Miss Mississippi Volunteer Pageant To Promote Volunteerism, Teen Driving Safety

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – A new beauty pageant is coming to the All America City this summer.

As executive director of the “Miss Mississippi Volunteer Pageant,” Steve Stockton wants to have a pageant with a purpose. That’s why the Amory resident recently visited the Mississippi Highway Patrol headquarters in Pearl, to partner with the agency.

“The newly crowned Miss Mississippi volunteer will be acting as a spokesperson, going across the state with the Highway Patrol and getting the message out about their new DRIVE campaign,” Stockton said.

MHP Launched the DRIVE campaign in February. DRIVE is short for Driving Requires Initiative Values and Education. The goal is simple, to help teen drivers develop safe driving habits and reduce the number of teen driving fatalities in Mississippi.

The pageant will take place in Tupelo and contestants will be encouraged to volunteer in their communities. Stockton says the winner will have many opportunities to impact the lives of many teenagers.

“You know, this gives a young lady a unique opportunity to find her one, her one person, I think we all look for that in life, maybe we might have an opportunity to make a positive impact on their life, but more importantly, for Miss Mississippi Volunteer, she will be finding her one that she might even save their life,” Stockton said.

The pageant will put a statewide spotlight on the All America City. Neal McCoy is executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau and says the pageant, with its emphasis on volunteerism and civic responsibility is an event Tupelo is proud to host.

“By their knowledge, they gain they become ambassadors for the state of Mississippi, so it’s a win win all together for us, it means we have visitors in our community, exploring downtown, and getting out and about, shopping in Tupelo,” McCoy said.

Stockton says contestants will take part in activities throughout the city during pageant week. The Miss Mississippi Volunteer Pageant is set for July fifth through the tenth.

The pageant will be held at the Performing Arts Center at Tupelo High School. Scholarships will be awarded to the winners. For more information on the pageant, go to www.MissMississippiVolunteer.com