MMOT update: Second preliminary winners named

Published 10:48 pm Saturday, April 27, 2019

: Miss Mississippi 2018 Asya Branch, left, and Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2018 Presley Caldwell introduce contestants during a dress rehearsal Saturday before the first preliminary of the Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen Pageant at the Vicksburg City Auditorium. (Elijah Baylis/ Special to the Vicksburg Post)

The Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant preliminary competitions wrapped up Saturday night at the Vicksburg City Auditorium.

As in the previous preliminary competition that was held earlier in the day, there was a tie during Saturday night’s event.

Miss Hattiesburg’s Outstanding Teen Jane Granberry, who was one of the talent winners in the first preliminary competition, was the winner of the evening gown and on-stage question phase of the competition as well as Miss Modern South’s Outstanding Teen Tori Johnson.

Miss Southern Oaks’ Outstanding Teen Evans Rhett won the talent portion of the competition.

“It was overwhelming to be named a preliminary winner and it’s just amazing and an honor. I almost started crying” Rhett said, after her named was called.

“I was having to hold back the tears,” she said.

Rhett sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” from “The Wizard of Oz.”

While she takes no formal vocal lessons, Rhett did say she had been practicing the song “a lot” with her local pageant director.

Johnson, who is from Madison, said it is the on-stage question phase of the competition that makes her most nervous.

“I seem to always pull through though and give a decent answer, she said, adding she was “surprised and ecstatic when she heard her named called as one of the preliminary winners.

Granberry said she was also surprised when she heard her name called as a preliminary winner of the evening gown and on-stage question phase of the competition.

“But I am really excited because I know I spent a lot of time formulating my words and trying to become a successful speaker.”

Granberry said she has been working with an interview coach to prepare for the pageant.

Thirty-five contestants are competing for the title of Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen. The final competition and crowning will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday and the top 10 finalists will be named.

These contestants will re-compete in all phases of the competition except for the private interview and one will be crowned the 2019 Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen and go on to compete in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, which will be held in July.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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