Miss Teen Volunteer Pageant: Night 3

JACKSON, Tenn. — Friday night marks the end of preliminary competition for the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant.

After Friday night, every contestant will have competed in talent, fitness and wellness, and evening gown.

For the contestants, most of the work is done. For the judges, their work is just beginning.

Before the event began we had a chance to speak to Art Sparks, the CEO of the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant.

We asked him how the competition was going up until this point.

“Everything has gone really real. The City of Jackson makes sure of that. They do so many things for the pageant,” Sparks said.

With Friday being the last night of preliminaries, eliminations will begin with Saturday’s show.

The judges will narrow the competition down from 36 contestants to 15, then to 12, then to five, and then from that five one winner is crowned.

“Let there be no doubt tomorrow night is the night. Some lucky lady will walk away as the new Miss Tennessee Volunteer,” Sparks said.

But what’s in it for the winner and those that competed? Scholarships, and lots of them.

According to Sparks, the scholarships are still yet to be determined because they continue to receive more donations.

Sparks says even as late as Thursday night they received a large donation that will contribute to the amount of scholarship money given to the contestants.

As of Friday night, Sparks says more than $85,000 will be awarded Saturday night.

“The queen will probably get somewhere between 10 and 12. That’s still up in the air because we still have some people that are giving some money because it goes to the scholarships,” Sparks said.

Friday night’s winner in talent was Miss Germantown Erin Sharp. And the winner in fitness and wellness was Miss Northwest Tennessee Emily Pennington.

The final night of competition for the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Scholarship Pageant is Saturday night.

Doors open at 7 p.m. at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.

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