The moon bounce, cotton candy, the parade on Hanover, and, of course, Springfield Days, these are the few things that come to my mind when I think of Springfield. For those of you, who are new to the area, welcome to one of the fastest-growing communities in the area. The great thing about Springfield is: It is a small community of its own, yet if you feel like being in the city, then Washington, D.C. is a few miles away.
As a recent graduate of Lake Braddock High School, I reminisce of the many memories I had here. Growing up in the area, I have many cherishing moments. I still remember the feeling of riding the carnival Ferris wheel, shopping at Springfield Mall, watching the interstate project expand, and the joy of winning the Miss Springfield 2000 pageant. It was not until June of 2000 when I realized the impact of the community and its people.
During that month, I met The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, volunteered at Sunrise, rode in the parade, helped open a new trail at Wakefield, and met some of the brightest high school and college girls all while entering the Miss Springfield pageant. It was a dream come true when I won, and during my reign I met some of the most inspiring, thoughtful and hardworking people in the area. I owe many thanks to the Miss Springfield Pageant. This pageant is a exciting, community-service oriented system in which young girls are given the opportunity to make a difference in the community. The amount of community support from local businesses is amazing. This proved to be true during Springfield Days.
Springfield Days is a weekend-long festival celebrating Springfield, its businesses, and the people. In my mind, Springfield Days is the start of all the exciting activities that summer brings. It was always great to see a small child ask for a hug, or hear a mother congratulate me and ask me about Springfield. Whether it was talking to Miss America about Character Education, modeling at the Back-to-School fashion show, or volunteering at the Mardi Gras silent auction, I always found it rewarding to be in such an active community. It was an honor to represent Springfield, and I will never forget the many doors that have opened for me.
As I embark on a new journey in life, I will always remember Springfield as the stepping stone to who I become in the future.