Miss Los Angeles County 2012 Monet Bagneris
Winner of the Miss Congeniality and Talent category awards at Miss Los Angeles County pageant and in the Miss California pageant, Monet Bagneris made appearances in 23 of the 88 cities within Los Angeles County and also cities within Ventura and San Bernardino counties. Watch on as she provides a glimpse into her year of service as Miss Los Angeles County.
Here is her farewell speech:
"It has been an honor to serve the Los Angeles County community this past year, making appearances in 23 of the 88 cities within LA County and also cities within Ventura and San Bernardino Counties. Being a spokeswoman for Children's Hospital Los Angeles, as the local Children's Miracle Network Hospital, granted me the privilege of representing the hospitals at fundraisers and being an extension of God's love to the patients and their families. From hosting my own fundraiser to training kids in the Junior Ambassador program on public speaking and fundraising to encouraging and congratulating participants in the Torch Relay for supporting the Children's Miracle Network hospitals, my experience partnering with Children's Hospital Los Angeles has provided me invaluable insight into what they do best---inspiring hope and providing miracles for children and their families every single day. Representing the hospital at various partnering organizations like Marriott, Walgreens, and IHOP events enabled me to truly understand the importance of fostering positive relationships with supporters. Being Miss Los Angeles County also granted me the opportunity to promote my personal platform, "Their Life, Your Hands: Promoting Healthy Lifestyles for our Children." With the childhood obesity epidemic and many other challenges on the rise, it was imperative for me to spread the importance of staying physically active, eating healthy, and maintaining a positive attitude and self-image. I attended Let's Move California campaign events and even joined Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge and Irvine Mayor Kang in a Zumba workout in heels right before singing the National Anthem. I have also truly enjoyed speaking and performing at various schools, community events, and governmental functions throughout Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, and Ventura County to not only push forward my platform but to also provide hope for people in seemingly hopeless situations. I partnered with Got Your Six, The Mission Continues, and NBC Universal to make food packages for LAUSD families. From the young, to the older, community volunteers to influential leaders and governmental officials, I have had the opportunity to witness firsthand what makes Los Angeles County great! It was a tremendous honor to speak before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Pasadena City Council, Monrovia City Council, and Los Angeles City Council about the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles and recognizing the contributions of our armed forces: real life heroes in uniform securing the freedoms we enjoy everyday. In addition, it has been a privilege to share the spotlight with my grandfather, an American hero and Congressional Gold Medalist, for his service as a Montford Point Marine, Sgt. Marion Meredith Beal. To my Executive Directors Ken & Coleen Rockey, LA County committee, Ruth Benton, Russ Gladen, John Moskal, and my former directors Keisha Escamilla & Victoria Rabb—thank you for your leadership and continued support. To my father, thank you for your guidance and partnering with me during my service. I would like to thank God for sustaining me and my family for sharing their time, commitment and energy so that I could sow seeds of encouragement and positivity and share my passion for music and health throughout my service as Miss Los Angeles County. Thank you and God bless!"