2026 REQUIREMENTS TO COMPETE

 MISS Contestants must meet the following criteria:

• must be at least 17 years of age and must not be older than 26 years of age as of the day she competes, is crowned or appointed as the Local or State Titleholder.

• have never been married or have had children

• must have completed a high school education 

• available and willing to compete for the title of Miss Tennessee Volunteer in July 2026

TEEN Contestants must meet the following criteria:

• must be at least 13 years of age and no older than 18 years of age as of the day she competes

• have never been married or have had children

• must be enrolled in an accredited public, private, or homeschooling program with passing scores

• available and willing to compete for the title of Miss Tennessee Teen Volunteer or Miss Iris Tennessee Teen Volunteer in 2026

I am thrilled to introduce myself as the new Executive Director of the Miss Chattanooga Volunteer Scholarship Pageant. It is an incredible honor to step into this role and to work alongside such a dedicated and passionate team with such a rich legacy. 

For those who do not know me, I was honored to hold the titles of Miss Watauga Valley and Miss East Tennessee between 2014 - 2016. I created a Bully-Free Tennessee campaign and traveled the state speaking to over 20,000 students and adults - sharing my story and educating them on bullying. I also started visiting local children's hospitals as princess characters and hosting fundraising events for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, which have raised over $10,000 for CMN. This concept of character visits grew over the years even past my time competing. In 2018 I started Magic Lamp Entertainment, a professional children's entertainment company serving all of East Tennessee. Through my company I have been able to continue my work with nonprofit children's agencies and hospitals on a larger scale, along with giving paid opportunities and experience to local performers.

I say all this not to be boastful, but to convey the impact that ONE local titleholder can make on the community during her year of service and for years to come from this program. My time as a local titleholder with this organization helped shape who I am and I'm so happy to have the chance to give back.

In the coming months, I look forward to working with the Chattanooga and surrounding area communities to create an amazing experience for these extraordinary young women. Whether you are a business owner or an individual, together we can lend our time and resources to celebrate these exemplary young women who are making a difference with their platforms, being positive role models to our youth, and working to become future leaders for our state. My commitment is to help empower these young women, foster personal growth in them, and support their journey with this remarkable organization.

Thank you all so much for your support. Here’s to an exciting future and many crowns ahead!

XO - Ashley