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Miss America's message

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    Laura Kaeppeler reveals her story to inspire, mentor kids

  • Duration 3:16
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Meanwhile she's just like every other Miss America she's super Smart absolutely gorgeous and she works her tail off.

But there's one thing that makes her very different from the other winners and it's something she's had a hard time talking about.

Until now talking about her father turns right now it's more Catholic memorial and rainy and -- It's great to have you a lot of people don't know that your dad once upon a time -- in jail.

That's -- you know I really -- Miss America as a way to raise national awareness for children not apparent in prison obviously stemming from my personal experience and I've been very proud of the work that I've been able to do throughout the course of the year working with a lot of different.

Nonprofits and mentoring programs but today specifically big Brothers big sisters it's so let's talk about what happened first to your dad to the people can.

Understand he was in prison for eighteen months for -- He committed white collar crime and spend some time in federal prison and looking back that was a time that.

I was embarrassed an isolated and -- obsession to something that I didn't even do and that's the same -- that every other child to as a parent imprisoned faces as well.

And so.

Stemming from that experience I had mentors come into my life that it's truly made a difference that I wouldn't be the woman to land today but most certainly wouldn't be Miss America.

And it came from outside your family yeah -- outside they steadily up and they saw a gap.

And is that how you segue to big Brothers big sisters right through through my experience with mentors into that positive experience of of knowing.

That one difference that you could make in the child's life because I had it happens -- mean.

We thought it would be really great for me to partner with big Brothers big sisters just because it's so fitting to my platform and and about 25% of those kids in the big Brothers big sisters program has apparent in prison.

And you mentioned that you were embarrassed when your dad was -- -- but.

That's just the tip of the iceberg I mean I would imagine you would want wanted to talk to anybody because you're afraid of but -- we're gonna you know everybody's looking to make.

Right you know especially when it was a very prominent -- scandal in my community nominee of my.

Friends at school when understand what it was like to visit him on the weekends and then go back you want to dry out Monday -- to -- going to school no hidden no I didn't but you know is very embarrassing and shameful.

But the amazing thing about being Miss America as it gave -- this platform.

To turn the entire story around -- to be a positive for other kids and now in being with big Brothers big sisters you can help these other kids I was amazed at the facts that.

When kids get involved in this program more likely to improve in school avoid risky behavior and -- higher self esteem when you gonna do today over at Lincoln Center.

Today we're really gonna kick off my PSA that I did for big Brothers big sisters they're going to be.

It's -- -- there that are going to be sharing their story I'm gonna get to meet then spent some time with them and it'll be great afternoon to be spokesperson for then.

One of those statistics and not really having self esteem I really found that through this program I really found that through the Miss America system because of what happened to me.

Really held a damper over what I thought my possibilities were and what my future.

Would be -- what would amount to.

And so I'm a proud spokesperson for this not only because I've seen the power of maturing but it's a lot of what I've been trying to do this year as well terrific all right.

Very nice Laura congratulations thank you very much for dropping by the -- catching -- thank you for having me talk a big Brothers and business.

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