Pageant Contestants Tour Elvis Presley Birthplace And Museum

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) -Contestants in the Miss Mississippi Volunteer Pageant took some time from their busy schedule and visited one of the state’s top tourist attractions.

Twenty-three young ladies are in the pageant, which began Thursday evening in Tupelo.  Friday morning, the contestants were able to tour the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum.

It was an opportunity for the contestants to see the two-room home where Elvis was born, visit the museum and the church the Presley family attended when Elvis was a youngster.

Each contestant has a platform that stresses volunteerism in their community.

“My platform is the ‘Children’s Neighborhood Program,” which is a character education program I founded and created at the Nashville Rescue Mission.  It’s essentially Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, but in-person programming in small groups to teach children who live at the shelter with their mothers coping skills, how to face their feelings, make friends, communication, things like that,” said Addison Grace Hadley, Miss Pine Grove.

Hadley is a student at Vanderbilt in Nashville but represents her family’s farm which has been located in Chula Mississippi for 150 years.

The Miss Mississippi Volunteer Pageant is held at the Performing Arts Center at Tupelo High School at 8 Friday and Saturday evenings.