Meet Joelle
Hello, my name is Joelle Simpson, your Miss South Dakota 2024! I’m a 6th generation South Dakotan who grew up in Rapid City amidst the beauty of the Black Hills in the western part of the state. Since I was a little girl, I have looked up to many women involved in the Miss South Dakota Organization, including my cousin Anna Simpson (Miss South Dakota 2011), harp teacher Morgan Black (first runner-up to Miss South Dakota 2013), and close skating friend Hunter Widvey (Miss South Dakota 2022).
Before getting serious about pageantry, I spent a decade dedicated to reaching my goals in figure skating. Passing a total of 43 individual skating tests, last summer I completed the highest level of figure skating in four different disciplines of the sport, making me the first and the only U.S. Figure Skating Quadruple Gold Medalist from South Dakota. Shortly thereafter, I officially began my pageant journey by winning my first local MAO title, Miss Rolling Plains, in July 2023.
Since age 13, I have been a performing harpist in the Black Hills, playing for countless weddings and events, as well as with the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra and South Dakota All-State Orchestra. After starting to play the harp at age 8, I was grateful to share these musical gifts on the Miss South Dakota stage where I earned a preliminary talent award. Now, I am even more excited for the opportunity to captivate the audience on a national stage at Miss America.
During my year of service, I’m eager to elevate the importance of Nurturing Nature across the state. Through my love of penguins, animals, and nature, I’m excited to continue to connect with South Dakotans of all ages, as I believe we can find commonality through the love of our beautiful grasslands, forests, waterways, and blue skies. I speak on the importance of protecting South Dakota’s 33 threatened and endangered species, preventing the spread of invasive species, and preserving all of our natural areas across the state. From the classroom to partnering with like-minded organizations, I am excited to talk about how Nurturing Nature nurtures us.
I am currently a junior at the University of Minnesota studying medical lab science. I chose Minnesota because of the skating opportunities while finishing up my skating goals during my freshman year. While there, I was grateful to be a part of the Northernettes Synchronized Skating Team that earned a U.S. national bronze medal this past spring.
I am beyond honored to serve as your Miss South Dakota 2024 and I hope to meet many of you soon!
