A house RESOLUTION

 

to recognize and honor Vivienne Fonte for her wholesome charm and poise and to congratulate her for being named the 2024 American united Miss preteen.

 

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that thirteen-year-old Vivienne Fonte of Lexington County recently won the national title of 2024 American United Miss Preteen; and

 

Whereas, an eighth-grade student at Gray Collegiate Academy, Vivienne competed as Miss Clemson Preteen and not only earned the national crown, but also achieved success in earning several awards, including the Community Service Award, Junior Division Spokesmodel Award, Preteen Color Photogenic and Preteen Print Model, and First Runner-Up in Casual Wear; and

 

Whereas, Vivienne spoke openly during her interview with the judges about her personal challenges and triumphs after she was diagnosed with autism between her second and third birthday and spent years in social skills therapies and groups. She also shared her experiences of being bullied, both of which have been a testament to her perseverance and have developed her inspiring message of "progress over perfection" and "your quirks make you uniquely you"; and

 

Whereas, a central part of Vivienne's journey has been her dedication to service and leadership. She maintains social media pages to share her experiences and inspire others who face similar challenges. Having already volunteered more than one hundred sixty-five hours this year, she was honored with the Gold Presidential Service Award from the White House; and

 

Whereas, over the next year, she will represent the American United Miss organization's values of unity, compassion, and service. Vivienne has been widely recognized for her exceptional commitment to her community. Her recent projects have included regularly donating nonperishables to Local Blessing Boxes, stocking Little Free Libraries, donating pampering pouches to Lexington Medical Center Oncology in memory of her Meme, and donating to western North Carolina hurricane relief; and

 

Whereas, Vivienne founded her personal platform, "Have Faith," after tragically losing her cousin to child abuse in a well-known South Carolina case. Through her initiative, Vivienne provides hope and support to children in foster care, showing them that difficult times do not last forever; and

 

Whereas, her efforts have included donation drives for hygiene items, clothing, and Christmas presents, as well as the creation of "Birthday in a Bag" kits for foster children. In May, she courageously delivered her victim impact statement during her cousin's trial; and

 

Whereas, in addition to her platform, Vivienne organizes "Quarterly Queen Service Days," bringing together other pageant titleholders to serve their communities. Recently, they hosted a Senior Citizen Spa Day, where they pampered elderly women. They organized a back-to-school event that collected supplies for local Title 1 classrooms, and the group recorded reading videos to be shared in local schools. Vivienne is currently working on her goal of having a video from each of the fifty states; and

 

Whereas, despite her busy schedule, Vivienne makes time to volunteer weekly on her Fridays off from school. Beyond pageantry and community service, she enjoys cheering for Gray Collegiate, baking, singing, fishing, and spending time with family. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Vivienne Fonte for her wholesome charm and poise and congratulate her for being named the 2024 American United Miss Preteen.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Vivienne Fonte.

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