JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A new Miss Mississippi’s Teen was crowned Sunday in Vicksburg.

Avery McNair, a senior who is graduating from Simpson Academy next week, says she is thrilled to begin the journey of representing this state at Miss America’s Teen.

This is the 20th year for Miss Mississippi’s Teen program.

Twenty-one delegates competed for the title in Vicksburg on Sunday.

After the Top 11 candidates were announced, each of them competed in Fitness, Evening Wear, On Stage question and Talent. A

very McNair, Miss Madison County, played piano.

McNair said, “You never think its gonna be you, and then I finally got my opportunity and I wanted to embrace every single thing and I’m just so blessed to be here.”

McNair was fourth alternate to Brooke Bumgarner, who placed second in Miss America’s Teen and was the first Miss Mississippi’s Teen to win an evening wear preliminary in the national competition.

Bumgarner said, “I came home second alternate for Miss America’s Teen but I came home to the greatest state in the nation and that’s something I said in my first interview with you as Miss Mississippi’s Teen. Its something that I’ll believe for the rest of my life. That’s something that every Miss Mississippi’s Teen has to have a good understanding of – is that she is representing such a great group of people and I wouldn’t want to represent any other state and I hope she knows that, that she knows the value of serving Mississippi.”

The New Miss Mississippi’s Teen is now preparing to represent this state on the national stage.

McNair said, “I’m already in game mode, so I say just keep working hard and keep working harder every single day and I’m so excited to go represent Mississippi.”

McNair, who also wins a 10-thousand dollar scholarship, will be making public appearances throughout the state. She wants to share her Service Initiative, Let’s All Be Prepared: Emergency Preparedness for Kids.

“I partnered with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency my last two years of competing. My first house was hit by an EF-2 tornado and then we were hit again five years later and that destroyed that same house and so I learned from those experiences that I not only want to change lives, but save them,” said McNair.

This year’s fourth alternate was Miss Metro Jackson Chloe Braxton, 3rd Runner Up Anna Holly, Miss Queen City.

Second Alternate, Madalyn Sullivan, Miss Lafayette County and first runner up for the second year in a row, Miss Capital City Blake Hart.

McNair says she will attend Mississippi State University in the fall.

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