JACKSON, Tenn. — If you’re from West Tennessee, you’re probably familiar with the contest taking place in Jackson.
Hub City has been home to the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant (since renamed in 2019) for more than 70 years.
Jackson also hosts Miss Volunteer America and Miss Teen Volunteer, both of which boost the city’s economy during the summer.
“One of the biggest economic benefits of having the pageant in Jackson is that it brings people from all over Tennessee to Jackson. They eat here, they stay here, they shop here,” said Emily Ann Sparks, co-executive director of the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant.
On Friday, 35 contestants hosted their families at the DoubleTree Hotel in Jackson for a parent-child luncheon that drew more than 200 guests from Bristol to Memphis.
“Our sponsorship is about giving them an idea of where to shop, where to eat, where to go and what to do and where to visit in Jackson,” Sparks said.
The mission of the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Program is centered around scholarship, education, responsibility, volunteerism and empowerment.
“We empower young women and their character. We empower them not only by how they act and how they behave, but by how they encourage each other,” Sparks said.
The organization also works with local charities to give back to the community.
The winner of Miss Tennessee Volunteer 2025 will be honored Saturday night at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
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