Miss New York Visits Hometown to Talk Bullying
Miss New York 2011 is back home in Rochester this week for the first time since placing second runner-up at the Miss America contest last month. The Pittsford native is talking to students about a topic close to her heart.
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She represented beauty and grace before the world as 2011's Miss New York.
"She's really down to earth," said Royality Gavin, sophomore.
Wednesday, Kaitlin Monte used her crown for another cause.
"I believe in being bold. It's okay to wake up in the morning and be terrified that you're not going to get this right. It's okay to go into a test and be scared you're not going to get the grade you want, but don't let that stop you from giving it everything you have," said Monte, to a room full of students.
Monte motivated students at Rochester STEM high school as she spoke about the topic of bullying.
"I thought I was going to be bored but it wasn't like that, I enjoyed it," said Gavin.
Many of the students say bullying is a topic they know all too well.
"I agreed with the stuff she said because I've been bullied before too," said Claudia Feliz, sophomore.
Over the next four days, Monte will take her anti-bullying platform to six schools in the Rochester area.
"My fight against bullying, my fight to empower young people, is something that comes from me," said Monte.
Monte also uses the stage to encourage students through her own non profit she started called Project Empower.
"Project Empower is a non-profit I started this year to help kids increase their scope of the world. We do career readiness, life readiness, we give them hands on opportunity to learn about the world outside of their school walls," said Monte.
Monte has until June before she passes along her crown. After that, she says, the confidence that came with it is one she'll continue to promote.
"I feel really good about myself. She really gave me a boost for the day," said Gavin.
She'll be at East Rochester High School Thursday. Anyone in the community will have the chance to meet Monte and discuss anti-bullying initiatives.