Tina Marie Mares

MISS WASHINGTON

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Born and raised in Washington state, Tina Marie loves living in the Pacific Northwest! Growing up, Tina Marie's parents taught her the importance of being gracious with her time and talents. At the age of 14, she began volunteering and quickly realized how big of a difference one can make in the lives of others. Throughout the past 10 years, she has woken up at 5 a.m. to prepare and serve meals to the homeless; collected food, clothing, and monetary donations for homeless and disaster relief victims; tutored elementary school children in math and reading; and, is currently volunteering and working directly with hospitalized children and their families at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center. Although she has received several volunteer awards, she receives greater joy in witnessing the smiles on the faces of those whose lives she has had a positive impact on.

Tina Marie's parents have always been her source of inspiration and encouragement. One of the many things they have encouraged her to do is dream big. She has taken those words to heart. As an athlete, she played competitive, select soccer for 12 years. She also played basketball, ran track and rowed crew. Her sense of adventure and love of sports led her to trying out and being selected as a Seattle Mariners ball girl, a position she held for five seasons, even though she had never played organized softball. Her fondest memories of being on the field include: the 2001 All-Star Game held at SAFECO Field; diving and catching hard-hit foul balls in front of 45,000 fans each night; being highlighted on ESPN and ESPN Radio for her diving plays; and, meeting Cal Ripken Jr. and participating in the pre-game festivities honoring his contributions to baseball.

Tina Marie grew up as an avid Husky fan! Therefore, it was no surprise to her family, after sorting through numerous acceptance letters that she enrolled at the University of Washington. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and a minor in Spanish in 2003. While attending the UW, Tina Marie was nominated and appointed to the University of Washington Senior Leadership Council by the University of Washington president based on academics, leadership qualities and community service. She was also selected as the Council's marketing chair in which she spearheaded a fundraising effort that raised approximately $30,000 for scholarships, a record-setting amount. Her aspiration for higher education led her into the halls of Seattle University School of Law, where she is currently a second year law student.

What is your favoriteÉ

Album: There You'll Be: The Best of Faith Hill

Movie: Fried Green Tomatoes

Place to visit: Palm Springs, Calif.

Food: Italian

Book: As the Waltz Was Ending, Emma Butterworth

Songs:

"Dream Big," Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand

"Canon in D," Pachelbel

"Babylon," David Gray

"Up!" Shania Twain

"The Way You Love Me," Faith Hill

Sport: Soccer

Sports team: Seattle Mariners

TV program: Survivor

Thing to do on a weekend: Bike riding

Charity: American Heart Association

Way to spend a day off: On any one day off, I love to spend time on the Burke Gillman Trail because it affords me the opportunity to experience the tranquil beauty of the northwest. While running or biking, I can take in the gorgeous scenery!

