Teel Named Miss Midwest Sweetheart

Jennifer Layne Teel of Gallatin was crowned Miss Midwest Sweetheart 2015 at the Midwest Princess of America pageant held June 25, 2015, at the Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center in Chillicothe.

Jennifer was honored to be the overall people’s choice and voted Sweetheart of the pageant. This was a qualifying event for the national Princess of America Pageant. Girls ages 4 to 24 from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and surrounding states competed for the title of Miss Midwest (each in their respective age divisions).

Contestants competed in four areas. They had a private interview with each of the judges, announced themselves onstage in their personal introduction, competed in formal wear, and also answered an onstage question. Jennifer entered two of the optional categories, as well, winning overall spokes model with her speech entitled, “One Person Can Make a Difference in the World — And Become a Hero.” She was also a divisional first runner-up in casual wear modeling.

Jennifer will advance to the national pageant held this November in Branson for a chance to win up to a $1,000 scholarship, travel opportunities, and other prizes.

Jennifer will be an eighth grader at the Gallatin Middle School and is the daughter of Julie Vyrostek of Gallatin and Darrell Teel of Pattonsburg. She is the granddaughter of Del Ray and Judy Vyrostek of Gallatin and Darrell and Patsy Teel and the late Nancy Teel of Pattonsburg.