I never had becoming Miss America on my radar screen. But when I was 17, I decided to quit the violin and my parents were devastated.

I believe giving back is one of the greatest life lessons we can teach our children; that the world isn't all about them, and that through our actions people will really discover what kind of a person we truly are.

Gratitude needs to come back in a big way and I hope to encourage people to get involved.

I felt vindicated that I decided to speak up for not only myself but women all across the nation who've been put down.

I am raising my children with the Christian faith and life lessons I was taught. I am equipping them with all of the information and guidance as a parent and hope they will make sound decisions. The most important thing is to teach kids to stand firm in what they believe and not be swayed by detractors no matter what the subject matter.

I'm advocating for companies not to make women sign confidentiality clauses just to be able to come to work. I understand that companies need to keep some things secret - like business practices and trade secrets - but confidentiality clauses were never supposed to be keeping private what's happening to people within the workplace. It's a human right issue.

Trust is the most important aspect of being a journalist. If people don't trust or find you relatable - you will not have success.