Q: What is one thing about you that people you meet may not immediately realize? A: When I meet people, they may not immediately realize that I was a ball girl for the Seattle Mariners for five seasons, although I had never played organized softball. Additionally, people become even more surprised when they learn that I was featured on ESPN's Sportscenter and ESPN Radio and The Women's Sports Network, as well as various other media coverage, highlighting my baseball fielding skills. Q: What is your hometown like? A: Growing up in my hometown of Lynnwood, Wash., offered me the best of both worlds: living in a rural community that is near a major metropolitan city (Seattle). Lynnwood is continuing its evolution from a small city into a modern, thriving commercial and residential community. It is very exciting to witness this growth in a city that is continuing to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere, which is the core foundation upon which Lynnwood was founded. It has given me a tremendous appreciation for the family-oriented core values that continue to define its neighborhoods. These core values are also consistent with the way I have been raised and which I continue to uphold in my adult life. It is about enjoying the best of both worlds, but it is also about not forgetting where you come from. Q: What makes your state so special? A: In addition to offering a variety of activities for everyone, Washington state is the only state that bears the face of a United States President on its flag! Q: What is the best piece of advice you've ever received? A: The best advice my parents have ever given me is to dream big and to be true to who you are. The underlying message is to set the bar high and strive to achieve that goal, all while never losing sight of who you are and where you come from. This is the same advice I offer the students I visit in the schools I speak at throughout the state of Washington. Q: What advice would you give today's teens? A: The advice I would give today's teens is to believe in themselves. Teens need to have self-confidence in order to ensure that he or she is not afraid to dream big and have high aspirations. I would also encourage them to set the bar high and strive to achieve that goal, all while never losing sight of who you are and where you come from. Q: What do you think is the greatest misconception about pageant contestants? A: One of the greatest misconceptions about pageant contestants is that our sole goal is to win a crown. However, in reality, the Miss America Organization is committed to instilling in each young woman valuable communication and leadership skills that will help her now and in the future. Additionally, each contestant is striving to achieve higher education through the scholarship monies awarded, as well as making a significant difference in the lives of the people we touch through our respective platforms. Q: What is one important thing you have learned from being in pageants? A: One important thing I have learned from being in pageants is that I am not competing against others, but rather I am competing against myself, challenging myself, and striving to be the best I can be. Q: What is the last book you read? A: As the Waltz was Ending by Emma Butterworth because the main character persevered through what could be considered insurmountable obstacles and, yet, never lost her will to survive amidst the tragic circumstances of World War II. Q: What qualities do you look for in a leader? Do you have these qualities? A: To be a good leader means having the courage to articulate a vision, to be active in one's community, to be an advocate for something one is passionate about, to extend oneself beyond one's comfort zone and to not be afraid to ask others for their help or advice. Sometimes being a leader means challenging the process (i.e. the way things have always been done). However, I believe that this is constructive in that it may lead to encouraging and inspiring others into action to pursue something that they may be passionate about. I believe I do possess the qualities of a leader as underscored by my accomplishments. My accomplishments reflect the various leadership roles I have assumed as part of my passion for community involvement. My leadership is also evidenced by my commitment to collaborate with others to get things done and help improve the lives of others. My vision to ensure that all children have access to quality healthcare is a challenging and complex one; however, I am prepared to take this on because I believe that good leaders are not afraid to take on difficult tasks, particularly when it involves one of the most vulnerable segments of our population -- this nation's children. Q: What does it mean to you to be an American? A: As Americans, we are truly blessed to have the freedoms we possess. To be an American means having the freedom to participate in our democratic form of government. It means having the freedom, as individuals or collectively, to act on our convictions to preserve what is good about this country and to address what is unjust, without the threat of being suppressed arbitrarily. On a personal level, it is about enjoying a wide-range of freedoms that guarantee my ability to dream, to set goals, to express my opinion in public, to pray and to vote according to my beliefs. It is about having the freedom to passionately pursue a vision that is based on my beliefs, and not one based on simply preserving the status quo. Q: What are you studying in school? A: Currently, I am a second year law student at Seattle University School of Law. I look forward to focusing on family law and advocating for what is in the best interest of the children. Q: What were you like as a child? A: As a child, I was a tomboy! Everyday, I wore my favorite pair of overalls because they had many pockets in which to put a variety objects. I loved playing outside, playing in the dirt, climbing trees and exploring nature. One activity I enjoyed was collecting caterpillars, putting them in my pocket and bringing them into the house. I would constantly forget they were in my pocket, but would always remember once my mom found them just before she would put my pants in the washing machine! Perhaps this is the reason my mom stopped buying me overalls! Q: What are you most excited about regarding this year's pageant? A: I'm excited to be a part of groundbreaking history and the new beginning that the Miss America Organization has embarked on. The partnership that has been established between our organization and CMT is based on a bold vision. The possibilities are intriguing, and this partnership represents tremendous potential Ð something that can lead to wonderful opportunities for everyone involved in this pageant! Q: What is the best thing about participating in this year's pageant? A: With the change in date of the pageant, we, as contestants have been able to travel to Orlando, Fla., to support the first-ever Miss America's Outstanding Teen competition. Additionally, traveling to Nashville, Tenn., to film the promotional footage has enabled all of us to meet other contestants prior to the actual competition. These are opportunities past state titleholders have not had an opportunity to do. What is truly the best thing about participating in this year's pageant is the possibility that one of us will have the privilege to inaugurate a new, fresh beginning, while maintaining and building on the rich tradition that is associated with the Miss America Organization!