Tonight, we are celebrating Miss America contestants from the Mid-South.
The new reigning Miss America is from the Natural State. Miss Arkansas, Saavy Shields, won the title last night in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Saavy is from Fayetteville and is currently a senior at the University of Arkansas.
It’s been a long two weeks for Miss Tennessee Grace Burgess. The Bartlett native and U of M student was a finalist, making the top ten.
Local 24’s Tish Clark spoke to Grace via Facetime before her flight home.
Grace Burgess has earned more than $30,000 in scholarship money. As exhausted as she may be, Grace says being a part of Miss America was an experience she’ll never forget and she’ll continue to represent her roots as the reigning Miss Tennessee.
“Oh my goodness, well, first of all, it goes by in about 20 seconds. The anticipation is so built up and then it’s there and it’s there. And I think I was just so grateful, honestly, to be able to walk across that Miss America stage.”
Fewer than 24 hours after competing in the Miss America pageant, Miss Tennessee Grace Burgess is all smiles and looking refreshed as she waits for her flight back to Memphis.
“I was just so honored to represent our state and I’m thrilled I got as far as I did.”
During a week of preliminaries Grace won the talent preliminary competition and made it into the top ten finalists Sunday night.
“They were so kind to call my name towards the end of each round. So I was standing there and I could feel my heart beating through my chest. I thought I was going to pass out but I survived and it was great.”
There won’t be much rest for Miss Tennessee once she’s back in town.
“I will actually be going to Knoxville on Wednesday, so I have one day off which I’ll probably go into a Miss America sleep fest for an entire day and then, yeah, hit the ground running and start traveling right then.”
