The Oakwood Times September Monthly

News
Oakwood Times
Oakwood Comet alums make the community proud
Foster chosen as America’s favorite in Miss America Pageant
By Katelyn Blankenship
Oakwood Alumni, Abby Foster, competed for the title
of Miss America in Atlantic City, New Jersey on the evening
of September 07, 2017. She placed in the top 15 out of 51
contestants.
She earned the honorary title of “America’s Choice.” This
category was won by the people of America voting online
for their favorite contestant. The contestant with the most
votes automatically made it to the top 15. This is the first
year that the Miss America Organization offered this as factor
of the competition. The Oakwood community was quick
to rally behind Foster. Many people were committed to voting
every day up until the pageant aired.
It was very clear to see that Foster was one of the most
well supported candidates. She had around 85 people travel
from Illinois to watch her compete, as well as large groups
of people hosting viewing parties at their homes.
Not only did Foster compete in the virtual world and on
stage that night, she also spent 16 rigorous days in Atlantic
City competing before the competition aired live for
America. These days were full of plenty of rehearsals, four
of which were dedicated to on stage competition. This was
no easy task, as the program consists of five categories:
interview, talent, on stage question, evening wear, as well
as lifestyle and fitness. During one of Foster’s performances
she recited a jazz dance performance to a medley from the
musical Grease.
Another part of this experience was dedicated to making
public appearances. Among these was a parade named the
“Show Us Your Shoes Parade” which was dedicated to the
queens coming from all across America.
Foster was dedicated to readying herself for the exhausting
nature of this elite competition. Foster followed a
very strict diet, despite the occasional large single serving
Domino’s pizza.
Participating in Miss America was a rewarding experience
in more ways than one. Foster was rewarded a scholarship
of $14,500 for her time spent in the Miss America
Pageant System. She will use this money to pay off her
college education at Ball State University at which she is an
upcoming junior. Although Foster has taken time off from
her studies to focus on Miss America, she will return to
Ball State next semester to continue studying elementary
education.
Although Foster is taking a semester off from school, her
busy schedule is not over. She will return to making appearances
as Miss Illinois in October. Foster will also continue to
cheer for the Indianapolis Colts NFL team. Although Foster
has big dreams, she still has her heart rooted here in Central
Illinois.
“Oakwood and Vermilion County were behind me 110%.
It just proved no matter where someone comes from, small
Lee joins NFL Chicago Bears practice team for 2017-18 season
By Shaelyn Turner
Comet alumni Cameron Lee joined the
Chicago Bears practice squad after moving
from the New Orleans Saints, to the Cincinnati
Bengals. Lee has had an outstanding
football career so far at the young age of
23. Lee didn’t start playing football until his
freshman year of high school due to the
weight limits in the youth football league.
“I was always too heavy to play youth
league,” said Lee. “I was never really all that
interested in football until my last year or
two of high school.”
Lee didn’t know if he was going to be
drafted to begin with, but thought he had
done his best to give himself a chance to
play in the NFL. Lee always believed that if
he put in the work and did the right things,
he could get to this point in his career.
“Getting here has been just like every
other part of my career and life,” Lee said.
“Obviously I would like to be on the active
roster but, just like redshirting in college or
playing JV in high school, it’s all just part of
the process.”
The town of Oakwood is not a big one,
but they will always come together has a
whole to support “the O.”
“The people from my community are a
Oakwood alumna, Abby Foster, is the current reigning Miss
Illinois in the Miss America Organization. Foster placed in
the top 15 contestants at the Miss America Pageant in September.
(Photo courtesy of Abby Foster)
huge part of why I do what I do,” Lee said.
Oakwood supports each other like no
other community does because we are FTO
(from the O). The support from the community
has not gone unnoticed by Lee.
“It’s rare to see community members
support one another like Oakwood does,
and that is something I would never take
for granted,” said Lee. “The way people
have rallied behind me and had my back is
something I’ll never forget, it gives me that
fire I need to continue to push myself. I’m
just trying to make my people proud.”
Parents always want to push you to be
as successful as you can possibly be, and
Lee cannot thank his parents enough for
the enormous role that they’ve played in his
success thus far.
“They helped to shape me into the man
that I am,” said Lee. “They gave me tools to
deal with adversity and an ability to communicate
and express myself, which allowed
me to pursue things like football, where I
have found success. I owe a lot to them in
that regard.”
To all the high school students hoping
to at some point play a sport professionally,
Lee issued some words of encouragement.
“Stick to the plan. There are going to be
times when you question what you’re doing,
and if all of the hard work you’re doing
is worth it, stick to the plan and everything
will work out in the end.”
Oakwood Comet graduate of 2012, Cameron Lee practices with the Chicago Bears team.
Lee moved from the New Orleans Saints to the Cincinnati Bengals before finaling joining the
Chicago Bears. (Photo courtesy of Cameron Lee)
September 29, 2017
3