Rapid City woman crowned Miss South Dakota

Widvey, 23, is the daughter of Brett and Cami Widvey of Speedy Metropolis. Widvey acquired an $8,000 scholarship for profitable the Miss South Dakota competitors.

Widvey gained a STEM (science, expertise, engineering, arithmetic) scholarship of $750. The South Dakota Scholarship Basis, in partnership with CDI, Inc., of Brookings, sponsored two $750 scholarships to candidates who show dedication to the STEM discipline. Rio Snyder of Black Hawk additionally gained a STEM scholarship. Snyder was the Miss South Dakota 2022 third runner-up. Snyder will attend the College of South Dakota this fall the place she is enrolled within the honors faculty, majoring in pre-medical biology.

Widvey was a preliminary expertise competitors winner June 3, for which she acquired $1,000. For her expertise, she sang “Feelin’ Good,” successful music identified for being recorded by Michael Buble and Nina Simone. Widvey was the general interview award winner, as properly, for which she acquired $1,000.

“I’m actually grateful for this (Miss South Dakota) expertise as a result of it actually helped me develop completely different connections with individuals throughout the state and even different states,” Widvey mentioned. “The scholarships are going to assist me fund my medical training. It’s a very nice alternative for women and girls who’re looking for extra scholarships to allow them to pursue their training.”

Widvey is a 2017 graduate of Speedy Metropolis Stevens Excessive College, and he or she is a 2021 graduate of Augustana College in Sioux Falls, the place she earned a bachelor of arts diploma in biology and authorities/worldwide affairs. She has been accepted to Des Moines College Faculty of Osteopathic Medication, although she plans to place medical faculty on maintain for a yr so she will be able to fulfill her duties as Miss South Dakota.

Widvey’s social affect initiative as Miss South Dakota is “Childhood Most cancers Consciousness.” She plans to grow to be a doctor and is concerned with specialty fields comparable to surgical procedure, emergency medication and rural medication, she mentioned.

This was Widvey’s third time as a Miss South Dakota contestant. She beforehand competed in Miss South Dakota in 2019 and 2021. She started competing in 2016, when she entered and gained the Miss Speedy Metropolis Excellent Teen occasion. In 2016, Widvey additionally was topped Miss South Dakota’s Excellent Teen. She is the fourth former teen titleholder who has gone on to win the Miss South Dakota crown.

Twenty ladies from throughout the state competed for Miss South Dakota 2022. The ladies collectively gained scholarships totaling practically $48,000. Every of the non-semi-finalists acquired a $1,000 scholarship.

Widvey is one in all a number of West River opponents who gained scholarships through the Miss South Dakota and Miss South Dakota’s Excellent Teen competitions June 3 and 4.

Widvey competed as Miss Huron within the Miss South Dakota 2022 competitors. Carly Goodhart of Sisseton competed as Miss Speedy Metropolis and was first runner-up. She gained $7,750 in scholarships. Goodhart is a nursing graduate of South Dakota State College and works as a neonatal intensive care nurse in Sioux Falls. Her social affect initiative is “Lady Up: Upping the Schooling and Entry to Girls’s Well being.”

Second runner-up Annie Woodmansey of Pierre acquired a $4,000 scholarship.

Third runner-up Snyder acquired a $3,000 scholarship in addition to the $750 STEM scholarship. She additionally acquired the Ray Peterson “Rookie of the 12 months” award of $500 for being the top-placing first-time candidate.

Fourth runner-up Miranda O’Bryan gained $4,000 in scholarships, which features a $500 scholarship for profitable the Social Affect Pitch award after presenting her social affect initiative, “Web page Turners: Fall in Love with Studying.” O’Bryan graduated from South Dakota State College with levels in journalism and historical past and is a reporter/anchor for KOTA Information in Speedy Metropolis.  

The remainder of the highest 10 semi-finalists, who every acquired a $1,200 scholarship, had been Margaret Samp of Sioux Falls, Baylee Dittman of Spearfish, Laney Titze of Mitchell, Emily Deinken of Sioux Middle, Iowa, and Maleah Eschenbaum of Aberdeen. Samp additionally earned a $1,000 preliminary expertise award.

Breanna Bossman of Humboldt gained a $300 scholarship. McKenzie Hassebroek of Westport gained a $500 scholarship. Emma Salzwedel of Sioux Falls gained a $300 scholarship.

Miss South Dakota’s Excellent Teen

Olivia Odenbrett of Brandon was topped Miss South Dakota’s Excellent Teen 2022 on June 3. She acquired a complete of $3,700 in scholarships. First runner-up Natalie Schoeppner of Timber Lake acquired $1,400 in scholarships. 

Second runner-up Sydney Lockhart of Sizzling Springs gained $800 in scholarships. Third runner-up Javonte Madsen of Speedy Metropolis acquired a $600 scholarship. Fourth runner-up Karina Novotny of Sizzling Springs gained a $400 scholarship, a $1,250 Johnson Jackrabbit Scholarship and a $200 Neighborhood Service award.

Miss Fall River Balloon Competition’s Excellent Teen, Amara Bertelson of Speedy Metropolis, and Miss Jacks’ Excellent Jada Aragon of Ethan tied for the title of Miss Congeniality and shared a $500 scholarship.

Briley Steffenson of Yankton acquired the $1,000 Miss America Empower Scholarship.