices!! :) Each week I let a different girl wear my crown and another my sash. I already have my waiting list and can't wait till our next class!

Jade Monfils featured in the Lewisville Leader and JC Penney Newsletter

2009-07-01T12:20:00.012-05:00

I got a call saying that the "Lewisville Leader" ran a story about me in their city paper, my mom drove around looking for the paper in Lewisville and found it! I was also featured in this month's JC Penney company newsletter (you can click on both stories at the top to read). Back in April I ran into a group of JC Penney employees at the DFW USO airport event. When we were taking pictures I told them that I work at the home office as well, and they said that they would have to write a story about my recent win. When I got back to work I did an interview with them and they did a great job putting the story together. It is so great to have a company that fully supports what you are trying to do in and out of the workplace!!

Jade Monfils visits the North Dallas Bea's Kids

2009-06-24T14:44:00.003-05:00

On my lunch break I visited Bea's Kids North Dallas location. I had stopped by before as "Wednesday's Winner" back in January, and Vosica the director of the branch said that the kids have been asking about me and what I have been up to. I wanted to stop by and share with them the story about my recent win in San Antonio, and make sure that they were still working on their own "dreams". I was excited to see that there were 4 interns helping out, who are currently Juniors and Seniors in high school. I congratulated them on being active in their communities, because I remember when I was volunteering at my local Boys and Girls Club during my high school years. The kids are now off from school during the summer, and the program runs for a couple hours a day in the afternoon. They get a healthy sack lunch, and I had to remind them that they should be eating things that are good for them and getting plenty of exercise (ex. kickball, hopscotch, or basketball). Being healthy and adopting good habits will lead them to a life time of good health!

Miss Texas International featured Front Page in Coppell Gazette

2009-06-22T17:04:00.005-05:00

I was so excited to be featured in the community newspaper, front and center! I had my article featured in the Coppell Gazette, where I had a chance to get my message out about my platform and what I have been doing in the community. I have had friends and neighbors calling me and letting me know that they read it, and are so proud of me and what I am trying to achieve!! Thanks everyone!
http://www.courier-gazette.com/articles/2009/06/05/news_update/302.txt

Jade Monfils at the Garland Asian Festival

2009-06-21T23:00:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was the Garland Asian Festival held at Saigon Mall in Garland. It was a HUGE event, with around 5,000 people. It was so crowded that the parking situation was getting out of control with people parking and blocking in cars 3 cars deep! I was making announcements and introducing city council and other community leaders. It is always great to see a celebration of different cultures and diversity. The day started off with the presentation of the Mayor of Garland giving a proclamation, a lion dance around the parking lot, and firecrackers! Yes, firecrackers were lit off for about 5 minutes in the parking lot!! The fire and police departments were both were very approving, "There has to be some fun sometimes"! Afterwards were many dances and performances from cultures all over Asia.

SMART Girls update

2009-06-19T22:43:00.004-05:00

This week was the 1st class of S.M.A.R.T. Girls, that I am teaching at the Boys and Girls Club. I originally planned my curriculum with teen girls in mind, but the majority of the young ladies that were in my class ranged from 8-12. No problem, I just had to change my level of thinking. The younger girls 8 & 9 years have the shortest attention and you really have to make the content fun for them (they are in 3rd and 4th grade), while my 10 & 11 year olds are very into what their friends are doing and they tend to want to stick together in groups, so I have to make the content "cool". The 12 year olds will understand a little more, since they are starting to realize the difference between them and the boys. This week we talked about goals and what we want to accomplish in the future. We made my favorite "inspiration boards", I brought a TON of magazines and told them that they could have anything in the whole world, to look through the magazines and if they want it to rip it out. I told them that if they even thought they might want it to take it and we could always sort later. It was a fun "girls" time, some of the younger boys were trying to check out what we were doing and to join in on the fun. But were told by the girls that it was "GIRLS ONLY"! It is really fun to see what all the girls want to have in their future. Also it is important that they know that they can have anything that they want as long as they set their mind to it. :) I can't wait til next week when we talk about nutrition!

