Miss Maryland Volunteer Sweetheart

A Shared Heart for Service

Since 1941, the National Sweetheart Pageant has long served as a respected training ground for young women pursuing excellence in pageantry. Established in Hoopeston, Illinois, the pageant evolved from a local festival tradition into a nationally recognized competition, welcoming contestants from across the United States.

In 2022, the National Sweetheart Pageant proudly partnered with the Miss Volunteer America Organization, expanding its commitment to service-driven leadership by inviting a runner-up from each state’s Miss Volunteer America competition to participate.

Through this partnership, each participating Miss Volunteer America state program sends its First Runner-Up to represent their state at the National Sweetheart Pageant, continuing a tradition of opportunity, leadership development, and service on a national stage.

The National Partnership between Miss Volunteer America and the National Sweetheart Pageant.

Miss Maryland Sweetheart, Tabitha Spell:

Tabitha Spell is a graduate of Elon University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music in Liberal Arts and Arts Administration. She currently serves as a Junior Management Analyst for KAIROS, Inc., providing project management support and managing the company's social media, while pursuing her dream of becoming a self-sufficient recording artist. After releasing her debut EP in 2024, Tabitha is now working on her first full-length album and plans to earn a master's degree in Popular Music Performance.

A passionate vocalist and leader, Tabitha has been recognized as one of the top 15 contemporary collegiate singers in the nation through the National Association of Teachers of Singing and has performed as an anthem singer for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, as well as at the White House National Christmas Tree.

At Elon University, she served as President of the Arts Administration Student Advisory Committee, founded and directed the Elon Muses Show Choir, and held leadership roles within the International Thespian Society. Through her S.E.R.V.E. Initiative, Redefining the Deficit, Tabitha advocates for changing the conversation around disability by focusing on ability, empowerment, and inclusion, bringing compassion, authenticity, and leadership to every stage she steps onto.