Zoe Scheiderich doesn’t talk about her crown first. She talks about classrooms, shelters, and women’s centers — about standing in front of young girls who don’t yet know their worth, and women who’ve had theirs taken from them
As Miss Tennessee, she travels the state. More importantly, she shows up — sleeves rolled and heart open — through her platform, Triple E, which focuses on elevating, empowering, and equipping young women.
“I empower girls by going into schools, after-school programs, and shelters,” Scheiderich says. “We talk about purpose, about community, about understanding that someone else’s light shining doesn’t take away from your own.”
Her message isn’t rhetoric. Through partnerships with organizations like Girls Inc., a nationwide after-school program, Scheiderich puts her platform into action. She recently expanded her outreach internationally by traveling to Nairobi, Kenya, where she worked with Wings of Hope, an organization that rescues young girls from forced tribal marriages.
But her platform goes further. Scheiderich’s mission also equips women in tangible ways. She partners with nonprofits such as TenThirtyFive, an upscale thrift store chain. TenThirtyFive provides clothing to women facing economic hardship across Tennessee. Fresh off the Miss America stage, she returned home and immediately hosted a clothing drive.
“The turnout was incredible,” she says. “Sometimes meeting someone’s physical needs is the first step to helping them rebuild confidence.” T his dedication to service feels second nature to Scheiderich. It’s also why Nashville Lifestyles chose to recognize her as one of the city’s most inspiring people.
Scheiderich wasn’t always a Tennessean. Born in Minnesota, she spent most of her childhood in Chicago before her family relocated south for her father’s job. Her pageant journey started three years ago — and not by her own doing. One afternoon, she opened her laptop to find her mom had been researching local pageants.
“I had never once shown interest,” Scheiderich says. “But when God tells my mom to do something, there’s no stopping her.”
Skeptical and burned out from her years in the competitive dance world, Scheiderich believed the stereotypes and almost didn’t go. But when she showed up, everything changed.
She describes her competitors as “beautiful, smart, and well-spoken.” T hey welcomed her with open arms, and she says it was their kindness that hooked her. Three years later, she was crowned Miss Tennessee.
It wasn’t her first time chasing a dream. Scheiderich is a classically trained dancer who left home at 14 to pursue ballet. She lived with three host families while being homeschooled alongside her four younger siblings. She earned merit scholarships to elite programs, including the School of American Ballet in New York City, Miami City Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. At Project Ballet, she choreographed an original piece — a rare honor — and later directed a student-run production.
For a long time, ballet seemed like everything. Over time, though, that vision expanded.
“I realized I still loved dance,” she says, “but I didn’t want it to be my main career.”
She’s now pursuing a degree in entertainment journalism at Middle Tennessee State University. She’s blending her two great loves — sports and storytelling. Her dream is to become a sideline reporter for ESPN because, she says, “I love sports and talking.”
Her crown already reflects that charisma. At the 2026 Miss America pageant, Scheiderich placed in the Top 11 and won Preliminary Fitness. She earned $13,000 in scholarships, bringing her total to more than $20,000 through the Miss America Opportunity.
Scheiderich’s journey hasn’t been easy. She lived with an abusive host family during her training years and battled ADHD, depression, anxiety, and self-harm through middle and high school.
“There were moments I didn’t see a way out,” she says. “Jesus was my safety net. My faith saved me.”
Her parents, she says, were relentless advocates. All four of her siblings are neurodivergent, and her family educated themselves, adjusted, and showed up. Now, Scheiderich speaks openly — because she knows someone listening needs to hear it.
“I share my story so people know there is light,” she says, explaining that while balancing school, philanthropy, and teaching dance isn’t easy, she gives herself grace. “My brain works differently,” she says. “So I build systems that work for me.”
It’s why she pours into young women — and why being only the third Black Miss Tennessee matters to her.
“I want girls to embrace what makes them unique,” she says. “Don’t shrink to fit a mold.”