Jade Monfils at Dallas City Arts Festival

2009-06-18T17:47:00.003-05:00

This past weekend was the Dallas City Arts Festival, which highlighted all the wonderful talents musically, culinary, and artistically in Dallas. It was a 3 day event held in the Dallas Arts District, one of the largest in the nation. All the museums were open to the public for free, Dallas has some great museums; The Dallas Museum of Art, The Crow Collection of Asian Art, and the Nasher Sculpture Center. The streets were closed up for blocks, so that patrons could visit all the musical stages (there were 4) and the tents with all the celebrity chefs of Dallas. It was a huge event, and being a creative individual myself, I was honored to be a part of it. I was making announcements on the main stage (sponsored by Fox 4) and the "Fair Park" stage at the other end of the street. I also got to do a radio interview for KLIF 570 am talk radio, who were set up inside the TXU Energy tent. It was definitely Texas weather, HOT! But was a great day to come out and learn more about what arts Dallas has to offer!!

Jade Monfils at the Philippine Republic Day Gala

2009-06-17T11:14:00.005-05:00

I was so happy to be asked to attend the annual gala dinner in honor of Philippine National Independence Day. Each year Filipinos from all over Texas and Oklahoma come together in Dallas to celebrate this special occasion. It was held at the Hilton in Dallas, and was a very extravagant event! Everyone was dressed in their finest to watch and listen to the wonderful entertainers. I made announcements and introduced the musicians. Here I am in a traditional Filipina dress called a Terno, with global Filipino band sensation Primo. I also got to meet Kimberly and Sage Miss Philippine Texas and Miss Teen Philippine Texas!

Jade Monfils at the Boys and Girls Club Fundraiser

2009-06-14T23:05:00.006-05:00

Friday night was the Boys and Girls Clubs annual Texas Hold Em Tournament, where all proceeds go towards the afterschool club. It was held at the W Hotel and I got to work the "Fund the Need" board. I previously helped out with this board at the Billiard Ball held back in March as Miss Dallas. I was excited to share with all the board members, presidents, and volunteers about my recent win in San Antonio. They had previously told me that they fully support me and my cause and wished me luck back in March, so I was happy that I made them proud and brought home the title! Basically the "Fund the Need" board is made up of different levels of sponsorship that an individual can purchase, they get to choose what they want their money to go toward and what is important to them. $25 will pay for one hour of one on one tutoring for one student, $50 will pay for their school supplies, and $100 will pay for a field trip for about 15 students- this covers the van expense and gas money. I had several people donate to the $250 fund, which covers sports equipment for one sport like basketball, in one club (this will pay for the basketballs and jerseys), because sports were so important to them growing up. There was also $1250 donations available which pays to keep one child in the club for one school year. I love being able to raise money for this needed program, and being around so many other people and organizations that also have these kids in mind!

Jade Monfils Partners with the Afterschool Alliance

2009-06-04T17:49:00.004-05:00

This week I got in contact with the Afterschool Alliance, the nation's leading voice for afterschool, and signed on to help raise awareness about the importance of afterschool programs. As you know my platform relates directly to this cause and I am so excited to be championing this message at an even larger scale! I want to encourage everyone who supports afterschool programs and thinks that children would benefit from affordable programs that will in return give positive effects, to go to http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/a4aJoin.cfm and sign the petition. By doing this you are helping to get the needed funds for these very crucial programs. All it takes is a little time, and it doesn't cost anything! I myself grew up in a home where both of my parents worked, I didn't have an afterschool program but I know that I could have benefited from them. Here is the link once more:

http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/a4aJoin.cfm

Donations for the Fresh Air Fund matched dollar for dollar in June!

