Contestants arrive for Miss Mississippi Volunteer Scholarship Pageant

The pageant promotes scholarships, schooling, accountability, volunteerism and empowerment

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Contestants from throughout the Magnolia State are in Tupelo for a singular magnificence pageant.

Miss Mississippi Volunteer Rachel Shumaker greeted every contestant as they arrived to register on the Performing Arts Middle at Tupelo Excessive College.  Shumaker, who’s from Pontotoc, was topped the winner of the primary Miss Mississippi Volunteer Pageant final summer time and says it’s been the expertise of a lifetime.

“I’ve been capable of accomplish greater than I’ve ever dreamed, particularly with the Mississippi Freeway Patrol, talking to over 5 thousand Mississippians, this yr at about 40 shows on secure driving, heading into regulation faculty this fall with about eighteen thousand {dollars} in scholarships, however I feel a very powerful factor I’ve been in a position to do that yr is assist construct up this program,” Shumaker mentioned.

Contestants will participate in one in every of 4 pageants this week, the Miss Mississippi Volunteer and Miss Mississippi Teen Volunteer pageants. Winners of these will head to the nationwide competitions.  There are additionally two fundraising occasions, the Spirit of Mississippi and the Miss Pre Teen Spirit of Mississippi competitions.   Pageants function interview, expertise, health and wellness, and night robe competitions.

Contestants have a full week forward and since volunteerism is among the key pillars of this pageant, the younger women may even participate in acts of service all through the group.

“One class we added this yr, not a pageant, however our Honey Bee Princess Program.  We have now 25 little women who will do a mentoring program all week lengthy, even doing issues at NMMC Kids’s Wing, portray tiles for the ceilings,” mentioned Steve Stockton, govt director of the pageant.

Every contestant’s platform is supposed to make a optimistic affect on individuals’s lives.

“My platform is “Outlined by Me’ permitting people to know their circumstances don’t outline their future, the alternatives they make day by day will decide their future,” mentioned Hannah Perrigin, Miss Lowndes County.

“My platform is Chosen, elevating consciousness for adoption as a selection.  My adoptive mother and father had been making an attempt to have a toddler for 5 years, by way of a name by way of their house church they had been capable of undertake me fourteen hours after I used to be born,” mentioned Celeste Lay, Miss Oxford.

“My platform is Epi Care is Epinephrine schooling and consciousness, the place I get to advocate for the meals allergy group, I’m allergic to 6 of the 9 meals allergens. dairy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish,  I educate others on the significance of carrying an epi-pen,” mentioned Rebekah Wallace, Miss Desoto Teen Volunteer.

The Miss Mississippi Volunteer Scholarship Pageant runs by way of Saturday when the winner is topped.

For extra data on the pageant, go to Miss Mississippi Volunteer web site.