The Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant came to a close Sunday afternoon with Miss Northland’s Outstanding Teen Presley Caldwell being crowned the winner.

“I am so excited and overwhelmed,” the Grenada High School student said following winning the state title.

“I always wanted this my entire life, to have the chance to represent my state in an amazing way and make a significant change,” Caldwell added.

The newly-crowned teen was the recipient of a $5,000 scholarship awarded by the Miss Mississippi Corp. and will go on to compete in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, which will be held in Orlando in July.

For the talent phase of the competition, Caldwell sang Bill Wolfe’s arrangement of the Eagles’ classic “Desperado.”

“I love old-style music and as soon as I heard this song, I knew that this was the song I wanted to sing on this stage in front of my peers and the judges,” she said.

Caldwell’s platform she will be promoting across the state while serving as the titleholder is ABCDE Melanoma Skin Cancer Awareness and Prevention.

“I chose this platform because my grandmother passed away recently with it (skin cancer).”

Caldwell said she has already been active in promoting her platform by speaking at schools and clubs about the risks of not using sunscreen.

“I have made it my mission to implement sunscreen dispensers in every community,” she said.

Caldwell is the 17-year-old daughter of Candace and David McMahan. She is a member of the National Honor Society and her hobbies include singing and dancing on stage, playing the guitar, traveling and playing golf with friends.

Named first alternate to Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen and the recipient of a $2,000 scholarship was Miss Southern Magnolia’s Outstanding Teen Mattie Grace Morris; Second alternate and recipient of a $1,200 scholarship Miss Brandon’s Outstanding Teen Tori Johnston; Third alternate and recipient of a $900 scholarship Miss Vicksburg’s Outstanding Teen Madison Smith; Fourth alternate and recipient of a $600 scholarship Miss Amory’s Outstanding Teen Helen McDougald.

The five remaining semi-finalist each received a $400 scholarship; Miss Red Carpet City’s Outstanding Teen Campbell Thomas; Miss Pontotoc Ridge’s Outstanding Teen Skylar Taylor; Miss Natchez Trace’s Outstanding Teen Hailey Pushis; Miss Deep South’s Outstanding Teen Avery Norwood; Miss Desoto County’s Outstanding Teen Lily Boyd Avery.

In addition to the cash awards presented to Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen and the remaining top ten, a total of $264,616 college and university in-kind scholarship waivers are offered along with additional and awards totaling $15,000.

The Miss Mississippi Pageant, which is the sister pageant to the teen pageant, is scheduled to run from June 20 through 22 with the final night of competition and crowning on June 23. All competitions will begin at 8 p.m. at the Vicksburg Convention Center, 1600 Mulberry St., and tickets for all four nights are $125.