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Brianna
Tichy is the 2009-10 Miss Czech Slovak US. She represented New Jersey
and is from Woodrich, NJ.
She is 19 years old and the daughter of Fred Tichy and Bridget Deficcio. She plans to continue her education at University of Nebraska – Lincoln
studying International Studies, focusing on Post-Communist countries, and then attend Graduate School. She hopes to work in foreign diplomacy or international
relations. For this year, she also aspires to be the best Miss Czech-Slovak US!
When asked, how do you feel right now? “I am extremely happy,
but in a state of shock. I grew up watching the pageant as a little girl and wanting to be one of the queens, which
I never thought was possibly since there was no New Jersey
pageant. I was ecstatic once I found out about the at-large program and pretty content to accomplish my dream of spreading
cultural awareness through being a state queen. Winning the pageant has been a dream come true for me. I always
thought being national queen was an out of reach idea, but now I feel like anything is possible once you dedicate yourself
to it. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to.”
With the title she plans to spread cultural awareness
not just for the Czech and Slovak cultures, but for all cultures. She thinks being aware of themselves allowing one to
not only be closer to their family, but understand him or herself better by understanding their ancestors. She would
also like to educate people about the modern Czech and Slovak Republics.
She said, “Yes, they were countries that our ancestors came from years ago, but they are also modern power players in
today's increasingly global world.” Finally, she would like to get more parts of the country involved in the Miss
Czech-Slovak US
pageant. She says, “There are Czechs
and Slovaks across the country that deserve to be represented. Having wonderful ladies from more states would just make
the pageant so much better.”
Currently she is taking Czech Language
classes at the University of Nebraska and plans on continuing them
through the highest classes offered (300 level). In addition to the Czech classes, she is also actively involved in
the UNL Komensky/Comenius Club. This year, she will serve as one of the vice presidents as well as contributing to the
newsletter, "Naš Svět" ("Our World").
Brianna is dedicated to a couple key issues. In her words,
“Firstly, I believe that it is important to celebrate one's heritage, no matter what it may be. It does not matter
if you are Czech or Slovak, but that you celebrate something. In learning about your culture, you can become closer
to your family, but also closer to people in other countries. Heritage is a bridge across countries--one that deserves
to be preserved in our ever-shrinking world. I would also like to get people to celebrate not only past Czech and Slovak
triumphs, but also the modern ones. In the past, these nations have endured and overcome some of the most difficult
hardships. That will to survive and succeed still exists in modern times and it is time we start recognizing that.”
Brianna
can be contacted via email at: briannatichy@aol.com
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New Update 12/2/09
October
October was such
a great month for me! I had the most fun the weekend of the third and fourth, when I attended festivals in both Oklahoma and
Nebraska. When we arrived late that night, we were met with a group from
Nebraska also visiting the Oklahoma Czech Festival, consisting of the current second runner-up Carrie Brown. The next day, we all attended the Oklahoma Czech Festival in Yukon, OK.
I had such a great time! In the morning, I got a chance to ride through the parade, debuting the new Fiala Crown for
the first time since the national pageant. I also got to see the wonderful Oklahoma
Czech and Slovak Singers and Dancers and enjoyed some really awesome Czech food. At
the festival, I got to see my friend and former Oklahoma Queen Samantha Hlinicky hand down her crown to the new Oklahoma Queen,
Jaycee Jedlicka, to whom I would like to extend my congratulations. Later in
the day, everyone headed to the local and historic Czech Hall, where we opened the polka dance with a Grand March. Too
soon, it was time to leave for an all-night car ride to York, Nebraska for their Czech Festival. It was great to be able to support the York Chapter of the Nebraska Czechs, which is a relatively new chapter. I would like to thank the Nebraska Czechs of York and extend an extra special thanks
to the Kessler family—without them, this two day Czech festival marathon could not have occurred!
November
This November
was an exceptionally great one as it marked the 20 year anniversary of the Velvet Revolution in what was then Czechoslovakia
on the 17th. I was able to attend some amazing events celebrating
this truly awesome historical landmark. The festivities on November 6th,
when I travelled to the Kansas City area to take part in the Kansas City Czech Society and University of Kansas’ joint
celebration of the Velvet Revolution. I arrived in Mission, Kansas on Friday
night for a Banquet and Polka Party to commemorate the anniversary. There, I
met Kansas Queen Aubrey Ptacek and the Czech Honorary Consul to Kansas City, Sharon Valasek, who was instrument in getting
me to the Kansas City area. At the banquet, we enjoyed great food and music as
well as amazing company. The next night, Aubrey and I attended the showing of
a new documentary entitled “The Accidental Army” about the Czech Legion* in World War I in the only World War
I museum in the United States, located in Kansas City. Here, I had a chance to
not only see my Czech and Slovak friends again, but also spoke with Daniel Koštoval, the Deputy Chief of Mission for
the Czech Embassy in Washington D.C.
The next week
in Lincoln, the Czech Komenský Club hosted an entire week full of activities celebrating the Velvet Revolution called “Czech
Week.” Some of the highlights included the week’s kick-off with the
international premier of the documentary “Revolution: Take Two” by Oscar-nominated director Carlos Borsch, a lecture
on Czech Politics during 1989, and the end of the week Polka/Modern Czech Music Dance Party.
After this week filled with remembering the end of the communist era in Czechoslovakia, I have an even deeper pride
in my Czech roots—something I never thought possible.
*For more information
on the Czech Legion, please visit www.czechlegion.com
Know
of any other Czech or Slovak events going on? Let me know at briannatichy@aol.com, I would love to help celebrate Czech and Slovak
cultures in any way I possibly can!
Previous Update:
August
Wow, what a
month! After the pageant, my family and I stayed in Wilber for a few days more,
letting me relax a little before heading back to New Jersey. I have to confess,
I was in a daze most of the time, not quite believing this all wasn’t a dream!
Once I had time to digest the fact that I was Queen for a bit, it was time to head back to the East Coast, where I
had a whole new crowd of people eager to hear about how much fun I had in Wilber. After a couple of weeks at home, it was
time to drive back to Lincoln, where I attend the University of Nebraska. During
the first week of school, I even got to represent the national pageant for the first time since Czech Days, at the University’s
“Big Red Welcome” event. Accompanying me was 2nd Runner
Up Carrie Brown and Stefanie Vocasek, the current Nebraska Queen. We helped support
the UNL Komensky Club, of which I am Vice President, and manned the Czech Club booth in our kroje. Carrie and Stefanie even brought a taste of Czech Days with them and took turns playing the dudy and accordion. We had so much fun and got to talk to tons of people, Czechs and Non-Czechs alike,
about how important it is to keep culture alive. I would just like to take the
time to thank everyone who supported me in Wilber at the pageant. Everyone was
truly amazing and I could not have done any of this without their help! Even
though it was not my first Czech Days, it will truly be one that I remember forever.
September
With school
starting up, this month has been really busy! Lately, I’ve been working
to get my schedule for the year in order as well as getting back into the swing of classes.
I was really excited to be in Czech classes again, along with starting out the school year with some Komensky Club
activities. Since this year is the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, there
should be a lot of great Czech activities going on all over the place. I can’t
wait to attend them!
Upcoming Events in October
-October 3:
Oklahoma Czech Festival, Yukon, Oklahoma
-October 4:
York CzechFest, York, Nebraska
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