2009-06-01T11:01:00.008-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that during the month of June, the Fresh Air Fund (www.freshair.org) has donors that will be matching all donations dollar for dollar. If you are interested please donate to this worthy cause that takes inner city kids out of the city during summer months to either summer camps or host families in the suburbs or countryside. Act fast, because the donations will only be matched until June 30, 2009. Also if you would be interested in hosting a child for the summer visit www.freshair.org. Thanks so much!!

Jade Monfils at the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital

2009-05-27T14:51:00.003-05:00

I was excited to go to the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital and bring a craft to do with the kids. I chose to have the craft be "inspiration boards" where you find pictures in magazines that piece together your ideal future, and cut them out and put them on a piece of poster board. I got the idea from "The Secret", this technique helps you visualize what you want, so that you can make it happen. Also I thought that since the kids are stuck in hospital rooms, these "inspiration boards" might help brighten it up some, and since they are small they can transport them easily. I invited my friend Ashley (Miss Fort Worth) to come and join me at this event, and we had a great time!

Houston Training Update with Pageant Sponsors

2009-05-22T16:48:00.005-05:00

Pageant preparation takes time and dedication, I was excited to go down to Houston and San Antonio to meet with a number of sponsors of the Texas International pageant. On my stop at Valerie Hayes (the best interview coach- www.valeriehayes.com) I met up with Bonnie Hubert my sister queen and the Mrs. division winner. On this trip I also met up with Sheila Ybarra (www.pageantfaces.com) who gave me my sponsored make-up lesson, and in San Antonio I met with my personal trainer Kris (www.bodiesbykris.com). I am so inspired by these professionals and motivated to better myself, not only for the upcoming pageant but also in life!

The S.M.A.R.T. Girls program

2009-05-14T17:27:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I went to my local Boys and Girls Club to meet some prospective students for my 12-week summer class. The program that I have developed is called S.M.A.R.T. Girls (Which stands for skills mastery and resistance training) and the classes will be held once a week at the Boys and Girls Club. It is important that in gang prevention that the female counter parts are not forgotten. A lot of times young girls also have a need to belong and will turn to other things such as drugs, alcohol, teen pregnancy, and abusive relationships. My goal with this program is to educate these young ladies about the dangers out there such as STD's, AIDS, and female victimization. Giving them the knowledge, so that they can make smart decisions. Also educating them about the importance of career goals and being active in their community. I want for them to have confidence so that they do not have self esteem issues, which is why diet, exercise, and etiquette are all part of the curriculum. I cannot wait to get this program rolling!

Jade Monfils at the Carrollton Bea's Kids

2009-05-08T12:38:00.007-05:00

I stopped by the Bea's Kids after school program in Carrollton. Once there I helped the elementary school kids with their writing and math homework. 5:00 is when all the teen and pre-teen kids come, and I was able to talk to them and share with them my personal stories of high school and college. I let them know that everything that they do today reflects what will happen to them tomorrow. I talked with them after my speech and got the "low down". I now know that Facebook is not cool, but MySpace still is.... haha. As you get older you get more out of the loop. I am glad that I can still communicate with these kids on a personal level and hopefully have an impact on the choices that they make!

Jade Monfils Emcees the 19th Annual Dallas Asian Festival

2009-05-06T12:18:00.002-05:00

Saturday was the 19th annual Asian Festival held at Dallas City Hall. There were over 60 booths, and different performances on the main stage. May is known as Asian-Pacific Heritage month and I was fortunate enough to have been asked by the Greater Dallas Asian Chamber of Commerce to Emcee the day's events with Chris Flannagan, one of Dallas's own WFAA Channel 8 newscasters. Although the day was scheduled for thunderstorms, most of the morning was okay and there was a very large turn out to see all the performances. Cultures from all over Asia were recognized, from India, Thailand, China, and Japan. I finished the day by drinking one of my favorite Asian drinks........ bubble tea, which is a flavored tea with tapioca "pearls" on the bottom, it is drank with a wider straw!

