Chesney Garnos is Miss Mitchell.
On Feb. 17, former Miss South Dakota Tessa Dee, a Mitchell native, organized the first Miss Mitchell Pageant in more than 35 years. The event was held at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center.
Garnos is a recent graduate of University of South Dakota in Vermillion and resides in Pierre, working for U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds. She won a $400 scholarship.
Also at the pageant was a Miss Mitchell's Outstanding Teen competition. The winner, McKenzie Norton, is a junior at Mitchell High School and participates in debate and track, along with taking college courses at Dakota Wesleyan University as part of the bridge program. She won a $200 scholarship.
Norton and Garnos were also both named Miss Congeniality.
The first runner-up for the Miss Mitchell's Outstanding Teen competition was Kate Dailey, of Mitchell, and the Miss Mitchell first runner-up was Anna Bonnstetter, who attends the University of South Dakota in Vermillion.
According to Dee, Garnos and Norton will be expected to attend pageant bootcamp this weekend in Brookings, and are required to attend a pre-pageant on May 19-20 in Pierre, and the Miss South Dakota and Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen Pageants on June 10-16 in Hot Springs.
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1/8: Anna Calhoon practices her color guard routine during rehearsals on Feb. 17 in the afternoon, prior to the pageant later that night at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center. (Matt Gade / Republic)
2/8: Miss Outstanding Teen candidates Tiffany Taylor, left, and Dawn Stemson hold hands while waiting to hear the announcement of the winners during the Miss Mitchell pageant at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center. (Matt Gade / Republic)
3/8: Tessa Dee, the executive director for the Miss Mitchell pageant, hands out ID badges to the Miss Mitchell and Miss Mitchell Outstanding Teen candidates during orientation on Feb. 17, prior to the pageant later that night at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center. (Matt Gade / Republic)
4/8: The Miss Mitchell and Miss Mitchell Outstanding Teen candidates gather up for a huddle during intermission as the judges tally their points before announcing the winners during the Miss Mitchell pageant on Feb. 17 at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center. (Matt Gade / Republic)
5/8: Miss South Dakota's 2017 Outstanding Teen Elizabeth Nesland, right, leads the seven Miss Mitchell Outstanding Teen candidates in rehearsal prior earlier in the day on Feb. 17 prior to the Miss Mitchell pageant at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center. (Matt Gade / Republic)
6/8: Miss South Dakota's 2017 Outstanding Teen Elizabeth Nesland crowns 2018 Miss Mitchell's Outstanding Teen McKenzie Norton, center, while Miss South Dakota 2017 Miranda Mack, right, applauds during the Miss Mitchell pageant on Feb. 17 at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center. (Matt Gade / Republic)
7/8: Chesney Garnos, center, reacts as her name is called as she is named Miss Mitchell 2018 as Miss Mitchell Outstanding Teen candidate Dawn Stemson, left, and Miss Mitchell candidate Anna Bonnstetter, right, applaud during the Miss Mitchell pageant on Feb. 17 at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center. (Matt Gade / Republic)
8/8: Miss Mitchell candidate Jhena Van Den Hoek performs a clarinet solo of Amazing Grace as her talent during the Miss Mitchell pageant on Feb. 17 at the Mitchell School District Performing Arts Center. (Matt Gade / Republic)
