Teagan Stewart named Miss Academic Excellence 2026

VICKSBURG, Miss.(VDN) — Teagan Stewart was crowned Miss Academic Excellence 2026 during the 53rd Annual Debutante Ball held Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Sr. Auditorium.

The event recognized 32 seniors and drew a large crowd of supporters. In addition to the title, Stewart received a $500 book scholarship. She was escorted at the event by Ashton Saleh.

“It was a surreal experience and I was confident that I would win it,” Stewart said. “It’s been a lot of hard work, but I believed in the effort I put in to get here.”

The Miss Academic Excellence honor is awarded to the senior with the highest grade point average. Stewart holds an impressive 5.01 GPA.

Stewart is a student at River City Early College. She serves as volleyball captain at Vicksburg High School and vice president of Phi Theta Kappa. Her academic honors include the President’s List, Dean’s List, membership in the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. She has also earned her Certified Nurse’s Aide license.

Her hobbies include playing volleyball, singing and crafting. In the community, Stewart volunteers at the concession stand and keeps the scorebook for the Vicksburg High School basketball team. She attends Beulah Grove Baptist Church.

After graduation, Stewart plans to attend Florida A&M University and major in kinesiology or pre-physical therapy. Her long-term goal is to become a sports medicine doctor or a doctor of physical therapy. She describes herself as driven by purpose and a visionary with clear goals. Her personal motto is, “Push past your limit.”

She is the daughter of Troy Stewart Jr. and Cosandra Stewart.