Growing up on a farm, Miss Mississippi Hannah Roberts said she learned how to herd a cow, catch a chicken and drive a tractor, but next month the Mount Olive native will have the opportunity to show the more feminine side of her personality when she competes for the Miss America title.

“I grew up pretty much a tomboy. We lived by a bunch of boys and that was the neighborhood kids I played with,” Roberts said before confessing the one “girly-thing she did do.

“I was obsessed with watching Miss Mississippi and Miss America every single year. I would go to my grandmother’s house and sit on the floor in a homemade sash made out of a ribbon, and we would watch the pageant,” she said.

Roberts was this week’s guest speaker during the Vicksburg Kiwanis Club meeting. Along with sharing a little bit about her life, she talked about her preparations for the upcoming Miss America Pageant.

“I never thought this would be me. As a kid I was a very, very nerdy little person,” Robert’s said.

“I thought those women (who competed])were the most beautiful, intelligent and inspirational people,” she said.

Roberts entered her first pageant while in college, she said.

“I was encouraged by my sorority sisters to compete in the Miss USM pageant.” There, Roberts was crowned Miss USM and went on to be named as the first runner-up to Miss Mississippi, in 2013.

“I took a year off after that to study for my MCAT, and when I came back to watch the Miss Mississippi Pageant I realized how much I missed the competition,” she said.

From practicing how to walk to learning how to do her hair and make-up, Roberts said she has had lots of help in preparing for the Miss America competition.

“It has taken a lot of volunteers to help me,” Roberts laughed.

The Miss America Pageant is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Sept. 13 on ABC.

Before Roberts leaves for the competition, a Miss Mississippi Send-off Celebration will be held at the City Auditorium at noon Aug. 22.

The event will include a fashion show and lunch.

Roberts will be modeling some of her wardrobe choices for Miss America, as well as performing her talent piece for the national competition in Atlantic City.

The fashion show will also include the top 17 Miss Mississippi Pageant contestants, the top 10 Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen Pageant contestants and their prince and princess who will be modeling fall fashions.

Roberts will also serve as the emcee along with 2015 Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Grace Post.

Tickets are $25 and will be available through Aug. 18 at the Miss Mississippi pageant office, 820 South St. or by calling 601-638-6746 from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.