WAS THERE A SPECIFIC CATALYST THAT LEAD YOU TO RUN FOR MRS. GEORGIA? BEFORE I COMPETED FOR MRS. GEORGIA I HAD COMPLETED ONE PAGEANT WITH THE HELP OF MY BEST FRIEND, LAKISHA BROOKS. I WENT OUT FOR THAT PAGEANT FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP MONEY TO HELP ME GET THROUGH SCHOOL. AFTER I GRADUATED I WORKED WITH DISADVANTAGED YOUTH. I SAW THEIR STRUGGLESSTRUGGLES TO OBTAIN EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNI-TIES AND THIS INSPIRED ME TO START HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT WITH MY HUSBAND, CLOSE FAMILY MEM-BERS, AND FRIENDS. WE WERE DOING SO MUCH GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY WITH HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT, BUT FELT WE WERE NOT REACHING ENOUGH YOUTH IN THE METRO ATLANTA AREA. ONE NIGHT WE WERE UP BRAINSTORMING ON HOW TO REACH MORE PEOPLE AND CAME UP WITH ME RUNNING FOR MRS. GEORGIA US UNITED. I LITERALLY WENT OUT FOR MRS. GEORGIA US UNITED TO HAVE A PLATFORM FOR HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT AND TO REACH MORE YOUTH.

WERE YOU ALWAYS IN PAGEANTS GROWING UP? NO! IT IS SO FUNNY, I WAS SUCH A TOM-BOY, I PLAYED SPORTS, AND WAS VERY NERDY. I CAME FROM A VERY BIG FAMILY AND MY PARENTS REALLY STRESSED EDUCATION TO ALL THE CHILDREN. MY MOM AND DAD ENCOURAGED US TO BE PROFESSIONALS AND SPEND OUR TIME DEVELOPING WHAT CAREER ASPECTS WE HAD.

WHWHAT WERE SOME OF THE HARDEST PARTS OF RUNNING FOR THE TITLE AND REPRESENTING YOUR STATE? BEFORE GOING OUT FOR MRS. GEORGIA I WAS A HOME BODY AND EXTREMELY PRIVATE AND PROTECTIVE OF MY FAMILY. WHILE YOU’RE RUNNING FOR MRS. GEORGIA YOU REALLY HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND SPREAD THE WORD TO BUILD UP YOUR SUPPORTS. SINCE MY CIRCLE WAS SMALSMALL AND TIGHT IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO BRANCH OUT, BUT I FEEL BLESSED BY GOD FOR ALL THE SUPPORT I HAD WHILE RUNNING. AFTER WINNING THE TITLE CAME THE WHIRL WIND OF APPEARANCES, PROMOTING HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT AND LIFE LESSONS. WITH HAIR AND MAKE-UP IT TAKES ABOUT 2 ½ -3 HOURS TO GET READY FOR AN APPEARANCE, I WAS DOING SO MANY APPEAR-ANCES SOMETIMES 3-4 A DAY AND TRYING TO PLEASE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT I BECAME VERY ILL FOR A WHILE. I HAD TO STOP, TAKE A STEP BACK, AND RE-EVALUATE WHY I WENT OUT FOR THE CROWN IN THE FIRST PLACE. ONCE I PRAYED TO GOD AND FOCUSED BACK TO MY ORIGINAL PURPOSE, WITH THE HELP OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK ON TRACK. MY FAMILY AND FRIENDSFRIENDS THROUGH GOD WERE THERE TO HELP FILTER PEOPLE WHO DID NOT WANT WHAT WAS BEST FOR ME AND TO BE MY SUPPORT! WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AFTER THE TITLE? I WANT TO COMPLETE MY MASTERS DEGREE AND MOVE ON TO GET MY DOCTORATE. I ALSO WANT TO EXPAND THE SERVICES HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT OFFERS, EVENTUALLY OPENING UP AN ACADEMY THAT HELPS YOUTH OBTAIN

THEIR PERSONAL LIFE GOALS WHATEVER THEY MAY BE. I REALLY BELIEVE IN A WORLD WHERE EVERY STUDENT CAN ACHIEVE AND EVERY FAMILY CAN SUCCEED.

TELTELL US ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING PROJECTS/EVENTS/ENDEAVORS ETC? I FEEL SO BLESSED BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY OUTREACH PROGRAMS COMING UP FOR YOUTH IN THE METRO ATLANTA AREA WITH HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT. ON DECEMBER 15, WE HAVE HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT’S HAPPY HOLIDAY WINTER WONDERLAND EVENWINTER WONDERLAND EVENT WHICH SERVICES DISADVANTAGED YOUTH AND FAMILIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS. IN MARCH 2013, HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT IS HAVING ITS ANNUAL CELEBRITY BOWLING GALA. APRIL 2013 MARKS THE START OF OUR PROGRAM YEAR FOR HIGHER FAMILY ACHIEVEMENT AND WE KICK IT OFF WITH OUR ANNUAANNUAL ENCHANTED NIGHTS: INAUGURATION. AFTER THAT, OUR SUMMER IS PACKED WITH FUN FIELD TRIPS, YOUTH WORKSHOPS, AND CAMPS LIKE OUR YOUTH GOLF CAMP IN MAY!

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? I ENCOUR-AGE PEOPLE TO TRY WHAT THEY FEEL IS NOT POSSIBLE. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH HARD WORK, DEDICATION AND GOD! THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING INTERVIEWING ME I FEEL SO HON-ORED AND HOPE TO SEE YOU AT SOME OF MY UPCOMING EVENTS!

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Nancy Klausner