Farewell

Many thanks and Farewell!

My term has come to an end as the service term for Miss Deaf Utah is one year.
I will be leaving to attend Gallaudet University in Washington DC this fall.

I loved being your Miss Deaf Utah. Before I became Miss Deaf Utah, I was just being myself, working and going on with my life as usual. But when I got involved with this MDUAP (Miss Deaf Utah Ambassador Program), competing and winning the title changed my life because it has allowed me to reach so many people from all walks of life. I learned so much from these people. I was able to expand my passion and work with deaf community. So many opportunities came up while I was Miss Deaf Utah and I learned many things that applied to my personal life and to the deaf community.

One of my favorite appearance as Miss Deaf Utah was the Miss Deaf Princess event, because of the young girls who were involved. They had the opportunity to experience being on the stage, sharing their talents, personalities and wearing their favorite dresses. It was so cute and I believe it was a good positive experience for the girls. During this event, I was able to share with the Utah deaf community my talent, platform, and my evening grown presentation. I was also able to get feedback from UAD board which helped me prepare for the Miss Deaf America pageant in Philadelphia, PA. The experience in Philadelphia will be unforgetable and a changing part of my life. It feels great to have confidence in myself and to know so many people believed in me as their representative for Utah.

I encourage all interested young women in our community to partipate and compete in the upcoming pageants. It can be very challenging to be the best you can as you showcase your intellect, talents, style, personality and passion. You also get to meet many wonderful people who share common interests and goals. You can make a difference!

I would also like to thank my mom, my family and friends for all the words of encouragement, support and donations they made to help with the Miss Deaf Ambassador program and my preparations for Miss Deaf America. And last, a huge thanks to MDUAP committee for their support and believing in me!

As this is my farewell and last blog as Miss Deaf Utah 2009-2010, I would like to end it with my favorite motto, "Live life loud and proud!!!"

Miss Deaf America Experience

Good Luck from MDUAP Committee.

As the State Director for Miss Deaf Utah Ambassadorship program, and on behalf of our MDUAP's committee, we wish you GOOD LUCK!

Andrea Vigil, you are an amazing person.

Pamela and I are so proud of you. You have accomplished so much as Miss Deaf Utah.

You are winner in our hearts! We believe in you.

Thank you for working so hard and making it this far! Have fun and enjoy yourself!

Andrea Anderson, State Director

Miss Deaf Utah Princess Flyer

Update

The days goes by and I'm sure you guys are wondering what I have been up to lately. I've been busy working on my platform and my talent to prepare to Miss Deaf America in July 2010! I'm feeling really excited, nervous, motivated and looking forward to that trip.

It will be located in Philly, Pennslyvania which is so cool and I'm looking forward to meet wonderful girls.

I'm thrilled this coming up event on June 5th is Miss Deaf Princess! It is going to be neat because I'll be special guest for the event.

Come support me and see what I will do for Miss Deaf America! Also come support the young girls that will perform at this event.

Keynote Speaker for a Disability Awareness Event

I was invited to a Disability Awareness Event and had the opportunity to meet the Mayor Peter Corron there.

I gave a short speech about what my goal is for this summer and shared my experiences being deaf and how to approach deaf people with an interpreter.

There were some media people there and it was great. They took pictures of me with the Mayor and other presentators.

There were various booths with information about assistive technology that various people with disabilities use.
I felt welcome and really enjoyed my visit there. I also wanted to thank Sheryl for inviting me to this event.

Skyling High School Presentation

I was invited to Skyline High to talk to students about why going to college is important, how to set goals, and how to handle peer pressure. I had the opportunity to get to know these wonderful students and they did a great job sharing their goals. I also gave them tips on how to accomplish their dreams. I would like to thank the teacher from USDB (Utah School for the Deaf and Blind) Kelli Aramaki who asked me to come and present to her class.

HOCKEY GAME FLYER OF MISS DEAF UTAH

Biography of Miss Deaf Utah.

Andrea was born on May 28, 1987 and was 2 months early via emergency C-section delivery. She only weighed 2 lbs and 4 oz and the doctors said she would not live. However after 8 blood transfusions, great hospital care and almost 8 weeks in the hospital, she survived! She was very tiny and at 4 pounds, came home on oxygen and heart monitors.

She participated in the Parent Infant Program throughout her infant development. When she was 18 months she was diagnosed as hearing impaired. At the age of two, she was wearing hearing aides and glasses due to poor vision. Andrea also had problems with her legs and could not walk. She wore leg braces for almost a year and was never expected to walk, but through many months of physical therapy at Primary Children’s Hospital, she did!

At age 7, Andrea was diagnosed with a tumor in her left eye which caused the removal of her left eye. She had such great support from her family, friends and her school, and with the help of the Moran Eye care Center who helped educated Andrea on her vision loss.

Andrea loved to dance at a young age and currently continues with her passion of dancing. Throughout her life she attended Camp Kostopulos every summer and loved camping and fishing. She learned to ski through the National ability Center and learned to swim at a very young age through the recreation centers. Andrea is currently employed with Sorenson Communication and has also attended Salt Lake Community College.

Her biggest challenges have been getting hearing persons to understand and accept her as a person and not as a disabled person. She wants to continue her education to be able to help others in the deaf community to receive the same opportunities to succeed in a hearing world. She believes that the hearing community involvement with the deaf community would give them a broader understanding of the needs of the deaf community.

As Miss Deaf Utah, she is a representative for the deaf community and will appear at many community events to support the deaf community in many various ways. She is going to compete in Miss Deaf America Ambassadorship Program in July 2010 in Philadelphia, PA, where she will meet deaf leaders and other state Ambassadors. Miss Deaf America is part of the National Association for the Deaf. She wants to be a positive role model for other young people to have the confidence to achieve all they can be as a person, not as a person with a “disability”.

Night at Grizzlie Hockey Game

I had a GREAT time at Grizzlies Hockey Game. I had the opportunity to sign the National Anthem in sign language with my sister Reyna who sang that night. It was a great experience signing in front of tons of people. I got a lot of compliments about signing the National Anthem! Many of my family members and friends along with some deaf people came to the game to support me and they enjoyed the hockey game where Utah Grizzlies played against Backersfield Condors. It was a very exciting game! Afterward many deaf people and I went to skate on the ice and enjoyed the rest of the night.