The Journey to My CSI

By Ava Isabella Silver

I’ve never been a pageant girl, although I always admired the queens in my community. I also never thought I’d actually hold a title, but after competing in my first pageant last year and placing first runner-up, I began to think maybe this could be something I wanted to pursue. The next year, I went back and earned second runner-up, and from there, I was hooked. I decided to keep going, competing in two preliminaries, and then, on my third try, I won.

While pageantry has only just started to become my thing, my community service initiative has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up, my grandparents took me to their home on the coast of North Carolina. My grandfather would walk along the beach with me, each of us carrying two buckets. One was for trash we found, and the other was for all

the little creatures and seashells we discovered. My grandfather taught me the importance of keeping our beaches clean and protecting the natural treasures of Mother Nature. Because of that, I spent three summers volunteering at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital through Sea Turtle Camp in Topsail Island. There, I saw firsthand how pollution harms the creatures in our oceans.

That experience inspired me to earn my NAUI Scuba certification, which gave me the chance to witness ocean pollution up close. I’ve gone scuba diving on the North Carolina coast, and I've seen the pollution there too. I’ve also traveled around the world, and the problem is everywhere. My community service initiative does not only focus on our oceans, it's also about advocating for all of our waterways. I’ve hosted and participated in numerous cleanups because even small actions add up. My dad always tells me to “take one more piece than you came with”, and I’ve taken that advice to heart.

One of my biggest goals is to teach kids how they can make a difference too. I wrote and illustrated a children’s book called A Turtle's Trash Troubles, which is published on Amazon. I’m also working on my second book, A River’s Rubbish Rescue. I’ve already read my book to my classmates, and during Read Across America Week in 2025, I’ll be reading it to four different schools and after-school programs.

My community service work isn’t just about me, it's abouteveryone and how working together we can create change. Anyone can make a difference, no matter where they are. It doesn’t have to be a huge act. You can pick up a few pieces of trash on your own, even if you’re just walking around. You don’t need a group of people to get started. One small spark can lead to a big flame. So, if you go out and pick up litter to reduce pollution, use my hashtag #onemorepieceproject to help spread the word! Every piece of litter you pick up helps protect our waterways. Even if there’s no water near you, trash will eventually find its way to a water source.

Remember: Without Clean Water, There is No Life. Protect and Advocate for our Waterways! 

Throughout this journey, my biggest inspiration has always been my mom. Back in her day, she competed in Miss North Carolina’s Teen and placed third runner-up. She’s so well-spoken and eloquent, and I strive to be just like her in my pageant journey.

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Ava Isabella Silver is the current Miss Dunn's Teen (NC). You can find her on her title's Instagram and Facebook.

This is her first blog for Section 36 Forevers.