First Night of Miss Missouri in the Books

Miss Northwest County’s Outstanding Teen Olivia Degrave, Miss Missouri’s Outstanding Teen Ashley Berry, and Miss Flower City’s Outstanding Teen Mallory Sublette (JC Productions, photo credit)

The Miss Missouri Scholarship Competition kicked off its 52nd year, last night on the Missouri Military Academy campus in Mexico.

The 24 candidates were divided into two competition groups: Sigma and Alpha with members of the Sigma group performing their talent for the judges. The talent accounts for 35% of the candidates’ overall preliminary scores.

A former Miss Missouri’s Outstanding Teen was the night’s talent winner in the Sigma grouping. The judges selected Miss Northwest Counties Halie Hebron of Florissant as the rookie and overall talent winner for her tap dance performance.

Speaking of Outstanding Teens, preliminary competition in the Miss Missouri’s Outstanding Teen Pageant continued Thursday evening on the 15th anniversary of the Outstanding Teen Pageant.

Miss Missouri’s Outstanding Teen candidates were divided into two competition groups: the crown group and the sash group. Members of the crown group competed in on-stage question and the evening wear portion of the competition. The evening wear and on-stage question accounts for 20% of the overall preliminary score.

The judges selected Miss Flower City’s Outstanding Teen Mallory Sublette, of Palmyra, as the overall evening gown and on-stage question winner. Mallory selected a white ballgown with a silver beaded bodice to wear on stage. She answered a question regarding her social impact statement, “Wellness 360,” which focuses on the health of social, mental and physical wellbeing.

Members of the crown group competed in talent. The judges selected Miss Spirit of St. Louis’ Outstanding Teen Bridget Caldwell, of Florissant, as the rookie talent winner. Bridget performed a tap dance.

The overall talent winner was Miss Show-Me State’s Outstanding Teen Kyleigh McCourt, of St. Louis, performed a show-stopping baton twirling routine for the judges.

Preliminary competition continues tonight at MMA with a new Miss Missouri to be crowned on Saturday night.