Last-Last Weekend- A Day of Fun in the (SUPER) Hot Sun.

It's been a busy past few weeks of work and school, but I've still been able to squeeze in some fun Miss Greater NYC events. Even more fun was that I was able to convince the beautiful Misses Catskills International, Jubilee and New York to join me! 

Our first stop on Saturday was at the School of the Future, where I had organized a class/ workshop entitled Inner Beauty/ Individuality- What Should YOUR Sash Say? Using some prompt cards I had created, participants began to think about what make them unique and awesome, and then the sash making began! We used a collage-style approach, and ended up with beautiful half pageant sash/ half Girl Scout sashes that celebrated each individual!

We could have easily continued sash-making for another hour, but we had to jet to the other side of Brooklyn for Sean Casey Animal Rescue's Summer Fundraiser! I. LOVE. DOGS. A. LOT. This is no exaggeration. Unfortunately, my fiance Joe has some serious pet allergies, so having a cute pup at home isn't a realistic part of my future, but I'll take ANY chance I get to play with dogs! 

The heat was impressive, but it was still nice to be outside, and we had the chance to take a few of the pooches out for a walk!

A very special thank you to Ellen, for putting me in contact with SCAR, and Sean Casey, for having us at the event!

With Sean and Charles- thanks for having us!

The following day was a nice, (air-conditioned) change of pace, as Ellen and I headed into Manhattan to watch the NY Liberty play the IN Fever at Madison Square Garden. Though we lost to the Fever in OT, it was a REALLY fun and exciting game!

My Trainer Ellen Stein and I on DragonDoorTV!

Congratulations to Ellen, who was featured as DragonDoorTV's Comrade of the Week. The video highlights her work with kettlebells, including introducing a pageant contestant to kettlebell training!

Arts in Ed Compliance Act- Please support!

Please urge your New York State legislator to sponsor legislation that would require the State Education Department to ensure compliance with existing state regulations for arts instruction. Click here to contact your elected officials!

Need plans for this upcoming Saturday?

You're in luck! I've got a jam-packed day on Saturday, July 17th, and I'd love for you to join me!

FIRST...

Inner Beauty/ Individuality- What should YOUR sash say?

 A Free Workshop- 12-2p, 7/17/10

School of the Future- Sgt Dougherty Park (MAP HERE)

Greenpoint, Brooklyn 

A free workshop- open to all, targeted at ages 5-18. What should you be recognized for? What makes you beautiful and unique? We want to know! Join Miss Greater NYC 2010- Keelie Sheridan and her guests, Miss New York 2010- Claire Buffie, Miss Jubilee 2010- Inga Schlingmann and Miss Catskills 2010- Felicia Ramos for an afternoon of recognition as we celebrate our individuality and create pageant-style sashes to commemorate what makes you awesome.

This event is part of the School of the Future- a free, intergenerational learning experience held in Sgt. Dougherty Park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

And THEN:

THE HAMILTON DOG HOUSE INVITES YOU TO JOIN US FOR OUR

ANNUAL SUMMER CELEBRATION & ADOPTION EVENT

(Sean Casey and I at last year's event!)

Saturday, July 17 ● Noon – 5PM

Food, Games & Prizes!

Kids games, dog contests and BBQing for your enjoyment!

All proceeds to benefit the Sean Casey Animal Rescue.

The Hamilton Dog House ● 155 E. 3rd St. (Between Caton Ave and Ft. Hamilton Pkwy), Bklyn, NY 11218

Summer Reading

I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am for parents who instilled in myself and my sisters an absolute, bona fide love affair with reading. My parents read to us daily until we were old enough to read to ourselves, and then made sure we ALWAYS had access to something new and exciting to read. Going to the library was as exciting to my sisters and I as going to an amusement park (and let's face it, I still get REALLY excited when I go to a library). We were active participants in the Pizza Hut Book-It  program (a free personal pan pizza after every 4 books read)! And I LOVED reading to my sisters, Kieren and Courtney (or more accurately, making them listen to me read--I'm not sure they loved it as much as I did...)

I remember having a special reading nook in each house we lived in growing up. At my Grandma Sheridan's house, it was the back bedroom, where she (a retired teacher) kept her book collection. At the red house, it was in my bedroom closet with the door closed (seriously- in the middle of the day I'd sit in the dark reading with a flashlight). At the house on Wesleyan Ave, it was on a beanbag chair in the basement. At my dad's apartment, it was the bathroom (I'd sit in the tub and read... I was a wierd kid...). At our home in Fort Plain, it was my mom's room.... 

I'm fairly certain my reading obsession fueled my equally passionate writing fervor. I began writing mini-novels and poetry at approximately 8 years of age, and filled notebook after notebook with my sordid tales of soap-opera quality drama, adventure, heartache and the pains of human existence (** thank you to my parents for not freaking out when I wrote stories about random things that had somehow wandered into my consciousness; most of which some parents would find wholly inappropriate for an 8 year old to be writing about). I'm equally convinced that my love for stories is also what sparked my passion for acting, through which I've become a more empathetic and engaged person.

A recent article in the NY Times entitled The Medium IS the Medium discusses the continued importance of providing students the opportunity to read BOOKS (not online materials).

So I ask you this- Do the kids (or young adults, or even full-blown grownups) in your life read enough? If the answer is "no", or "maybe", or "I'm not sure", or anything but a resounding "ABSOLUTELY", then you're in luck, because NYC has one of the best library systems around... Check out the cool video below which explains how to navigate the New York, Brooklyn and Queens Public Libraries' Summer Reading Programs online! You can also get a slew of free reading material AND keep old books out of landfills by checking out a book swapping site such as Paperback Swap.

