Tori Johnston crowned Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen

This past weekend Tori Johnston was crowned the 16th Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen, the little sister pageant of Miss Mississippi and Miss America.

If you’re not familiar with how this program works, it is more than just a beauty competition. It’s about what girl best represents Mississippi. They start out at local pageants such as Miss Jackson or Miss Central Mississippi and work their way up the rungs of the pageant ladder. Johnston was this year’s Miss Central Mississippi.

Johnston will receive a $5000 scholarship in addition to advancing to the Miss America Outstanding Teen pageant. The 18-year-old Madison native plans to continue her education at the University of Alabama with aspirations of one day becoming a broadcaster. She is currently a senior at Jackson Preparatory School and her social media initiative is ‘Shining a Light on Special Needs’. Her rendition of ‘Tomorrow’ from the musical ‘Annie’ garnered her a win in talent in preliminary competition.

The package of prizes awarded the Outstanding Teen winner include, but are not limited to, scholarships, dress packages, makeup packages, and over 100 scholarship offers from various schools around the state. Many contestants from the Outstanding Teen Pageants move on to compete in the Miss Mississippi pageant.

Tori Johnston will now go on to Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Wish her luck!