After three rounds of competition over the weekend at Vicksburg’s Ardis T. Williams Sr. Auditorium, Miss Pine Belt’s Teen Brooke Bumgarner was crowned Miss Mississippi’s Teen 2024 Sunday afternoon, April 21. Bumgarner is the daughter of Brookhaven natives Brad and Kami Burns Bumgarner. She is also the granddaughter of Les and Katherine Bumgarner, Roe and Kay Burns, and great-grandmother Pauline Burns, all of Brookhaven.

Alternates for this year’s Miss Mississippi’s Teen include: first alternate, Miss Metro Jackson’s Teen Blake Hart; second alternate, Miss Hattiesburg’s Teen Averi Cockrell; third alternate, Miss Oxford’s Teen Madalyn Sullivan; and fourth alternate, Miss Heart of the South’s Teen Avery McNair. 

Sunday, 11 contestants were named finalists for this year’s crown, including: McNail, Sullivan, Cockrell, Hart, Bumgarner, Miss Jones County’s Teen Kyla Pohlmann, Miss New South’s Teen Ana Holley, Miss Vicksburg’s Teen Addie Grace Clay, Miss Meridian’s Teen Anna Grace Terry, Miss Fairpark’s Teen Gracie Weeden, and Miss Mid South’s Teen Chloe Braxton.

During preliminary rounds 1 and 2, held Saturday, winners were also named in the talent and evening wear competitions. During Saturday afternoon’s first preliminary round, Pohlmann and Sullivan tied as talent winners, while Bumgarner won for evening wear. During Saturday evening’s second preliminary round, McNair and Holley tied as talent winners and Sullivan won for evening wear. 

Judges for the competition made their final decisions based on a combination of interviews and on-stage demonstrations from the contestants, as well as a composite score of Sunday’s competitions made up of 20 percent for talent, 20 percent for health and fitness, 20 percent for evening wear, and 10 percent for on-stage conversation.