Page 110 - Iris Tennessee Teen Judges Book 2022

What can you do during your Tenure of Service as a Titleholder to impact your community?
What has been your involvement with your platform?
G.R.O.W. stands for Growing Roots of Wellness the objective is to acknowledge the significance of food insecurity in communities, improve the environment, and showcase alternative ways to improve mental health. I have embodied the mission of G.R.O.W. by collecting over 500 canned food items to donate to my local food pantry, volunteering at the Bread of Life food pantry, taught and educated over 2,500 students on the lifecycle of a pumpkin and how to grow their own pumpkins by reading “The Pumpkin Book” to local schools. Because of my strong efforts, G.R.O.W has been featured in the Winter 2021-22 edition of Discover magazine explaining the importance of agriculture. I also cultivated a social media series in order to highlight the connection and benefits of gardening on one’s mental health. Beyond my platform, I have been fortunate to represent my title at various community events such as: The Cotton Festival, Heritage Festival, Munford Celebrate, Go Lucy Go, and Liberty Bowl Pro Rodeo.
What inspired you to first become involved in your platform?
Growing up in the small farm town of Burlison, TN, agriculture has been a significant part of my life. Coming from a five-generation farming family, I have learned the importance of agriculture and the potential power it holds. I saw a shortage of people in my surrounding counties that are actively engaged in agriculture. I am bridging the gap between rural and urban communities in the state of Tennessee to combat food insecurity, improve the environment, and a more accessible way to improve mental health.
If you are selected as the winner, how would you mobilize and market your platform nationally?
How would you utilize social media in order to positively further your position as a titleholder if you are selected as the winner?
As a titleholder, my driven attitude helps inspire others in my community. Through countless
opportunities such as volunteering, participating in charitable work, and promoting G.R.O.W.
with Molly, I will have a positive and remarkable impact on my home state and the nation.
Growing up in a farming family and community, I have experienced firsthand the need for and
importance of our farmers. Agriculture impacts so many aspects of our everyday life that it’s
impossible to imagine a world without this essential industry.
G.R.O.W. with Molly has already been implemented in over 6 states nationwide and is continuing to spread across the globe. As Miss Iris Tennessee Teen Volunteer, I will have a greater platform to spread my mission of growing for a better tomorrow. Gardening helps improve your mental health, morale in communities, and improves the environment.
I will continue my social media campaign G.R.O.W. with Molly to challenge other people across the state of Tennessee to take an active role in agriculture and experience firsthand the impact it could have on food insecurity in Tennessee. If I can teach people how to grow their own food in their backyard, imagine the impact that they could have on their community over time by donating the surplus food that they grow to fellow Tennesseans in need.