Chloe Grace Weeks of Winston County was crowned the 2024 Mississippi Miss Hospitality Saturday evening at the Historic Saenger Theater in Downtown Hattiesburg. With 42 contestants competing for the title, Weeks was selected following the week of competition, which included one-on-one and panel interviews, speeches, on-stage interviews, and an evening gown component.
Selected as the 75th Mississippi Miss Hospitality, the winner serves as a goodwill ambassador for economic development and tourism during her reign. Weeks will participate in numerous events throughout the state that highlight Mississippi’s tourism attractions and industries.
“I want to tell Mississippian’s stories and highlight things about the state that others may not know. I am ready to start setting goals for doing that through my travels as the official ambassador and meeting new people,” Weeks said. “This doesn’t feel real, yet, but I am so honored and feel blessed to represent Mississippi as the 75th Miss Hospitality.”
Weeks is a rising senior at Mississippi State University, where she is pursuing a psychology degree with a minor in medical humanities. At MSU, Chloe is a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and serves on the DEI Team and Mental Health Board. She is a member of MSU Fashion Board, Dresses of Hope, and serves as an ACCESS Peer Mentor. Upon graduation, Chloe plans to pursue her BSN degree through UMMC’s accelerated BSN program. Age 21, she is the daughter of Kevin and Twyla Weeks.
Mississippi Miss Hospitality’s top five contestants were:
Chloe Grace Weeks, Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2024
Lillie Faith Childs, New Albany, 1st Alternate
Anna Kate Ratcliffe, Gulfport, 2nd Alternate
Stevee Kate Dixon, Hattiesburg, 3rd Alternate
Haylee Westbrook, Raleigh, 4th Alternate
Mississippi Miss Hospitality program works with local directors, contestants, and sponsors throughout the year to present the weeklong competition in Hattiesburg. In addition to competing and rehearsing, contestants participate in service projects and city tours, along with team building and leadership activities.
“Mississippi Miss Hospitality travels throughout the state and country to share tourism assets, business advantages, culture, and goodwill to organizations and leaders during her reign,” Kristen Brock, program director, said. “Chloe Grace is joining a network of successful, supportive women who come before her in this role, working to promote Mississippi as the state’s official goodwill ambassador.”
Serving alongside Weeks at official events and appearances will be Saylor Jaymes Boswell as Mississippi’s Little Miss Hospitality. Each local titleholder selects a Little Miss to mentor throughout their year-long reign and to be with them during competition week. Boswell is eight years old and is the daughter of Cody and Brittany Boyette and Zach Boswell.
Additionally, a number of other scholarships and awards were given out during competition.
Four Mississippi speech winners were awarded the Jay Slaughter Memorial Scholarship for their 90-second speeches creatively showcasing the state’s history, tourism resources, and business assets. Winners were Gulfport, Anna Kate Ratcliffe; New Albany, Lillie Faith Childs; Raleigh, Haylee Westbrook; and Winston County, Chloe Grace Weeks.
The 42 contestants were provided a social media challenge starting two months before competition week that highlighted their hometowns, the program’s sponsors, and more. This year’s social media scholarship winner, which is awarded by the Mississippi Tourism Association, is Simmons Anna Brooks of Choctaw County.
Nominated and voted on by her peers, the program awards one young woman the Lake Little Spirit of Hospitality Award for her supportive, welcoming, and kind behavior throughout competition week. The annual award is named in memory of Lake Little of Starkville, who passed away before competition in 2019. The 2024 winner of the Lake Little Spirit of Miss Hospitality award is Zalla McCaffrey of Tupelo.
The program awards one young woman a top ad sales scholarship for generating the most community support for the State Competition. The 2024 winner is Sadee Mae Dickens, Covington County.
The Southern Miss Image Center provides a scholarship for the Most Photogenic contestant each year. Katelynn Kirkendall, Oxford, was selected as the 2024 recipient.
During the Farewell Brunch for contestants, their families, and local directors on Saturday morning, another annual honor was given. The 2024 Volunteer of the Year was Pontotoc’s local director Kelsie Young Cruse, who exemplifies the program’s values through her mentorship with local titleholders. A former local contestant, Cruse hosts one of the largest local competitions in the state.
For more information or to request Mississippi Miss Hospitality at an event, visit misshospitality.com or the program’s Facebook page.
For more information, visit misshospitality.com. Keep up with Week’s year-long reign on the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Competition Facebook and Instagram.