Miss Tennessee Volunteer pageant kicks off in the Hub City
JACKSON, Tenn. –Pageant week is back in the Hub city.
“This pageant is a great tradition in Jackson, Tennessee. We’ve been doing it for 70 plus years, just change of name, things like that, but we’re really excited,” said Emily Anne Sparks, Co-executive Director, Miss Tennessee Volunteer.
The Miss Tennessee Volunteer is back in the Hub city, where 36 contestants will be looking to be crowned the new title holder and win a scholarship.
“They are going to earn scholarship money. Every girl that walks across that stage this week will earn scholarship money toward their education and that is what we want,” Sparks said.
Sparks says education is one of the main focuses for the pageant.
“We want girls to go, whether that is a trade or 4 year institution, we want them to be educated, we want to empower them,” Sparks said.
Amelia Collins, the current Miss Tennessee Volunteer, says competing in the pageant is thrilling.
“As a contestant, it’s more exciting than stressful because this truly is the opportunity of a lifetime. There’s a lot of scholarship money and so many opportunities come from this organization and I feel like, as a contestant a lot of us really feel blessed to be a part of this week,” Collins said.
She says she has been able to see the program grow.
“We have a lot of newcomers which I think is super exciting, we also have a lot of returners but it’s been awesome getting to meet the newcomers and see this program grow as a whole,” Collins said.
She also says she’s made lifelong friends thanks to it.
“I honestly can say that a lot of the women that I met at that competition will probably be standing with me at the alter when I get married, honestly they’re some of my closest friends but it was such an amazing experience,” Collins said.
Preliminary competition starts this Wednesday, June 15 at 7 p.m. at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
If you would like to purchase tickets, visit the ‘Seen on 7‘ section of our website.