Jade Monfils at the AHA Go Red Luncheon

2009-05-03T21:12:00.007-05:00

One of the best things about the International Pageant system is their dedication to the community and helping their queen's champion their own personal platforms. The pageant has their own platform with the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign. Heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans, women included. The "Go Red" initiative is targeted at women and educating them about prevention of heart disease. Simple steps you can take in your life include eating lean foods, exercising daily, and limiting your amount of alcoholic intake, and of course no smoking! The fun thing about the luncheon was that AHA gave seminars on how to live healthy, one of them was with Chef Chamberlain who has two restaurants locally. He taught us how to cook lean beef so that it tastes good, but without all the extra oils and fats. I even got my BMI tested at one of the booths that were giving out free screenings. Luckily I am at a healthy BMI of 20 and an athletic body fat. It is pretty intimidating getting your body fat measured, but it is essential in preventing heart disease. One of the most touching stories that I heard during the event was from a woman who at 30 years old, was diagnosed with heart disease. She was an active cheerleader and athlete, didn't even smoke or drink, and had just had a baby. One day in January 2005 her heart collapsed and she had to have a heart transplant. She got a second chance, but many other women do not. Her daughter now 7 came to the stage and gave her flowers. Everyone in the audience, myself included, was trying to fight back tears. Heart disease can be prevented, you need to have annual check ups and keep your body healthy through exercise, making smart eating choices, limiting alcohol intake, and no smoking! Please educate those that you care about, because it can be prevented and not have to take another life too soon!

Jade Monfils at Coppell Relay for Life

2009-05-02T17:21:00.009-05:00

I attended Coppell's annual Relay for Life that benefited the American Cancer Society. This was a special day because a dear friend of mine detected a small lump in her breast this year, she is a cancer survivor and has had the lump replaced with a radioactive particle. The relay started in the evening and ran all night until morning. These cancer survivors are all heroes..... they have triumphed over their cancer and are living the life that God intended for them. It was a pleasure to honor those that have both survived and also those that have passed on. I also got to spend the day with other extraordinary young pageant women that compete in the Texas America pageant on July 5th! Best of luck to them, you guys will be great!

Jade Monfils greets the troops at DFW airport

2009-04-28T17:36:00.011-05:00

I have been wanting to greet the soldiers at DFW airport for a very long time now. I am a little ashamed that it has taken me so long to do it, but this past weekend I had a great time! Miss Fort Worth, Ashley Johnson, was there bright and early to greet the incoming soldiers from Iraq. Many of them have been traveling for more than 20 hours just to arrive at DFW, just one stop on their way home. It is important to show them our support and to let them know that they are not forgotten. It was really emotional to see the faces of loved ones, after not seeing our soldiers for such a long time, it definitely brought tears of happiness to my eyes! There were several girl scouts troops there to greet them, and were so sweet to bring the soldiers my favorite....... girl scout cookies...... having been a Brownie and a Junior, I know how important giving back is to these little girls. I also ran into a huge group from JCPenney there, after talking to them and telling them that I work for JCPenney too, everyone was excited and now they want to write a story about me for the company paper. It was a great day and I was so glad that I got to share the experience with a fellow queen and the real heroes of our country!! :)

Jade Monfils at the Boys & Girls Club Alumni Mixer

2009-04-27T13:38:00.011-05:00

The Boys & Girls Club of Dallas has gotten a program together that unites former B&G Club members. It is really nice to see how successful many of their alumni have turned out and to see what an impact the organization has had on their lives. After talking with several of them, their stories were very similar. Many of them said that before the B&G Club they had no motivation and didn't have goals to work toward. The club helped them set goals and motivated them to get off the streets. I got to meet the 2001 "Youth of the Year", her story was great because after being in the club, she now works as a social worker and helps to give back to the community that gave to her. I had a great time meeting all the different people who all share a common bond!

