On the evening of November 11, 2007, in the city of Poplar Bluff, the audience at Black River Coliseum welcomed Miss Wright County Teen, Jeni Dixon, as the new Miss Missouri Teen USA 2008.

Jeni, a resident of Hartville, Missouri, is a 17-year-old senior at Hartville High School. She will be graduating in May at the top of her class. She is a varsity cheerleader and Drum Major of the Hartville Eagles Marching Band, which is well known across the state for their excellence on the street. She has received the honor of being named Outstanding Drum Major at every parade since her sophomore year, her first year as head Drum Major. She is an outstanding percussionist, specializing in mallet percussion and timpani. She has received several 1 ratings at the district and state level for challenging solos on both instruments. She recently starred in the musical “Lucky Dollar, Private eye” which was presented to a sold out audience at the Hartville R-II Schools. Jeni is active in several clubs, some of them being president of Students Against Destructive Decisions, secretary of Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Future Business Leaders of America, and many others. She is a very active member of the Hartville Free Will Baptist church where she has competed Nationally in Bible and Fine Arts competitions since the age of 6.

Jeni recently developed a seminar for young girls and their mothers called “On Purpose, For a Purpose” and is traveling Missouri to lead mother-daughter weekends with her mother. Her dream of becoming a motivational speaker is just getting started. She plans on attending Evangel University in the fall to study music and communications.

Jeni supports many charities with her time and resources. Some of these charities include, but are not limited to, Missouri Special Olympics, Best Buddies International, Missouri Girls Scouts, Camp Rainbow, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, and Relay For Life. The fight for a cure for cancer has become even dearer to her heart as her father is a survivor of Melanoma Cancer.

In her free time, Jeni enjoys playing many instruments, riding motorcycles, cheerleading, spending time with her family, playing board games, scrapbooking, and hanging out with her Grandma.

Jeni competed for the title of Miss Missouri Teen USA 2007 in Springfield Missouri at the Juanita K. Hammons Center for the Performing Arts where she received the honorable mention award, with the highest scoring non-finalist. At the 2008 pageant she was asked that if her life had a theme song: what would it be and why? She responded: “My theme song would be It’s All About You Jesus because it is all about Him. That’s why I am here at this pageant. I’m here to make a difference in people’s lives and show God’s love to those around me.” Jeni is very excited about the opportunity she has been blessed with, and she is ready to do her part as Miss Missouri Teen USA 2008.

Jeni is the daughter of Galen and Teresa Dixon, who have shared 28 years of marriage. She has one older sister: Joni 20, a junior Math Major at Evangel University.

Jeni plans to use the title of Miss Missouri Teen USA 2008 to share the importance self-worth and confidence in young girls’ lives.

She will proudly represent Missouri at the 2008 MISS Teen USA Pageant.!

Photo Credit: Jim Grillot