2012 Events
Niasia is Very involved in her community! Here you can see what she's been up to!
Oct 6th
Niasia models in 2nd Street Cultural Festival Fashion Show
Niasia was a model in the 2012 2nd Street Fesitval Fashion Show - sponsored by Sisterly Grace Studios. She was featured in 4 Scenes modeling fall/winter apparel and was also recognized as Miss VA Teen Essence!
Sept 2nd
Niasia competes in Miss Renaissance Pageant
Niasia traveled to Atlanta, GA to compete in Real Housewives of Atlanta's Cynthia Bailey's 2012 Miss Renaissance Pageant. Niasia placed 1st Runner Up in her division! She was featured in the RHOA episode that showed clips from the pageant.
Aug 25th
Niasia speaks to youth at Back to School Blast and kicks off the Move Your Body Dance
Niasia attend this community event sponsored by The Saint Paul's Baptist Church. It involved over 500 childred providing school supplies, workshops and FUN to get students excited about the new school year!
Niasia spoke briefly to the students about goal setting and about her experience in pageantry and community service. She also sang in DA HYPE youth choir and led the crowd of students in the Move your Body Dance (1st Lady Michelle Obama inspired)!
Aug 17th
Niasia speaks to Henrico County School Board
Niasia was invited by the Supervisor of School Health for Henrico County Public Schools to speak to the Henrico County School Board to address the 100% Tabacco policy in schools and how it relates to asthma. She is pictured with Lamont Bagby, Henrico County School Board Member representing the Fairfield District.
Aug 7th 5pm-9pm
Niasia speaks to youth at National Night Out
Niasia will attend this community event sponsored by Mareesa Dawn and AVI. National Night Out is the nation’s largest, annual crime prevention/safety event in the country. It involves over 37 million people in 15,000 different communities from all fifty states.
Location: Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club, 37th & r streets
Aug 1st
Niasia visits VUU Baskeball Camp to speak about Asthma
CIAA Coach of the Year, Ms. Barvenia Wooten-Cherry, has invited Niasia to attend her 3rd Annual "Strickly Fundamental" Girls Summer Team Basketball Camp as a guest speaker. As a participant in the camp for the last two years, Niasia has learned a lot about team work and dedication. Niasia was happy to share her past experiences with the girls (ages 9-15) and also talk to them about Asthma.
Aug 7th 2pm-4pm
Niasia and Lafonda host a Royal Tea Party
Niasia Ellis, Miss VA Teen Essence and Lafonda Parham, Mrs. Essence, are royal guests at the Prince & Princesses Royal Tea Party at the Varina Library.
Aug 2-4
Niasia competes in the 2012 National Essence Pageant, in Arligton, VA
Niasia, Miss VA Teen Essence competed in the National Essence Pageant for the title "Miss Teen Essence" title. She had a GREAT time and feels fortunate to have meet so many Outstanding women!
Pageant Results:
- 1st Place Best Website
- Miss Congeniality
- 2nd Place Talent
- 3rd Runner Up over all
- Finalist Media Award
July 21st
Niasia models in Healthy, Wealthy, Wise Expo
Richmond International Raceway 1pm-6pm.
The Healthy, Wealthy, Wise Expo is coming to the RIR Complex on July 21, 2012. Special guest feature Dr. Ian Smith, The Oldest Female Body Builder Ernestine Shepherd, Food Network Star Chef Malcolm, Author Terrie M. Williams and MORE. You can also purchase tickets at American Family Fitness’s Brook Road location and also at St. Paul’s Baptist Church Bookstore.
Schedule of Speakers & Performers:
Noon-12:30pm – Kemel Leads Line Dancing
12:30pm-1:10pm – Pastor Lance Watson
1:10pm-2pm – Chef Malcom
2pm-2:45pm – Ernestine Shepherd
2:55pm-3:05pm – Financial Expert
3:05 pm-3:50pm – Dr. Ian Smith
3:50pm-4:05pm – Tevera Stith
4:05pm-5pm – Terrie M. Williams
5pm-6pm – Regency Square Mall Fashion Show
July 15th at 4pm
Niasia sings with DA HYPE at Annual Gospel Fest
The 3rd Annual Gospel Music Fest with The Belle” is set to return to a city that has long been known for its mixture of Traditional and Quartet sounds. From Sunday morning church services to evening Gospel concerts, the stage is now being set for one of the largest Gospel outdoor concerts on the East Coast. The 3rd Annual Gospel Music Fest with “The Belle” will include the sounds of Traditional, Contemporary, Urban, Gospel Hip-Hop and Neo Soul Gospel and is absolutely FREE to the public.Sunday, July 15, 2012 At 5:00p.m. in Richmond, VA. Youth - Gospel Hip-Hop @ 4:00p.m.
