It Gives Us Great Pride to Welcome Back the Miss Black Tennessee U.S.A. Scholarship Pageant

It gives us great pride to welcome back the Miss Black Tennessee U.S.A. Scholarship Pageant which will culminate in Nashville, TN.

Twenty years ago a dream to provide a national platform for African American women to celebrate their identity, build self-esteem and become the largest single source of scholarship funds for women of color became a reality when the Miss Black USA pageant was formed. As a result, many young women who are steadfast in pursuit of their dreams have embarked on a journey of a lifetime and an opportunity to create their own legacies.

Our major goals for the pageant competition are:

1. to award scholarships to deserving young women to help further their education at institutions of higher learning;
2. to encourage the cultivation of excellence through the development of education, talent, health and beauty;
3. to provide a showcase that promotes intelligence, strong character and perseverance;
4. to provide cultural pride and community outreach throughout the state with the ideal that achieving one’s destiny must include helping the next.

The Miss Black Tennessee USA Scholarship Pageant is the official preliminary to the national Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant. Delegates will compete in five categories: personal interview, health & fitness, talent, evening gown, and the question/answer segment.

Our reigning Miss Black TN, Kristen Herring, is a doctoral candidate in the department of biochemistry at Vanderbilt University. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA where she was inducted into the Golden Key International Honor Society.

Kristen has a strong love for music and performance art. She is also very passionate about advocating youth empowerment through her platform “Time to get on the M.O.V.E – Motivation, Organization, Values and Education” and as an official spokesperson and mentor for the Governor’s L.I.F.T. Mentorship Initiative to provide mentors for teens that have aged out of foster care.

By sponsoring this event, you are showing a strong and active interest in your community. The Miss Black Tennessee Scholarship Pageant is an opportunity for companies to target a diverse consumer market and to gain tremendous exposure for their products and/or services. Any donations provided by a business or organization will be considered as a form of advertising and/or promotion and therefore may be considered tax deductible.

Thank You!

Elaine Fisher Cato, M.Ed. – Executive State Director

For pageant inquiries:

ADVERTISEMENT RESERVATION FORM

AD SIZE ADVERTISEMENT RATES ADVERTISEMENT SIZE

( )Full Page $5007 1/4" x 9 1/4"

( )Half Page $300 7 1/4" x 4 1/2"

( )Quarter Page $1503 1/4" x 4 1/2"

( )Business Card$75

( )Donation$______

Please note that the Souvenir Program Book size is 8 1/2" by 11". All Ads must be submitted in JPEG form unless business card and received by June 27th to guarantee space in the Souvenir Program Book. Please check the Ad Size and submit the payment along with your form.

TOTAL AMOUNT DUE: ______

NAME:______

TITLE:______

COMPANY:______

ADDRESS:______

CITY:______STATE:______ZIP:______

PHONE:______FAX:______

EMAIL ADDRESS:______

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:______TITLE:______

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: Miss Black Tennessee USA Scholarship Pageant

Please mail this form to:

Elaine Fisher Cato – Executive State Director

P.O. Box 2035

Antioch, TN 37011-2035

615.593.0178

/ missblacktennessee.com / missblackusa.org

GOD BLESS YOU!

NOTE: The MISS BLACK USA PAGEANT AND SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation. All sponsorships are 100% tax deductible.

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES

Platinum Sponsorship @ $5,000 or more

• Scholarship named in your honor for the state title-holder
• Exclusively limited to one company per industry
• Free Exhibit Space for Signage and Product Distribution at Venue
• Press Conference/Reception in honor of MISS BLACK TENNESSEE
• Presenting Sponsor for the Pageant and Reception
• Company tagged on all radio spots
• Listed on print, newspapers and magazines ads
• MISS BLACK TN Website Promotion – Corporate Link
• MISS BLACK TN Judge for the Preliminary and Final Night Competition
• 20 V.I.P. Tickets for the Pageant and Reception
• Email: Brand message in a mass e-mailing to over 10,000 e-mailed impressions
• A minimum of three public address announcements during the pageant night
• Full-Page Color Ad (Outside Back, Inside Front, or Inside Back)
• A Complimentary Photo Op with the new Miss Black Tennessee
• Program Book Sponsor List
• One FREE Appearance for Company Event

Gold Sponsorship @ $2,500 or more

• Scholarship named in your honor for the first runner-up
• Presenting Sponsor for the Pageant and Reception
• Listed on print, newspapers and magazines ads
• Banner for Preliminary and Final Night Competitions
• Email: Brand message in a mass e-mailing to over 10,000 e-mailed impressions
• A minimum of three public address announcements during the pageant night
• MISS BLACK TN Website Promotion – Corporate Link
• 15 V.I.P. Tickets for the Pageant and Reception
• Full-Page Color Ad
• A Complimentary Photo Op with the new Miss Black Tennessee
• Program Book Sponsor List
• One FREE Appearance for Company Event

Silver Sponsorship @ $1,500 or more

• Presenting Sponsor for the Pageant and Reception
• MISS BLACK TN Website Promotion – Corporate Link

• Listed on print, newspapers and magazines ads
• 6 V.I.P. Tickets for Pageant and Reception
• Full-Page Ad
• A Complimentary Photo Op with the new Miss Black Tennessee
• Program Book Sponsor List
• One FREE Appearance for Company Event

Bronze Sponsorship @ $1000 or more

• 4 V.I.P. Tickets for Pageant and Reception
• ½ Page Ad
• MISS BLACK TN Website Promotion – Corporate Link
• A Complimentary Photo Op with the new Miss Black Tennessee
• Program Book Sponsor List
• One FREE Appearance for Company Event

