Smart Girls Luncheon - Boys & Girls Club of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County

I was recently invited as the guest speaker for the Boys & Girls Club of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County's Annual Smart Girls Luncheon.  The SMART Girls is a health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program for girls ages 8 to17. The program is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable early adolescent girls to develop to their full potential. The SMART Girls program is sponsored by Tupperware Brands.

The year's annual event theme was "Beautifully, Wonderfully Me," encouraging self-esteem, confidence and positivity through various workshops.  During their "Mirror Mirror" workshop, girls were given the chance to decorate mirrors with positive messages as they discussed body image, self-esteem and confidence.  Another workshop, "My SHE-RO," girls discussed positive role models in their lives, how they were inspired by them and what they can do to serve as role models for their peers.

 

I spoke to over 35 girls about my journey as Miss District of Columbia International and  community service that I have been engaged in for over twenty years. I encouraged the girls to participate in volunteerism, to stay positive and dream big.  My message to further their education and attend college resonated with the girls and sparked questions on how they could pursue their career goals.

Following my speech, I was thanked for my attendance and presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  A special thank you to Admiral Oaks Club Director, Ms. Moriah Smalls for hosting and inviting me to the luncheon.

Paying it forward,

Keia Brown

Miss District of Columbia International 2015

An Official DC Ladies Contributor!

This April I was afforded a wonderful opportunity to contribute to a blog, founded by a mother-daughter team in 2009 called The DC Ladies.  Shelley Kramm (@ShelleyKramm) & Sarah Kramm-Spund (@sckincharmcity) created a lifestyle website for women of the DMV (D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas) to address topics regarding health & wellness, finance, fashion, education, things to do in DC, and much more!

DC Ladies Founders: Shelley & Sarah

As an educator and financial spokesperson, I am thrilled to make a contribution to women of Washington D.C. on financial smarts and financial literacy.  My role as a #MoneyMatters Contributor allows me to contribute a monthly blog post to the website's efforts to educate, inspire and promote wellness to young ladies and women throughout the nation's capital.  A year ago, I would have never thought I would be a contributor for any website.  Today, I could not think of anything better than being a part of such an inspiring group of women, connecting others to the inside scoop of Washington D.C.  

First Blog Post with #TheDCLadies

To read my latest blog post, please visit: http://www.thedcladies.com/2015/05/18/graduating-college-seniors-loan-repayment-begins-in-6-months/

Please visit the website at www.thedcladies.com and register for our newsletter, or follow us on social media at @DCLadies.

Paying it forward,

Keia Brown

Miss District of Columbia International 2015

Photo Credits: Clay Spann Photography & The DC Ladies

End of the Academic Year Celebration & Pool Party

 

On Friday, May 22nd,  I was invited to speak to teens of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County during their "End of the Academic Year" Celebration Party!  The teens enjoyed the evening taking a dip in the olympic size pool at the Aberdeen Swim Club pool and consuming delicious food donated by sponsor Taco Bell!

#GraduateforMas

I had the opportunity to speak to the youth about my platform #FinancialSmarts, the importance of being successful in school and the importance of graduating.  The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens is a proud sponsor of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and catered the meal for the pool party.  The foundation is encouraging youth to make a pledge to "Make the Promise to Graduate!"

A teen taking the pledge to graduate high school!

Thank you Taco Bell!

At the end of the night, I was ecstatic to judge a dance-off and award one lucky young man a $25 VISA Gift Card sponsored by APG Federal Credit Union.  Thank you again to the Club Director, Ms. T (Otelia Brannigan) for the invitation.

Paying it forward,

Keia Brown
Miss District of Columbia International 2015

#FinancialSmarts Presentation - High School Events

#FinancialSmarts Presentation for Mischa Toland Entrepreneurship 

Academy for Girls

Through my partnership with Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, we have joined efforts to educate young ladies on Financial Smarts in preparation for college.  I had the pleasure on May 9th to share my story and educate rising high school juniors and seniors from Mischa Toland Entrepreneurship Academy for Girls.  We discussed financial literacy to help eliminate or reduce the amount of student loan debt borrowed while promoting free money opportunities.  

Mischa Toland (Founder) and the young ladies of the Academy

                             


           #FinancialSmarts Presentation for Western High School

On May 12th, I also had the opportunity to speak at Western High School in Baltimore, Maryland on my platform.  I spoke to three separate groups during their lunch breaks about preparing for college, financial aid and locating free money options to help finance their higher education.  The students were extremely receptive and asked pertinent questions about the FAFSA and merit scholarships.

Western High School's Principal, Ms. Michelle White

Another huge thank you to Ms. Marianna Campagna and Ms. Candace Baker from Girl Scouts of Central Maryland for facilitating my sessions and providing endless support.

Paying it forward,

Keia Brown
Miss District of Columbia International 2015

#CollegeSigningDay- May 1, 2015

Today, May 1st, marks the national deadline for high school seniors to make their final selection for college.  Students from all over make their decision on where they plan to pursue their undergraduate degree to become future doctors, lawyers, teachers, therapists, social workers and more.  With their eyes focused on the future, some things may be lost on the wayside.  

Here are some helpful tips to assist you once you have finally made your college choice:

Befriend Your Financial Aid Office. Many financial aid offices assign a counselor to students based on their major, program or their last names.  Become familiar with your college’s financial aid office, create an open line of communication to ensure they have everything they need from you in order to process your financial aid funds in a timely fashion.

Research for Other Scholarship Opportunities.  Take the time to network with faculty members and the deans of your college/major to identify scholarship opportunities within their departments.  You can also create an account and establish a personal profile on websites like: www.fastweb.com in order to locate scholarships and grants in your area.

Check your Housing Status.  Work with your college’s Residential Life and Housing office to confirm your deposit and application have been received.  There is nothing worse than a student arriving on “move-in” day and find they have nowhere to move into!

Seek Guidance from Academic Advisors.  Freshmen students are highly encouraged to work with an academic advisor who specializes in their intended major, program or department.  I highly encourage students to build a good relationship with an academic advisor and schedule a visit each semester before registering for classes.  This will help guarantee a successful track to a timely graduation.

Familiarize Yourself with the Area.  Students relocating to a college in a new town, city or state may experience an extreme culture shock.  Take the time to familiarize yourself with your new surroundings.  Locate the local Walmart, pharmacy, grocery store, restaurants, police stations, etc.  Creating an area of comfort will help students with a better college experience.

College is an exciting time for students and their families.  Be sure you have utilized all the available resources on-campus to make your transition as smooth as possible.  Happy College Signing Day! #ReacherHigher

 

Paying it forward,

 

Keia Brown

Miss District of Columbia International 2015