Artist Line Up: Dr. Bobby Jones, Dottie Peoples,Troy Sneed, Gerald Scott, Maggie Ingram & The Ingramettes ,Minister Earl Bynum and the Mount, The Bomb Squad, JT Logan, DA HYPE of Saint Paul's Baptist Church, Blaze, Ty Berkeley & More! Plus a special Tribute to Gospel Music Legend Larry Bland!
July 14th at 4pm
Niasia's Royal Reader Summer Book Giveaway
Niasia visited Saint Paul's Baptist Church's South Side Campus to distribute more free books to children ages 5-17. She officially gave away the last of her 300 books and plans to get more to distribute at the Elm Campus in Petersburg VA soon!
July 13th at 11pm
Niasia Speaks to teens at "Smart Girls" Retreat
Spark of Life Founder, Tabatha Spurlock, and Mentor Melody Pannell Invited Niasia to speak to the girls about her platform and her pageantry journey so far! Niasia enjoyed taking photos and answering the many questions the girls had.
July 9th-12th
Niasia Volunteers during Basketball Clinic
Destiny Summer Enrichment Camp for youth ages 5-12
July 7th
Niasia Ministers with RAIN Mime Ministry of Saint Paul's Baptist Church
July 7th
Royal Reading for Summer Fun!
Royal Reading Summer Book Giveaway!
Our very own Niasia Ellis, Miss VA Teen Essence, has partnered with Books on Wheels to distribute 300 books for youth ages 5-17! She will be available at the Kiosk after service today. All youth are encouraged to visit the kiosk and pick up a FREE book to read over the summer!
Books on Wheels is a Richmond, Virginia based 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that provides free books and free bicycle repair. As a mobile operation, Books on Wheels is able to travel to many different communities in Richmond. Books on Wheels is dedicated to promoting literacy and maintaining healthy, active lifestyles while striving to provide much needed resources to our communities that lack access to free books and bicycle education.
June 25-28th
Partnership For the Future visits Randolph-Macon
Niasia Ellis, Miss Virginia Teen Essence, packed her bags once again and headed to Randolph Macon College in Ashland, Virginia on June 25, 2012 to attend a four day workshop packed with personal and professional development training, and even earning Microsoft Certification in PowerPoint, Word and Excel software, sponsored by Partnership For the Future.
As a member of Partnership For the Future, Niasia will have the opportunity to attend professional trainings, visit colleges and universities, an obtain an internship that will help her prepare for the workplace. Throughout the four year program, Niasia will also receive help in selecting the right college, completing college applications, and prepare for the SAT through their prep course. As part of the program, students are also required to participate in community service.
June 16 - 23rd
YMCA Blue Ridge Leaders School
Miss Virginia Teen Essence- Niasia Ellis, wakes up at 4am to meet three of her fellow Chickahominy YMCA Teen Leaders and their Leaders' Club Director at the Chester YMCA along with 140 other Teen Leaders from the Richmond and surrounding areas to board motor coaches assigned to take them all BACK TO SCHOOL! Blue Ridge Leaders' School -that is! The Blue Ridge Leaders' School is not a "camp". It is a physical education leadership development school with high standards of behavior, participation and performance. Participants must meet fitness requirements for sit-ups, push-ups and shuttle run in order to participate in the Leadership Division and will be given a pass/fail grade and the end of the 7 day training. With a daily schedule beginning at 7:15am-10:15pm, other requirements include courses in: Basic Leadership, Science of Fitness I, Aquatics, Feeling Great, and Character Development. Niasia has enrolled in Gymnastics as her one elective course offering and is looking forward to the experience!
June 9th
Special Olympics
Niasia Ellis, Miss Virginia Teen Essence, participated with Jennifer Gray, Miss Virginia Essence, in the Special Olympics Event held on Saturday, June 9th. Niasia had the opportunity to meet the athletes, take photographs and sign autograph cards. She also participated in the Hearing Screening and even sat in on a Healthy Eating Demonstration
June 7th
SPBC's Daughter's of the King
Niasia Ellis, Miss Virginia Teen Essence and Jennifer Gray, Miss Virginia Essence were invited to speak to the young ladies of Daughters of the King ministry at The Saint Paul's Baptist Church.
