Courtney Miller
photo by Carden Photography
Twenty-four high school seniors are in Cleveland this week to form lasting friendships while in pursuit of the silver medallion that one of them will receive at Saturday night’s finale as the winner of the 2015 Distinguished Young Woman of Tennessee (formerly Junior Miss) program.
The participants arrived in Cleveland on Sunday to participate in community events while rehearsing for the two-day finals which start on Friday at The Dixon Center on the Lee University campus. Showtime is at 7 p.m. both nights and two-day tickets are available for $55 and single-night tickets are $30. The winner will receive her medallion from 2014 titleholder Courtney Miller of Tullahoma who recently returned from the national finals in Mobile where Brooke Rucker of Cartersville became the Distinguished Young Woman of America and won $57,000 in scholarships.
This year’s theme is “The Hits of Motown” and the co-emcees are the Distinguished Young Woman of America and Tennessee 2011 Katye Brock and Miss Tennessee 2012 Chandler Lawson who was also Tennessee’s Junior Miss 2008. Misses Miller, Brock and Lawson all competed at the Tullahoma/Cumberland Valley program and the trio are Tullahoma High School alumni.
The candidates are judged in Interview (25%), Talent (25%), Scholastics (20%), Fitness (15%) and Self-Expression (On-Stage Question) (15%). The state winner receives a scholarship, appearance opportunities promoting the “Be Your Best Self” program statewide which emphasizes health, community service, excellence in academics, ambition and responsibility.
The 2015 program which is in its 57th year is the first ever to have twins among the contestants. Notre Dame High School seniors Kathleen Michaela and Allyn McKenzie Guice are representing Middle Valley and Hixson respectively. Notre Dame Graduate Katie Ward won the state title two years ago and is entering her sophomore year at Belmont University.
The Guices are among the 16 area teens in this year’s lineup which also includes contestants from the Memphis, Nashville and Tri-Cities area.
In order of appearance, the 2015 contestants along with their local title, school and talent presentation:
· Hannah Kimberly Reese, Loudon County
Loudon High School
Vocal, “Redeemed”
· Allison Elizabeth Coyle, Shelby County
Germantown High School
Vocal, “I Dreamed a Dream”
· Caitlyn Marie Moro, Ooltewah
Ooltewah High School
Piano, “Comptine d’un autre ete: L’Apres Midi”
· Kadee Lynn Klimowicz, Rhea County
Rhea County High School
Vocal, “That’s Life”
· Kathleen Michaela Guice, Middle Valley
Notre Dame High School
Clogging, “Can’t Touch This”
· Cara Leigh Creighton, Tennessee Valley
Silverdale Baptist Academy
Vocal, “Defying Gravity”
· Chloe Michaela Lyle, Signal Mountain
Signal Mountain High School
Cello, “Tarantella”
· Savannah Beth Willard, Hamilton County
Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts
Contemporary Dance, “When the Light Gets In”
· Madeline Deneen Fest, Music City
Centennial High School
Vocal, “Part of Your World”
· Charnae Gyana Hines, Soddy-Daisy
Soddy-Daisy High School
Comic Monologue, “Barbie”
· Julia Zarianna Hurley, Monroe County
AAMC
Vocal, “Breathe”
· Peyton Kirby Wilson, Elizabethton
Elizabethton High School
Vocal, “Habanera”
· Allyn Mackenzie Guice, Hixson
Notre Dame High School
Vocal, “My Favorite Things”
· Hannah Darlynn King, Bristol
A Beka Christian Academy Homeschool
Piano, “Fantaisie Impromptu”
· Kyleigh Paige Stewart, Marion County
South Pittsburg High School
Vocal, “Please Mr. Postman”
· Macy Jean Marin, Cumberland Valley
Tullahoma High School
Clogging, “Game Time”
· Destiny Irene Mears, Chattanooga
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences
Vocal, “The Greatest Love of All”
· Rachel Michelle Moffett, Greenback
Greenback High School
Baton, “R-O-C-K in the USA”
· Lacy Cheyenne Slinker, Rutherford County
LaVergne High School
Vocal, “Butterfly Fly Away”
· Emily Melissa Wilt, East Brainerd
Collegedale Academy
Vocal/Guitar, “Son of a Preacher Man”
· Ashley Rebekah Stevens, Tullahoma
Tullahoma High School
Vocal, “Let It Go”
· Savannah Eloise Stone, Cleveland
Walker Valley High School
Original Spoken Word Poetry, Various pieces of art in numerous mediums By Myself
· Courtney Sherry Johnson, Sevier County
Gatlinburg-Pittman High School
Dance, “Don’t Rain On My Parade”
· Elizabeth Neely Merriman, McMinn County
McMinn County High School
Tap Dance, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”