Name: Elizabeth Crot
Title: Miss Southeastern Virginia
Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia
Date of Birth: December 15, 1987
Education: James Madison – B.S., Communications Studies, Women’s Studies Minor
Hickory High School-Honors
Platform Issue: A.L.L. For One
Scholastic/Career Ambition: Obtain a Doctorate Degree- Performance, Speaking, Politics
Talent: Classical Vocal, “Sempre Libera”
Scholastic Honors: Dean’s List at JMU; 4.1 high school GPA; Recipient of Hickory H.S. Choral Scholarship; Chesapeake Music Study Club Scholarship; Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission Scholarship.
Leadership Roles: Official Member of National Alzheimer’s Advocate Network; Local Titleholder (3 years); National Honor Society Vice President; Student Government (grades 6-12); Intern for Children’s Ministries; Chamber Choir President; Intern at a primary school; Sunday School teacher; Children’s Choir director.
Accomplishments: Preliminary Talent Award and 3rd runner up-Miss VA ‘08; Non-Finalist talent Winner-Miss Virginia ‘07; Helped raise over $3,700 for CMN at “Miracle Idol” fundraiser; One of eleven students accepted to JMU School of Music; Soloist for Mozart’s Vespers and Handel’s Messiah; Finalist for “Cultural Diversity” essay contest at JMU; National Anthem Singer for Norfolk’s AAA baseball and AL hockey teams singing to venues filled with 10,000 people.
Interesting Facts: In the near future, I plan to sky dive and drive a monster truck. I have sung in 12 languages, repelled down my freshmen dorm (9 stories high), climbed a mountain, jumped off a waterfall, have my own website (www.freewebs.com/elizabethcrot), and sung at the Statue of Liberty in NYC.
Employment: Server at Casby’s Sea Grill, Ribley’s Restaurant, and Spotswood Country Club; Usher for Harbor Park (Norfolk Tides baseball stadium); Children’s Ministries Intern; “Chuck-A-Puck” Girl for Norfolk Admirals Hockey team.
What impact can the Miss Virginia Organization and its contestants have on society through the partnership with Children’s Miracle Network? For the over 17 millions children treated every year in children’s hospitals, the partnership with the MAO provides voices. The MAO gives over 1200 voices to share heart wrenching stories of miracle children, express need for funding, and promote interest in this important cause. The partnership with the MVO brings CMN to the forefront in our communities. CMN is known for its work in treating children with birth defects and childhood diseases; however, all children, regardless of their socio-economic status, race, or religious affiliations are served by the CMN hospitals.
What is the best way to make Miss Virginia more relevant to people of your age? First of all, the crown can’t wear Miss Virginia; Miss Virginia must wear the crown. It is imperative that Miss Virginia represents the current generation of service-oriented youth. She has to serve alongside others as a peer leader who educates, inspires, and challenges people her age to take part. It should be the rule, not the exception that Miss Virginia serves others, not herself. Members of my generation should perceive Miss Virginia as someone who works alongside them in a soup kitchen or at a children’s hospital. Miss Virginia is not on a stage- all the world’s her stage.
How would you incorporate the Miss Virginia “Right Decisions Right Now” program into your personal platform? I already do! I have attended several presentations for RDRN, and there is tremendous synergy between that program and my platform. Right Decisions Right Now hinges on youth making good choices. My A.L.L. for One platform provides opportunities to develop self-awareness, self- respect, and self-reliance. Through the convergence of my platform and RDRN, students will be better prepared to make the right decisions, not only in their youth, but also throughout their lives.