State Contestant Handbook 2021 - Miss Kansas Volunteer
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Dear State Finalist, Wow! Where do I even begin? You are about to begin an incredible journey. First, pat yourself on the back for taking a chance to pursue this incredible dream. Congratulate yourself on having the desire to improve your self-confidence, interview skills, performance skills, as well as the desire to pursue funding for your higher education. Many individuals do not have the courage to step out on this stage, but YOU are different. YOU have the passion to serve others, while balancing school, work and/or extracurricular activities. YOU can be the 1st Miss Kansas Volunteer, and it starts NOW… We are very excited to welcome you to the inaugural Miss Kansas Volunteer Pageant. While we may be a new pageant, our team has been involved with pageantry for 10+ years and have mentored many young women that have pursued a variety of career paths including, but not limited to, news anchors, small business owners, lawyers, child advocates, medical professionals, and more! Our team is dedicated to helping our titleholders become the best version of themselves! That means there is no “right” way, and we encourage you to stay true to yourself while challenging yourself to step out of your comfort zone to reach new heights and accomplish your dreams. This handbook will be your go-to guide to help you prepare for the state pageant, which will occur October 9th, 2021 at the Heritage Center in Leavenworth, Kansas. As Miss Kansas Volunteer, you will have the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss Volunteer America, whom will be crowned on May 7th, 2022 in Jackson, Tennessee. Please review this handbook in its entirety and please do not hesitate to reach out to our team with any questions and/or concerns. I am looking forward to meeting you, Amy Carlson Executive Director Volunteers working together to educate and inspire our next generation of volunteers.
Mission The Miss Volunteer America is a nationwide, service-oriented scholarship program based in Tennessee that seeks to empower young women across the country through educational scholarships and extraordinary opportunities. Symbolism of the Crown Each of the 5 points on the crown represent a principle in our organization’s mission. Together, the first letter of each of those five principles spells: S. E. R. V. E. = Scholarship, Education, Responsibility, Volunteerism, Empowerment Entry Fee The entry fee to compete is $550. There is a $250 deposit to secure your local title and holds your spot as a State Finalist in the Miss Kansas Volunteer 2021 pageant. Once your deposit is paid, we will order your local titleholder sash. There is an Early Bird Discount allowing you to take $100 off your total entry fee if you pay the remaining $200 by August 1st. If you choose not to use the Early Bird Discount, the remaining $300 entry fee is due by September 1st. If you wish, you have the option to order a local titleholder crown for $100. Please note, there is an average 3-week turnaround for crown and sash once payment is complete. Payments can be made via PayPal (misskansasvolunteerpageant@gmail.com). Contestant Contract & Eligibility We encourage you to read through the contestant contract in its entirely as the contract is legally binding with the Miss Kansas Volunteer Pageant and Miss Volunteer America Pageant. You will be held to the standards of the contract for the duration of your reign, if crowned Miss Kansas Volunteer. To be eligible to compete for Miss Kansas Volunteer, you must be a high school graduate and at least 17 years old as of the August 7th, 2021 and not older than 25 years as of December 31st, 2021. Volunteers working together to educate and inspire our next generation of volunteers.
Competition Information • Interview – 40% • Talent – 20% • Evening Gown – 20% • Fitness & Wellness in Swimsuit – 20% Interview - The interview competition consists of a 12-minute private interview with a panel of judges. This your chance to share your personality, achievements, aspirations and showcase why you are the best fit for the job of Miss Kansas Volunteer. You will also be able to share your passion and experience with your personal platform. You will not be judged on your opinion regarding a particular subject discussed, but rather your ability to share your opinion and understanding of the issue at hand. Talent - The talent competition is your opportunity to showcase a skill that is unique to YOU! Your talent performance is limited to 90 seconds and can be anything you want it to be. We’ve welcomed singers, dancers, musicians, actresses, athletes and more to our stage. We encourage you to think outside of the box and focus on entertaining to your audience. If you need help identifying performance factors for your talent, please reach out to us! Talent accompaniments will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis. Evening Gown - The Evening Gown competition is designed to showcase the contestant’s confidence and composure. The focus will not be on the dress itself, but rather the ability of the gown to highlight a contestant’s personality and poise. Fitness & Wellness in Swimsuit - This Fitness & Wellness competition is designed to showcase a contestant’s wellness and wellbeing. The judges will be asked to take into consideration the contestant’s confidence on stage, display of charisma, as well as the contestant’s dedication to mind-body balance. Volunteers working together to educate and inspire our next generation of volunteers.