Jade Monfils at "Circus Day" for Isabel's Community Outreach

2009-04-23T12:10:00.012-05:00

This past weekend I was able to take part in "Circus Day" at Isabel's Community Outreach in East Plano. The circus themed day had a raffle, face painting, cotton candy, and games. I was honored to have my own autograph table, and was touched when I was told some of the little girls came specifically that day to see me and dressed in their best! What is great about Isabel's program is that she started it 4 years ago for the Hispanic community, many of these women were uneducated and coming from abused relationships, the outreach program teaches them skills that they need to be able to survive on their own. The program has now grown to include men, and children from all different backgrounds. This very special circus day was a day for all of the students and their children to forget about their problems for one day and just have fun! I am so proud of all the women in the program, especially those that are now moving on to college to further their education!

Jade Monfils at the Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-15T11:27:00.012-05:00

One of the best things that I remember as a child during Easter was of course the Egg Hunt!! I got to help out with the Dallas Arboretum's Easter Egg Hunt. There were children from babies to 9 years old, all there with one mission......... to get the most eggs! The morning started off with arts and crafts, breakfast, and then I got to start the egg hunt. It was a great setting with all the flowers to set the mood for Spring!

Jade Monfils at the Texas Tough Relay Race

2009-03-30T17:49:00.008-05:00

This weekend was the 1st annual Texas Tough Relay Race held at the Cotton Bowl. It is a 3 part series of events, the other events include swimming and biking. The running relay portion is a 5K, and people can run as individuals or as a team. One of the groups that I met ran as a benefit for a young boy named Conner. "Team Connor" was sponsored by Children's medical center. My duties were at the finish line, it is always great to see people who set a goal and accomplish it. The finish line is a great place to see that in action!! :)

Miss Texas International Pageant 2009

2009-03-25T17:37:00.023-05:00

This past weekend was extremely tiring as well as exciting! I drove to San Antonio to compete with 68 other extraordinary ladies in the Miss Texas International pageant. This pageant combines 3 divisions including Teen, Miss, and Mrs. On the Friday that I arrived we had orientation, where I got to meet several of the other contestants. All of us were from different areas of Texas, it was really interesting to see where everyone else was from and hear their own personal stories. The International pageant system in known for being platform based, so it was inspiring to hear about each lady's individual platform that it close to each of their hearts. On Saturday we had our personal interviews in the morning one on one with the judges.
I was so honored to meet Miss International 2008, Janya Altman, she was one of the five judges! After the interviews we all piled into a Hummer limo and rode to the Riverwalk Mall, where we signed autographs and took the riverboat tour. Afterwards we went to dinner at Augie's Barbed Wire Smokehouse. Then Sunday was the big competition day! We had rehearsals all morning and the pageant started at 5:00 with on-stage interviews. At the end of the night, awards were presented and I was so honored to receive the Miss Congeniality award (just like the movie, I was in San Antonio!!) since it was voted on by all the other contestants on who they felt displayed the true feeling of pageantry over the weekend. :) I also won the Community Service Award, Fitness Award, Evening Gown Award, Fashion Wear Award, and the top title of Miss Texas International!! I am so honored to be representing the great state of Texas in the upcoming Miss International Pageant July 24th and 25th in Chicago!!

Jade Monfils at the Dallas Bea's Kids

2009-03-16T11:24:00.012-05:00

Bea's Kids is an after-school tutoring center that has 4 locations in the Dallas metroplex. The 3rd location that I attended was their Dallas branch, this location has fewer kids, but they didn't lack any personality! When I arrived it was mostly the younger group in 1st- 3rd grade. One of the tutoring methods at this location is if the kids have questions they raise their hands. This is so that they try to do it themselves first, and then the tutors can check/show them how to do a problem correctly. The children were being very competitive in their game show like vocabulary quiz, but in the end they were all winners! I gave all of them signed autograph cards, and they didn't want me to leave. They were so sweet, when I was driving off 2 little girls said they wanted to go with me! I said "Don't worry, I'll come back and help with you with your homework again".

