A New Miss West Virginia and Miss West Virginia Teen Will Be Crowned Saturday in Martinsburg

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — This weekend, the crown will be passed in the Miss West Virginia Organization, as outgoing Miss West Virginia Karrington Childress and Miss West Virginia’s Teen Allison Dodson will crown their successors.

Ahead of their final day to wear their crowns, the two sat down on Panhandle Live. 

The two Jefferson County residents were asked about their most memorable experiences during the past year.  Childress, who plans a career in elementary education, said it was interacting with youth:

Karrington Childress took a year off from her studies at Shepherd University as she served the state as Miss West Virginia, but plans to get back into her studies in the fall.

For her part, Dodson, a recent graduate of Washington High School, talked about taking her social impact message to a broader audience.

The finals will cap off a week’s worth of activities for the contestants from across the state who will compete in four groups in  talent, fitness, evening wear and on stage question.

Hosting the competition this week will be Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier, a Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University graduate who says her accomplishments in the Miss America Organization and Miss Virginia Organization meant $77,000 in scholarships.

Schrier, who is originally from Pennsylvania and says she has passed through Martinsburg on I-81 numerous times on her way to and from school, said she applauds the shift in the Miss America organization away from swimsuit and body image:

You can hear her full interview here.

Preliminaries are Friday evening.

The finals begin Saturday with a Red Carpet Arrival at 7pm. at the Airborne Event Center at 172 Creative Place in Martinsburg. Finals are set for 8pm

All competitions are available via livestream with free public access.  Follow Miss West Virginia Organization on Facebook for links.

The winners will compete in the upcoming Miss America pageant.  You can read about Childress and Dodson’s journey to Miss America here. 

The current titleholders and this year’s Miss West Virginia Competition Host were guests this week on Panhandle Live with Marsha Chwalik and Luke Wiggs.