Miss Missouri 2005 Stacie Cooley

	February 27, 2006 Stacie and her family attended Monday evening’s Liberty City Council Meeting, where Stacie received a Proclamation from Mayor Robert Steinkamp. March 1^st was proclaimed “Stacie Cooley Day” in Liberty - her hometown!!!
	February 24-25, 2006 Congratulations to Miss Pulaski County, Emily Jean Pritchard, Miss Tri-Counties, Jayna Altman, Miss Mid-Missouri, Sarah French, and Miss Southern Central, Lindsey Lou Rich! Stacie had a great time at the pageants in Waynesville, where she performed at the show and helped out with the Little Miss, Teen, and Miss pageants.
	February 23, 2006 After her school visit, Stacie traveled to Waynesville for the Taste of Home Cooking School, sponsored by the Daily Guide. She served as emcee for the event and learned some new tips and recipes in the process! For more information visit http://www.tasteofhomeschools.com/.
	February 23, 2006 Montgomery County Middle School, in Montgomery City, gave Stacie a very warm welcome during her visit to present her “Right Decisions, Right Now” program to the 8^th grade students. She also signed autographs for the 6^th-8^th graders during their lunch periods. The students are pictured here doing an activity from Stacie’s program.
	February 12, 2006 The Saint Louis Zoo and Delta Dental hosted “Winter Zoo” at The Living World pavilion. The program takes place every Sunday during the month of February, and features a children’s show, Radio Disney, and games & giveaways for the kids! Stacie was a special guest in Delta Dental’s “Teeth on the Go” show and signed autographs for those in attendance. Here she is pictured with a fan who wanted to look just like “Miss Missouri”…notice the “crown” painted on her forehead J for more Winter Zoo information click here.
	February 11, 2006 The Missouri Military Academy’s annual Valentine Ball took place on Saturday night. Stacie was a special guest in the receiving line and helped crown the Queen later in the evening. She was escorted by Junior Class President, Giuseppe Poletti, a student from Italy. To view more pictures from the event at the MMA’s website click here.
	February 10, 2006 Stacie surprised Ms. Alexander’s 2nd grade class at Eugene Field Elementary in Mexico. The students had drawn pictures and written notes of encouragement for Stacie during her time at the Miss America Pageant, and Stacie dropped by to show her thanks. They welcomed Stacie with a special banner, prepared questions, and did a few dances for her! Stacie had been fortunate to visit Ms. Alexander’s summer school class both years while competing at Miss Missouri.
	February 9, 2005 Students at Jefferson City middle schools were granted a special visit by Stacie, who shared her healthy choices message through "Right Decisions, Right Now." Stacie spent her morning at Thomas Jefferson Middle School and her afternoon at Lewis & Clark Middle School, visiting three classrooms at each.
	February 8, 2006 Stacie was thrilled to visit the Governor's Office once again, this time with the opportunity to meet Governor Blunt and pose for a photo-op!
	February 7, 2006 North Kansas City High School held their Freshman Forum and invited Stacie to be the keynote speaker. She kicked off the event with a 45-minute presentation that focused on decision making, intrinsic motivation, and living in a diverse world. Stacie was thrilled to get to visit with her 4^th grade teacher who is now an assistant principal at the high school!
February 6, 2006 Hello friends! I have recovered from the flu and am on the road again busy as ever! You can see from my appearance schedule that February is packed with exciting appearances, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to visit so many schools over the next few months. My weekend in Senath was so much fun I just wanted to share my experiences with all of you in a quick update! You can see below that I kept busy visiting the schools and performing with the Missouri Girls, but that was just a quick glimpse in to a fun weekend filled with surprises. After my high school presentation I was delighted to be presented a key to the City of Senath by Mayor Bill Anderson! In addition to this, February 3, 2006 was declared “Stacie Cooley Day.” This was a first for me and a true honor – Thank You, Senath! I then had the opportunity to tour the largest cotton gin in state of Missouri – Farmers Union Gin. It was such a neat and educational experience to learn first-hand about one of our state’s cash crops, considering we don’t have many cotton gins around the Kansas City area J That evening we had a wonderful dinner at the Kennett Country Club, and Saturday night’s dinner was a delicious catered meal at a private residence in Senath. Thank you so much to Devon Lea and her mother, Alesa, for opening their home to me this weekend. Everyone was so hospitable, supportive, and excited to learn more about the Miss Missouri Organization! I was truly treated like royalty all weekend and owe a huge thanks to everyone who had a hand in making my first visit to the Bootheel a memorable one! I hope everyone has a very Happy Valentine’s Day J With Love, Stacie
	February 4, 2006 Stacie performed with the Missouri Girls on Saturday night in Senath, MO. The show featured Stacie & the Missouri Girls and was a fundraiser for the Senath High School music & drama department.
