KINGSPORT — Jacquelyn Richmond walked away from the 59th annual Miss Kingsport Scholarship Pageant with the title of Miss Kingsport 2013, as well as winning the Scholarship Award, the Best Swimsuit Award, Miss Congeniality, and, of course, the glitzy crown on Saturday night at the Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center.
The first runner-up was Nora Moran and the second runner-up was Taylor Patterson. The $300 Brittany E. Davis Community Service Award was given to Whitney Shelton and Patterson won the $250 Pageant Promotion Award.
Richmond was given $1,950 in scholarship money total for all her awards.
“It’s surreal. I can’t even focus right now. I don’t even know what to say,” Richmond said upon winning. “The love and support of my family and friends got me here. Now that I’ve won, I’ll be serving the community the best I can and be the best Miss Kingsport I can be.”
Richmond sported a satin pink bikini with sparkly silver heels, earrings, and bracelet in the swimsuit competition, which counted for 15 percent of her score.
During the talent competition, worth 35 percent of the score, Richmond danced in a glittery fuchsia tank top and tight, shiny black gym shorts to “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins.
For the evening wear portion, making up 20 percent of her score, Richmond wore a long, shimmering pink evening gown, strapped heels, long earrings, and a large rhinestone-encrusted bracelet.
Her onstage interview question, counting for 5 percent of her score, was, “Who is your biggest role model?”
Richmond replied, “My grandmother. All her life she was a nurse. ... It was because of her I wanted to become a nurse as well.”
The 19-year-old East Tennessee State University sophomore is currently majoring in nursing and her platform is “Courage for Kids.”
The panel of five judges also interviewed all contestants backstage before the show. The score from that interview session counted for 25 percent of the total score.
Richmond, Moran and Patterson competed against the other six contestants: Sarah Ford, Whitney Shelton, Kelsie Dulaney, Caitlin Maines, Jacy Richardson, and Courtney Bell.
Dakota Reynolds, Miss Kingsport 2012, danced to Michael Buble’s song “Feeling Good” before saying goodbye to the title crown.
Miss Tennessee 2012, Chandler Lawson, sang the national anthem and “Turning Tables” by Adele during the event.
The theme of the event was “Miss Kingsport Goes Country,” and all the music, clothing, and stage decor was in keeping with the style.
Providing most of the entertainment for the pageant was former Kingsport native, 12-year-old Rachel Novak. She has spent many years training as an actress and vocal coach and was an extra in the “Hannah Montana Movie.”
At the beginning of the show, Novak sang Miley Cyrus’ song “Howdown Throwdown” with all the contestants dancing in the background before introducing themselves.
Novak trained with vocal coach Karen Alayne, the same vocal coach of “American Idol” 1st runner up Lauren Alaina Suddeth.
She has recently won two Performing Arts Vocalist competitions and sings every week in Chattanooga.
Title sponsors for the pageant were Eastman Chemical Company, Fairway Ford and Courtesy Chevrolet.