Today we kick off a new series, The Road to Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen 2018. Here’s a fun fact: the Miss Delaware's Outstanding Teen Pageant took off in 2005! Did you know that?! This year, ten young women are competing for the title of Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen 2018. One such teen is Emily Jer-Don, a 16-year-old sophomore at the Delaware Military Academy in Wilmington. Continue reading to learn more about Emily and her journey to the crown!

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For those who may not be familiar with you, tell our readers a bit about yourself and your background within the pageant world.
My name is Emily Jer-Don, I am 16 years old and a sophomore at the Delaware Military Academy in Wilmington; where I hold an Administration position for the whole school; I was just recently promoted to Petty Officer First class, I am a member of the National Honor Society. This past month, I was honored to receive the Delaware Military Academy’s Shining Seahawk award during our annual Naval Inspection, the award was presented to me by the inspection Officer Lieutenant Colonel Henigan. I was a great honor for me to have been chosen to represent the sophomore class during our Annual Inspection.

I am relatively new to the pageant world; this will be my second pageant. I competed in the Miss Delaware Teen USA pageant this past November where I placed 3rd runner up and received the Miss Congeniality Award.

I decided to join the pageant world for many reasons; one was to work on my confidence, I was bullied all through middle school so when I started high school I decided to start fresh and find things that are outside of my comfort zone. With that in mind I am putting myself in situations to meet new people that really seemed to have it all together with poise, integrity, confidence and making a difference in the community.  As a freshman, I was chosen to be a platoon leader in charge of 30 cadets; this position helped me work on my confidence in a leadership role.

Another main reason I wanted to enter the pageant world was to bring awareness to a place that is near and dear to my heart that I volunteer at called Exceptional Care for Children.  It is a pediatric facility that provides long term nursing, transitional services and palliative care for technology dependent children. This place is amazing and they are always looking for more volunteers to help with the kids.  Some of the things I do there are crafts, reading and play therapy with these fragile but hopeful little ones. I have had the pleasure of organizing a book drive, help with fundraisers such as Bag Bingo and a 5K race.


The four points of the Miss America crown represent: service, scholarship, style, and success. Which one is the most important to you and why?
I would have to choose Service!  I was taught at a young age to always give back to your community.  No matter where you are in your life there are always others in need. I feel it is important to treat others with dignity and to always try to help in any way to the best of my ability.  I do this through several different activities such as; Volunteer in the operating room, at the local hospital during the summer; volunteer at Exceptional Care for Children assisting with play therapy throughout the year; help raise money for Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention; volunteer with Wreaths Across America, placing and removing wreaths on the graves of veterans.

During Delaware’s reign, what is one characteristic you’ve seen her bring forth as Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen, and which do you hope to emulate if you were to win the title?
Nicole has a very positive attitude and is proactive for her platform and the community. I hope to be able to use the Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen position to create opportunities so I can bring awareness to my platform. In addition; be a role model for others.

What have you learned from our current Miss Delaware, Chelsea Bruce, that can help you be a better outstanding teen?
I have learned to be confident in who I am, stay positive and to help others.

Please share with our readers your platform and why you’ve chosen to advocate for it.
My Platform is: “Every Child Deserves Exceptional Care.”

I want to bring awareness to the facility that I volunteer for, in Newark, Delaware.  It is a safety net for technology dependent children. They offer skilled nursing, transitional and palliative care for kids who are too sick to go home, but not sick enough to stay in the hospital.  Many of the kids suffer from neurological disorders and are a ward of the state or their families just can’t take care of them due to the extreme medical needs. Some “graduate” and get to go home, while others utilize the facility as their end of life transition.  The nurses and staff create an environment that is “like-home” and this is the only home many of these children will know. The kids each have their own rooms and tera each other like siblings. They currently have just upgraded to 31 beds. Exceptional Care is a safe haven for healing fragile bodies when possible and refuge for the vulnerable spirits when there is no cure.

There is a great need for more facilities like it in all states. The kids really look forward to the volunteers.  They need us for a variety of capacities like reading to the children, crafts, singing or just sitting with the kids. Also they need help with sanitizing the toys and helping with fundraisers, making donations for birthday gifts, and other items such as movies, music and books. I need to bring awareness to this facility, so we can help the many kids that are turned away due to no beds being available.


If you were to win the title of Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen, how do you hope to better educate your generation about your platform and the importance it holds?
Part of my plan is to reach out through the media (radio & newspaper), speak at schools, community and corporate events. Also use a targeted social media campaign.

Tell us about your talent and the decisions you made in proceeding with this talent.
I will be performing a Contemporary dance to the song “This is Me.” I started dancing at the age of 2 years old.  It is a way for me to release my emotions. I feel very strongly about dance, I dance for Stage Lights Dance studio and I am on the AFL Philadelphia Soul Jr Dance team. The reason I choose this song was I feel that you need to accept people the way they are, and not judge them based on looks or others opinions. I feel this song represents both the kids at Exceptional Care and me, due to being bullied.

Having been in pageants and after winning a local title, what advice do you have for those who want to start competing in the MAO system?
Since this is only my second pageant, my advice is to be true to yourself and do what makes you happy.  If you want to make a difference this would be a great way of having your voice heard.

Because of the way media and certain television networks have portrayed the lifestyle of pageantry, there is a preconceived notion of what a pageant girl is like. How do you think that being a part of the Miss America Organization you are able to break that barrier?
I am going to be honest; when I did my first pageant I thought the same thing.  That the girls were going to be like dolls and fake but it was something I really wanted to do so I gave it a try. I was pleasantly surprised! All of the girls that I met are genuinely nice and caring.  The one thing we all had in common was that we all had a story to tell about ourselves and something we have gone through. We all want to do something good in our communities, and to better ourselves by branching out through the pageant. The way I will break the barrier is by being extremely involved in the community, be approachable and have a positive attitude.

Regardless of who wins the title of Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen, what is one goal which you have for them, which you hope they will accomplish during their reign?
The goal that I wish for them is to Be Heard and to make a difference in our beautiful state of Delaware!

Bravura is an artistic word for exceptional. Tell our readers what make you “bravura.”
I have compassion for others. I show this by my volunteer work at Exceptional Care for Children, and at the Christiana Care Hospital.  My passion is to make a difference in someone’s life. Even if it is something small like organizing a book drive to help get books for the kids at the facilities, or by placing a wreath on the grave of a Veteran.  I believe it is the “little things” that help make the world a better place, start small and work your way up to making it all a better place.

My goal is to become a surgeon, so I can help save lives!

Where can fans follow you on social media?
Instagram via emilyjerdon, and Facebook, Emily Jer-Don.

Do you have any final words for the readers of Bravura Magazine?
First; Thank you for this opportunity to share a little bit about myself and what I am hoping to accomplish. I believe that if I am chosen as Delaware’s Outstanding Teen, I can make a profound impact in showing my state that every child deserves exceptional care. I would love to have the opportunity to do all I can to make a change for the better.