Senior Lilly Marchbanks competed for the Miss Mississippi Valley Teen Pageant on March 3 at the Davenport Theater. She won the title and will compete in the Miss Iowa Teen Pageant in June.

“This is my very first pageant and competition,” Marchbanks said. “I’m so incredibly excited to compete alongside some truly wonderful women.”

Miss Iowa is a scholarship program under the Miss America Organization. It’s the largest scholarship provider for women in the United States.

“One of the staples in the foundation of Miss America is called the five points of the crown,” Marchbanks said. “It includes style, service, scholarships, success and sisterhood. I really felt these when I was a part of the competition.”

Contestants are required to prepare a Community Service Initiative (CSI) and research current issues. For nine minutes, the judges ask rapid-fire questions about the CSI and other topics included in their information sheet.

“You get a 30-second intro and a 30-second closer. I get to, not only know my CSI better, but also I get to better understand the world that we live in today,” Marchbanks said.

Marchbanks’ CSI for the 2024 pageant was Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP). MVP is one of the original gender violence, sexual harassment and bullying prevention programs used nationwide.

“Over the past three years, I have served as a mentor,” Marchbanks said. “I am also a part of our train-the-trainer program for incoming mentors.”

Mentors lead students through discussions of realistic scenarios covering a range of abusive behavior they might face or witness as bystanders.

“This experience has been both rewarding and challenging,” Marchbanks said. “Recognizing reality, not from the perspective of an authoritative figure but from a peer, allows for transparency and real discussion.”

Contestants also prepare a talent, a physical fitness routine and prepare for two interviews with two different judges panels.

“The pageant is incredibly service-oriented,” Marchbanks said. “It was a wonderful experience and I am excited to compete for the Miss Iowa Teen Contest.”

The Miss Iowa Teen Pageant will be on June 14 and 15 in Davenport.