Michaelah Noelle Nunes is an amazing young women!
Michaelah at the Miss New Bedford’s Outstanding Teen Competition
Michaelah has competed for 4 years in the Miss New Bedford’s Outstanding Teen pageant.
This is her second consecutive year hosting a community drive to benefit GiftsToGive as part of her chosen platform, titled A Real Life Science Experiment: The Ripple Effect.
Michaelah intends to show others how even the smallest form of contribution, much like a drop in a small pond, can have a ripple effect, reaching far and wide.
Michaelah dropping more donations off at the mill!
By enlisting the help of her friends and family, as well as businesses and citizens in Middleboro, Lakeville, Freetown, and New Bedford, Michaelah has collected and delivered thousands of much needed items to GiftsToGive to help children in-need in our community.
Another great gown for Project Cinderella!
While maintaining High Honors in her academica for the last 5 years, and receiving numerous scholastic awards and honors, Michaelah has also volunteered her time and efforts to many other causes as well, including: Boston Children’s Hospital, Make a Child Smile, American Cancer Society/Relay for Life, Locks of Love, Avon’s Walk for Breast Cancer, Ocean Explorium, Caring Crowns, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Kids Kickin’ Cancer, Hailey’s Holiday Hoperaiser, Massachusetts Youth Leadership Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Volunteering at the mill with friends
In an attempt to help manage her grief from the loss of her grandfather to brain cancer in 2007, Michaelah hosted a fundraiser the following summer for her 10th birthday to benefit Boston Children’s Hospital. The reward of what she and her family and friends accomplished; raising $1,000 and making birthday cards for terminally ill children registered with Make a Child Smile, was the catalyst to her continued involvement and passion for community service. After hosting many fundraising bake sales, lemonade stands, and yard sales, Michaelah began celebrating her birthdays in 2010 at the annual local Relay For Life with her friends, forming team “Healing Hearts.” In addition to that birthday tradition, Michaelah will also commemorate her 10th birthday fundraiser by hosting a similar event this summer for her Sweet 16, benefiting Boston Children’s Hospital once again. A dedicated advocate of community service, Michaelah has expanded her efforts by involving fellow classmates and children she mentored with the Girl Scouts, With All My Heart Child Care, and Dance Xtreme dance studio.
In 2010, Michaelah won the title of Miss Caring Crowns Pre-Teen and was recipient of a Pop Warner Little Scholars Academic Achievement Award and Scholarship. The following year she was presented with an award by the Principal of her middle school, newly created to recognize and honor the two students from her class who most embodied and exemplified the three core values of the school: Respect, Responsibility, and Resilience. Last year Michaelah was selected to represent her school at the 2012 Stand Up To Bullying Conference and took home the 1st Place Award for Interview at DECA.
Currently a Sophomore at Old Rochester Regional High School, Michaelah enjoys being a member of the Varsity volleyball team, and participating in her school’s Mock Trial Program and Drama Club. Michaelah has performed in some locally filmed productions and commercials, studies ballet and pointe at Dance Xtreme in New Bedford, and can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than 2 minutes.
Jim Stevens, GiftsToGive’s CEO said – “Every time I see Michaelah I am inspired by all she is doing. At GiftsToGive we’re in the business of connecting children to giving and service – every once in-a-while we meet a super-star. Michaelah is truly a bright and shining light and a great hope for her generation. I am so proud of her!”