	February 3, 2006 Stacie made a special visit to Senath-Hornersville Middle School where she gave two presentations of her “Right Decisions, Right Now” program, in which she promotes healthy choices within an anti-tobacco campaign. This was the first of 20 presentations across the state, and Stacie visited with the 5^th-8^th graders. She was honored to be presented with roses from the students upon her arrival!
	February 3, 2006 Friday started off with a visit to Senath High School, where she spoke with their 200 students about the importance of working hard in school and going to college. She then answered questions, showed off the crown, and performed “Last Dance” for the students and faculty.
	February 1, 2005 Stacie had so much fun as the mistress of ceremonies of the 2006 Mr. Eureka High School Pageant! Stacie hosted the evening pageant as 18 young men vied for the prestigious title – competing in club wear, “talent,” karaoke, formal wear, and a top 6 final question. Mr. National Honor Society, Andy Rea, walked away with the title! The annual pageant is a big fundraiser for Lydia’s House, a St. Louis organization that provides transitional housing to survivors of domestic violence. For more information, visit www.lydiashouse.org.
	February 1, 2005 Stacie’s morning began in Columbia at the Show-Me Ag Classic, located in the Hearnes Center. She spent the day at the Bayer CropScience booth, posing for pictures on the Harley Davidson (compliments of Mid-America HD) with trade show participants. It was Stacie’s first time on a motorcycle – and, no, she didn’t get to take it for a joy ride! Visit www.bayercropscience.com for more information.
	January 28, 2005 Stacie had a great time performing with the Missouri Girls on Saturday evening in Maryville. Congratulations to Lane Teters, Miss Northwest 2006, Lauren Stathem, Miss Maryville 2006, and Kara Adams, Miss Northwest Counties 2006! To visit the pageant website click here.
	January 7 & 8, 2006 Stacie was on hand for the Charter Hooked on Health Expo in St. Louis, at the America’s Center. She presented her 30-minute fitness program at the Delta Dental “Fit Fun for Kids” Stage on both days, signed over 600 autographs, and co-hosted a family fitness game show on Saturday. Last year, over 36,000 individuals attended! For more information, visit www.gethookedonhealth.com
December 30, 2005 Official countdown: 11 days until I leave for Miss America! Last night was truly one to be remembered! I owe many thanks for my wonderful send-off party/wardrobe showing… Thanks to Deb Haag & Anne Williams for organizing the event, Carolyn & Kim for helping me dress, Phil Kimmi for serving as host, Aaron & David for helping with lights/sound, and the Missouri Girls for providing entertainment. Also, thank you to Linda Huffman, Silpada Jewelry representative, and to Bruce Oliver for making the fabulous event a reality! Most of all, I owe thanks to YOU – my family, friends, and supporters! I was both surprised and touched to be greeted by approximately 110 very special friends. I believe this year’s event was one of the most well-attended in Miss Missouri history! Each of you has a special place in my heart, and I want you all to know how much I appreciated you taking your evening (and in some cases, driving hours) to show your support for me and check out a wardrobe that has been in the works since August. It was a magical night, a very fitting send-off, and I truly hope you enjoyed your evening as much as I did! I had a wonderful Christmas at home with my family and look forward to celebrating the new year and a new age – 22 – in the coming days. Thanks to all who have emailed me with birthday wishes – I appreciate you thinking of me! I have posted a few pictures below from the party and will post pictures of my competition wardrobe after Miss America. You may also view an article from the Mexico Ledger, which appeared in the paper Friday morning: http://www.mexicoledger.com/articles/2005/12/31/news/news03.txt. Have a very happy and safe New Year – 2006 here we come! Cheers, Stacie
Villager Commercial (mp3 format) Show-Me Shape-Up Video Segment Windows Media 3 mb download	December 29, 2005 I have had a number of neat TV and radio opportunities this month, and I would like to share a few of them with you. The Villager on Broadway was kind enough to donate a gown for Miss America, and I was the voice for their prom season commercial, to being airing on Y107 in Columbia in January. I also was thrilled to film another statewide Public Service Announcement last week promoting my platform. This program, called "Show-Me Shape-Up," is organized and promoted by the Show-Me State Games. More information can be found at http://www.smsg.org/showmeshapeup/ I encourage everyone to take part!
