About

Since 1954, the Miss Roanoke Valley program has mentored hundreds of local women and girls to achieve their dreams. As representatives of the Miss Virginia and Miss America Organizations, Miss Roanoke Valley and Miss Roanoke Valley’s Outstanding Teen spend their year speaking at civic events, volunteering for local non-profits, and entertaining Virginians of all ages.

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The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs for young women and the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Miss America's values, Scholarship, Service, Style, and Success, are symbolized in the four-points of its crystal crown and are exemplified by the thousands of women who participate in local pageants every year.

Stars of the Star City

Meet

Miss Roanoke Valley

Isabella Jessee

Isabella Jessee, Miss Roanoke Valley 2022, is a senior at Hollins University and was raised in Roanoke, Virginia. She is a pre-medical student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry. At Hollins, she is the assistant to the university’s president and a tour guide student ambassador. Isabella is a National Honor Society student.

Isabella’s platform is “Lifesaving Techniques,” and her community service work is dedicated to helping civilians in medical emergencies. As Miss Roanoke Valley, Isabella leads interactive lessons for children on six Lifesaving Techniques: CPR, Epi-Pen administration, Heimlich maneuver, bleeding control, splinting, and recognizing signs of heart attack or stroke. Isabella is a certified EMT at Hollins Station 5 with Roanoke County Fire & Rescue and has her EVOC certification to drive an ambulance. She is currently working to bring back classes on bleeding control techniques for Roanoke County educators. Additionally, Isabella is a Virginia Department of Health COVID Community Ambassador to promote health and safety in the pandemic.

At the Miss Roanoke Valley competition, Isabella performed an original arrangement of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” on her grandfather’s 75-year-old violin. She previously served with the Miss America Organization as Miss Virginia’s Outstanding Teen 2017.

Meet

Miss Roanoke Valley's

Outstanding Teen

Ayana Johnson

Ayana Johnson, Miss Roanoke Valley’s Outstanding Teen 2022, is a sophomore in high school. She is an award-winning scholar with recognition from National Junior Honor Society, National Junior Beta Club, Governor’s School for the Arts, and the Suffolk Art League, among other organizations. She was the 2019 recipient of the Excellence Girls Club Pioneer Award and has been featured in the Suffolk News Herald “20 under 21.” Ayana was the 2020 Student Council President at her school and is a current member of her superintendent’s student advisory board.

Ayana’s platform is “Ayana’s R.E.A.D. Initiative,” which stands for Readiness to Empower, Advocate, and Diminish Hopelessness in Chronic Illness. In particular, Ayana is an advocate for Sickle Cell Warriors and an ambassador for the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. As Miss Roanoke Valley’s Outstanding Teen, Ayana educates the public to negate the disparities and stigmas faced by those living with chronic illness.  

A competitive dancer for over ten years with national awards, Ayana performed a musical theater dance routine to “Whatever Lola Wants” at the Miss Roanoke Valley’s Outstanding Teen Competition. Ayana has many interests, including playing classical violin, listening to jazz, traveling, spending time with family, film & photography, and journaling.

Meet

Miss Roanoke Valley's

Sister Queens

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