As part of her mission to show and tell kids that dreams can come true, Serena Bucaj, Miss New York 2016, recently shared her story of perseverance and confidence at CHAM.

Her journey to become Miss New York was not without its challenges. After making three attempts for the title she achieved success in January 2016 and will move on to the Miss United States competition in June.

Today, Serena wants to be an inspiration for kids to help them believe they can achieve their goals, whatever they may be.