Miss Teen Volunteer pageant to begin Thursday
JACKSON, Tenn. — Contestants from all across the country are in Jackson to compete.
The second annual Miss Teen Volunteer America Pageant will begin on Thursday at the Carl Perkins Civics Center.
Miss Volunteer America is a nationwide, service-oriented scholarship program based in Tennessee.
It also seeks to empower young women through educational scholarships and also get them connected to many extraordinary opportunities.
“I’ve had so many opportunities. So many doors have been opened through winning Miss Teen Volunteer America. I’ve made so many friendships. Not only in the pageant, but in the community as well. Jackson has been so welcoming to all of us. It’s just been an amazing organization,” said Ellie Schmidt, of Enumclaw, Washington, who was crowned the inaugural Miss Teen Volunteer America on April 30, 2022.
Jackson has found itself as the home for pageants throughout the years.
“There’s no place that I could do this other than my hometown of Jackson, Tennessee. It’s the perfect place where as centrally located as you can get. Jackson’s the perfect sized city. We have a wonderful city mayor. We have a wonderful county mayor. We’re so grateful for their support. The Community Economic Development Division has been so supportive. As well as Lori Nunnery and everybody at Visit Jackson, TN. They are incredibly wonderful and supportive to us, and we couldn’t do it without them,” said Allison Alderson Demarcus, the founder of Miss Volunteer America.
People involved with these competitions believe it is more than just scholarship money. It is about uplifting young women as they move on throughout their life.
“I mean, in our second year alone we have given over $200,000 in scholarship money to young women. So, yes, we are encouraging young women to further their careers, their ambitions, their educational goals. However, I really feel like we are proving to young women that you are relevant, that what you have to say means something, and it has weight. So I think, honestly, when it boils down to it, Miss Volunteer America stands for, ‘Yes, you can,'” said Alexa Knutzen, of Utah, who was crowned Miss Volunteer America on May 7, 2022.
Miss Utah Volunteer was crowned Miss Volunteer America with Miss Volunteer America.
The pageant will go from Thursday to Saturday. It will begin Thursday and Friday 7 p.m. and on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
The winner of the competition will spend the next year traveling around the country, making appearances, and doing service work.
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