Mrs. Essex County reads to former students

LYNN – The last time Karen Moniz was at the North Shore Christian School in Lynn she was saying goodbye to her students and coworkers after nine years as a teacher’s aid.Wednesday, Moniz returned to visit a group of second graders, many of whom she taught when they began at the school three years ago. Although the visit was educational, Moniz did not come back to the school to re-live her days as an aid. In fact, her latest visit was much more prestigious, as she donned the sash and crown of Mrs. Essex County 2008.Moniz, who won the crown a few months ago at the annual Topsfield Fair, dropped in on the second grade class as part of the school’s mystery reader series, where various familiar faces take time to read stories and have discussions with students.Now a teacher’s aid at the Cole Elementary School in Boxford, Moniz showed her natural talent for speaking and working with children, as she read the book “How Big is a Foot,” about a king who had his underlings build the first bed ever made for his queen.In a soft, calming voice, Moniz read the book to the class, occasionally pausing to answer questions and interact with students. After taking a photo with the class, Moniz discussed how her natural talent for public speaking, her spirituality and her love for her husband David inspired her to enter the contest as a way to serve her community.”I entered the contest as a 20th anniversary gift for my husband. I wanted the whole world to know how much I loved him,” she said. “He gave me his blessing, and he accompanies me on all of my speaking engagements. I just felt like it would be a service to the community where I could wear a sash and a crown and make a situation better by bringing some joy.”The contest was not based on strutting in a bathing suit or teasing up a new hairstyle like many pageants. Rather, the criteria for winning revolved around public speaking and representing the Topsfield Fair and Essex County Agricultural Society at various events in the county. Contestants had to be over 18, married and good at public speaking – all requirements that Moniz fulfilled.Her many responsibilities as Mrs. Essex County include promoting the Topsfield Fair and speaking about the benefits of farming and agriculture on the North Shore. She appears at schools and banquets, donning her sash and crown, as a face for the organization.While many women look at pageants as an ego boost or a self-centered accomplishment, Moniz says her inspiration came from her family and her faith, which helps her to cherish her year spent as a representative for the county.”My reasons are a little more spiritual than I think some other contestants,” she said. “I like to consider myself an ambassador of benevolence in Essex County. It is just something that I love to do.”I really felt like this was something I was being called to do. I knew that God gave me this gift of public speaking and I felt like I could do this as a gift and a way to honor that. I know other people that have done this to overcome things in their life, but I think my reasons are a little bit deeper than that.”