Amanda Higginbotham wins Miss Volunteer America 2027

Amanda Higginbotham, a Texas titleholder, was crowned Miss Volunteer America 2027 on June 20 in Jackson, Tennessee. The airline pilot and STEM advocate will use the yearlong title to expand service work with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and The Salvation Army.

Why it matters: - Amanda Higginbotham’s win gives Miss Volunteer America a new national face built around aviation, STEM education and volunteer service. - The title comes with a $50,000 scholarship and a prize package valued at well over six figures. - Her platform work will connect to fundraising and charitable events for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and The Salvation Army.

What happened: - Higginbotham, Miss Texas Volunteer, was crowned Miss Volunteer America 2027 on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson, Tennessee. - Miss Volunteer America Founder and CEO Allison DeMarcus revealed the winner to a cheering crowd. - The coronation capped a week-long competition among titleholders from across the country.

The details: - Higginbotham is 25 and works as a first officer at SkyWest Airlines. - She holds an Airline Transport Pilot license, the highest level of pilot certification. - She graduated from the University of North Dakota with dual bachelor’s degrees in aeronautical science and international studies. - She graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA. - Higginbotham performed a classical mashup piano piece for the talent portion of competition. - She promoted The Spark Initiative, an afterschool STEM program she developed for local Salvation Army branches, as her S.E.R.V.E. platform. - Higginbotham said, “Confidence isn’t taught, it’s caught,” while describing work introducing young people, especially girls, to aviation and aerospace careers. - Women make up 5.2% of the airline pilot workforce. - Higginbotham has logged nearly 5,000 volunteer hours. - She founded Reach Out to Outreaches Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit active since 2017 that has hosted scholarships, fundraising events and community festivals. - She serves on a committee for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Texas. - Higginbotham volunteers as a pilot with Angel Flight South Central, transporting medical patients to treatment. - She will serve as National Liaison for the Miss Volunteer America partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. - She will also serve as National Ambassador for the organization’s partnership with The Salvation Army. - Her year of service will include fundraising and charitable events nationwide. - Higginbotham is a former Civil Air Patrol cadet major and a NASA Rookie STEM Ambassador of the Year. - She has developed state-approved STEM curriculum and represented NASA at career fairs around the country. - Her platform will center on three pillars: Serve, Soar and Shine. - Her national campaign, Compassion to Action, aims to strengthen partnerships with St. Jude and The Salvation Army. - Higginbotham plans to host at least one STEM workshop in every state. - She said, “Crowns are best paired with rolled-up sleeves,” and said she is ready for the responsibility of the title.

Between the lines: - Higginbotham’s background blends aviation, STEM outreach and service work, which fits Miss Volunteer America’s emphasis on education and volunteerism. - The organization is using the titleholder’s year to push visible, national-scale charity efforts rather than a pageant-only platform. - The focus on girls in aviation and aerospace highlights a workforce gap that her advocacy is trying to narrow.

What's next: - Higginbotham will begin her year as Miss Volunteer America 2027 with appearances tied to the organization’s charity partners. - Her Compassion to Action campaign will roll out across the country during her reign. - The goal to hold STEM workshops in all 50 states gives the title a measurable service target. - Jackson Mayor Scott Conger also presented DeMarcus and Miss Volunteer America with a proclamation and a key to the city to mark the organization’s fifth anniversary. - Miss Volunteer America was founded in 2022 and includes 51 state titleholders. - The organization has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships since its founding and has raised more than $332,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital over the past two years. - More information is available at Miss Volunteer America.