If you ask Alice Leonatti, Miss Missouri week is the best week of the year. 

Four nights of competition officially kick off tonight at 7 p.m. in the Missouri Military Academy Gymnatorium. Thirty Miss delegates and 32 Teen delegates will face off in four phases of competitions — talent, fitness, evening gown and on-stage question for the crown and title of Miss Missouri and Miss Missouri’s Teen.

While the crown is a big part of it, Leonatti, State Director of the Miss Missouri Scholarship Organization, said these delegates are getting so much more than that.

“Each and every one of them are gaining things that week, not only scholarship money, they’re gaining stage experience, they all have a private interview with a panel of judges,” she said. “Those skills, they can take forward into their adult life when they’re looking for jobs. I know it sounds cliche, and I don’t think everybody believes it, but these young women really develop deep, deep friendships and it really is a sisterhood.”

Miss Missouri’s 56th year and the competition will be bigger than years prior as the revival of one local competition and the creation of a new one sent more delegates than ever to the Miss Missouri stage.

“We’re going to have a great event, and we’re so excited about all the new people that are going to be coming for the first time,” Leonatti said.

Miss Missouri Week

The start of Miss Missouri week is jam-packed with back-to-back events and rehearsals.

Before the delegates arrive in Mexico, there is a lot of work to be done behind the scenes. On Friday, Mason Productions started transforming the MMA Gymnatorium into a stage fit for a queen.

Miss Missouri delegates arrived early Sunday morning, but there wasn’t much time to settle into the dorms. 

Sunday’s schedule began with an arrival brunch at Color Me Bleu and then it was off to rehearsals with Producer Erin Engelmeyer, and Choreographer Hailey Fearing. Engelmeyer was Miss Missouri 1995 and currently serves as the deputy state director for Sen. Josh Hawley. Fearing is a current Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader.

By 5:30, Miss Delegates were off to the Miss Missouri Golf Tournament Dinner, which was hosted at The Oaks — two hours later and they would be back in rehearsals.

Teen delegates arrived Monday. They too spent their first day in Mexico alternating between welcome brunches, hours of rehearsals and dinner obligations. 

“Monday night, competition wardrobes get moved into the dressing rooms,” Leonatti said. 

The teen delegates’ personal interviews with the judges began Tuesday and Miss delegate interviews are being held this morning into the afternoon. Those who aren’t in interviews are busy rehearsing. 

What seems like such a quick turnaround has yet to disappoint when the curtains finally go up and the delegates take the stage for the first time during today's opening number. 

Miss Missouri’s teen will be crowned on Friday night and Miss Missouri will be crowned Saturday. 

Meet the judges

This year’s panel of judges will feature Bailey Hodson, Christopher Schram, Lori Windsor Hunt, Eileen Kim, Daryl Schabinger, and Lori Vandercrake. 

Miss Iowa 2022 Hodson is a board certified behavior strategist serving Des Moines Public Schools. She is the author of two children’s books, founder of The ABC’s: anti-bullying campaign and leads a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in the memory of her father.

Schram has been a Miss America volunteer for more than 40 years and has judged both state and local competitions across 11 states. He is an Emmy-nominated producer, director and choreographer who has toured the U.S., Mexico, Canada and Europe as a professional actor, singer, dancer and classical pianist. 

Miss Maryland 1988 Hunt has served as a local executive director, judge, volunteer, mentor and coach throughout her career in the Miss America Organization. She currently serves as president of the Guntersville Ladies Citivan Club and executive director of the Miss Lake Guntersville and Miss Samford University organizations.

Miss California 2019 Kim has been a classically trained violinist for 26 years who placed in the top 15 at Miss America where she received a non-finalist talent award. She earned a J.D. from Loyola Law School while working full-time and will join Goodwin Proctor LLP as a litigation associate following the California Bar Exam.

Schabinger has been judging local and state Miss America competitions for more than 43 years, serving seven years as executive director and producer of Miss Chicago and 10 years on the Miss Illinois Scholarship Pageant Board of Directors. In 2021, he was appointed as the official archivist and historian of Miss Illinois and was inducted into the Miss Illinois Hall of Fame in 2025.

Vandercrake, of Perry, will be representing Mexico on this year’s judging panel. She currently serves as Senior Executive Assistant to MMA President Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci, USA (Ret) and has an extensive background in the aesthetics industry that includes 17 years helping grow Ideal Image from one location to over 150 national franchises. 

“Thanks to all the volunteers and the community support that makes it happen,” Leonatti said. “It’s just the best week of the year.”