Additional Information Contestant Paperwork All contestant paperwork will be released at a later date but will be due on September 1st, 2021. We will continue to update our contestants on the paperwork requirements, but please note, every contestant will be required to submit a Contestant Profile that will contain the contestant’s headshot, Instagram handle, platform, education and more! An example is included at the end of this handbook. Social Media Agreement All contestants must sign a social media agreement prior to the state competition. In summary, the agreement states that the contestant will uphold the values of the 5 points of the crown of the Miss Kansas Volunteer Pageant and present herself in a respectful way to the public. As a reminder, there are many young ladies that look up to our contestants and many have access to social media. We want to represent the 5 points of the Volunteer crown, as well as showcase the amazing young women that make up our program via a variety of social media platforms. Ad Page Sales While there is no requirement, more information on Ad Page Sales will be coming soon! Travel & Room Block The official host hotel is Home2 Suites by Hilton located at 250 Delaware Street in Leavenworth, Kansas 66048. Contestant registration/check-in, as well as an arrival ceremony will be Friday, October 8th at the host hotel. The hotel is conveniently located across the street and within walking distance from the pageant. We do have a room block available to reserve. Please call (844) 587-9779 and mention booking code MKP. There are also several fun activities, including several museums to visit and a farmer’s market scheduled during pageant weekend. We hope you enjoy your stay and encourage contestant families to explore the First City of Kansas! Volunteers working together to educate and inspire our next generation of volunteers.
People’s Choice Award There will be a People’s Choice Award that will be voted on by the public. Voting will begin on September 6th and will continue until October 8th. More details will be announced at a later time. Competition Wardrobe Approval All competition wardrobe items must be approved and submitted to the state pageant board prior to the state pageant. This helps us ensure that the wardrobe pieces are age- appropriate, as well as eliminate the possibility of contestants having the same wardrobe items. Items will be approved and reserved on a first come, first serve basis, however all items must be approved by September 10th and may not be changed after that date. Volunteers working together to educate and inspire our next generation of volunteers.
LOCAL AND STATE CONTESTANT CONTRACT RUNDOWN Section 1 Introduction: • Who is MVA? State and Local (if applicable) Pageants and what they’ve invested and will continue to invest in the MVA program to make it continue to meet the mission/objectives of the organization • State will hold state competition and may hold locals • Local or state titleholder expectations: conduct, etiquette and performance during tenure as a titleholder • Local or state contestant expectations: someone becomes a contestant once they enter/sign the contract and it is accepted by state • Local or state titleholder requirements for contestants competing in state or national competition: o Must comply with rules o Understand that compliance with all set forth in contract can be reviewed by state/local at any time to ensure contestant remains compliant o Understands by signing the document that all information submitted is true and accurate Section 2: Eligibility What makes you eligible to be a contestant: • Comply with rules of eligibility (Attachment A) • If make false statements, circumstances change that make statements no longer accurate or if don’t adhere to the code of conduct, could forfeit prizes and scholarship (how is in section 5) Section 3: Participation in Local and State Pageants • Agree to participate in all activities related to the local or state pageant including those leading up to it and the competition itself • Follow all rules set by local/state • Expect that state/local will conduct pageant in accordance with MVA rules for pageants (i.e. proper judges, no conflicts, etc.) • Pageant may or may not be televised, live streamed, etc.
• If selected as a runner up, will assume title if circumstances require such Section 4: Commitments for Service as Local or State Titleholder • Serve during tenure and follow obligations of titleholder • Recognize state/local is exclusive representative and agent for things like press, social media contracts, talent contracts, compensation, business management, transportation and prep for next pageant level • Independent contractor status, sponsor appearances, number of appearances, protection of local, state and national MVA organization reputation, prior contracts, membership in unions, endorsement of competing products or services, other non-MVA pageant or competitions and what happens following tenure as state titleholder • If make false statements, circumstances change that make statements no longer accurate or if do not follow the code of conduct, could forfeit prizes, title and scholarship • Rules regarding competing in other competitions Section 5: Scholarships and Prizes • Awards, scholarships and prizes as selected by Official Panel of Judges • Regulations regarding requesting a scholarship • If make false statements, circumstances change that make statements no longer accurate or if do not follow the code of conduct, could forfeit prizes, title and scholarships Section 6: Publication, Usage and Ownership of Rights • Authorizations to state/local to use videos, photos, pageant, etc. live and rebroadcast regarding still photographs, videos and social media platforms • How and when titleholder can use MVA related domains • Ownership of Rights to photographs, video, audio, films and other forms of media • Use by titleholder of titles, words and symbols Section 7: General • Opportunity to review with counsel
• Agree to provide documents as requested by state/local/national • Public release of information • Uniqueness of Contract and Services • Delays due to unforeseen circumstances • The contract is subject to Tennessee law and is made up of only the contract and attachments and any other items referred to in the contract. This means that anything else that is not in writing and expressly recognized by state/local as part of the contract, is NOT part of the contract • Agreement enforceability Additional explanations: If you are participating in more than one local in the same state within the same pageant year, you do not have to sign an entirely new contract. You may simply reuse the original document EXCEPT FOR PAGE 14, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT FOR PARTICIPATION IN FIRST ENTERED LOCAL PAGEANT AND STATE PAGEANT Simply fill out page 14 for the subsequent local pageant, sign and turn in both the original signed contract along with the new page 14.
