Miss Tennessee 2010 Stefanie Wittler

Stefanie Wittler
Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee
Age: 22

Education:
Soddy-Daisy High School
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Platform Issue: Ronald McDonald House Charities

Scholastic Ambition: To graduate with honors from UTC and attend Vanderbilt University's Executive MBA Program

Talent: Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Hope Scholarship, Modern Woodmen of America Scholarship, UTC Outstanding Student Representative Award

Career Ambition: To become the CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Hamilton County Scholarship Organization

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Organization

Miss Tennessee 2009 Ellen Carrington

Ellen Carrington
Jackson, Tennessee
Age: 21

Education:
University School of Jackson
Union University

Platform Issue: Volunteer for Life

Scholastic Ambition: To pursue a degree in Music

Talent: Classical Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Academic Scholarship; Music Scholarship; Leadership Scholarship

Career Ambition: To Perform Classical Music and Opera

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Scenic City

Miss Tennessee 2008 Grace Gore

Grace Gore
Nashville, Tennessee
Age: 24

Education:
Kirk Academy High School
University of Mississippi
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Platform Issue: Graceful Sounds: Hearing Conservation and Rehabilitation

Scholastic Ambition: Complete Doctorate of Audiology (Au.D.) Degree

Talent: Vocal

Scholastic Honors: - National Society of Collegiate Scholars - Chancellor's List - Summa cum laude graduate

Other Accomplishments: Organizing and implementing "Youth Service Day".

Career Ambition: Enrich the lives of the hearing and balance-impaired population.

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Lexington Organization

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Organization

Miss Tennessee 2006 Tara Burns

Tara Burns
Nashville, Tennessee
Age: 22

Education:
Vestavia Hills High School
Vanderbilt University—undergraduate—Musical Arts: Voice Performance

Platform Issue: HIV: Awareness for Life

Scholastic Ambition: To graduate from Vanderbilt Summa cum Laude

Talent: Classical Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Dean’s List—National & Vanderbilt’s; Pi Kappa Lambda; National Scholars Honor Society

Career Ambition: To obtain a Recording Contract with a Major Label

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Music City Pageant

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc.

Miss Tennessee 2007 Blaire Ashley Pancake

Blaire Ashley Pancake
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Age: 24

Education:
The Baylor School
University of Tennessee – Anthropology

Platform Issue: Prevent Child Abuse America

Scholastic Ambition: To obtain a joint degree in Law and Anthropology

Talent: Voca

Scholastic Honors: Phi Beta Kappa; National Dean’s List; Golden Key Honor Society

Career Ambition: To become a successful attorney and philanthroper

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Metropolitan

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc.

Miss Tennessee 2004 Ashley Eicher

Ashley Eicher
Nashville, Tennessee
Age: 24

Education:
Eastern High School
Middle Tennessee State University – graduate - Bachelor of Science, Recording Industry;
Belmont University – Pursuing Master’s Degree;

Platform Issue: The Importance of Keeping Music Education in Schools

Scholastic Ambition: To obtain a Masters degree in Mass Communications

Talent: Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Recipient of $21,000 from the Miss America Scholarship Program; Recipient of an archenemy scholarship from Middle Tennessee State University; Dean’s List

Career Ambition: Speaker and entertainer

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Murfreesboro

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc.

Three Nouns that Can Describe the Contestant: Congenial Leader Visionary Creative Thinker

Miss Tennessee 2003 Jamie Watkins

Jamie Watkins
Soddy Daisy, Tennessee
Age: 23

Education:
Soddy Daisy High School
University of Tennessee

Platform Issue: Keeping Music Education in Our Schools

Scholastic Ambition: To obtain a doctorate in educational administration

Talent: Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Golden Key National Honor Society; Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society; Dean’s List

Other Accomplishments: Raised over $20,000 for platform of Keeping Music in Schools; Distinguished Citizen Awards; D.A.R.E. spokesperson; secretary of Chattanooga Singers and the Singing Mocs

Employment: Governor’s spokesperson for a Safe and Drug Free Tennessee

Family: Father is a police officer. Mother is a procurement officer. She has one sister, Jeri, 28.

Career Ambition: To work with the United States Department of Education

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Scenic City

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc., Jackson

Miss Tennessee 2002 Valli Kugler

Valli Kugler
Rutherford, Tennessee
Age: 22

Education:

University of Tennessee at Martin

Platform Issue: Understanding & Insights of Learning Disabilities

Scholastic Ambition: To obtain F.M. Degree & graduate school with emphasis in music

Talent: Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Phi Upsilon Omicron National Honor Society; Gamma Sigma Alpha National Honor Society; UTM’s 4-year honors Music Scholarship

Other Accomplishments: Youngest member of the Governor’s “PRIDE” Team for a Drug-Free TN (1992-1996); 1999 vocalist with the Jackson Symphony & featured entertainer at Jackson’s Annual “Pinnacle” Awards Banquet in 2000 & 2001; “Action Club” Scholarship based on community service & academics

Employment: 2002-2003 Governors official spokesperson for a safe and drug free Tennessee

Family: Father is a guidance counselor. Mother is a teacher. She has one brother, Josh, 20.

