Moments before Brookhaven native Laura Lee Lewis was crowned 2016 Miss Mississippi Saturday night, she was saying a prayer.

As each of the names were read — fourth alternate, third alternate and then second alternate — she hoped she wouldn’t hear her name.

Lewis, 23, said she was thinking, “Please don’t be me. Please don’t be me.”

And it wasn’t.

Then it was just her and Miss Turtle Creek Anne Elizabeth Buys of Vicksburg standing in the spotlight, waiting.

“In the moment that it was between Anna Elizabeth and I, I just thought, ‘Dear Heavenly Father, you have carried me through this week, through my whole journey of wanting to be Miss Mississippi, but this is your will. And if it’s in your will for me to be Miss Mississippi, I’m ready for it,’” she said. “So I just said, ‘Dear Heavenly Father, just take control of this moment right here.’”

Hannah Roberts, 2015 Miss Mississippi, called out Buys’ name as first runner up.

“When she said that I was Miss Mississippi, just all those emotions just burst out and I was just honored,” Lewis said.

 

Now Lewis, the daughter of Mark and Lorin Lewis of Madison, is already preparing for the next step in her journey. She wants to be Miss America.

“I’ve dreamed about this since I was a little girl,” she said.

Lewis wants to be a role model for other young girls and to spread her message. “I’d like to have a national title to really make an impact on our nation when we need a message of love and respect and good role models the most.”

She said she’s disheartened by the culture of violence and hate that seems to be sweeping the nation.

“I hope that as Miss Mississippi and hopefully as Miss America, I can spread a message of love and respect and a compassion for one another, because we’ve lost sight of that love and respect,” she said. “I want to spread the good news and the wisdom of Jesus Christ through my words, through my actions. I just hope I can spread an absolute message of love because now in our nation we need that the most.”

As Miss Mississippi, Lewis will continue to promote her platform, “Mentoring Matters.” She’ll also be an ambassador for the Children’s Miracle Network.

Her schedule is already full for the next year, especially through the next few months as she travels the state to meet with Miss Mississippi sponsors while she also prepares for the Miss America pageant.

The national pageant will be Sept. 11 in Atlantic City.

She’ll be in Brookhaven in late July for her official homecoming celebration.

Between now and September, Lewis will be selecting wardrobes, choosing a song for her talent, keeping up with current events and watching her diet. Since she’s chosen a healthy lifestyle, the latter won’t be too difficult, though she does admit a weakness for cupcakes from Leah Stewart of Brookhaven as well as another sweet treat.

“Mississippi’s the South, we have such great food, but you have to learn how to portion,” she said. “It’s OK to pick up a cookie every now and then. I’m a big fan of a chocolate chip cookie.”

Lewis was also crowned Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen in 2009. This was her fourth attempt at the Miss Mississippi crown. She was named second runner-up to Miss Mississippi in 2013, first runner-up in 2014 and second runner-up again in 2015.

“They say third time is the charm, but I guess in my case it’s the fourth.”

Along with the Miss Mississippi title and crown, Lewis receives a $10,000 scholarship.

Four Miss Mississippi winners have won the Miss America title — Mary Ann Mobley of Brandon in 1959, Lynda Lee Mead of Natchez in 1960, Cheryl Prewitt of Ackerman in 1980 and Susan Akin of Meridian in 1986.

Lewis said the support from her hometown has been phenomenal.

“I’m so blessed to have received all this support,” she said. “Brookhaven is my family and it’s the people of Brookhaven who have gotten me through this journey. They’ve loved me and nurtured me and encouraged me and supported me, and I could not thank Brookhaven enough for all of that.”