Taken from Mandy's official bio:
"Making a difference is the mission statement of my life. Inspiring young people to do something for others, which in turn inspires their own lives, is a simple concept that can make an immense impact.
I started a nonprofit company, The Difference Maker Organization, at the age of 11, and from these experiences, I published my book, “Do Something.” We have a generation of young people who need to be mentored and inspired to become leaders through volunteer service or they may not attempt to later in life. To that end, I am diligently working with our Washington State Governor and others to create new legislation requiring a volunteer component to the middle school curriculum."
In the 10 years I've been involved with pageantry, I've been lucky enough to meet some great people, visit amazing places, and develop some lifelong friendships. One such friendship was made when I first got started with pageants. I was very lucky to have met Mandy and her family, and from day one they have always made me feel a part of theirs. It's always great to see your friends succeed in life, and I have been fortunate to witness Mandy succeed in pageants as Miss Washington Teen USA 2008 and now as Miss Washington 2012.
You can watch Mandy compete for the title of Miss America 2013 on ABC, January 12 at 9pm EST and vote for her in as a viewers choice finalist at www.votemisswashington.com.
-Will the Pageant Guy