The first Miss Military Star West Virginia pageant was held in February at the VFW in Elkins.
McKenzie VanDevander, age 13, was crowned the 2024 Miss Military Star West Virginia Junior Teen. She competed in the national competition July 16 – 19 in Erie, Pennsylvania, were she earned the title of 2024-2025 National Miss Military Star Junior Queen.
VanDevander stated that she is excited to help out more in the community and grow her platform of making handmade cards for veterans. “If anyone has veterans in their families who would like to be sent a card on holidays and birthdays, please let me know,” she said. “Send me a message through my Facebook or my mom’s Facebook, Jessica VanDevander.”
Both state and national pageants have the same required areas of competition – gown, interview, Americana wear, and community service. At the state level, community service is a donation of goods to Military Connections, who create care packages and send them to the military stationed overseas. At the national level, donations go to Wreaths Across America, Honor Flight, and the Military Star Organization.
The next state pageant will be held Oct. 26 at the VFW in Elkins with the national competition to be held in the summer of 2025.
Miss Military Star began because of United States army veteran PFC Raymond E Neff who served as a helicopter gunner in the Vietnam War with the 118th Bandits AHC. His sharing of his stories with his family and his raising awareness and appreciation for those who served make it an honor to help those who are deployed and those who have served.
“Through combining our love of pageantry and all the benefits it allows its competitors, along with our love of serving those who have served, we are proud to ‘shine for our heros,’” said Becky Yenchik, West Virginia’s state director. “Sing our crown and sashes to serve our communities both through our person platforms, and those of the Miss Military Star Organization, We are changing lives one act of kindness at a time. Through our titleholders’ and volunteers’ hard work and dedication we are able to work together to create change for the better through what we like to call the ‘Star Sisterhood.’”
The Miss Military Star organization’s entire staff and directors are volunteers who have a heart for the military men and women and love to help girls and women become their best self. Bella Firster, Neff’s granddaughter, is the founder.
