Miss SC Teen Volunteer, Gracie Arnold interview

Gracie Arnold, Miss SC Teen Volunteer, talks to Denis Davis about her platform "Angel KIsses". We also talk about driving, blessing boxes, and her time as a cheerleader at Trinity Collegiate School.

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
Hello and welcome. It's another episodeof Dennis Davis radio program podcast here on
iHeartRadio. Special guest with us todayGracy Arnold. That is Miss South Carolina
Teen Volunteer to you. Thank youso much for joining us street Orse,
thank you so much for having me. So, I wanted to talk about
all the success that you've had sofar. You just got the crown.

(00:26):
You were competing what in Spartanburg.Yes, you were competing as Miss Clemson
Teen Volunteer. Tell us about thisjourney so far and take us all the
way up to where you got thesash and the crown. Tell us about
that. Yes, So it hasbeen a pretty long journey for me.
I competed in this pageant last yearand walked away was second runner up,
and immediately knew I wanted to comeback, and so I won Miss Clemson

(00:48):
Teen Volunteer in February, and I'mworking hard and thankfully I got to walk
away with the sash and the prettynew the shiny new hat. And it
was a journey, but I've finallymade it and it's so great. Your
platform is angel Kissing. Yes,tell us about that. So when I
was a little girl, I havea ton of freckles, and I would
constantly get picked on for them.I would come him crying to my mom

(01:12):
and she would tell me that Iwas one of a kind. It was
kissed by thousands of angels. Andso once I got a little older,
I actually started going to elementary andkindergarten students and teaching them about kindness and
really just instilling it at a youngage, because fifty percent of younger children
remember what they are taught when theyare older, just like I remember my
teacher teaching me my rights and mylefts and how to properly brush my teeth.

(01:34):
Now you just turned fifteen, Yeah, you got your permit. I
did tell us about what it's liketo be responsible for hundreds of lives as
you're driving on the highways and stuff. Tell us about that it's really scary.
I didn't know that driving could bethat scary. And my dad surprised
me with a new black Jeep formy birthday, which I was really surprised

(01:56):
about. He swore up and downhe was not getting me a car,
especially any black. He has somethingweird against black cars for some reason,
and I was super surprised. Andit's Honestly, it's really hard to drive.
A Jeep is really unsteady. Yeah, well that was actually my first
car. Oh wow, so it'snot like it handles like my mom has

(02:16):
to be in w And I drovethat and this was like this is a
lot easier. Right. I wantto talk to about something that you and
your dad have teamed up to do. And when I heard about this,
it touched my heart. You guysteamed up to do a blessing box.
Yes we did. He made meget up at six am on my birthday

(02:39):
this year to build this blessing box. And though I wasn't that much of
help, I painted it and madeit look pretty. I did what you'll
actually the detailing, I guess youcould say. And we just put it
there at the Courty McGinnis homeless Shelterfor a House of Hope and it was
so incredible. We put so muchstuff in there, and I'm actually going

(02:59):
to do some donations coming up withcanned goods and coloring books for children's in
school as starting back, you know, and for those who have never seen
a blessing box, it's pretty muchlooks like a tiny house. It looks
like a tiny house almost but it'syeah, a wooden box and you see
them scattered like throughout the area,you know, maybe in front of churches

(03:21):
or in this case the Courtney andBeginners shelter. But you can donate.
You can place canned goods in there, or you know, or other items
that would be helpful to others thatare that would need it. And and
if you see one and you havethe extra can goods or something, please
fill up that box. Yes,please, it would be highly appreciated.

(03:42):
I know that there's gonna be someoneon the receiving end that's going to need
some help, and I would lovefor all of us that's hearing this message
to be part of a solution.So, so you are a varsity cheerleader
at Trinity Collegiate School. How how'sthat going so far? We have our
first game this Saturday, and mymom is actually the coach this year,

(04:03):
she got upgraded to coach. Andit's a little rough right now, but
it's gonna be okay. I mean, it's never easy dealing with fifteen sixteen
seventeen year old girls. Talk tous about Berkeley Bryant. She is my
miss, she is Miss South Carolina. Volunteer and she will go to compete
at the National pageant in June,me and March, and I'm so excited

(04:26):
for our year together. I justabsolutely adore her and we honestly we kind
of look alike, which is reallyexcited. She has long blonde hair,
blue eyes, and she's so beautiful, and I'm so excited for our year
together. Well awesome. Well,I can't congratulate you enough on winning of
the crown there in Bartonburg, andI know that you'll go on to do
great things. So what's next foryou? I have Nationals in March in

(04:51):
Jackson, Tennessee, March sixth ofthe ninth. It is a ten and
a half hour drive from Florence,South Carolina, and I'm really excited.
It'll be here before we know it. So I was, I was talking
to my directors and my mom.I said, I feel like it's tomorrow.
We need to get to work.It's going to be here soon.
Well, I can't wait to seeall the good work you'll do and in

(05:12):
lots of success, keep pushing hardfor Angel Kisses. I really love your
platform. Thank you so much.