December 21, 2005 Official Countdown: 20 days until I leave for Miss America! There is also just 4 days until Christmas, and I can’t believe how it has snuck up on me. I have been “on the road” for 8 days straight (slept in 5 different beds) and just arrived home for the Holidays this afternoon. It is so nice to know I can settle in one place for more than 48 hours! My life is, without a doubt, a whirlwind at present, but it is one I at least feel I have control over J I now have my Miss America wardrobe finalized with just a few details to take care of before my wardrobe/send-off party on the 29^th (hope to see you there). I took a day trip to Tulsa on Friday and must say a big Thank You to Marshon’s, my competition gown sponsor. I finally got to see my evening gown in true form and color, and I love it! And as always, I must thank Kim for putting up with my tedious shopping habits – I think the end is near! I also owe thanks to her husband, Jeff, who cooked spaghetti on Monday night that was Mmmmm good! Many of you may already have noticed, but Cmt.com has officially launched their Miss America website. Click HERE to visit, and check out all 52 contestants’ bios, headshots, and candids. Starting on December 27, you can get a sneak peek of our video vignettes on Comcast.com, and they will be added to Cmt.com in January. Finally, the Miss America website has been updated with the Official 2006 Contestant profiles – visit HERE. If I were asked to describe my last two appearances in one word, it would be “POLAROID!” On Sunday evening, I posed for approximately 275 Polaroid photos at the Special Olympics Banquet, and just one day later I outdid that event by posing for a whopping 800 Polaroid’s at the USO Exodus Holiday Party! After getting up at 4:15 that morning to get to the airport on time, I can say my sleepiness was instantly wiped away after interacting with our Troops. They were in such good spirits, thrilled to go home for the Holidays, and genuinely excited to get their picture taken with Miss Missouri! It was a morning I will not soon forget J I would like to wish everyone a very fun, safe, and memorable Holiday season! I’m hoping for a White Christmas, and I will turn 22 in just 11 days (January 1^st). Check back again soon – once things slow down a bit I’m sure to write again! Seasons Greetings, Stacie
	December 20, 2005 It was an early morning for Stacie and approximately 4,000 troops – 5 a.m. to be exact! Stacie was invited to the James S. McDonnell USO, at the St. Louis Airport, to visit with the troops and wish them a Happy Holidays during their annual Exodus holiday party. The soldiers were excited to go home for 2 weeks from Fort Leonard Wood. In 6 hours, Stacie posed for and signed over 800 Polaroid’s for those who waited in line to meet her! Stacie is pictured here with two St. Louis Rams Cheerleaders and with an 87-year-old WWII Veteran from Detroit whom she met while signing autographs. For more information about the USO and this event, visit http://www.usostl.org/.
	December 18 & 19, 2005 Stacie kept busy during her 2-day visit to Farmington. On Sunday night, she was the special guest and speaker at the St. Francois County’s 11^th Annual Banquet honoring their Special Olympic Athletes. That night a free breakfast with Stacie was raffled – she and the winner were treated to McDonald’s on fine china the next morning! She was also interviewed later that morning on Froggy 96 with Matt Steel (pictured), an up-and-coming country music star out of Nashville.
	December 15, 2005 Stacie sat in for Carrie on Clear 99’s radio morning show with Uncle Scotty! Area listeners heard Stacie “On-Air” from 7-9 a.m. reporting the weather and talking about everything from the Miss Missouri crown to Kenny Chesney. Here she is crowning co-host “Uncle” Scott Cox – he got a little emotional! To see more pictures from Stacie’s radio debut visit http://www.clear99.com/carrieanduncle/.
	December 14, 2005 Stacie was honored to receive a Proclamation from the Governor, recognizing her for her role as Miss Missouri 2005 and her statewide efforts promoting physical fitness. The Ceremony was attended by many friends, family, and supporters (whom Stacie thanks!) and took place in the Governor's Office. Governor Blunt was unable to attend due to the reservoir collapse in Lesterville, so State Treasurer Sarah Steelman was on hand for the ceremony. Stacie is also pictured with Representative Steve Hobbs and Omar Davis, Assistant Chief Counsel to the Governor.
