Fifty six Miss Georgia contestants from across the state are competing in the 79th Miss Georgia Scholarship Competition this week in Columbus, GA. More than $75,000 in scholarships will be awarded, and Statesboro has several contestants in the running.
Bulloch County native Chyann Hoyle, who graduated as salutatorian of Southeast Bulloch High School in 2018, is competing as Miss Empire of the South.
Chyann is the daughter of Stephen and Rosanna Hoyle and has a long history of performing in Statesboro and surrounding communities as Chyann Rose. In the pageant, she'll take her talent to the stage, performing guitar and vocals.
Her community service initiative is Keep HOLD-ing On: Helping Others Living with Disabilities. Chyann lives with cystic fibrosis, a diagnosis she received at age 2, as does her sister Jade.
Georgia Southern also well represented at Miss Georgia
Also competing in the scholarship competition this week are Georgia Southern students Gracie Allen, Haddyn Harrell, Emma Waters, and Megan Wright, as well as alum Kalli Harsha.
Miss Southeast Georgia Gracie Allen is from Effingham County and has completed her junior year at Georgia Southern, majoring in biochemistry/pre-med with hopes of becoming a pediatric oncologist. She is the feature twirler at Georgia Southern, a talent which she will also take to the Miss Georgia stage.
Her community service initiative is #GetInvolved: Advocating for Involvement Within the Foster Care System.
Miss Tifton Emma Waters is a native of Tattnall County and is a student at Georgia Southern. She will perform her vocal talent in the competition, and her community service initiative is The Found Project, which promotes mental wellbeing through teaching healthy coping mechanisms.
Emma will be joined by Kendall Totten as her Miss Georgia Belle in Columbus.
Miss Georgia Southern Megan Wright is from Calhoun, Georgia, and just finished her junior year at Georgia Southern. She will perform her Broadway vocal talent in the competition, and her community service initiative is Stop the Bleed, which focuses on teaching citizens lifesaving skills in case of emergency.
Megan says, "I owe much of my success and personal growth to [the Miss Georgia] organization, and without their unwavering support, scholarship dollars, and the lifelong connections, I truly would not be who I am today."
Miss Emanuel County Haddyn Harrell is a native of Cairo, Georgia, and is a junior in the Georgia Southern nursing program. Her talent is lyrical dance, and her community service initiative is #chooseopen, a cause that encourages parents to choose open adoption.
Haddyn, who was adopted by her family as a baby and now has a relationship with her birth mother, says, "I am forever grateful for open adoption and the connection it has brought for my family."
Miss Coastal Empire Kalli Harsha is a Statesboro native and Georgia Southern alumnus currently living in Savannah. Kalli will perform the unique talent of speed painting, and her community service initiative is The Faces of Blue: Early Onset Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness.
The competition takes place all week at the River Center in Columbus, Georgia. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday, interview; Wednesday, talent; Thursday, health and fitness; Friday, on-stage question and evening gown.
The preliminary nights are June 12-14, with the finals for Miss Georgia 2024 and Miss Georgia's Teen competitions taking place Saturday, June 15 at 6pm.
People's Choice Award
The Miss candidate with the most votes in the People's Choice category will automatically advance to the Top 15. Each vote is $1, and voting will close at 10pm on Friday, June 14, 2024. There is no minimum or maximum number of votes any one person can submit.
All voting will be done online through Spotfund. Proceeds from the 2024 People’s Choice Awards will benefit the Miss Georgia Scholarship Competition Fund.
Family and friends can visit Miss Georgia - People's Choice Voting (spotfund.com) to cast votes for Miss Candidates.
The Miss Georgia Scholarship Competition, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(4) non-profit organization and an official state competition of the Miss America Opportunity. Scholarships are administered by The Four Points Scholarship Foundation, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