Jade Monfils at the Billiard's Ball benefiting the Boys and Girls Club

2009-03-11T17:56:00.021-05:00

I was so honored to attend the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dallas's annual Billiard's Ball. It is the one of the organizations biggest events of the year. It was an honor to be in the presence of such established people, Dallas's own Mayor Leppert, former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, and many others. But the real enjoyment was raising over $3000 in sponsorship money for the kids. I had my own table, situated near the entrance, which had different sponsorship levels. An individual could buy 1 hour of tutoring for one child for $25, all the way to a college scholarship for $5000. It was amazing to realize that to keep one child in the program for one year costs roughly $1250 in the city of Dallas. The volunteer coordinator Carolyn was amazing she invited me to stay for the dinner, that was hosted by 102.9's Victoria Snee. I look forward to partnering with her as well as others to promote my platform on an even higher level this year!!

Jade Monfils Judges Oratorical Contest for Boys & Girls Club

2009-03-04T10:55:00.008-06:00

I was asked if I would be able to be a guest judge for the Mesquite Boys and Girls Club's annual Oratorical contest in honor of black history month. There were 3 age divisions; 6-9 years old, 10-12 years old, and 13-15 years old. Many of the children recited memorized lines from the likes of Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Nikki Giovanni just to name a few. While many of the children we nervous, I still give them credit for being able to get up in front of a large audience! There were 3 definite stand outs in each age division. They gave great introductions, maintained eye contact, and wonderful vocal projection while remembering each line word for word! At the end of the night I congratulated each contestant, and ate a wonderful spaghetti dinner provided by the club.

Jade Monfils at the Farmers Branch Bea's Kids Location

2009-03-03T15:28:00.015-06:00

After partnering with Bea's Kids, an after-school tutoring center that provides a safe environment for students to go to when school gets out, I was inclined to attend another one of their locations in Farmers Branch. While there, I was in the 4th and 5th grade classroom helping them with homework. One young lady was having trouble with math (my favorite subject!) even though it has been years since doing storybook problems, it all started to come back to me! She shared with me her love of all things Hannah Montana! Once the younger ones left, I spoke with the high school students and helped them do a group crossword puzzle on U.S. Presidents (which was actually a lot harder than I you might think!). The young kids were so funny, they said "Please don't go to any of the other Bea's kids. We want to feel special because you only came here". I let them know that they were special anyway and gave them an autograph card to remember the day by. :)

Jade Monfils at the Chinese Lantern Festival

2009-03-02T12:49:00.019-06:00

For Chinese New Year, this is the year of the ox. New Year in China lasts for weeks, as the whole country celebrates. Chinese citizens are given a month off with pay, and many factory workers that live at the factories, hours from their rural homes, go back to their towns to spend time with their families. This is actually one of the only times that workers get to go home during the year, so it is a huge deal. For the end of the New Year celebration a Lantern Festival is held, where people parade with lanterns through the streets. Dallas got to have a mini Lantern Festival that was held at the Crow Collection of Asian Art in the downtown arts district. Dallas has the largest arts district in the U.S. and the Crow Collection is an organization that I have been working with for years. What is really interesting about the Crow Collection is that it started out with Trammell and Margaret Crow who were collectors of Asian Art. With their first trip to Southeast Asia, Trammell Crow was hooked, they collected so many artifacts over the years that they decided to share it with the public. There is no charge to view the museum, the Crow family only wants to be able to share their love of Asian art with the public, which I think is wonderful! At the festival, I got to meet the owners of the current exhibit, that had flown into Dallas only for the day. Also there were a ton of crafts for the kids, they were making everything from lanterns to kites, and sampling sticky rice balls. Later on in the day, there was a dragon dance outside and a traditional Chinese dance in the gallery. It was a great day for the young and the young at heart!

Jade Monfils supports the Fresh Air Fund

2009-03-02T12:20:00.013-06:00

I was contacted by Sara who works for the Fresh Air Fund, it is a not-for-profit organization that has been taking inner- city children from New York City to summer camp or to host suburban/rural homes for 130 years. I believe in this type of organization for the fact that they are giving 8,000 children a year an opportunity to see how it is outside the city life, that otherwise they might not be able to see on their own. Kids these days need options and alternatives, so that they can be a positive benefit to society. If anyone would be interested in being a camp counselor or hosting a child for the summer please visit www.freshair.org, and if you would like to make a donation click on the links!

