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THE HUN SCHOOL OF PRINCETON 176 Edgerstoune Road Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (609) 921-7600 www.hunschool.org Media Release For Immediate Release Contact: Maureen Leming 9 November 2012 Director of Communications and Marketing (609) 921-7600, extension 2299

[email protected]

Hun School Students at National American Miss Pageant

Princeton, NJ – Camille Schrier ’13 of Newtown, Pennsylvania and Alexandra Coleman ’16 of Skillman, New Jersey share more than a passion for pageantry. Both Hun School students will compete at the National American Miss (NAM) Pageant in Anaheim, California November 17th – 23rd. Perhaps more of a coincidence, however, is that both students also utilize pageantry as a platform to educate others on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).

Camille is the reigning Pennsylvania State Queen and will contend for the title of National American Miss Teen. Alexandra won the Actress and Photogenic competitions at the New Jersey State Finals and was second runner-up in the Spokesmodel competition. She will contend for the title of National All-American Miss Junior Teen.

The diagnosis the girls share is EDS, a rare connective tissue disorder that affects skin, muscle, and ligament function. Both Camille and Alexandra have employed their success in pageants to educate others about the disorder and the challenges it causes to those who suffer from it.

“EDS affects so much of how you live,” said Alexandra. “Yet, so few people know about the condition. Even doctors sometimes struggle to diagnosis EDS, because it is discussed so little. But, EDS affects nearly 1 in every 5,000 – 10,000 individuals. It’s out there, and I want to make sure others know about it.”

“By competing in these pageants,” said Camille, “I have a platform and a reason to discuss things like EDS. The pageants provide great exposure.”

In February of 2012, Camille received an email from a mother in North Carolina who had done an online search for information about EDS. The mother’s search brought her to a website Camille created, because of her participation in pageants. On one of the pages Camille had written information about EDS. Through their correspondence, Camille was able to connect the mother with various resources for her daughter. She also wrote a personal message to the young girl about her own experiences with EDS. “It was so nice to have a personal connection to someone, who was going through the same uncertainties that I went through and to offer some comfort,” said Camille.

Similarly, Alexandra’s efforts to educate and help others include creating a Youtube video about EDS, introducing The Hun Middle School to the disorder, speaking to her congregation at church, connecting with individuals with EDS on Facebook, and authoring an article for Looose Ends, the online publication from the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation.

Photograph caption: IMG_7724.jpg – Camille Schrier ’13 (left) of Newtown, Pennsylvania and Alexandra Coleman ’16 (right) of Skillman, New Jersey will compete at the National American Miss Pageant in Anaheim, California, November 17th - 23rd. Both Hun School students utilize pageantry as a platform to educate others on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

About The Hun School of Princeton: The Hun School of Princeton is a co-educational, independent college preparatory school in which student-centered learning is encouraged within the context of traditional curriculum, preparing its students for the global community in which they will live and work. Individual attention and strong student-faculty relationships are the hallmarks of the School. The Hun School is comprised of 620 students in its Middle School, Upper School, and Postgraduate Program. The boarding community is home to 152 students from twenty-one countries and nine states. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.hunschool.org.