Next Gen Leading Ladies

These extraordinary young women are already making bold and inspiring moves within our community. 

Written by KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER

MARGARET BRENNAN, a 10th grader at Savannah Country Day School, is spearheading a comforting, intergenerational project: Care Wear for CURE, a partnership with CURE Childhood Cancer, a nonprofit that funds research and supports patients and their families. Margaret’s family has been involved with CURE, and her mom, Lizzie Brennan, suggested modifying clothing to make it easier to use for children undergoing cancer treatments. It was also the perfect excuse for Margaret’s grandmother, a seamstress, to teach her how to sew.

Margaret gathered five of her longtime friends — Olivia Aliotta, Tennyson Fitzgerald, Clara Garola, Saylor Goodwin, and Katherine Harlander (all students at Savannah Country Day School) — to help create port-friendly, personalized dresses and shirts for the young cancer patients. The group worked on the project with Mandy Garola, vice president of the South Georgia chapter of CURE Childhood Cancer and Clara’s mother. The cause hits close to home for them; Clara’s older sister is a leukemia survivor. 

“When they approached me with the idea, I was thrilled,” says Garola. “I love seeing students in our community stepping up to support pediatric cancer patients. It means so much to the patients and their families when young people do something thoughtful and kind for them. The fact that this project involved a practical item that could make treatment just a little easier was a huge bonus.”

So far, the girls have created 10 outfits, which feature pockets for small toys so that the children can keep a favorite item close to them. They package the clothes into goodie bags, along with toys and snacks. 

As the girls continue their work raising money for the project via bake sales and selling homemade jewelry, they are asking for donated items such as fabrics, snaps, and little items for the goodie bags. You can find the project on Instagram as @carewearforcure. They are also branching out into pajamas for the young patients, through a partnership with Savannah-based LAKE Pajamas.

Grace and Empowerment

Sure, it features evening wear, talent, and interview segments, but make no mistake, the Miss Savannah Juneteenth Scholarship Pageant, held June 14, is about more than competition.

Set against the backdrop of the Savannah Juneteenth Fine Arts Festival (June 14–21), the pageant is in its second year. It is “a journey of self-discovery, leadership, and cultural pride,” says Patricia Perry, the executive director and founder of Chosen For The Arts, the umbrella nonprofit organization that oversees both the festival and the pageant.  

Rooted in the legacy of Juneteenth — the holiday commemorating the ending of slavery in the U.S. — “the pageant celebrates the achievements of African Americans while preparing young women to step into their power with confidence and grace,” says Perry. Over the course of eight weeks, contestants take part in site visits, leadership training, public speaking workshops, and a trip to Washington, D.C., where they explore the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

In last year’s pageant, Kennedy Hunter claimed the coveted Miss Savannah Juneteenth title alongside Saiiya King, who won Miss Teen Savannah Juneteenth. 

“Wearing this crown has meant so much to me,” says Hunter. “It’s a symbol of the dedication and effort I’ve put in, but also of the impact I hope to make in my community. Beyond personal achievement, I see it as an opportunity to uplift and inspire others, showing that with perseverance and passion, anything is possible.” Hunter, a 2024 graduate of Savannah Arts Academy, is now attending Georgia Southern University, majoring in nursing. She received a $5,000 college scholarship as part of her award from the pageant. 

For 2025, the pageant has a theme of “Innovative Queens: A Journey in STEAM,” highlighting the importance of education and innovation. For the winning contestant, Gulfstream will be providing a STEAM scholarship. 

“This year’s pageant is something I’m really looking forward to,” says Hunter. “I’ll have a role in it, and I’m excited to be part of an event that celebrates confidence, hard work, and personal growth. It’s always inspiring to see everyone’s dedication and to be part of such an empowering experience.”

In the Spotlight

For its first-ever Broadway Week, Savannah-based American Traditions Vocal Collection (ATC) brought serious singing talent to town. But for the week’s culmination, a two-hour show called  “A Broadway Finale,” one singer made a beautiful impression alongside the professionals. She is 14-year-old Constance Zaller, who movingly performed “Far From The Home I Love” from “Fiddler on the Roof.”

The talented Zaller, an eighth grader at Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts, placed second at the 2024 Junior ATC competition last fall, which was open to contestants aged 13 to 18 for the first time. (Previously, the junior competition had been open only to high school students.) 

“When I started the process, I researched everyone that had made it into the competition, and I was absolutely terrified,” Zaller recalls. “Who wouldn’t be? I was 13, and everyone else was at least three years older than me. But when I stepped onto the stage, I knew that I was doing the competition to improve and get the experience of doing something challenging.”

Zaller has been singing since she was little. Her parents, Mike and Shannon Zaller, are part owners of the Savannah Theatre and professional singers, “so I have direct access to vocal coaches in my own home!” She has also studied with a local music educator, soprano Mandy Madson, and takes dance classes at The Studio Savannah.

At the competition, “I genuinely didn’t think that I was going to place,” says Zaller, “but I was so excited when I got to stand on the stage with the people that I had met in the Junior ATC process and see how far I’ve come and see the people who have helped me along the way.”

In the future, she hopes to attend the New York University Tisch School of the Arts and perform on Broadway. “But, if not, I want to be an esthetician and even possibly a dermatologist,” she says. 

But first, high school. Zaller has been accepted into Savannah Arts Academy for theater, where she is sure to be seen soaring on stage.

---