Contestant Profile Name: Ashley Summers Title: Miss Memphis Volunteer Instagram Handle: @ashsummers29 Age: 21 Platform Title: The Salvation Army Talent: Jazz Dance “The Mirror” Education: The University of Alabama School of Business pursuing a Master of Accountancy Graduate of the University of Alabama – Bachelor of Science in Finance, minor in Accounting St. Bernard School – classical honors school Professional Objective: To complete a Master of Accounting from the University of Alabama School of Business and pursue a career as a Finance Manager. Ultimately, I want to serve as CFO of The Salvation Army. Honors & Achievements: University of Alabama Chancellor’s Award; Dean’s List for four semesters; Beta Alpha Psi; The Salvation Army Volunteer of the Year; Selected as one of 12 nationwide volunteers to attend National Advisory Organizations Conference 2018; Volunteer for Student Disability Services; Outstanding Student of Merit; Jack O. Tomlinson Endowed Scholarship; Created “Let’s Cheer for the Volunteers” fundraiser for area local high schoolers to participate; Answered phones for annual hospital telethons from 2017-present; Outstanding Citizen Award; Wrote and published a children’s book about serving as a Volunteer called “Raise Your Hand” available for purchase on Amazon. Leadership Positions: University of Alabama Graduate Student Association Vice President; Founded “Serve It Up!” fundraiser for local Salvation Army chapter; Created Race for the Cure team; Raised $12,000 for three regional Salvation Army chapters over the past four years; Volunteered over 400 community service hours for The Salvation Army at the local, state and national organizations; Resurrected the “Save the Seniors” event that was previously held annually to engage local seniors shut-ins; Mayoral proclamation for “Ashley Summers Day of Service” in Benton County; Organized “Climb for the Stars” event along with a committee to raise funds with rock wall climbing event; President, Stay Beautiful campaign; Filmed regional PSA for the West Tennessee regional Salvation Army chapter. Employment Experience: University of Alabama Campus News Reporter; Intern, JP Morgan; Dog Walking Service, 11 years; Dog nanny for four Cavalier King Charles Spaniels; Babysitter; Dance Instructor, three years. Special Skills & Activities: Raised over $10,000 for CMN Hospitals through original fundraisers; I began working at age ten; I have three sisters; I am a published author; I have visited four countries; I love animals more than most people; I served as towel girl at the Celebrity Basketball Tournament in my hometown; I was the subject of our newspaper’s monthly Community Spotlight feature earlier this year; My secret wish is to win an Olympic gold medal.
What can you do during your Tenure of Service as a Titleholder to impact your community? I want to shine a national light on The Salvation Army and the work they are doing impacting thousands of unemployed Americans who are hungry and have lost their homes during the pandemic. I would be honored to serve on the National Advisory Council to add visibility to the job of Miss Volunteer America as well as learn even more about national initiatives. I would love to broaden my current local Help Rescue Christmas project by garnering support from all of my state titleholder sisters to form a Help Rescue Christmas campaign team to fill the growing need of food and shelter. What has been your involvement with your platform, including time commitment, strategic planning and ways your ingenuity and resourcefulness have been demonstrated? In working with The Salvation Army for the past six years, I have volunteered for numerous events but my favorite was creating “Let’s Cheer for our Volunteers” with my high school cheer squad. We recruited sponsors to donate $1 for each cheer we could do on Spirit Day that lasted from our early afternoon pep rally through the Homecoming game that night. We had an online donation avenue, as well as going door to door to increase our reach and number of sponsors. By the end of the night, we had raised over $1,200 and had no voice left! What inspired you to first become involved in your platform? At the age of ten, I began a dog walking service as an after-school activity to help my neighbors. What started out a favor to friends turned into a lucrative business for my age. At Christmas, I wanted to do something special for others and took as many dollars as I could wad up in my pocket to drop off in a red kettle for iconic The Salvation Army bell ringers. I was so excited to think of the people my dollars would be helping and still raise as many dollars as I can for this remarkable organization. Besides the opportunity to win scholarships, what made you choose to participate in the Miss Volunteer America program? Service--I want to improve my community by implementing programs that can meet people where they are and help get them where they need and want to be. I want to remind my friends that even connecting through virtual events, we can easily raise money change someone’s life. If you love running then you can have friends and family sponsor a mile and stay healthy while helping those who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. How would you utilize social media in order to further the position and job of Miss Volunteer America? I will help establish Miss Volunteer America in her inaugural year as an influencer by increasing frequency of posting, gaining new followers and establishing the brand. I will work toward these goals through original content from daily stories of Makeup Tutorials during appearance preparation to IGTV posts sharing about the special people I encounter during my appearances. I will do a weekly recap of the week’s events with everything from the daily grind of packing and travel to the more glamorous events—it always helps to showcase it all. When appropriate, I will go live during events where I am appearing to share where I am traveling, what I am doing and who I am meeting. I will create Sponsor Spotlight Sundays to thank those who make Miss Volunteer America possible and showcase their tangible and intangible donations. I will continue to increase awareness about all of the fundraisers and events for my platform, the Salvation Army, and hold monthly virtual “Tea with Miss Volunteer America” events to raise funds for Help Rescue Christmas.
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