Having the honor to serve as Miss Chattahoochee Valley 2006 brings me to a place where I bow my head and become humbled and gracious. I am able to take a glance back into a year scripted onto the pages of my life that was more memorable and over flowingly full of joy than any one person, including myself, could fathom.

Having a younger brother who has prevailed through two open heart surgeries before the tender age of 7 directly influenced my decision to dedicate my year of service to “Straight from the Heart” – a platform I created to stimulate the Chattahoochee Valley community as well as surrounding communities to become conscious of heart healthy routines and benefits. With ongoing research revealing the relationship between dental health and heart disease, I am delighted to have the opportunity to extend this platform past the duration of my reign and intertwine it within my career as a DMD.

I encourage future members of the Miss Chatt family to find the beauty within your character. You will have a rare opportunity to walk through an endless hall of open doors because of the dedication and compassion of Bart Sorrell. I challenge you to walk through as many doors as possible with the goal to inspire and be inspired. Be dedicated and work diligently to leave a permanent, lasting legacy of your character. Watch what overflows within you in return. There is neither a single word nor a combination of words to describe it. It transcends all understanding. I promise you - there is nothing else like it in the whole wide world.

Teel states that her most memorable experience as Miss Chatt has to be her time at Miss Alabama. She learned a lot about herself and was able to grow from that experience. She's very grateful that she was able to participate in a wonderful program as Miss Alabama.

Teel's advise to anyone considering to participate in Miss Chatt/Alabama/America, "Absolutely do it. Even if you don't walk away with the crown you will truly have a fantastic time. And to the next Miss Chatt, Have fun! Don't get so anxious about all the things that need to be done that you loose the benefits of the experience."

Teel was a non-finalist talent winner at Miss Alabama 2003.

Aletta's most memorable moment as Miss Chatt was the night that she crowned Miss Chatt 2004. She states "The entire evening was so emotional for me, in addition I had my tonsils removed two weeks before the pageant. As a result, I was not able to eat much food, just drink liquids and eating mashed potatoes. That doesn't really give a tap dancer the energy they need to perform."

Aletta's advice to the next Miss Chatt - "Be prepared to work hard. Also be willing to open your heart to al the people of the Valley. Remember this crown is not about being beautiful. Its about the hard work and community service that you render during your reign. The glamour and glitz will only last for a few moments but the lives that you can touch as Miss Chatt will last for a lifetime."

We asked Aletta what her advise was for someone that is considering entering the Miss Alabama/Miss America system, her reply: "I would tell them that its important to understand there is a lot more to competing in the Miss America System than what they see the night of the pageant or even on television. It takes a genuine, dedicated and mature individual to be a winner in this competition.

Meredith advises the next Miss Chatt to "Enjoy every minute! Be confident in what you do and take others advise but do not compromise the person that YOU are!" To anyone that is considering competing in the Miss Alabama/America system, Meredith advises that the Miss America organization is a great organization and a great opportunity for scholarship money, speaking experience and just growth as a person.

"I would have to say that the whole experience made me so much more confident in myself. In my singing abilities, in my interview skills and just as a person I learned so much in a short amount of time", Meredith said about her most memorable experience as Miss Chatt.

Meredith was a non-finalist talent winner at Miss Alabama 2002.

After graduation, Libbi moved to Birmingham, and is working as a supervising teacher at Mitchell's Place, a comprehensive treatment center for children with autism. She uses her musical talents of playing the guitar, piano and singing with her 4 and 5 year old students at Mitchells Place. Libbi is in the process of completing her Music Therapy board certification, and co-authoring a book related to children with special needs.

Libbi advises the next Miss Chatt to "Listen to Bart! His experience is invaluable. Always follow your intuition and maintain your personality throughout all phases of competition and life. If you follow those simple rules, then you will be prepared for the wild ride during Miss Alabama week."

Libbi's most memorable experiences as Miss Chatt are riding on the bus to Samford's Auditorium, getting ready for Nan's clothing check, receiving the Jayle Austin Cole Talent Award, applying sunless tanner, Volunteering at the Bradshaw Library and crowning the new Miss Chatt. These moments will last forever!

Jayme fondly remembers the night she received the title of Miss Chattahoochee Valley 2000 as the night her dream came true. She says “I can remember my mother taking me to the pageant when I was only seven or eight, and the contestants seemed so mature and regal. I always knew I wanted to wear that crown one day, and it meant so much to me to proudly represent my hometown at the Miss Alabama Pageant my first year!”

During her year of service Jayme spent much of her time with various organizations geared toward mentoring and enriching the lives of children. Through the development of her program You’re G.R.E.A.T! she was able to create an awareness of the importance of not only having good role models, but being one as well. This is a cause that is still very close to Jayme’s heart. Whether it is time spent playing with her three nephews, teaching the girls in dance class, or her continual work for the Big Brothers\ Big Sisters Organization she says, “sharing a smile with a child is all the payment I need! There were so many people in my life that worked hard to make sure I had every possible opportunity and all the attention needed to assure me that I was someone special, so I guess I want to make sure that other kids have that same support and love.”

For future titleholders Jayme recommends, “RELAX and enjoy every second because life is too precious and short to sweat the small stuff! Of course you have to be prepared, but with such a great committee and group of loving supporters around, you can’t help but be at your best. Most importantly I would tell future Miss Chatts to stay focused on what is truly important. The Miss America\Miss Alabama Organization provides thousands of opportunities for you to better yourself. While the chance to represent your state at Miss America is phenomenal, don’t forget about the ALL of the possible scholarship money, networking opportunities, self-enrichment, and the friends you make from local preliminaries all the way to the top. Those are the reasons I encourage every young woman to get involved.”