Related video: Dozens competing in 2025 Miss Tennessee USA and Miss Tennessee Teen USA
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Four new queens who stood out among more than 100 contestants will represent Tennessee and Georgia in the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants this fall after being crowned in Clarksville last weekend.
The preliminaries for Miss Tennessee USA, Miss Georgia USA, Miss Tennessee Teen USA, and Miss Georgia Teen USA were held on Friday, June 27, followed by the finals on Saturday, June 28, at the George and Sharon Mabry Concert Hall at Austin Peay State University's Music/Mass Communication Building, according to Visit Clarksville. The Georgia events were held in the afternoon and then the Tennessee competitors took the stage in the evening.
Organized and produced by Greenwood Productions, Inc., the Tennessee pageants have been hosted in Clarksville since 1999, officials said. However, the timing of the 2025 competitions was different than recent years, seeing as both the 2024 event and the 2023 event took place in March.
The contestants competed in three equal phases for the preliminaries: active wear/swimsuit, evening gown, and interview. Then, after the semifinalists were announced Saturday, they repeated the swimsuit/active wear and evening gown elements, but they also answered questions on stage.
With regard to the queens from the Peach State, Miss Georgia Teen USA 2024 Ava Colindres — an aspiring marine biologist who was not only the first Afro-Latino-Asian American to earn that crown in Georgia, but also the first runner-up at last year's Miss Teen USA competition — passed her title on to the Cobb County delegate, Kalysia Negron, organizers said.
"Did I dream this? Last night I was crowned Miss Georgia Teen USA 2025 out of a group of amazing young women from across my home state!" Negron posted, in part, on Sunday, June 29. "I’m still floating on cloud 9 after one of the most magical nights of my life. I hope to make you all so proud! I’ve worked so hard preparing for this moment, but I never could have achieved this honor without my incredible support system."
Visit Clarksville said the following Georgia teenagers were in the top five with Negron:
- First runner-up: Brailyn Bailey, Miss Georgia North
- Second runner-up: Kiran Reddy, Miss Georgia South
- Third runner-up: Lillian Jones, Miss Fulton County
- Fourth runner-up: Kaytlyn Crapps, Miss Nuclear City
Miss Georgia USA 2024 Emmaline Farmer — who has a Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner from Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, worked closely with the American Heart Association, and played a key role in the passage of a Georgia House bill that supports Cardiac Emergency Response Plans — crowned Miss Georgia South, Savannah Miles, as her successor.
"To the Miss GA USA class of 2025: I feel so lucky to have shared this experience with such beautiful and inspiring women from across our state. I hope to make each of you proud this year, and I can’t wait to see where life takes you all," Miles wrote, in part. "To my own family, my forever GA South family, my SCAD designers, and every single person who’s supported me—not just this year, but always… thank you from the very bottom of my heart. Your love, belief, and constant support carried me through every step of this journey. I hope you know this crown is just as much yours as it is mine."
Miles is studying interior design at Savannah College of Art and Design with dreams of hosting a show that "brings new life to historic Victorian homes while honoring their original character and Southern charm," according to the pageant website. She's also a former Miss Georgia Teen USA who reached the top 10 at Miss Teen USA. Outside of pageantry, she works as a client advisor at Tiffany & Co., supports at-risk youth through Lost-n-Found Youth, and helps provide certified service animals through Canine Companions.
The following four women were among the finalists at the 2025 Miss Georgia USA competition, Visit Clarksville said:
- First runner-up: Dorian Simpkins, Miss Fulton
- Second runner-up: Denim Lovett, Miss Warner Robbins
- Third runner-up: Irielle Duncan, Miss Mid-South
- Fourth runner-up: Brooke Vanzant, Miss Georgia Olive
As for the Volunteer State, Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2024 Townsend Blackwell — a rising freshman at Ole Miss who reportedly plans to pursue a business degree and work in cardiac devices, co-owns an online clothing boutique, and was named third runner-up at Miss Teen USA last year — gave the coveted sash and crown to Aniston Barnette from Bristol.
