Meri Alyce Statham of Tifton was crowned Miss Georgia Junior High 2021. Ashlin Meadows of Adel was crowned Miss Georgia High School 2021 and Shannon Murphy of Marietta was crowned Miss Georgia Collegiate 2021.

ALPHARETTA – A Tifton resident and a Cook County resident won state pageant titles.

Meri Alyce Statham of Tifton was crowned Miss Georgia Junior High 2021. Ashlin Meadows of Adel was crowned Miss Georgia High School 2021 and Shannon Murphy of Marietta was crowned Miss Georgia Collegiate 2021. 

Young women from across the state competed for the titles of Miss Georgia Jr. High, High School and Collegiate America 2021.

Thirteen elementary titles were awarded during the sixth annual pageant for girls in preschool through fifth grade, organizers said in a statement.

One-hundred-and-five contestants participated in a three-day event that included rehearsals, Halloween costume party, trick-or treating and competition areas of interview, fashion runway, school wear and formal wear.

The national pageant organization and Julie and Anna Barnes, producers of the state pageant, make it a goal to provide outstanding elementary, high school, junior high and collegiate girls the opportunity “to compete in a pageant system that has the highest of moral values,” organizers said.

“The competition exists for the purpose of providing personal and professional opportunities for young women.”

Crowning the new titleholders were last year’s winners, Emma Grace Kelley, Miss Georgia High School 2020 (Buford); Siara Caspari, Miss Georgia Junior High 2020 (Cartersville); and Sarah Weeks, Miss Georgia Collegiate 2020 (Canton). 

Elementary titles include:

Little Miss Georgia Preschool: Audrey Bulllard of Valdosta.

Little Miss Georgia Kindergarten: Amayah Moore of Statesboro.

Little Miss Georgia First Grade: Brielle Belay of Alpharetta.

Little Miss Georgia Second Grade: Waverly Ankrom of Alpharetta.

Little Miss Georgia Third Grade: Chloe Morris of Ailey.

Little Miss Georgia Fourth Grade: Paisley Yarbrough of Coolidge.

Little Miss Georgia Fifth Grade: Aven Guess of Douglas.

Little Miss Georgia PreK-2nd Grade Mini-Supreme of Anniston Hartley of Vidalia.

Little Miss Georgia PreK-2nd Grade Supreme: Preslie Mosley of Lyons.

Little Miss Georgia PreK-2nd Grade Grand Supreme: Demi Davenport of Peachtree City.

Little Miss Georgia 3rd-5th Grade Mini-Supreme: Mylee Kinsey of Valdosta.

Little Miss Georgia 3rd-5th Grade Supreme: Evelyn McCoy of Baxley.

Little Miss Georgia 3rd-5th Grade Grand Supreme: Abigail Goss of Cochran.

The newly crowned titleholders will be traveling throughout the state of Georgia, making appearances and speaking on behalf of the national platform B.R.A.V.E. (Building Respect and Values for Everyone), an anti-bullying campaign, organizers said.

The winners will represent Georgia and compete for the national titles of Miss Jr. High School America, Miss High School America and Miss Collegiate America to be held in Little Rock, Ark., in June 2021.

The national pageant awards the new queens with more than $100,000 prize package including a $10,000 cash scholarship and the Collegiate America winner receives a brand new Jeep. Elementary winners are eligible to join them during the week for the Crown Academy and the Miss Elementary America Pageant where winners will receive a $5,000 cash prize, a modeling contract with MMG, a $500 gift certificate from American Girl, a cruise, etc.

“This is a mentorship/sister experience to show young girls the positive impact of pageantry, community service, and the pageant sisterhood,” organizers said.

For more information, visit www.MissGeorgiaHighSchool.com or the national website www.americashighschoolpageant.com.