Crowned After Clocking Out: CPA to Pageant Queen

By Julia Bush, CPA, MST - Miss Summerlin 2026

Balancing a 9-to-5 career while serving as a Miss America Organization local title holder often sounds exhausting on paper, and some days, it absolutely is. My Google Calendar is very full, and everything must be color coded. However, it is also one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever taken on, and one I believe more career women should feel empowered to pursue.

My career is something I’m very proud of; I’m a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in both Nevada and New York and I’ve been working as a tax accountant for seven years in some of the most demanding financial hubs, like New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. When you have a career in tax, you are required to operate in a structured environment where deadlines matter, professionalism is expected, and showing up prepared is non-negotiable. That discipline has been one of my greatest assets while serving as Miss Summerlin. My weekdays are spent balancing tax returns and emails, while evenings and weekends are reserved for appearances, my community service initiative work, and preparation. The determination and time management I’ve learned as a tax accountant are important skills I have transferred to being a title holder. Just like how working as a tax professional requires hard work, rectitude, and strategy, so do my duties as Miss Summerlin. 

Although there are a lot of transferable skills between my career and my title, there are many that are not. A big one for me is the creativity that comes with being a title holder. Doing taxes is extremely structured. When a tax accountant gets creative in her work, it usually results in an angry call from the IRS. Being Miss Summerlin has given me space to dream, innovate, and express myself authentically, which has brought so much joy to my life. From designing meaningful community initiatives, to crafting engaging social media content, to styling myself for every occasion, the Miss America Organization allows me to bring my full personality, especially to my community service initiative: financial literacy education access for K-12 students. Bringing the financial knowledge I use every day for work to children requires some extra creativity and thinking outside the box. Working with kids with organizations like Junior Achievement or teaching my own financial literacy courses for teens for the Las Vegas Clark County Library District has given me a new perspective on my career: financial knowledge is for everyone and can be made fun! 

Apart from my community service work, the most meaningful part of this experience is what it represents to other women. Too often, talented, driven women disqualify themselves before ever trying because they believe their career is a barrier. I know I did. I (wrongfully) assumed that my bosses and colleagues would look down on me for being a “pageant queen”. I was nervous they would view me as unprofessional or not dedicated to my job. However, since being crowned Miss Summerlin, I have been met with nothing but love, excitement, and support from everyone I meet - from CEOs, to government officials, to my fellow CPAs. You do not need a flexible schedule, unlimited free time, or to be perfect; that is not what the Miss America Organization is all about. It is about smart, confident women who believe they are capable of more than one dream at a time.

Balancing my career and being Miss Summerlin has brought me so much joy and purpose. I am truly grateful to the Miss Nevada Organization and the Miss America Organization for this opportunity. I’m happy to show that women can be professionals, creatives, advocates, and leaders - all at the same time. And while the days may be long, it is worth every moment. I am so excited for the road ahead and what this amazing opportunity has in store for me next. 

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Julia Bush is the current Miss Summerlin (NV). You can follow her on her Instagram. 

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.

The Heart of a Youth Behavioral Development Specialist: Making a Difference for At-Risk Youth

By Valerie O'Neill 

Every day, I step into a world where the stakes are high, where young lives hang in the balance, shaped by trauma, loss, and hardship. As a Youth Behavioral Development Specialist, my mission is to support at-risk youth, guiding them through some of the toughest moments of their lives.

These kids and teens have been through the unthinkable. Many have cycled through foster care, juvenile detention, mental health facilities, or GOBI homes. Some are experiencing severe behavioral health episodes, struggling with suicidal thoughts, or dealing with the lasting effects of extreme trauma.  and in many cases, they’ve never had a stable, loving support system at home. That’s where I come in.

What I Do

My job is about more than just supervision. It’s about teaching, guiding, and showing up for these kids in a way they may never have experienced before. I help them build critical life skills such as:

✔ Anger management – Helping them recognize and regulate their emotions in healthy ways.
✔ Self-regulation – Teaching coping strategies for handling stress and overwhelming feelings.
✔ Social interaction – Encouraging positive communication, boundaries, and relationship skills.
✔ Crisis response – Being alert and ready to step in when a situation escalates.

Because these youth often face severe emotional and behavioral challenges, I have to be hyper-aware of my surroundings. Crisis situations can arise at any moment, requiring me to act quickly and effectively to ensure their safety and well-being, as well as other teens’ and my safety. 

Why This Work Matters

Many of the kids I work with believe they have no future. They feel forgotten, unheard, abandoned, and beyond help. Several have never felt love before and have always been pushed away and ignored when asking for attention. They have raised themselves from a young age and some even had to raise their siblings as well. They are lost, hurt, frustrated, angry, and confused. My goal is to show them that they matter, that their lives have purpose, and that there are people who care about them, even if the world has made them feel otherwise.

I want to be a role model who proves that they can overcome their struggles. That healing is possible. That they are more than their trauma. This work is challenging but knowing that I can make a difference in even one child’s life makes every moment worth it.

Looking Toward the Future

This is just the beginning of my journey. I’m currently enrolled back in college for the fall to work toward a degree in psychology with a minor in criminal justice. My long-term goal is to use this degree and minor to join a crisis team. What is a crisis team, you ask? A crisis team is a specialized group that responds to at-risk, suicidal teens in emergency situations. Crisis teams play a vital role in assessing situations, implementing intervention strategies, and providing support to youth in immediate distress.

But my passion doesn’t stop there. I also dream of traveling the world to help in disaster relief efforts, supporting orphans, and expanding my project, "Helping Hands," which provides emergency kits filled with essential items for the homeless.

Final Thoughts

Being a Youth Behavioral Development Specialist isn’t just a job, it’s a calling. It requires patience, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to helping kids who have been through more than most adults could imagine. These young people deserve love, guidance, and the chance to build a brighter future. And if I can be a small part of that transformation, then I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

If you’ve ever considered working with at-risk youth or supporting mental health initiatives, I encourage you to take that step. Every child deserves someone who believes in them. Be that person.

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Valerie O'Neill is the current Miss City of Sunshine (OR). You can find her on her title's Instagram.

This is her second blog for Section 36 Forevers. Be sure to read all of her guest blogs.