Miss & Mrs. Dallas in the Dallas MLK Parade

2009-01-27T11:57:00.009-06:00

I was introduced to Mrs. Dallas 2009, Lee Pettyjohn. We will both be competing in the Texas International Pageant in March, in San Antonio. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the parades was held in Dallas. The day started out so cold, but as we gained momentum it began to warm up! It started at Dallas City Hall, and ran to MLK blvd. in downtown. This was the first parade that I have made an appearance in, and it was so exciting seeing all the smiling faces out to celebrate the birthday of such a historic figure. In addition to the presidential inauguration, the feeling of joy was definitely a presence in the streets of Dallas!

Jade Monfils Guest Speaker for Bea's Kids

2009-01-27T11:32:00.010-06:00

Bea's Kids after school program gives young kids tutoring and a safe place to be during the peak hours of violent juvenile crime (between 3:00-6:00 pm). Once a month the North Dallas chapter invites a key speaker to talk to the youth as a "Wednesday's Winner". I was honored to be the January speaker, and talked to the kids about my "path to success" and the importance of education and staying in school. I also talked about setting goals and believing in yourself. When I got there everyone was writing a letter to President Obama, and what they wanted to see him change. The kids there ranged from 1st grade through high school juniors. There were several volunteers there helping them with their homework which ranged from math to writing. Helping kids become positive impacts on our future is something that I am so passionate about, which is why it was so rewarding for me to speak to these children and share with them my experiences!

Jade Monfils at the Christmas Angel Project 2008

2008-12-28T21:55:00.030-06:00

Christmas is more a time of giving than receiving, and I spent the holiday with the Dallas Soup Mobile. Which is an organization that I have previously worked with. All throughout the year the "Soup Man" David Timothy, takes the Soup Mobile van around the streets of Dallas and feeds the homeless. December 24th and 25th was the Soup Mobile's Christmas Angel Project, which took 450 homeless off the streets, and put them up at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. Where each person got their own room to rest in and shower. They were feed 3 meals in the banquet room, and were given new clothes (all donations from companies). My role at the event was during Christmas dinner, I greeted the guests as they arrived and introduced the Chairman of the Christmas Angel Project. A lot of people usually just disregard the homeless, but they are people who are just down on their luck for the moment. They are working to get back on their feet, and the holidays are a supposed to be a time of celebration and not despair. I saw many familiar faces from the Dallas Day Out event at City Hall back in October. Many of the homeless actually remembered me from that event, I joked with some of them when the others were saying "How does she know you?" that "Oh yea, we go way back". Being at this event for me was the true spirit of the holidays, and I am so glad that I got to meet everyone. Here is another clip of the days events online:

http://www.dallasnews.com/video/dallasnews/local_state/index.html?nvid=316198&shu=1

Jade Monfils at the Garland Asian Festival

2008-12-28T21:54:00.025-06:00

I love cultural events, you get to learn about other countries and customs. Being mixed with Filipino, Chinese, French, and Indonesian. I have spent time getting to know all the unique cultures that make me who I am today. I was able to emcee the Garland Asian Festival that was held at the Saigon Mall. There were performances from the cultures of China, Japan, India, Vietnam, Philippines, Hawaii, Thailand, and Cambodia, just to name a few. It was a colorful day with many talented people that taught others about each individual culture and what makes each different. There were different booths set up for the children that had fun things like face painting, and other food booths that had snacks from many different countries. Several different awards were presented to many community leaders that have helped the Asian community here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I was even honored to get an award myself!

