Anticipation has been building all week for the 23 contestants competing to become the next Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen, and Thursday kicked off the preliminary competitions for the 2015 pageant bringing the girls one night closer to finding out who will win the title.

Jasmine Murray, the reigning 2015 Miss Mississippi, opened the show by singing “Anything Can Happen” by Elle Goulding. Other performers for the show included 2014 Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Grace Munro, Michael Minor, Lydia Myers. Also performing were the Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen dancers Annabeth Breeden, Lyndsey Cowart, Vera Ann Fedell, Tess Frazier, Taylor Lee and Shelby Sutton and the Petite Magnolia Princesses.

Anne Elizabeth Buys and Christina Bostick are serving as emcees for the three-night event.

Throughout the competition, musical performances refelcted this year’s theme, Magical Dreams, which included “Magic,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Do You Believe in Magic” and “Magic Carpet Ride.”

This is the 11th installment of the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant which is the sister pageant to the Miss Mississippi Pageant.

The winner will go on to compete in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant in Orlando.

The teens, divided into two groups during the preliminary nights of competitions, alternate competing in talent, evening wear, on stage question and lifestyle and fitness. The judges’ interview phase of the competition is held during the day.

Saturday, the final night of competition, the top 10 contestants will be chosen. They will then re-compete in all phases of the competition except for the judge’s interview, and one will win the crown.

Taking home the win in Thursday’s preliminary competition in the evening gown and on-stage questions portion was Miss Hattiesburg’s Outstanding Teen Ryone Jamil Thompson. Thompson wore a white gown, but she said the color had not been her first choice.

“I wanted to go with red or something I thought would go better with my skin or more of my personality, but when I tried on the white dress, I fell in love with it,” Thompson said.

For the on-stage segment of the competition, Thompson said her father helped guide her in her preparation.

“This may sound crazy, but my dad actually helped me prepare. He is an English major and was really big in speech and debate, and he helped me improve my communication skills,” she said.

This is Thompson’s first time to compete in the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant. She is the daughter of Niki Thompson and Roderick Thompson of Hattiesburg.

There was a tie for the preliminary talent portion of the competition with both Miss Deep South’s Holly Brand and Miss Turtle Creek’s Brooklyn Mooney walking away with a win.

Singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” Brand said she has been singing this song since she was nine-years-old.

“This is always a song everybody talks about, and they love it, and I love it, and I was most comfortable with it,” she said.

Brand said she also sang this song last year when she competed in the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant. This is her second year to compete.

Brand is the daughter of Connie and Barry Brand of Meridian.

Mooney, who plays the piano at a conservatory, performed “Piano Fantasy” by William Joseph.

“I worked for about six months on my piano piece, and I can play it in my sleep, I promise you,” she said.

Mooney said she has been playing the piano for nine years, and her goal is to get into a music school after she graduates from high school.

This is Mooney’s third time to compete in the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant. She is the daughter of Vicki and Bobby Wayne Mooney of Collins.

Preliminary competitions will continue tonight at the Vicksburg Auditorium, 901 Monroe St., and the final night of competition and crowning will be held Saturday.

All competitions will begin at 8 p.m. and tickets are $25 for the remaining preliminary competition and $40 for the final night.

Student tickets and seating will be available at the door only, and the cost is $15 for tonight and $20 for Saturday. ID is required.