BROOKINGS, S.D.(Press Release) – Miss Rapid City, Payton Steffensen of Sioux Falls, and Miss Brookings, Emily Deinken of Sioux Falls, took home preliminary awards at the Miss South Dakota competition Thursday night. Deinken is the daughter of Brian and Michelle Deinken. Steffensen is the daughter of Emily Smith and Tony Steffensen.

Steffensen won the $500 preliminary Health and Fitness Award. She graduated from American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York and is currently working as a dancer, choreographer and educator.

Deinken won the $1,000 preliminary Talent Award playing the Carmen Flute Fantasie from Habanera. She is a middle school music teacher in Sioux Falls and is pursuing her master’s degree in music education from Florida State University.

Evian Johnson of Brookings, Miss Hot Springs’ Teen, was selected as the winner of the Teen STEM scholarship for teen candidates planning on majoring in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics field.

The Community Service Award is given to a candidate in both the teen and miss division who demonstrate that they have fulfilled a legitimate need in their community through the creation, development and/or participation in volunteerism.

The winner of the Teen Community Service Award for $500 was Miss Jacks’ Teen Hallie Carlson. The winner of the Miss Community Service Award for $1,000 is Miss Rolling Plains Katie Milbrandt.

The program continues tonight at 6:30 p.m. with the preliminary competitions for Miss South Dakota, and the crowning of Miss South Dakota’s Teen 2025 at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center at South Dakota State University. The crowning of Miss South Dakota 2024 will be on Saturday night.

Tickets and information on the Saturday evening livestream are available at https://www.misssd.org/.