	December 10, 2005 The Knob Noster Scholarship Program crowned four new queens this weekend – congratulations to Crystal, Lisa, Kari, and Christara! Stacie was on hand to entertain with the Missouri Girls and promote the upcoming Miss America 2006 Pageant. A huge thanks to Doug and Mandy Spieker for making this awesome weekend possible for Stacie! Visit www.knobnosterinfo.org for more pictures and information.
	December 10, 2005 On Saturday afternoon, Stacie made a special visit to both of Knob Noster’s wineries – Montserrat Vineyards and Bristle Ridge Vineyards & Winery. She was treated to a delicious lunch and the beautiful view overlooking the countryside! For more information on Missouri Wineries, visit www.missouriwine.org
	December 9, 2005 Stacie had the unique opportunity to take a private tour of Whiteman Air Force Base – Home of the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber! Over the course of the day, Stacie was honored to sit in an A-10, check out an Apache Helicopter, visit the Oscar-01 Minuteman Launch Control Facility, and practice the “taping” method used on the B-2. She also got to go inside the cockpit of one of our nation’s B-2 Bombers and practice flying one in the B-2 Simulator! Her pilot, Todd, was a great instructor, and Stacie managed to take-off and land without crashing. Refueling en route was a different story… J Stacie and her mom enjoyed their weekend stay in the Spirit of America House on base. Visit the Base’s official website at http://www.whiteman.af.mil
December 8, 2005 Days until I leave for Miss America: 33 We just got ~10 inches of snow at my house! I love snow, but it can certainly complicate things when you’re traveling every day. I’m writing to keep you up-to-date with all that has been happening lately. CMT is now showing a commercial promoting the pageant, and our pictures go by very fast. So, for your reference, I am the very last girl to be shown – wearing a navy tank top and a black hat. I received my swimsuits, sponsored by Speedo, in the mail today – they are great, but you’ll have to wait until my wardrobe showing on the 29^th to see for yourself J Kim and I went shopping yesterday, and I got new make-up and finalized more of my competition wardrobe. I need to send a special “Thank You” to Melanie’s in St. Louis for their generous gift of jewelry! We now have a tentative schedule for our pre-week events in L.A. – we are rehearsing every day, doing publicity for the show, and attending the Jay Leno Show! I am so excited – my family watches him almost every night, and we especially love “Headlines.” They are also bringing back Miss Congeniality as an official award this year, to be accompanied by a hefty scholarship! Last weekend was a blast at Miss Columbia. It was a great show, and I owe so many thanks to the Columbia Board for their continued support. I will be leaving for Knob Noster tomorrow morning where my family will get a tour of Whiteman Airforce Base. Hope to see you all Saturday night at the Miss Western pageant! Next Wednesday is my Proclamation Ceremony with Governor Blunt, and be sure to listen to Country Clear 99’s morning show next Thursday if possible – I’m co-hosting! I also recorded a PSA promoting the Hooked on Health Expo with Radio Disney St. Louis (1260 AM) this week. Have a great weekend, be safe on the roads, and Go Chiefs! Stacie
	December 2-3, 2005 The time for Stacie to give up her title as Miss Columbia 2005 finally came this weekend, culminating Saturday night with a fantastic show featuring the Missouri Girls and 14 Miss and 5 Teen contestants. Stacie performed twice, entertained with the Missouri Girls, and co-emceed with Kara LeFevre & Ashley Hickey, both former Miss Columbia’s. After giving her farewell she crowned Leslie Bramlett the new Miss Columbia 2006! For more information and pictures (coming soon!) from the pageant, visit www.misscolumbia.org Click here to see a photo of Stacie and her little friend, Emma-Lea - daughter of Miss Columbia Board member, Cindy Benney http://www.mymissourian.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1662&Itemid=118 Another article can be found at http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2005/dec/20051208life001.asp
	December 1, 2005 Stacie was honored to be a guest on Bill Kersten’s (former Mayor of Liberty) morning radio program “Circle of Friends.” Stacie took her mom with her, and the three talked about the “Miss Missouri experience” during the hour-long program. KCXL is a news radio station in Liberty that was established in 1967! The station’s official website can be found at www.kcxl.com.
"I promised some fun photos! Here are a few that Logan, my friend and aspiring photographer, took one day last month just for fun. I'm pictured in one with Bethany. A special thanks to Logan for letting me share his great work on my Travelogue!"