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Brandon Shields, Jackson Sun Published 9:00 p.m. CT June 20, 2021

Amelia Collins, Miss Scenic City, was crowned Miss Tennessee Volunteer 2021 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center on Saturday, June 19, 2021 in Jackson, Tenn.(Photo: PAULA OSPINA/ The Jackson Sun)

Hear from Miss Tennessee Volunteer 2021 moments after she was announced the winner. Jackson Sun

Amelia Collins is the 2021 Miss Tennessee Volunteer, and shes a history-making queen in multiple ways.

At 19 years old, shes at least one of the youngest crown winners since state-level pageants came to Jackson nearly 70 years ago.

With her talent being a jazz dance routine to Whats Going On? by the 1990s band 4 Non Blondes, shes the first queen in nearly three decades whose talent isnt a vocal performance.

But also, shes the first state queen who is a first-generation American.

Amelia Collins, Miss Tennessee Volunteer 2021 on Sunday, June 20, 2021 in Jackson, Tenn.(Photo: PAULA OSPINA/ The Jackson Sun)

I grew up in South Dakota and moved to Arkansas seven years ago, but my dad immigrated here from South Africa, Collins said. Hes a doctor, and he and my mom met when he worked in a hospital in Arkansas and got married.

Then when the hospital he was working for wouldnt allow him to do research he wanted to do, he found a hospital in North Dakota that would, so they moved there and I was born soon after.

A significant portion of her dads family was able to immigrate to the United States with him, but not everyone could.

The ones who werent able to make it happen emigrated to Portugal where they live now because where they lived in South Africas capital of Johannesburg had become unsafe years ago.

Its really sad that my dads family hasnt been able to reunite here in the United States, but hopefully immigration reform will continue and it can happen eventually, Collins said. But I also hope to one day go to South Africa with my dad and see places that were important to him when he was growing up because I think that would be really special to me.

Amelia Collins, Miss Scenic City, during the talent portion of the fourth and last night of Miss Tennessee Volunteer at the Carl Perkins Civic Center on Saturday, June 19, 2021 in Jackson, Tenn.(Photo: PAULA OSPINA/ The Jackson Sun)

Listen to Alley Morgan (Miss Greene County) and Amelia Collins (Miss Scenic City) as they react to winning the first night's swimsuit and talent competitions at Miss Tennessee Volunteer. Jackson Sun

Collins dance performance on Wednesday night in the talent competition was an immediate highlight for the crowd watching at the Carl Perkins Civic Center and on JEAs station and website.

Her routine could be divided into two halves where her performance is more of a technical routine to the hit song from 1992 before the tempo in the music and in her routine picks up with a faster rhythm.

The link in the routine between the two parts was her extended twirl on her toes in which she rotated on her foot more than a dozen times without losing momentum.

I know I ate a lot of bananas all week to keep my potassium high and keep from cramping when I did that, Collins said when asked about avoiding injury with the move. But were trained to focus on one point in front when were doing that and try to meet that spot every time and then use our muscles in our foot and leg and arms and core to keep the momentum going.

And ballet training is at the foundation of it all because we really learn balance there.

Amelia Collins, Miss Scenic City, was crowned Miss Tennessee Volunteer 2021 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center on Saturday, June 19, 2021 in Jackson, Tenn.(Photo: PAULA OSPINA/ The Jackson Sun)

Amelia Collins, Miss Scenic City, and a Miss Tennessee Volunteer 2021 contestant shares her platform. Jackson Sun

Adding to the historical significance of Collins win, shell be the first Miss Tennessee Volunteer to represent the state in Miss Volunteer America in May of 2022 which will also be held at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. And Tennessee was the first state pageant completed, so shes the first official entrant.

She said she plans to attend some of the other state pageants in the coming months to welcome the winners into the sisterhood of which shes the first born as they all begin to prepare for their next competition.

Its not just a competition, but its also a family, Collins said. And thats something that really struck me about this week at Miss Tennessee Volunteer.

Yes the 36 of us were all competing with one another, but Ive never been in a pageant where all of the contestants became as close as we did throughout the week. I got to know every single one of the other girls, and we were all pulling for each other by the time we got to Saturday night. And Im looking forward to a similar experience next year.

Amelia Collins, Miss Scenic City, during the swimsuit portion of Miss Tennessee Volunteer at the Carl Perkins Civic Center on Thursday, June 18, 2021 in Jackson, Tenn. (Photo: PAULA OSPINA/ The Jackson Sun)

Collins said shes hopeful schools will allow her to go into the building again and make connections with students in the traditional way once in-person classes have resumed in August.

Collins platform is Where is the LoveWhat Legacy Will You Leave? where she wants to talk with students as the Governors official spokesperson on character education about kindness to each other.

Hopefully well hear from the schools and be allowed to meet with students in person, Collins said. I know Ive grown to love this state since I enrolled into Rhodes and gotten to know the area around Memphis and then the area around Chattanooga when I won Miss Scenic City.

Theres so much to be proud of about this state from one end to the other, and its very diverse. I look forward to representing it next year and maybe bringing a national crown back for it.

Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com or at 731-425-9751. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at editorbrandon.

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Miss Tennessee Volunteer makes history with her win - The Jackson Sun