BROOKINGS Eighteen young women from around the state competing for the title of Miss South Dakota this week spent part of the Memorial Day cleaning up around Dakota Nature Park in Brookings. The women are in town all week to prepare for the competition, which runs Thursday through Saturday at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center on the SDSU campus.
Service has become an integral part of the Miss America and Miss South Dakota program, which each candidate adopting a service initiative and advocating for that throughout her year. Joelle Simpson, the reigning Miss South Dakota, advocated for her platform, Nurturing Nature.
Nurturing Nature isnt just a service initiative, says Simpson, its a calling. A commitment. And a way of life. Cleaning up around Dakota Nature Park fits well with Simpsons platform, says organizers, which is why they partnered with park officials.
Today, I had the joy of guiding the Miss South Dakota candidates into the heart of the outdoors, where we gave back to the earth that gives us so much. When we care for nature, it returns the favor in ways both seen and unseen. Together, were growing something greater for our communities, our planet and our future, says Simpson.
The competition starts tonight at 6:30 p.m. with 20 Miss candidates and seven Teen candidates and continues Friday. The new Miss South Dakotas Teen will be crowned at the conclusion of Fridays performance. Finals for the Miss competition will be Saturday evening.
Tickets are available here.
Participation in this program provides young women with the opportunity to promote a platform of community service and share their talents, intelligence, and positive values while serving as role models in their communities.
Find more information here.
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