Third time is the charm: Miss Capital City Becky Williams crowned Miss Mississippi

Published 11:23 pm Saturday, June 8, 2024

Miss Capital City Becky Williams was crowned Miss Mississippi Saturday at the Vicksburg Convention Center following the final night of competition.

“I’ve dreamed of being Miss Mississippi since I was six years old,” Williams said after winning the title.

This year the Miss Mississippi Competition had 39 contestants vying for the title of Miss Mississippi.

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This is Williams third time competing in the Miss Mississippi Competition. Last year, she was the second alternate to Miss Mississippi 2023 Vivian O’Neal.

During the competition, Williams performed a jazz dance to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” for the talent portion of the night. For the evening gown phase, she wore a crimson beaded strapless gown.

As Miss Mississippi, Williams will have the opportunity to promote her Community Service Initiative, which is titled “Make A Move,” and focuses on staying healthy through movement. Willams said she will be doing monthly fitness challenges through Miss Mississippi’s social media to promote the initiative. She also plans to visit classrooms around the state, where she will work to shine a light on the advantages of staying healthy through keeping active.

“I’m so excited to be able to take over the Miss Mississippi social media,” she said. “That’s been my biggest tool as Miss Capital City, as Miss Metro Jackson, as Becky in reaching over 40,000 individuals. And that number grows every single day. But with the Miss Mississippi social media, I’ll be doing monthly fitness challenges. I’ll be checking in and seeing how Miss Mississippi is making a move, whether it’s in my car traveling the state or whether it’s me taking fitness breaks and getting ready for Miss America and Miss America Fit. But I’m also so excited to get into classrooms and to share ‘Make A Move,’ to share ‘Boogie with Becky,’ and to get students moving and learning. I’ve dreamed of having a partnership between Miss Mississippi and the Move to Learn initiative through the Mississippi Department of Education. I’ve tried for a few years, but I think with the power of this crown, I’ll be able to make it happen.”

As Miss Mississippi, Williams receives a $10,000 scholarship provided by Ameristar Casino and Hotel and a $2,000 scholarship provided by the Miss Mississippi Corporation.

The first alternate to Miss Mississippi was Miss University Jane Granberry. Granberry receives a $4,000 scholarship provided by David and Katherine McRae and a $4,000 scholarship provided by Chris and Jennie Simmons.

Second alternate, Miss Mississippi State University Morgan Nelson, receives a $5,000 scholarship provided by Casey and Rachel Ellis, and a $1,000 scholarship provided by the Miss Mississippi Corporation.

Third alternate, Miss Heart of the South Sarah Randolph, receives a $3,500 scholarship provided by Rusty’s Riverfront Grill and a $500 scholarship provided by the Miss Mississippi Corporation.

Miss Rankin County Anna Leah Jolly is the fourth alternate to Miss Mississippi and receives a $2,500 scholarship provided by Mutual Credit Union and a $500 scholarship provided by the Miss Mississippi Corporation.

The semi-finalists are: Miss Hub City Paige McNeil; Miss Tupelo Jaycee Janzen; Miss Madison County Gracie Bassett; Miss Oxford Celeste Lay; Miss Jones County Caidyn Crowder; and Miss Queen of the South Elizabeth Swindell. Each semi-finalist received a $2,000 scholarship provided by the Miss Mississippi Corporation.

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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