POTS Strong

By Micaela Boucher

My name is Micaela and I am a 22-year-old recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

I began participating in pageantry 12 years ago as a shy, insecure girl who didn’t know how to use her voice. Growing up, things weren’t the easiest for me. I didn’t come from wealth, preparing for upcoming pageants was arduous. The majority of my time was spent fundraising and finding local sponsors, shopping second hand, and researching videos on how to win instead of working 1-on-1 with a coach.

Life at home was stressful. My parents were in and out of the hospital, battling cancer, having joint replacements, facing complications such as staphylococcus infections, pulmonary embolisms, and aneurysms. Alcohol was their coping mechanism, and it almost tore my family apart. I would fall asleep at night wondering if my parents would still be alive when I woke up the next morning. I was terrified. Due to my given circumstances, any health concerns I experienced myself were put on pause.

Pageantry helped me to develop the communication skills and confidence I needed to begin advocating for myself. Once I turned 18, I began seeking help for my symptoms. My first diagnosis? Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression.

This diagnosis was no surprise to me, as I had been struggling with my mental health for years in silence while my parents fought for their lives. However, while this diagnosis holds true, it has made the diagnosis of my other symptoms much more challenging to resolve. It even took me over a year and a half and seeking consult from 4 different doctors to receive my combined type Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis at 19-years-old.

My greatest battle was fought receiving my Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) diagnosis. My sophomore year of high school, Covid struck. After recovering from falling ill with the virus myself, I began to notice peculiar symptoms and changes in my life. At just 16-years-old, every time I stood up my world would turn black. My vision would fade to darkness, my hearing would  buzz while tinnitus and the sound of my heartbeat rang throughout my head, a wave of heat, cold sweats, and pins and needles swarmed my body, my heart palpitating as it felt like it was trying to jump out of my chest, and the weight of my body became heavier as each second passed. After a few painful moments, each of my senses would return as if nothing ever happened. I would experience these episodes during cross country and track practice, in the extreme heat of Wisconsin summers, or even from standing in one place for too long. Chronic fatigue, pain, weakness, and bowel changes plagued my every day life. How could a perfectly normal, healthy 16-year-old athlete suddenly experience such symptoms?

For 4 years my symptoms would be dismissed by everyone around me. I was told I “stood up too fast, needed to drink more water, it was just my anxiety, etc.” My first trip to the emergency room, the doctor working refused to perform any tests and said my symptoms were “all in my head.” 59% of POTS patients are told this. Ignoring that my resting heart rate was sitting at 149 bpm, I was prescribed an antacid for acid reflux and sent on my way. It was all because of the nurse who treated me that I decided to look into POTS. I followed up with my primary care physician and was placed on a halter monitor for a month. Upon results, I was referred to an electrophysiologist where I was later tilt table tested, finally receiving my diagnosis after 4 painstaking years.

94% of POTS patients are women of childbearing age, with an estimated 3-6 million Americans having the disorder. 75% of those patients have or will receive a late diagnosis due to the dismissal of the condition. This needs to change, because this disorder is NOT “all in our heads.”

I’ve made it my mission to continue using the communication skills pageantry instilled in me to break the stigma surrounding POTS, and to encourage individuals to advocate for themselves to be strong in the pursuit of answers regarding any healthcare diagnoses needed to reclaim their lives. Self-advocacy is an essential skill necessary for all areas of life. If you notice something is wrong, it is imperative to speak up and have confidence in yourself to achieve the goal you have set. To accomplish this mission, I created POTS Strong: Reclaiming Lives Through Strength & Advocacy to not only bring awareness to POTS, but to instill self-advocacy skills in my online audience.

If it weren’t for pageantry’s impact on my life, I wouldn’t have the answers I have today nor the passion to create change.

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Micaela Boucher POTS Strong: Reclaiming Lives Through Strength and Advocacy. You can find POTS Strong on Instagram.

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.

Miss America Memories

By Haley Joy Tate

Miss America week went by in a blur, but two things stand out to me more than anything else.

