BROOKINGS — Additional special scholarship and award winners were announced June 1 at the 2024 Miss South Dakota and Miss South Dakota’s Teen competition to women from across the state. …
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BROOKINGS — Additional special scholarship and award winners were announced June 1 at the 2024 Miss South Dakota and Miss South Dakota’s Teen competition to women from across the state. This is part of over $64,000 in scholarships and awards distributed at the annual state competition.
The Miss Awards begin with Joelle Simpson, the newly crowned Miss South Dakota, receiving the $1,000 Dorothy Barnett Interview Award. This award is given to the delegate with the highest private interview score. Simpson was also awarded the $1,000 Ray Peterson Rookie of the Year award given to the highest placing delegate competing for their first year at Miss South Dakota.
Second runner-up, Emily Deinken, received the $1,000 Quality of Life award, which is given to the candidate who has fulfilled a legitimate need in their community through the creation, development and participation in a community service project in the area of her platform. This award is sponsored by Bruce and Susan Wintle of Iroquois and their daughter, Carrie Wintle, Miss South Dakota 2018.
Deinken also took home the $500 Miss South Dakota Legacy award, sponsored by Kaitlin O’Neill, Miss SD 2021. This award goes to the applicant who best exemplifies the values of the Miss America organization in her community service.
Jensine Matson, Miss Clay County Fair and third runner-up, received the $1,000 Sylvia Tannehill “Kindness” Award. Sylvia Tannehill is a longtime and much-loved member of the Miss South Dakota family. Her kindness and wit has left an impression on all of the volunteers she welcomed into her home in Hot Springs. Her laughter, hospitality and ability to remember everyone’s names inspired this award. Applicants must demonstrate that they have conducted legitimate actions in their community and elsewhere through the creation, development and/or participation in acts of kindness, leading to others utilizing their methods or participating in a lifestyle change toward kindness and generosity.
Sydney Morgan, fourth runner-up, was the Top Fundraiser, receiving a $500 award. Madisen Vetter, Miss Dakota Prairie, earned the $1,000 State Community Service award. This is given to the candidate who has demonstrated their dedication to service in their community and state through volunteerism. They must be able to show how their volunteering helped the community and how they have personally benefited from it. This award is sponsored by Autumn Simunek Conrad, Miss South Dakota 2015.
The South Dakota Scholarship Foundation, in partnership with CDI, Inc., of Brookings, supports the idea that development of world class talent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is critical to America’s global leadership. CDI is sponsoring two $750 scholarships to candidates who display a dedication to the STEM field. The winners were Joelle Simpson, Miss South Dakota and Sydney Morgan, Miss Hot Springs. Simpson attends the University of Minnesota majoring in Medical Laboratory Science; her community service initiative is “Nurturing Nature.” Morgan graduated this spring from homeschool/Hot Springs High School and plans to attend South Dakota State University and major in nursing.
An award for the non-finalist with the highest private interview score was given to Madisen Vetter, Miss Dakota Prairie. She was awarded $250. McKayla Gunderson, Miss Missouri River, received the $250 Miss SD non-finalist talent award and was able to share her talent on stage the final night of competition.
Jensine Matson, Miss Clay County Fair, was selected by her peers as Miss Congeniality and was awarded $500.
South Dakota Strong is a new award this year presented by former Miss South Dakota, Shantel Swedlund Krebs. The award began with Miss delegates composing an essay about what makes them “South Dakota Strong.” From there, five delegates were selected to complete a 10-minute interview with Krebs. The winner of the 2024 South Dakota Strong award was Miss Siouxland, Maleah Eschenbaum, who received a $5,000 award. Madisen Vetter, Miss Dakota Prairie, earned 2nd place and received $1,000. The other three were Julia Stanek, Joelle Simpson, and McKayla Gunderson, each receiving $500.
Miss South Dakota’s Teen awards begin with the new Miss South Dakota’s Teen, Briley Steffensen, who was awarded Miss SD’s Teen Top Talent for $250.
Amelie Wilcox, Miss Rolling Plains’ Teen, was awarded Miss SD’s Teen top interview award receiving $250. In addition, Wilcox received the Miss SD’s Teen Community Service Award of $200. This award is given to the teen delegate who excels in their commitment to volunteerism and service within their community. Wilcox also took home the Teen STEM award of $200, given to the teen delegate studying or planning to study in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics field, as well as the Johnson Jackrabbit Scholarship for $1,250, given to a teen delegate who is enrolled or plans to study at South Dakota State University and is able to discuss how being a Jackrabbit will allow them to pursue their higher education goals.
The $150 Miss SD’s Teen On Stage Conversation award was given to Taya Ritterbush, Miss Rushmore’s Teen, who had the highest on stage question score during the competition.
Miss Congeniality for Miss SD’s Teen delegates was awarded to Anna Bisbee, Miss Wolf Pack’s Teen. She was selected by her peers to receive this $500 award.
More information about the competition is available at misssd.org or the Miss SouthDakota Organization Facebook page.
