Pageant Talk Radio!

Don't forget to listen to my interview today on "Pageant Talk Radio!" Listen in at 12:20 EST.
It's going to be an exciting segment on all things GREEN :)

With Love,
Jolie Noelle Schamber
Miss Teen Earth United States

Florida Coastal Cleanup

Hi everyone,
I would love to tell you guys about the "Florida Coastal Cleanup," which is an event that I attended on Saturday.

It is sponsored by the City of Orlando. For everyone who does not know, there are 104 lakes in Orlando alone! 95% of the water is runoff water from the streets. This is one of the reasons why trash and pollution becomes such an issue in the Florida lakes.

The City of Orlando holds the "Florida Coastal Cleanup" as part of their "Keep Orlando Beautiful" campaign. Last year the cleanup brought in literally TONS of waste!

A great thing about the cleanup is that we record data of everything collected and it gets turned into the Ocean Conservancy. This data will eventually help lead to legislation and funding to help the environment!



On Saturday I helped out at the Lake Underhill location and even at our one site alone, we had bags upon bags of trash! This waste is filtering into the oceans and somewhere along the way will filter into our drinking water. That is why this campaign is so important.


( <--- Me helping sign in the volunteers)






I commend everyone who came out to help. Lots of kids showed up and I found this to be a really beautiful sight. As many of you may know, I find it of the utmost importance to educate the youth on being environmentally friendly. I think this is the most promising step to a greener future! So I was very touched to see how many children came out to help clean up our beautiful city!

( <--- Group shot after the cleanup was over)


Please come by again soon!

With Love,
Jolie Noelle Schamber
Miss Teen Earth United States

Children's Home Society - Puttin on the Ritz

Wow is all I can say. I had such a great time on Saturday at the "Puttin' on the Ritz" charity gala for the Children's Home Society. Although, I should not be surprised because this always turns out to be such a wonderful event. First of all I want to congratulate everyone who worked so hard on the event. Shirley Jeter (one of the coordinators) and Johnathan Burman (Master of Ceremonies) both worked so hard to make it a great event. There was a silent and live auction as well as a dinner, which was delicious! The theme of the event was "Ritz Carnavale" and had a Mardi Gras feel. All the food was Louisiana style cooking, so lots of seafood and cajun spices. MMM!




The event started off with a reception and a chance for everyone to bid on items in the silent auction. I got the chance to mingle with everyone and tell many people all about what Earth Pageant Productions is doing to help the environment. Then, when it was time for dinner to begin I was led towards the back of the room and hoisted onto a chair held by 4 guys. I got to throw out Mardi Gras beads as a fanfare of trumpets led the procession into dinner. I was so honored to be able to lead that procession!





















Then it was time for dinner and the live auction. The live auction was like no other auction I have ever seen. They had actors help make it into a show which was more fun for everyone involved. After the auction I got to have a caricature drawn of me! In the pictures you can see me posing with the artist after it was done and I have a close up of the final product.

Vince Carter was there as well. He is a professional NBA player and was recently drafted to the Orlando Magic. (my hometown!) He is a contributor to the Children's Home Society and he grew up in Daytona Beach, FL. He is really a wonderful and caring guy. His mom was there as well and recieved an award for her service to the Children's Home Society. They are such sweet people!

Whenever I attend events such as this one, I realize the things that can be accomplished when people come together to support a cause. The Children's Home Society is an amazing organization that helps children who have been displaced, abandoned, and abused. The testimonials that I heard were touching and I was so glad I was able to be part of an event that supported such a great cause!





Next event: the Coastal cleanup next Saturday. So look out for those pictures coming soon!

With Love,
Jolie Noelle Schamber
Miss Teen Earth United States

Orlando Easterly Wetlands Tour

I can't wait to tell you guys what I did today! This morning I arrived at the Orlando Easterly Wetlands to take a tour. (The tour was all a prep for educational classes I am going to be giving at the wetlands). I had such an amazing time on my tour and I learned so much!

First of all, the site sits on 1,650 acres of land in east Orange County, FL. It is actually man made and was created as an alternate method for treatment and reuse of waste water. The wetland treatment system was tested and found to be a viable solution. The really great thing about using a wetland treatment system is that it allows the city to meet its treatment and disposal needs, reclaim a vital wetland, and create a valuable habitat for wildlife.


The wetland system works because aquatic ecosystems can naturally remove the nitrogen and phosphorus from waste water. 40 million gallons of reclaimed water enter into this wetland system everyday and the water travels through the wetlands for about 40 days until it is dispensed into the St. Johns River. In the picture to the left I am standing at the site where the water is pumped into the wetlands.






My favorite aspect of this project is that it creates a habitat for wildlife. There are nearly 200 animal species that live in this environment, including several endangered species. Before the project began there were less than 2 dozen species of wildlife. It is so important for these animals to have a place to call home as we are continually tearing down their natural environment for our benefit. (Shopping centers, new suburbs, apartment complexes, etc.) As you can see in my pictures, I am seen with a snapping turtle and I even got to hold an alligator!





I had such a great time visiting the wetlands and it makes me have that much more pride in my beautiful state. Being out in nature today was such a relaxing experience, and I hope you enjoy some of the pictures that we took today. The 2 pictures that you see to the left are 2 of my favorite nature shots of today. I can't wait to start giving my own tours and sharing this wonderful experience and knowledge with the children who I will be teaching. If you live in the area I encourage you to come by on Saturday afternoons for tours.

For more information please check out the website: http://www.cityoforlando.net/public_works/wetlands/videos.htm

With Love,
Jolie Noelle Schamber
Miss Teen Earth United States

Sunday: In the Loop

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to let everyone know about an event on Sunday. If you are in the Central Florida Area I am encouraging you to stop by. It's called "In the Loop" and will be held at the Waterford Lakes Town Center. The event will be held to promote breast cancer awareness and protection, so if you are a female I highly recommend going to this event. There will be live bands, food, and even fun pampering stations!

The event is in conjunction with the American Cancer Society and The Florida Hospital. It will be held between 11 and 3pm and you can even enter to win pink ribbon luggage and a trip to Italy. I will be there as well so stop by and say hi if you are in the area!

For more information please visit this website: http://www.floridahospitaleast.com/EducationAndEvents/IntheLoopStretchingthePinkRibbonEvent.aspx

With Love,
Jolie Noelle Schamber