One of the greatest blessings of my year as Miss Montana has been my relationship with my Miss Montana’s Teen. She is truly a ray of sunshine — someone who encourages everyone around her and brings so much joy wherever she goes. Walking through Miss America week together only strengthened what has become a genuine sisterhood, and I know without a doubt she’ll be a lifelong friend.

The other moment that stayed close to my heart was my Miss America gown. A week after I was crowned Miss Montana, a family friend offered to do any alterations I needed — free of charge. An hour later, she came back and offered to make my entire Miss America gown, asking only that I cover the cost of materials. Years earlier, I had been her daughter’s youth group mentor, which made the full-circle moment even sweeter.

The gown was finished the week I left for Miss America and was lovingly nicknamed the “Greek Goddess dress” by some of the other contestants. Designing my own gown for that stage was something I never imagined, and I’m incredibly grateful for the generosity and community that made it possible.

Miss America wasn’t just about the stage — it was about sisterhood, service, and being surrounded by people who show up in the most unexpected and meaningful ways.

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Haley Joy Tate is the current Miss Montana. You can follow her on her Instagram. 

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.

I Hereby Resolve...

 Typically, the end of the year is a time for people to reflect on their life, and to make any changes they see the need for. Why do it for the first of the year? No particular reason. Although, I suppose, a July 2 Resolution doesn’t have the same ring to it. A New Year’s Resolution also has the added benefit of only occurring once a year. If you make a New Month Resolution, and fail after three days…you have some obligation to make the same resolution the next month. If you make a resolution on January 1, but flop by January 2, you can wait an entire year before you have to try and make yourself a better person. That’s a handy feature. People also find it nicer to write these resolutions down. Anything written down automatically has more weight. After all, if you take the time to type it out and share it with others, it must be important. Plus, anyone why knows about your resolution will obviously shun you if you don’t stick to it. If you make a resolution in silence, it’s pretty easy to ignore it. Of course, that presumes that anyone is listening, or cares enough to hold you to it. That’s probably not the case here. But, what else am I going to write about on January 1st? 

My main resolution really requires you to all help along. I really want to be able to share more guest blogs from all of you in 2026. While the writing and sending part depends on you, there are some things I can do to help you along with that.

I want to work on making this a place where you're more likely to want to write a blog for. Starting with viewership. I want to make a dedicated effort to make sure as many eyes as possible are on your posts when you write them. Whether that's with promotion or persistence, I need to get moving. The Instagram account passing 2000 followers is a result of similar efforts on that front. I'd like to do more things like that here.

I also want to be more visible elsewhere in the titleholder landscape. Whether that's following and commenting on social media, or reading and commenting on websites and blogs, or whatever else it may be. Part of that is, simply, those things are worthy of my support. The other part is just making Section 36 Forevers more of a community that you'll love being a part of. Feel free to offer suggestions on that front and ways I can support you.

So, there we go. Things I want to try and do in the coming year. If you care, feel free to try and keep me honest. Mocking comments if I’m going astray are encouraged. Or, help me out by contributing to the resolutions. Or both. Or, ignore it all completely. Your call.

Happy New Year Everyone!

2025 In Review: Status of the Blog

So, I've already discussed some of the highlights in social media areas enjoyed by Section 36 Forevers in 2025. But, what about just generally? How did the blog perform in 2025 at just being a blog? How did I do as a blogger? Did I help titleholders share their stories? Was this a place where people can learn abot the amazing things they're up to?

In 2024 this will be my 105th post. To say that's a record is a huge understatement. It's almost double any previous year. This year I also focused a lot more on posting titleholder guest blogs without adding my own fluff posts in-between. I am absolutely floored to say that because of that, I was allowed to share 100 guest blogs! Some were new authors, some were returning favorites. Some wrote one post, some wrote several. I treasure them all. I am blown away that so many titleholders (and a few organization board members) trusted me to share their stories. Hopefully that allowed them all to shine!

Sharing the guest blogs such an important part of what I'm doing here with the "for titleholders by titleholders" sort of feel. It's so wonderful to share the thoughts and views from so many different places. While I'm thrilled with the 100 I shared in 2025, I would love for that number to continue to grow.

