An aspiring international lawyer sang the classical “O Mio Babbino Caro” and the verdict was the awarding of the talent preliminary award at the conclusion of the opening night Wednesday at the Miss Tennessee Pageant in Jackson.
Maria Glover, Miss Knoxville, was the last in her group to perform and the judges were impressed by her vocal skills. Glover, a Maryville resident and a graduate of UT-Knoxville, was a top 10 finalist at last year’s pageant.
Meanwhile, Hailey Brown, Miss UT-Martin, garnered top honors in the swimsuit competition. Brown is making her first appearance at Miss Tennessee. Outgoing Miss Tennessee Valli Kugler was Miss UT-Martin when she won last year’s contest.
Brown, a South Fulton native, plans to graduate in December with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. Her career goals state that she would like to become either an orthopedic surgeon or a hematologist.
Miss Chattanooga Alia Crutcher and Cara Allison Miss Hamilton County were among the women featured in the talent competition. Lisa Saalwaecther, Miss Southeast Tennessee and Miss Metropolitan Autumn Wiggins participated in the swimsuit portion,