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Show v ' 1 II I-... -I Drr, r-""-- U ":i f v.- " f 1 1 i 1 J " 1 f ! 1 J I ; . y ; - Sharlene Wells Hawkes speaks to students at Pleasant Grove Junior High School. Miss America visits Jr. High Sharlene Wells Hawkes, former Miss America, told a group of Pleasant Grove Junior High seventh graders last week, "You become what you think about most." Sharlene discussed goals with seventh graders who had received a failure notice at mid-term but who had taken the challenge of the school counselors and raised their grades so that none of them got an F at the end of the term. The students who are able to do this are then eligible for the 7 Up Club. The club features a well-known well-known person as a speaker. The 7 UP for the refreshments is donated by the Pepsi Cola Co. of Provo. The program is supervised by school counselors Welda Lendt and Glen West. Sharlene, who has been married for about five months, told the students that she was a tomboy when she was a little girl. She beat up the school bully once. She explained that she was not popular and did not think she could do anything outstanding until one of her friends talked her into running for studentbody treasurer when she was in the eighth grade. At first, she said, she told her friend that there was no sense in her running because she was not pupular and would not get any votes. Her friend said to her, "Do you plan to stay right where you are all of your life? That way you will never win and you'll never fail." Sharlene said that she was scared to take a chance because earlier she had come in last of eight kids in an election in elementary school. She listened to her friend and she ran for the office and won. She reminded the students about Jason Buck, the Outland Trophy Winner from BYU, who was told by everyone as a young man that he would not be a football player because he was too scrawny. He set his goals and now he is 6' 6" and weighs 270 lbs. Sharlene told the children that she was 19 when she entered her first beauty pageant. She had been a tomboy so she had had to learn to walk right, talk right, and dress right. She explained that she had taken piano lessons since she was seven years old so she had some confidence con-fidence in her talent. She had also learned to play the harp. She had risen at 5 a.m. each day to practice from the time she was 11 years old. She encouraged the children to decide what they wanted to do in their lives and then begin working towards that goal. She told them to be ready when the time comes. Sharlene let a boy and a girl each try on her Miss America crown. She told them that each Miss America gets to keep her crown. It is made of crystals. During the question and answer period after her talk, a student asked if her wedding rings were real diamonds. She laughed and said that her husband had had 10 pigs and he sold them to buy her rings and so she was a "10 pig wife." She also noted that she has had more speaking engagements since she finished her reign as Miss America because before they were arranged by the Miss American Pageant committee and now she does her own. For instance, after she spoke to the students she had to hurry to Pocatello, Idaho, to speak to the football players before a junior college bowl game. Then she had to rush right back because she is a sideline commentator for KSL Television at BYU football games and she had to be ready for it early Saturday morning. She added that since she was a tomboy, being a football game commentator is right up her alley. Besides, she is majoring in Broadcast Communications at BYU and will graduate in Dec. She has been offered a job by ESPN when she graduates. . There were 146 students who participated in the 7 Up Club presentation. |