Addison Rhudy, Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2023
Hometown: Midlothian, VA
Education: James River High School Center for Leadership & International Relations - 12th Grade
Platform Issue: Girl Power Grants
Scholastic/Career Ambition: Major in Communications and Leadership; Career in Communications
Talent: Musical Theatre Vocal
Scholastic Honors: Current GPA 4.2; Named James River High School's "Student of the Year" (2018); All AP and Honors (2016 to present); James River High School's "Most Valuable Rapid" and "Award for Ethical Behavior" (2017, 2018, and 2019); Principal's Advisory Council Member (2019); "Rapid Recognition Core Values and Positivity" Award (2017); Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership State Delegate (2018); World Language Honor Society (2018 and 2019); National BETA Club Member (2019); National Honor Society Member (2019); "Compassion Award" (2016); Third place in the Virginia STEAM Fair Literacy Engineering Challenge (2019); Third place in the Virginia Stock Market Game (2015).
Leadership Roles: Created, launched, and chair the Board of my nonprofit Girl Power Grants (GPG) (www.GirlPowerGrants.org) – $15,000 in grants given in March 2019 ($50,000 given since 2015); GPG Club Leader/Founder at five area schools; Appointed as the sole student (of 65,000) to serve with county administrators on Chesterfield County School Board's "School Safety Task Force" (2018); School BETA Club President (2019); Students for Siddiqi, Board of Supervisors – Campaign Manager (2019); Organized Statewide SweetFrog Fundraiser for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals with 40 participating local titleholders raising over $3,500 for Miss Virginia (2018 and 2019); Sophomore & Junior Leadership Council; Selected for Youth Advocacy Project Team; Led school wide walkout for student mental health and safety; Bible School Teacher
Accomplishments: Over the past year, I have volunteered 400-plus hours, including roughly 15 hours per week for Girl Power Grants and many for CMNH; Governor Northam's Cabinet for Student Safety advocating for mental health support (2018); Richmond Forum Scholar, a highly selective program for five high school juniors to support America's largest national speaker's bureau (2019); Richmond Chamber of Commerce HYPE Icon Awards "Nonprofit and Community Innovator" (2019); National Association Of Women Business Owners Student Entrepreneur of the Year (2019) Chesterfield County Outstanding Youth Award for Community Service (2017); First place, Virginia Congrès Français (2019); Keynote at NAWBO Richmond's Annual Luncheon (2019); Keynote at Virginia's Global Issues Forum (2017); Keynote for 1,000 people for the Cameron Gallagher Foundation (2017); Homecoming Court (2016 and 2017).
Interesting Facts: I have represented five local titles in the Commonwealth including Miss Cardinal's Outstanding Teen, Miss State Fair of Virginia's Outstanding Teen, Miss Roanoke Valley's Outstanding Teen, Miss Arlington's Outstanding Teen, and Miss Domininion's Outstanding Teen and placed first runner-up twice at the state competition. I've worked directly for Tina Fey, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, astronaut Scott Kelly, and geopolitical genius Ian Bremmer. I am a very adventurous eater and have tried stuffed cow spleen, lamb tongue, and pig intestines. I get a temporary tattoo for good luck before every pageant. I want to follow in my father's footsteps and drive the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
