Cape Girardeau girl wins title of Miss Missouri Universal Mini

Just one year into participating in pageants, Cape Girardeau local Emmi Jungers has won the title of Miss Missouri Universal Mini, during the Univeral Miss competion Feb. 17 and 18 in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

Emmi is 6 years old and has only competed in a handful of pageants, her mother, Karley Jungers, said.

Karley Jungers said she originally decided to have Emmi start doing pageants to boost her confidence and help her get more comfortable in her own skin. Since starting, Emmi has fallen in love with the sisterhood that comes along with pageants. Her mother said Emmi has “Sister Queens”, which are girls in the area who have won the title of queen in other age groups,. One of Emmi’s favorite parts of pageant weekend is the parties she can go to with her Sister Queens.

Karley Jungers said that during big pageant weekend, the Sister Queens get together for themed parties to help bond the girls more.

“She’s able to bond with girls that have the same passion and like the same things as her,” Karley Jungers said. “She is huge into that.”

Emmi Jungers at the Miss Missouri Universal Mini pageantSubmitted

Another way pageants impacted Emmi is the way it has opened up opportunities, her mother said. Emmi has now started giving back to the community by doing service projects such as “adopting” three families during Christmastime, collecting goods for the homeless, and her selected community service, The Impact One More Foundation.

“My favorite part of it all would be seeing her get involved in things bigger than herself, like community service projects,” Karley Jungers said. “It’s so heartwarming to see your 6-year-old collecting items to donate and having a passion for that. It makes you feel like you’re doing something right.”

Karley Jungers said she and Emmi will be looking to get more involved in food banks or helping feed the homeless in the area throughout the year of her reign as Miss Missouri Universal Mini.

A pageant day for Emmi starts at 5 a.m. Her hair and makeup get done around 8 or 9 a.m., depending on the day, and the entire day ends at 6 p.m.

Karley Jungers said that during the Universal Miss Midwest Regional, Emmi competed in the 4- to 6-year-old age division and competed against more than 10 girls. She was the winner of the talent competition. Her mother said she was not sure how to name her talent, but it was a mix routine of flips, splits and other things of the sort.

Emmi and her mother will be traveling in June to Orlando, Florida, to compete in the Universal Miss Nationals, the next step after winning Miss Missouri Universal Mini. She will be in the Universal Miss division along with other 4- to 6-year-old competitors from across the country.

Since starting pageants, Emmi said she has learned a few things.

“To be kind and to inspire other girls,” she said.