There have been posts remembering Miss America, reflecting on a titleholder's reign, introducing business ventures, discussing CSIs, and so...much...more. If you'd like to write a titleholder guest blog of your own, on almost any topic, please reach out!

And don't forget the Section 36 store! I love seeing titleholders showing off their favorite merch! Do you have any yet?

Looking back on 2025, I'm thrilled with the content and progress of this here blog and could not be more excited about the future. The blog had that rebrand a couple years ago, and I was really able to grab onto that, by focusing on the titleholders and really creating a lifestyle blog where titleholders could share their stories.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog in 2025 as much as I did putting it out there for you.

I hope you'll enjoy 2026 just as much.

And I hope you'll consider writing a guest blog!

Introducing Move Fitness!

Move Fitness is a fitness community that has quickly become a go-to for anyone looking for workouts that are fun, effective, and results-driven. Their classes use light weights, resistance bands, and music-driven movement to sculpt the body, build strength, and improve both mental and physical well-being. Whether you prefer in-person or virtual training, group sessions or personal coaching, Move Fitness creates an environment where movement feels good, confidence grows, and fitness becomes something to look forward to.

The founder of Move Fitness is Jenna Hofmann, the current Miss Connecticut USA who competed at Miss USA this October. She created Move Fitness to share her passion for fitness and help people of all levels feel strong, confident, and empowered. Jenna’s experience as a titleholder gives her a unique perspective on discipline, preparation, and mental resilience — and she brings that insight into every class she leads.

Move Fitness is kicking off the New Year with launch parties in New York and Connecticut, offering a chance to experience their signature workouts, connect with a supportive community, and celebrate movement in a fun, energizing environment.

In addition to classes for everyone, they are launching the “Road to the Crown” fitness program, a specialized program for women preparing for pageants. With Jenna’s firsthand experience competing at the national level, this program combines targeted strength training, sculpting workouts, and mindset coaching to help participants feel confident, strong, and stage-ready. Jenna guides competitors both physically and mentally, helping them show up as their best selves on stage.

Whether you’re looking to tone your body, build strength, boost your confidence, or prepare for a pageant, Move Fitness offers programs that make fitness enjoyable and empowering. With a focus on results, community, and fun, it’s a space where everyone can take the first step toward their strongest, most confident self.

Make sure to follow Move Fitness on social media, sign up for their email updates, and join the movement today — because fitness is better when you move together! Have any questions? Book a free consultation with Jenna by emailing info@officialmovefitness.com 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/official.movefitness 

Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@official.movefitness 

Website: www.officialmovefitness.com  

Photos by April Maroshick Photography

2025 Year in Review: Social Media

Since the goal of this blog is to help promote the amazing titleholders across the country and help share their stories, it really can't be just a blog. To reach a larger audience, to share these amazing with even more people, I need to be in more places.

Enter Social Media.

I need to be where the people are. And they all seem to be there. So, where, exactly, can you find me? I'm glad you asked...

Instagram is probably the place I’ve seen the most movement in the past year. It’s been great connecting with titleholders and visitors through that site. I use that account to post any and all pictures that have been submitted by my guest bloggers. Maybe they were pictures that went along with their blogs, or extras that couldn’t fit with the blog. Or, they’re pictures that have been submitted afterwards. Whatever the case, I post them and use them to remind people of their contribution. It’s fun because it adds a lot of different content to the feed. That account had a big 2025 as it crossed the magical 2700 follower mark! 

Facebook provides fun opportunities. It posts links to titleholder guest blogs, as well as any pictures Forevers have submitted. It has also started posting pictures of any titleholders with Section 36 gear, whether they’ve contributed or not. The number of people who like that page continued to grow in 2025.

While Twitter was once a mainstay, that is no longer the case. Sure, blogs are sometimes automatically shared to X (bleh) because it's so easy to do. But, I don't remember the last time I posted there.