Career Ambition: Her “idealistic” ambition would be a professional singing career but, her “realistic” goal is to own a chain of boutiques for “today’s woman”

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss University of Tennessee at Martin

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc., Jackson

Miss Tennessee 2001 Stephanie Culberson

Stephanie Culberson
Knoxville, Tennessee
Age: 21

Education:

Temple Baptist Academy
Lee University

Platform Issue: Volunteerism

Scholastic Ambition: MBA from Harvard/Doctorate in Performance

Talent: Classical Piano

Scholastic Honors: Alpha Chi National Honor Society

Other Accomplishments: Music director of a youth group in high school; Chairperson of a social event on Lee Campus; public relations chair for a 5K walk donated to medical missions

Employment: Receptionist and waitress in high school; worked for a recruiting dept and graduate music dept. at Lee; currently working part time for a company that handles promotional sales in auto industry

Family: Father is a minister. Mother is a children’s minister. She has one sister, Sabrina, 18 and one brother, Tyler, 15.

Career Ambition: To become the C.E.O. of a skin care corporation

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Cleveland

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc., Jackson

Miss Tennessee 2000 Beth Hood

Beth Hood
Cleveland, Tennessee
Age: 21

Education:
Bradley Central High School
Middle Tennessee State University Cleveland State Community College Graduate

Platform Issue: Alzheimer’s Awareness

Scholastic Ambition: To Obtain a Master’s Degree in Business Administration

Talent: Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Graduated High School with Honors; Member of Tau Omicron and Golden Key Honor Societies; Dean’s List

Other Accomplishments: Received the 1995 Youth Volunteer of the Year Award for Life Care Centers of America; Organized “Summer for Seniors” in 1996; Volunteer in a Long Term Health Care Facility

Employment: Model; Substitute Teacher; Part-Time Activities Assistant at Life Care Center of Cleveland

Family: Father is an Industrial Technician. Mother is an Admissions/Marketing Director.

Career Ambition: To Become a Public Relations Representative for the Alzheimer’s Association

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Cleveland

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc., Jackson

Miss Tennessee 1999 Allison Alderson

Allison Alderson
Jackson, Tennessee
Age: 22

Education:
University School of Jackson
Escorial Sampere - Madrid, Spain
Rhodes College Graduate; Georgetown University

Platform Issue: Read to Succeed

Scholastic Ambition: To obtain a Master's Degree in Business Administration.

Talent: Piano/Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Mortar Board; Wall Street Journal Finance Departmental Award; FEI Educational Achievement Award Recipient

Other Accomplishments: National Spokesperson for Reading is Fundamental; Member of Rhodes College's Presidential Search Committee; Rhodes Business Senior Seminar Award Winner

Employment: Financial Analyst Assistant - Morgan Keegan & Co. Intern - Bond Market Association

Family: Father is a Retailer. Mother is a Homemaker. She has one sister, Amy, 24.

Career Ambition: To Serve as the Chief Executive Officer of a Successful Public or Private Business Entity

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Memphis

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc., Jackson

Miss Tennessee 1998 Heather Brooke Heath

Heather Brooke Heath
Nashville, Tennessee
Age: 21

Education:
John Burroughs Preparatory School
Vanderbilt University

Platform Issue: Children at the Crossroads: A Cry for Youth Advocacy

Scholastic Ambition: Attend law school and earn a Doctorate of Jurisprudence

Talent: Vocal

Scholastic Honors: Mortar Board National Honors Scholar; Dean's List; Phi Alpha Delta pre-law society; Official spokesperson for the Governor's Alliance for a Safe and Drug-Free Tennessee; founder of "Tennessee's Children First"; America's Junior Miss Scholarship Program, Missouri's Junior Miss 1995-top six finalist in nationals

Other Accomplishments: Community Service Commendation for 290 hours of service; admitted by audition to the National High School Music Institute at Northwestern University and selected honors recital soloist; varsity cross country captain, lettered three years

Employment: Featured in an ecology video series used by schools throughout the United States; performer and front house staff member at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis; kindergarten teacher's aide

Family: Both father and mother are attorneys. She has a sister, Ashley Anne, 12.

Career Ambition: To become an entertainment attorney

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Heart of Tennessee Pageant

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc., Jackson

Miss Tennessee 1997 Lanna Suzanne Keck

Lanna Suzanne Keck
Knoxville, Tennessee
Age: 23

Education:
Central High School - 1992
Maryville College - Junior - Fall 1998; University of Tennessee - Knoxville - 3 1/2 years

Platform Issue: True Love Waits Abstinence Program

Scholastic Ambition: To complete bachelor's and master's degrees in vocal performance

Talent: Vocal - Contemporary Christian

Scholastic Honors: Dean's List - 1992-1993; Grace Moore music vocal scholarship from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Other Accomplishments: Produced and recorded first album - Glorify the Lord in 1992; Miss Kickoff for University of Tennessee football team; Vol Beauty in Football Time, 1992

Employment: Ten year ministry as soloist and motivational speaker to groups of all ages

Family: Father is a public utilities coordinator. Mother is a retired real estate affiliate broker and a housewife. She has one sister, Lori, 28

Career Ambition: To secure a recording contract with a Christian record label

Local Competition Sponsor: Miss Milan No-Till

State Competition Sponsor: Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant, Inc., Jackson