"My dream became a reality last night on the @misstnteenusa stage alongside my amazing new friends from all over our state. This crown represents so much to me; It's a responsibility to make an even bigger impact for my neighbors in Tennessee. From the moment I started this journey, I knew I wanted to advocate with heart, both mentally and physically. Now, I get the honor of doing that for my beloved state AND on the national stage at @missteenusa!" Barnette said, in part, in her introductory social media post Sunday.
Per her pageant bio, Barnette is a freshman at Palm Beach Atlantic University after earning an associate's degree in general science from Northeast State Community College. She founded Heart Strong, which empowers teens to embrace physical activity, mental resilience, emotional wellbeing, and other heart-healthy habits. She was even named the 2024 National Teen of Impact winner by the American Heart Association for raising more than $65,000 for heart health initiatives.
Visit Clarksville said the Tennessee teens listed below either reached the finals or won other awards over the course of the competition:
- First runner-up: Ella Cate Haynes, Miss Memphis
- Second runner-up: Claire Willis, Miss Rocky Top (who was also second runner-up in the 2024 Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition)
- Third runner-up: London Haines, Miss West Tennessee
- Fourth runner-up: Caroline Holmes, Miss Hamilton County
- Miss Congeniality and Most Photogenic: Lexi Hensley, Miss Knoxville
- People's Choice Award winner: Presley Cavender, Miss Hendersonville
In Saturday night's finale, Miss Tennessee USA 2024 Christell Foote — the third runner-up at Miss USA 2024, as well as an accomplished ballerina and model who literally stands above the crowd at 6-foot 4-inches tall and is using her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia to launch Footewear by Christell so woman of all sizes can have fashionable and comfortable shoes — passed her title on to the Madison County contestant, Madison Kunst.
"So overwhelmed with gratitude to be named Miss Tennessee USA 2025. What a humbling experience to stand alongside so many incredible, strong women this weekend. After four years of working toward this goal, I’m beyond thankful—not just for the crown, but for the woman this journey has shaped me into. I’m honored to represent this beautiful state and I hope to make Tennessee proud," Kunst, who was first runner-up for the state title in 2024 and third runner-up for it in 2023, wrote, in part.
According to the pageant website, Kunst attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania before moving to Nashville in 2021 to pursue a career in music. She currently balances a full-time role in marketing and sales with musical performances on the side, but she also works for a nonprofit where she leads a weekly food ministry to provide groceries to dozens of families, in addition to teaching local children how to play guitar.
Visit Clarksville shared the names of the other contestants who cracked the top five or won other awards during the Miss Tennessee USA 2025 pageant:
- First runner-up: Mattie Barker, Miss Heart of Nashville
- Second runner-up: Sydney Grace Young, Miss Clarksville (who won Most Photogenic in the 2024 Miss Tennessee USA competition)
- Third runner-up: Desiree Dyson, Miss Tennessee Valley (who was also third runner-up in the 2024 Miss Tennessee USA competition)
- Fourth runner-up: Taylor White, Miss Middle Tennessee
- Miss Congeniality: Kelsi Waters, Miss Secret City
- Most Photogenic: Kelsey Craft, Miss Music City
- People's Choice Award winner: Malory Williams, Miss Memphis Metro
"This is our 25th anniversary partnering with the City of Clarksville and APSU," said Kimberly Payne Greenwood, executive director of Greenwood Productions, Miss Tennessee USA 1989, and Grammy award winner Lee Greenwood's wife. "This community and the wonderful people who have supported our program throughout the years have become family to us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for continuing to believe in our program and serve the women of Tennessee."
Organizers said the competitions were hosted by Allee-Sutton Hethcoat, actress, attorney, and Miss Tennessee USA 2017; Asya Branch, Miss USA 2020; and Shelly Moore Bartholomew, Miss Teen USA 1997, Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1997, and author of "This Beautiful Mess."
According to officials, the Miss Tennessee USA, Miss Georgia USA, Miss Tennessee Teen USA, and Miss Georgia Teen USA pageants are part of the Miss Universe Organization. Thousands of young women have been involved in that organization since it was founded in 1952. Follow these links for more information about the Tennessee and Georgia pageants.
from WKRN News 2 https://ift.tt/5R8afyT
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