Stephanie Ziajka

Proud2Bme is an online community created by and for teens. As a guest contributor, I cover everything from fashion and beauty to news, culture, and entertainment, all with the goal of promoting positive body image and encouraging healthy attitudes about food and weight.

ANAD’s Junior Council consists of individuals (age 18-35) who are committed to eating disorder advocacy, awareness, fundraising and outreach.

As a part-time model and spokesperson, I have been doing promotional, print, and portfolio modeling for clients across the state of Florida for years. I traditionally do freelance modeling work; however, I am also represented by Slate Model and Talent Management, Level Talent Group, and Professionally Pretty, Inc.

In my capacity as Miss Tampa Bay USA, my primary focus is to continue to advocate for early childhood literacy through Hooked on Books, my personal platform and a program devoted to providing new and gently used books for underprivileged children in Greater Central Florida.

In my capacity as Operations Manager for Synergy Wealth Alliance, I successfully transitioned a multi-branch team of advisors to new a broker-dealer and location, while overseeing the firm's day-to-day financial activities and business transactions. I functioned as the multi-branch Compliance Officer, ensuring all marketing materials, seminars, public appearances, etc. were approved by the Broker Dealer, FINRA, and the SEC. I was also solely responsible for effective social media marketing and online advertising tactics to drive website traffic. Additionally, I launched and integrated all Marketing and Philanthropic initiatives, organizing an annual charity golf tournament for three years and raising over $30,000 in proceeds for the beneficiaries.

Mentoring Adolescent Girls to Inspire Change ("MAGIC") is the only comprehensive prevention/intervention/education project in the state of Florida specifically serving girls detained in a juvenile detention center. MAGIC facilitators and League volunteers work directly with teen girls, ranging in age from 12-18, who are held in juvenile detention centers and awaiting sentencing or admission into a treatment program. MAGIC staff and volunteers do not judge the girls, which is a first for many of them; MAGIC simply extends gender-specific services and a reliable and trustworthy support system while providing a much needed advocacate on behalf of the girls. Program facilitators meet with the girls frequently to conduct group and individual session. JLGO members volunteer every other Thursday night from 6:30pm to 8:30pm and conduct presentations and learning activities on topics such as Effectively Dealing with Loss and Grief, Adopting Healthy Eating Habits and Lifestyles, Recognizing, Appreciating and Building Upon Your Strengths and Gifts, Women’s Health and Gynecological Issues, and Understanding and Accepting the Differences in Others. Speakers have been brought in from a variety of organizations including Hospice, University of Central Florida and New Hope for Kids as well as local hospitals, secondary education institutions, and fellow Junior League members. JLGO, its members and some sponsors also provide the girls motivational and supportive self-help reading material, gender and age-appropriate books and magazines, holiday stockings filled with toiletries, personal care products and motivational notes for when the girls leave detention, and craft projects and hands-on activities to better help the girls “open up” and express their thoughts and feelings.

I have been involved with the International Reading Association since 2010. I had the honor of being selected as a guest host for the 2011 Annual IRA Reading Convention in Orlando, FL., where I interviewed convention attendees, vendors, and presenters, and eventually produced a video documentary of my experience at the convention. As a committee member of the International Reading Association, I help nominate and award the most deserving educational professionals around the world with the IRA Service Awards. Each year the committee selects recipients for the Maryann Manning Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, the John C. Manning Award, and the Special Service Award. Additionally, I serve as a member of the Children's Book Council, where I help research and recognize innovative literature for early learners.

“Hooked on Books” strives to mitigate the potential struggle caused by a lack of rudimentary literary exposure in early education. In my capacity as a Frontline Outreach mentor, representative for the International Reading Association, and former preschool teacher, I work to bring “Hooked on Books” into VPK classrooms and public libraries. I am also currently in the process of writing my own children’s book to contribute to the essential library of colorful, engaging literature for young students, and once completed, all proceeds will be donated to nonprofit literary organizations in Greater Central Florida. Hooked on Books conducts quarterly book drives, donating new and gently used books to locations in need, and over the past few years, we've collaborated with Books for Africa, Reach Out and Read, and First Book to target areas of extreme illiteracy in both children and adults.

Our mission is to help individuals, families, and their business enterprises develop personal goals and objectives. Together, we achieve those objectives by implementing personalized financial strategies that are designed to protect you and your family for life. Our team structure enables an intimate, client-focused approach to create extraordinary lifestyles for our clients through clarity, vision, and intelligent financial decisions. We achieve lasting relationships by exceeding expectations and maintaining our uncompromised devotion to our values, families and communities.

As a local Miss America titleholder, I represented the Pinellas County area, as well as my platform, Hooked on Books: Promoting Early Childhood Literacy, at the Miss Florida Pageant in July 2011. In addition to volunteering at various early literacy foundations, the majority of my year as Miss Pinellas County 2011 was spent developing Hooked on Books, a program I created that strives to mitigate the potential struggle caused by a lack of rudimentary literary exposure. Equally as important, Hooked on Books also intends to establish reading as a fun and exciting activity. Children should love books, and in today's society, so many young students view them as unclearable obstacles, causing feelings of vulnerability, fear of reading, and susceptibility to future academic impediments.

I taught two through four year-olds early math and reading skills at Genesis Christian Pre-School, an affiliate of Longwood Hills Congregational Church.