Haylie Moon
Miss Clatsop County 2018
University of Portland
Talent: Lyrical Dance
Platform: De-Stigmatization of Adolescent Mental Health Issues

I grew up in the small town of Cannon Beach with my parents Jon and Anjie as well as two younger siblings Chevy and Sonoma. I started working and volunteering in my community at a young age by being a yearly hostess for the Cannon Beach Fire and Rescue Ham Dinner. During high school, I was able to continue volunteering throughout my community by participating in the Upward Bound summer program. Through this program I had the opportunity to restore a wetland behind Warrenton high school, and helped to put on a job fair/resume workshop for the citizens of Astoria. During my senior year of high school, I became a volunteer for the Cannon Beach Fire Department, gaining over 70 hours of volunteer experience, and through this work discovered my passion for healthcare. I am currently a senior nursing student at the University of Portland and will be graduating in May of 2018 with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

My platform is De-Stigmatization of Adolescent Mental Health Issues. I chose this platform due to my experiences with friends who suffer with mental illness as well as my interactions with patients who have suffered from mental illnesses. The issue of mental health is one that is very prevalent in society today. I feel that currently mental health is underfunded, those who suffer from mental illness are often misunderstood, and that many in communities around the world do not know how to properly treat those who suffer from mental illness. I chose to target adolescent mental health issues specifically because adolescence is a time when growth both physically and mentally occurs, due to this many mental illnesses have their onset during this time. By bringing awareness of this issue to those of all ages, but particularly adolescents, I will be able to help my community become a safer, more understanding place for those who suffer from mental illness. I look forward to the many events that I will attend during my year of service as Miss Clatsop County and will use those opportunities to speak with my community members about the importance of mental health issues in our community, as well as around the world.

After graduation in May I plan to become a registered nurse and would love to specialize in mental/behavioral health nursing. In the future, I plan to try travel nursing as well in order to broaden my world view. I also plan to spend more time volunteering once I am out of school, and hope to someday be involved with the American Red Cross by providing disaster relief efforts to those in need.