Hello Minnesota!
My name is Katlyn Ziegler and I am honored to introduce myself to you as Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen 2009! Time has already flown by and it has been nearly a month since the crown was placed on my head. I have already had the opportunity of meeting many new people and I look forward to exploring Minnesota even more as my year continues.
I have lived in Coon Rapids, a suburb about 30 minutes north of the Twin Cities, for all my life. Coon Rapids is home to over 65,000 residents. My City has been noted in Money Magazine's 2006 Best Places to Live as “… a city with many strengths. It has the advantages of a large city with a small town feel. It has affordable housing, low taxes, quality education, outstanding community involvement and volunteerism and is conveniently located with access to major highways to connect to the entire metropolitan region.” I truly believe my family and I belong to a tight-knit and generous city with sense of civic pride and commitment. I currently am enrolled at Coon Rapids High School and will be entering my sophomore year in the fall. Living in such a large city has opened me up to many different experiences that have helped shape me to be the person I am today.
My platform that I will be working with as Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen 2009 is entitled “Paws for Love,” which first originated when George, my Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and I undertook six months of obedience and training classes to become a Therapy Dog and handler. While George provided love and companionship at home, we learned to rely on each other as our training continued. With high hopes, we were soon tested and evaluated by a certified Therapy Dog International (TDI) Evaluator. The test is developed to show that the dog, as a companion to people, can be a respected member of the community. George and I had to demonstrate confidence and control as we completed the eleven-step course. Our dedication and hard work was rewarded, as we became one of the youngest qualified members of TDI and now proudly sport our TDI tags.
TDI is a volunteer group organized to provide qualified handlers and their Therapy Dogs for visits at institutions, facilities, and anywhere else a Therapy Dog is needed. This organization is based on the clinical proof that petting, touching, and talking with dogs will lower patients’ blood pressure, relieve stress, and ease depression. With these facts, it is important that hospitals and other institutions are aware of the importance Therapy Dog visits have on their patients. Over 15,000 dogs are registered with TDI in all 50 states, Canada, and several other countries. Through TDI, I have provided comfort and companionship by sharing my Corgi, George, with patients in statewide medical facilities and George certainly does leave an ear-to-ear smile and an indelible mark.
Besides the diligent work I have been doing with my platform, I have also been preparing to compete at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen in August. From the time the crown was placed on my head, I have had only 6 short weeks to ready myself for the national competition. My preparation has included many hours a week pounding my heart out to perfect my piano piece for the talent portion, the endless stack of paperwork required to compete, the many trips to the gym, and shopping for new gowns, definitely my favorite part. Fortunately, I have had amazing love and support. First and foremost—Mom; she has been by my side every step of the way. Words cannot express how much I appreciate her continuous strive for me to succeed on the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen stage. As the bills keep coming, she only says, “It’s a once in a lifetime chance.” Thanks Mom. Furthermore, my director, Diane Buszta has given me the guidance and reassurance I have needed to help shape me into the young woman I dreamt I would be. She is VERY hard working and will make the Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen program successful. There have been many other people that have helped me along my journey and I would like to take the time to thank every one of you for your time and commitment.
I would also like to thank our outstanding sponsors for supporting our program. It is these sponsors that allow the Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen organization to nurture and build the scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community involvement of our nation’s youth. Our gratefulness to you goes beyond words.
Furthermore, I am looking forward to the year ahead with my “big sister” Brooke Kilgarriff, Miss Minnesota 2009. I have had the opportunity to spend some time with you already and I am looking forward to the many memories we will share. You truly are a beautiful, talented, and confident woman. You possess all the qualities that are associated with the Miss America Organization. I can’t wait to go to Las Vegas to cheer you on at Miss America!
Finally, to the state of Minnesota: I am so proud to be your representative. Everyone has welcomed me with open arms truly showing our “Minnesota nice.” With this said, I would like to leave you with a quote by former U.S. Surgeon General, Arthur J. Kropp. He states:
"The American ideal is not that we all agree with each other, or even like each other, every minute of the day. It is rather that we will respect each other's rights, especially the right to be different, and that, at the end of the day, we will understand that we are one people, one country, and one community, and that our well-being is inextricably bound up with the well-being of each and every one of our fellow citizens."
Minnesota is without a doubt the ideal state. It is here, that I feel at home. Thank you Minnesota and I look forward to the year to come.
In all sincerity,
Katlyn Ziegler
Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen 2009