Patron Sponsorship @$500 or more

• 2 V.I.P. Tickets for Pageant and Reception
• ¼ Page Ad
• MISS BLACK TN Website Promotion – Corporate Link
• A Complimentary Photo Op with the new Miss Black Tennessee
• Program Book Sponsor List

General Sponsorship @200 or more

• 2 General Admission Tickets for Pageant
• Business Card Ad
• MISS BLACK TN Website Promotion – Corporate Link
• Program Book Sponsor List

SPONSORSHIP RESERVATION FORM

(Please Check your Sponsorship Level)

( )Platinum Sponsorship $5,000

( )Gold Sponsorship $2,500

( )Silver Sponsorship $1,500

( ) Bronze Sponsorship $1,000

( )Patron Sponsorship $500

( )General Sponsorship $200

TOTAL AMOUNT DUE: ______

NAME:______

TITLE:______

COMPANY:______

ADDRESS:______

CITY:______STATE:______ZIP:_____

PHONE:______FAX:______

EMAIL ADDRESS:______

AUTHORIZED

SIGNATURE:______TITLE:______

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: Miss Black Tennessee USA Scholarship Pageant

Please mail this form to:

Elaine Fisher Cato – Executive State Director

P.O. Box 2035

Antioch, TN 37011-2035

615.593.0178

/ missblacktennessee.com / missblackusa.org

GOD BLESS YOU!

NOTE: The MISS BLACK USA PAGEANT AND SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation. All sponsorships are 100% tax deductible.

About the Miss Black Tennessee USA Scholarship Organization: The Miss Black Tennessee Scholarship Organization is an auxiliary of The Miss Black USA Scholarship Organization. In 2006, the Miss Black Tennessee Scholarship Pageant was welcomed into state prominence after nearly a 10-year hiatus with a successful record of over 300 attendees from across the state. The Miss Black Tennessee Scholarship Pageant is the official preliminary to the national Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant.

About the Miss Black USA Scholarship Organization:

The Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation, Inc. develops and promotes national leadership among women in the African American community. Founded in 1984 to advance educational and professional opportunities for women of African- American descent, it is recognized as hosting one of the premiere pageants of this nation. Winners of official "Miss Black USA" state pageants will use her civic platform to promote awareness of these issues during her reign.

2007 Queen: Kristen Herring, Miss Black Tennessee USA 2007-2008, is native of Lumberton, NC. She is a doctoral candidate in the department of biochemistry at Vanderbilt University, a graduate of Spelman College and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Herring was awarded a $1500 scholarship and will spend the next year of her reign increasing awareness and community involvement towards her civic platform, Time to Get On The "M.O.V.E.," an acronym for "Motivation, Organization, Values, Education” Herring has been named the official spokesperson of the Governor Phil Bredesen’s (TN) L.I.F.T. Mentoring Program for foster children.

2006 Queen: Kalilah Allen-Harris, Miss Black Tennessee USA 2006-2007 and Miss Black USA 2007-2008, is a native of Montgomery, AL. She is a freshman student in the Meharry Medical College School of Medicine, a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Her civic platform supports the research and awareness of Juvenile Diabetes. In June 2007, Harris represented the state of Tennessee in the Miss Black USA Scholarship pageant held in Gambia, Africa. As Miss Black USA, she received a $20,000 scholarship and becomes national spokesperson for the Miss Black USA organization.

Executive Director: Elaine Cato, a former Miss Black Tennessee & Miss Black USA, is native of Nashville, TN. She was a first runner-up in the second season of ABC’s American Inventor with her invention, the Annette Convertible Bra, which lead to a production deal with Maidenform. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Tennessee State University and a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education from the University of Connecticut. She is a realtor by profession and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc

Scholarships: Winner: $1,500 College Scholarship

First Runner Up: $1,000 College Scholarship

Second Runner Up: $500 College Scholarship

Third and Fourth Runner Up: Gift Certificates, 2-Tier Trophy, Flower Bouquet, Official

Pageant Plaque, Pageant T-Shirt, Promotional Opportunities in their Community

Board Members: An accomplished group of professionals including former Miss Black TN queens,

Miss Tennessee and Miss Black USA finalists

Lynet Payne – Assistant Director

Michelle Warmsley – Production Coordinator

Dwight Pope – Assistant Production Coordinator

Tracy Pointer – Awards Coordinator

K. Dawn Rutledge Jones – Pageant Statistician

JK Hunter – Hair & Make-Up Specialist

Lara Sanders – Fashion & Etiquettes Specialist

Angelo White – Website Master, Programs

Target Goals:

• to provide a showcase that promotes intelligence, strong character and perseverance
• to provide cultural pride and community outreach throughout the state
• to encourage the cultivation of excellence through education, talent, health and beauty

• to award scholarships to deserving young women to help further their education at institutions of higher learning

Qualifications: Must be a resident of the state of Tennessee

Must be between the ages of 17 and 27

Must be single and have never been married

Must provide documentation of a 2.5 grade point average or higher

Delegates will compete in five categories: personal interview, health & fitness, talent

evening gown, and the question/answer segment.

Average Number of Applicants: 50

Average Number of Contestants: 20

Recruitment:

• Recruitment Events in Major Cities

• Platform and Sponsorship Support

• Advertising with Urban Radio Stations

• Public Relations and Media Relations

• Colleges, Churches, and Non-Profits

• Websites and Viral Marketing

Annual Budget: $45,000