Miss Virginia Teen Essence spoke to the group about her platform- Asthma Awareness: You can L.I.V.E. with Asthma! She reminded them of the importance of maintaining an active lifesyle and ways to identify and control asthma triggers. Many of the participants either had Asthma or at lest knew someone who did. Niasia conducted a demonstration with coffee stirers to show the inflamed/constricted airways of a person with asthma during an attack.
"I enjoyed sharing my pageant experience and educating the young ladies about Asthma! They are a great group of girls and Daughters of the King is a great ministry to help middle school girls to transition from tweens to the teens God wants them to be"
May 26th
Autism 5K Walk/Run
Miss Virginia Essence Jennifer Gray, Mrs. Virginia Essence LaFonda Parham, and Miss Virginia Teen Essence Niasia Ellis, attended the 10th Annual Autism Society of Central Virginia Run/Walk 5K. The Virginia Essence Queens greeted the participants and cheered as they ran or walked in support of the cause. At the end of the race each Queen handed out awards to winners.
All funds raised from this event will stay within the greater Richmond area, providing much needed support to families and individuals living with autism..
May 18th
Virginia This Morning Show
Miss Virginia Teen Essence, Niasia Ellis, appeared on WTVR-CBS 6 Virginia This Morning, Channel 6, the only local talk show in Richmond, Virginia on Friday, May 25, 2012 at 9 a.m. May is Asthma Awareness month and as Miss Virginia Teen Essence, Niasia has dedicated her platform, “You Can LIVE {Lead, Inspire, [be] Victorious, & Empower} With Asthma”, to asthma awareness. Diagnosed at the age of four, Niasia recalls trips to the hospital due to asthma attacks. However, asthma has not robbed her of her ability and passion to live an active lifestyle.
Niasia was joined by Dr. Rupen Amin, of St. Francis Medicine Family Center as they discussed the effects and common factors of the condition. Niasia plans to continue to share her story with children during her reign as Miss Virginia Teen Essence.
June 8th
Royal Tea at Blackwell Elementary School
Niasia Ellis, Miss VA Teen Essence and Jennifer Gray, Miss Virginia Essence, visited students at Swansboro Elementary School for a "Royal" Tea Party. The tea party is held monthly to honor the top reading students and their parents!
Niasia crowned and Jennifer gave scepters to each student as they arrived. The queens were served tea and assisted the students with the tea sandwiches while also offering the students proper etiquette tips. Both the queens and the students really enjoyed the story read by the Swansboro Elementary
School's Media Specialist, Ms. Gladys Wilder, called "The Unruly Queen" by E.S. Redmond. Afterwards, the queens helped Ms. Wilder with awarding the certificates to each child for their individual reading efforts.
May 28th
Sandston Memorial Day Parade
Miss Virginia Teen Essence, Niasia Ellis, made a royal appearance during the Sandston Memorial Day parade as hundreds of people lined the streets of Sandston to “Honor Our Veterans”. Niasia participated in the parade with the Chickahominy YMCA Leader’s Club. The Leader’s Club provides teens ages 13-18 with knowledge, training, communication skills, and valuable team-building experiences through volunteering in YMCA programs and the community. Niasia serves on the executive board of the YMCA Leader’s Club as the Historian.
May 16
Virginia Asthma Coalition
Miss Virginia Teen Essence, Niasia Ellis, attended the Virginia Asthma Coalition (VAC) Quarterly Board Meeting held in Richmond, Virginia. Niasia was invited to attend and share her experience with asthma as an active teen to VAC members during Asthma Awareness Month. Niasia plans to educate others using her platform “Asthma Awareness: You Can LIVE with Asthma”. LIVE is an acronym for Lead, Inspire, [be] Victorious, & Empower. She plans to encourage young people to LIVE, while safely enjoying sports and maintaining an active lifestyle.
April 30th 2012
Niasia Participates in the Mayor's
"Get Healthy, Stay Healthy Expo"
Miss Virginia Teen Essence, Niasia Ellis, attended Mayor DeWight Jones' new "Get Healthy, Stay Healthy Expo". Niasia performed the "Move Your Body" dance choreographed by Beyonce and inspired by First Lady, Michelle Obama!