Section 36 Forevers also has a presence TikTok, Snapchat, and Pinterest. Although TikTok is the only one I've used with any frequency lately. Those are all one account for the entire Section 36 Suite.

With all those ways to connect with Section 36 Forevers, there should be plenty of ways to share the amazing things my visitors are doing. I can't want to bring that to a much larger scale.

Five Ways to Get Your Message Out There and How to Present a Consistent One

By: Dareliz Giselle

In a saturated media landscape, having a message is not enough. The real challenge lies in ensuring that your message is heard, remembered, and trusted: across platforms, audiences, and moments. Visibility without coherence creates noise. Consistency without strategy creates stagnation. Integrated communication lives at the intersection of both. 

Below are five strategic ways to get your message out there, and more importantly, how to present it consistently so it builds credibility, recognition, and long-term brand equity. 

1. Define One Core Message Before Creating Multiple Touchpoints 

Before thinking about platforms, formats, or campaigns, clarity must come first. A consistent message starts with a single, well-defined core idea: what you stand for, what problem you solve, and why it matters. 

This does not mean repeating the same sentence everywhere. It means anchoring every communication to the same strategic foundation. 

How to ensure consistency: 

    ● Develop a core message statement (one paragraph, not a slogan). 

    ● Identify 3–4 key supporting pillars that reinforce that message. 

    ● Use these pillars as filters for all content decisions. 

When your core message is clear, adaptation becomes intentional, not fragmented. 

2. Choose the Right Channels (Not All of Them) 

Being everywhere is not the same as being effective. Each channel has its own language, rhythm, and audience expectations. Integrated communication is about alignment, not duplication.

A consistent message adapts to the platform without losing its essence. 

How to ensure consistency: 

    ● Decide the role of each channel (education, authority, community, conversion). 

    ● Adjust tone and format, but keep the same underlying narrative. 

    ● Avoid reinventing your message for every platform, translate it instead. 

Consistency is not visual repetition; it’s strategic coherence. 

3. Align Visual Identity With Verbal Identity 

Your message is communicated long before anyone reads your copy. Typography, color, layout, imagery, and pacing all speak on your behalf. When visual and verbal identities are misaligned, credibility erodes. 

A strong message feels the same whether it’s read, heard, or seen. 

How to ensure consistency: 

    ● Define visual principles, not just assets (mood, contrast, spacing, energy). 

    ● Match visual tone with verbal tone (editorial, bold, minimal, warm, etc.). 

    ● Maintain consistency across presentations, social media, websites, and campaigns. 

Your audience should recognize your message, even without a logo. 

4. Repeat Strategically, Not Excessively 

Repetition is not redundancy when done with intention. Most people do not see all of your content, and those who do need time to internalize it. Consistency is built through strategic repetition with variation. 

The goal is recognition, not fatigue.

How to ensure consistency: 

    ● Reiterate the same idea through different angles: insight, story, data, reflection. 

    ● Use recurring themes, phrases, or frameworks. 

    ● Anchor new content to familiar concepts. 

A consistent message becomes memorable because it evolves without contradicting itself. 

5. Ensure Internal Alignment Before External Communication 

One of the most overlooked aspects of consistency is internal communication. If teams, collaborators, or partners interpret the message differently, inconsistency will surface externally. 

Integrated communication starts inside. 

How to ensure consistency: 

    ● Share clear messaging guidelines internally. 

    ● Align leadership, marketing, PR, and content teams around the same narrative. 

    ● Revisit and refine the message as the brand evolves—without losing its core. 

When everyone communicates from the same foundation, the message becomes stronger and more credible. 

Consistency Is a Strategic Discipline 

Presenting a consistent message is not about rigidity, it’s about intention. It requires clarity, alignment, and the discipline to say no to messages that dilute your positioning. 

In an era where attention is fragmented and trust is fragile, consistency is what transforms visibility into authority. The brands and professionals that stand out are not the loudest, but the most coherent. 

A strong message, delivered consistently, does more than reach people. It stays with them.

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Dareliz Giselle is an Integrated communications specialist. You can find her on her website. 

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.