Jade Monfils emcees at the Philippine Physician Fundraiser

2008-12-28T21:50:00.017-06:00

I haven't been able to update my blog for a little while, but I recently emceed a fundraiser that was very important to me. I had the chance to go to the Philippines last Christmas, and it was the 1st time that I had visited. A lot of time when people vacation, they spend most of their time at resort areas and don't go out to see how the people of the area actually live. I spent my Christmas last year in the provinces, all the people were so welcoming and sweet. But at the same time these people don't have a lot and being there made me feel so blessed about my life here in the US. Also in the city when I visited Manila, there are children that don't even have homes. I could go on and on about this...... I decided there that one of my goals was to do something to be able to help people overseas. It is not like here in the US, where everyone has an opportunity to change what happens to them in the future, most people who live in poverty have no choice and no opportunity. Even though I am here, I was able to help raise money at a fundraiser, whose profits all go to the Philippines. These funds help to provide medical assistance to people who otherwise could not afford medical care. It was a casino night and chips were purchased, at the end of the night all players were able to purchase prizes that were donated. It was a fun night as well, and even more rewarding that all proceed went to such a worthy cause!!

Jade Monfils at the Dallas Asian Chamber of Commerce Award Luncheon

2008-11-26T12:05:00.024-06:00

The Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce had an awards ceremony at the Doubletree Hotel Downtown. This is a yearly event that honors prestigeous Asian Americans and organizations that play a significant role in the Dallas Asian community. Sylvia Komatsu, an executive at KERA was the MC. My role at the event was to present the awards to the recipients. The guest speaker was Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboy Hall of Famer, was the guest speaker. It was an honor to be surrounded by so many successful Asian Americans in the Dallas community!

Jade Monfils at BBBS Black Tie Ball

2008-11-17T14:31:00.022-06:00

Saturday evening was the Black Tie Ball at the Hilton Anatole, benefiting the the Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas. There was an auction of wonderful donations which even included tickets to the Presidential Inauguration next year, and a party with Elton John. All the proceeds will go toward taking children off of the BBBS waiting list and matching them with a mentor for one year. I had the opportunity to greet the guest as they entered the hotel and direct them to the event, surprisingly there were 4 different black tie events in the same night! I got the chance to talk and mingle and meet several other individuals with some of the same aspirations as myself, to work within the community and provide positive outlets for our youth. There was an artist doing sketches of the guests and I even got my portrait drawn. During the night there were several performances by "littles" which ranged from a trumpet performance, dancing, and an opera performance accompanied with a piano, which was AMAZING and got a standing ovation. This group of children was so talented and an inspiration, in that they can overcome their situations and find their own niche in life. I was honored to be able to help raise money for such a worthy cause.

Jade Monfils at Bea's Kids Benefit Gala

2008-11-04T12:05:00.018-06:00

Saturday night there was a benefit gala/auction for an organization known as Bea's Kids. The organization was started by Bea Salazar 18 years ago. She was a disabled single mother of 5, and was barely making ends meet, when one day she went out to throw her garbage away. At the dumpster she found a young boy digging through the trash. Since it was summer time, he was not in school; therefore not getting the breakfast and lunch served there. He was hungry, but Bea threw the piece of bread that he had found back in the trash, and he began to cry. Since she was new to the apartment complex she didn't want her neighbors to think that she was hurting the boy, so she took him home and made him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. After he left there were 6 more children that came knocking at her door, asking for food. She thought that once school started the children would stop coming. She was wrong, once school started she continued to get kids asking for help with their homework. This was mostly due to the English language barrier that the children had at their own homes. Bea took the initiative and asked her apartment complex to donate an empty apartment to start a safe after-school program. She went to the local high school and asked the Honor Society students if they could tutor these children. What she did many years ago, lives on today. She has 4 after-school centers in the Dallas area, a school named after her, and has been honored by Oprah, President George Bush, and President Bill Clinton. She is an inspiration and I was so honored to meet her and help with the fundraiser for her organization. I had the opportunity to meet several volunteers, and board members at the event which was held at CityPlace downtown. It was a rewarding night, and I am glad that I was able to raise money for this wonderful cause!