Jazz and Juice for a Cause!

Young Urbanites for the Arts JAZZ and JUICE for a CAUSE Join Community-Word Project's Young Urbanites for the Arts* kickoff event next week! We will be celebrating on Thursday, July 15th at 5:30 PM at one of New York's finest jazz bars, 55 Bar in Greenwich Village. Drop in to cool off after work and enjoy cocktails with fresh-pressed juice mixers* provided by one of our local partners, Red Jacket Orchards.  Take a few minutes to connect with other young professionals who want to help bring the power of the arts to all children in NYC. 55 Bar and Red Jacket are generously offering a drink special for our event: *Featured $5Red Jacket Martinis and Mimosas and $5 drafts. Be sure to stick around to enjoy the first live jazz set at 7 PM! Please reply to this email to RSVP to Tara Moncure at CWP *Who we are: We are a group of young New York professionals and community-concerned citizens socializing around a cause that matters to us.  We have chosen to support a non-profit organization, Community-Word Project (CWP), that is dedicated to bringing creative resources to young people in some of New York City's hardest hit neighborhoods.  Founded in 1997, CWP allows students the opportunity to learn through the arts - creative writing, performing, and visual arts.   As young professionals, we do our best to survive and thrive in an urban environment.  We also care about how our city's children grow and develop, and how they can overcome the challenges they face in daily life.  Our gathering signifies a collaborative effort to support CWP's work so that hundreds of at-risk young people, who have not had the advantages many of us have had, can develop leadership, teamwork, creative and critical thinking skills - skills they must have to be successful in school and in life.  If you are interested in being involved in Young Urbanites for the Arts, there will be several ways to show your support.  To get you thinking: We always need a supportive audience at each school's performance.  Why?  These students need to know that people from outside their neighborhood care about hearing them express their hopes, dreams, and fears!   CWP teaching artists work with students to create anthologies of their writing.  This is a labor-intensive task and there is always a need for volunteers to help edit and compile these anthologies.   Help put together another Young Urbanites event! Click here to see our new website - and to view a three-minute video that takes you into CWP classrooms. Are you an artist?  Ever thought about bringing your craft into the classroom? Teaching Artist Training and Internship Program Just want to support our work? CWP Needs Your Support!   Student Mural Display CWP student murals are on display outdoors at 70 East 4th Street through August 13. Part of FAB's ArtUp program, "Small Voices" is the first exhibition that displays the work of bi-lingual student artists, connecting the exhibit to the East Village's rich Latino artistic heritage. Whole Foods Market Bowery hosted the opening reception for the exhibit. For more information, please click here.

JumpStartNYC for the Arts

Free Financial Internships for Arts Institutions

Miss NY 2010- The Week in Review!

A picture is worth 1000 words... So here are approximately 1000 pictures and a few words to accompany them...

With the other contestants, on the Albany Aqua Ducks Tour, having a dance party...

My favorite picture of myself from the Aqua Ducks Tour...

With my homegirl, Inga, on a trolley tour!

Claire and I after eating an enormous and decadently delicious steak dinner from Angelo's 677 Prime!

Some of the contestants with Angelo of Angelo's 677 Prime

Ahem... Ummm... Working REALLY hard at Habitat ReStore in Albany!

With some of the other contestants at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore in Albany!

With Claire and Cassie at the Capitol Building!

With the beautiful Janiyah at Albany Girls Inc!

 

At rehearsal with my pals Claire and Cassie

Bowling party at Town & Country Lanes in Guilderland!

I GOT A STRIKE! And STILL managed to bowl less than a 75... Lame.

With my beautiful sisters, Kieren and Courtney at Albany Med's Children's Miracle Network Children's Hospital.

It's a well known fact that two things I can't resist playing with are children and animals...

I love this girl. Can you tell?

With Chris Saltalamacchio from Red Carpet Pageant and Prom at our fashion show at Colonie Center!

Fashion show!

I am an iced coffee addict...

On Stage Q&A

Making Top 11- So grateful!

Swimsuit

Talent!

Evening Wear!

Congratulations, friend!

With Miss NY 2010- Claire Buffie! Congratulations!

A HUGE THANK YOU to:

-My mom, who worked tirelessly to make from scratch or alter pretty much every stitch of clothing you see me in above, and who has shaped me into the person I am- my passion, drive and dedication have all been learned from her!

-My sisters, who kept (and keep) me grounded, and in whom I know I can always trust, no matter what

-My dad, for being proud of me; win, lose or draw

-My fiance, Joe, for putting up with my pre-pageant shenanigans, and agreeing to put our wedding on hold while I pursued my dream

-My AMAZING cheering section- family and friends- for your vociferous and enthusiastic support

-Ellen, for being so much more than a personal trainer

-My amazing fellow contestants- It's an honor to be counted among you, and a privilege to call you my friends

-Rene for being a constant cheerleader

-The Miss NY Organization for putting together an awesome week

-All of the local businesses/ organizations mentioned above who welcomed the Miss NY contestants to Albany

-All of my sponsors without whom I'd be lost

-SUNY Albany for hosting our pageant

-The 2010 Miss NY judges panel for volunteering their time

My new website!

As I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the plunge back into my teaching and acting careers, I'm pleased to announce the launch of my very own website: www.keeliesheridan.com. Be sure to check in for updates on my current teaching and performing projects!