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Miss Teen Volunteer America brings 51 delegates to Jackson; national titleholder touts scholarships and service
Summary
Miss Volunteer America Lauren Salamini and three teen delegates described the Miss Teen Volunteer America national pageant in Jackson (March 4—), highlighted scholarship awards and partnerships with St. Jude and the Salvation Army, and said contestants have raised substantial funds for charity.
Miss Volunteer America Lauren Salamini, the national titleholder, said the Miss Teen Volunteer America pageant arrives in Jackson with 51 state delegates competing March 4— at the Carl Perkins Civic Center and that local viewers can watch preliminaries and finals on E+ TV6.
Salamini described the competition as built around service and scholarship. "We're really looking for a girl that is consistent," she said, explaining judges score interview, talent, fitness and evening gown segments and include an onstage question portion. She said the program emphasizes community service as part of the title's responsibilities and cited national partnerships with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Salvation Army.
Contestants raised money for St. Jude in recent cycles: the hosts said the team raised more than $40,000 in a prior year and "this year we have successfully succeeded $85,000," a figure Salamini said is ongoing and that competitors may continue fundraising through May. Salamini also described travel and scholarship benefits: she said she has traveled widely during her reign and has received about $60,000 in scholarship awards through the program.
Three teen delegates who appeared on the show described why they entered. Arya Chalk (Miss Hawaii Teen Volunteer), Isabelle Dwire (Miss New Hampshire Teen Volunteer) and Emma Bishop (Miss Alabama Teen Volunteer) said service, personal growth and performing on stage drew them to the competition. One delegate said the pageant offers "a chance to meet our pageant sisters," while another said she looks forward to talent and evening-gown portions.
The pageant organization will also award stage scholarships (hosts said the national pageant in June will distribute more than $100,000 and the teen pageant will award over $25,000 in scholarships). The show encouraged viewers to attend the preliminaries and finals at the Carl Perkins Civic Center or to watch the live stream on the station's site.
The program concluded that the pageant seeks to pair the pageant— responsibilities with service opportunities and scholarships for young women pursuing education and community projects.
