Growing up in Vicksburg, Katie Busby, 20, spent many summer Saturday nights at the Miss Mississippi Pageant. This Saturday, she’ll trade her seat in the audience for a spot on stage.

Busby, the daughter of Chris and Judy Busby, won the first Miss America Organization preliminary pageant she competed in, earning the title of Miss Delta State University.

“I’ve done small pageants for high school and stuff like that, but the Delta State pageant was my first big prelim,” she said. “I have gone and attended the pageants for several years, but I never thought I would be a part of one.”

Holding the Miss Delta State title is especially exciting, Busby said.

“I’m so honored,” she said. “It’s been great so far. It’s given me great opportunities to be involved, and to really get my name out there and be a part of the school and represent it well.”

Busby said she’s very excited to be a part of Miss Mississippi.

“For it to be close to home is a bonus of course,” she said. “The performances are so much fun, and they have so much energy.”

For Busby, the choice to get involved in pageants wasn’t a difficult one, she said.

“I love to get dressed up, and I think they’re so fun,” she said. “I have always enjoyed doing those types of things.”

Busby said she has been doing a lot of simple things to prepare for the pageant.

“I work out, I try to eat healthy and watch the news and stay up to date on everything going on,” she said. “I also try to be focused on God and letting him direct me to where I need to be.”

Busby’s platform is child abuse prevention, and she raises money for Prevent Child Abuse America.

“I had a friend who had some issues when she was younger, and it kind of motivated me and helped me,” she said. “I’m able to stay involved a lot through Delta State, and it’s always kind of intrigued me.”

For the talent portion of the competition, Busby will be singing “Blue Skies.” She has been taking lessons from Charlotte Price.

“I don’t really know what to expect, and I guess that’s a good and a bad thing,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a great show this year, and I hope everyone who comes and watches it has a great time.”

Busby, a 2012 Warren Central High School graduate, is in the nursing program at Delta State, and she attends Crossway Church.