Fourth Runner-Up Miss Nashville Jeanette Morelan, Third Runner-Up Miss Mountain Empire Christine Williamson, First Runner-Up Miss Chattanooga Caty Davis, Miss Tennessee 2016 Miss Mid-South Grace Burgess and Second Runner-Up Miss Tennessee Valley Meredith Maroney moments before learning of their final placements at Saturday's Miss Tennessee Pageant finals in Jackson
photo by Harvey Elkins
Miss Chattanooga Caty Davis and Miss Tennessee Valley Meredith Maroney were named as the first and second runners-Up respectively at the finals of the Miss Tennessee Pageant late Saturday in Jackson.
Miss Mid-South Grace Burgess captured the 2016 Miss Tennessee title receiving a $13,000 scholarship and becoming the state’s representative at September’s Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. Ms. Burgess is a senior at the University of Memphis where she is majoring in Child Development. She won Thursday’s talent preliminary for her vocal rendition of “Desperado” and won the Miss Tennessee Quality of Life Award for her platform of “Ready, Set, Read!” which promotes childhood literacy. (http://www.readtn.net/home.html)
Ms. Burgess will serve as the Tennessee Goodwill Ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network and as the Governor’s Spokesperson for Character Education.
Ms. Davis became the sixth Miss Chattanooga in the last seven years to finish in the Miss Tennessee top five. The Knoxville resident and senior at UT-Knoxville won $10,000 in scholarships - $9,000 for being the first alternate and $1,000 as the winner of the Miss America State Quality of Life Award for her platform of Addiction Doesn’t Define Me – Empowering Families Affected by Substance Abuse. She was the winner of Friday’s Lifestyle and Fitness preliminary and received a Duke of Edinburgh gold medal for outstanding community service.
Ms. Maroney won a $7,000 scholarship to add to the $1,000 award she received as the recipient of the Public Relations Award. The UT-Knoxville junior won Friday’s talent preliminary for her vocal performance of “Somewhere”.
Miss East Tennessee Winterfest Ashley Broockman of Chattanooga was among the top 16 finalists. Miss Murfreesboro Mary Allyson McGinnis, who graduated from East Hamilton High School and is a junior at Belmont University in Nashville, received one of the five non-finalist awards.
Miss Chattanooga Caty Davis, left, and Miss Mid-South Grace Burgess await the announcement of who has been named Miss Tennessee 2016 late Saturday in Jackson.
photo by Harvey Elkins