Jane Granberry entered this week’s Miss America competition confident that she can become the first Miss Mississippi in four decades to win the national title.
That confidence was on display Wednesday night when Granberry was one of three contestants to win the Portia & Scarlett Preliminary Evening Gown Award. The honor gives her momentum heading into the remaining preliminary competitions and comes with a $3,000 scholarship.
Granberry wore a black gown that she told The Vicksburg Post is “truly my favorite dress I’ve ever worn.”
Granberry, who was crowned Miss Mississippi on her third attempt, will compete in another preliminary round Thursday before Sunday’s Miss America finals. Thursday night’s competition will feature the talent portion.
Before leaving for Palm Beach, Granberry appeared on Good Things with Rebecca Turner and revealed that her talent will be a dance routine set to “high-energy jazz.” She offered listeners a hint about the song she plans to perform to.
“I am not doing the same routine that I did at Miss Mississippi this year, but it is a routine that the Miss Mississippi stage has seen before,” Granberry said. “It is a personal favorite of mine. I knew I had to bring it back to Miss America this year. Miss Mississippi will be ‘rolling down the river’ at Miss America. Hint, hint, wink, wink.”
Granberry’s preparation for Miss America has included mock interviews, hours in the dance studio, and fitness training.
But the best form of preparation, according to the 24-year-old Miss Mississippi, has been hitting the road and visiting different parts of the state for events and service work.
“At the end of the day, being Miss Mississippi is preparation for Miss America, because I am doing the job every single day,” Granberry said, noting that she has put over 8,000 miles on her sponsored car since winning the state crown.
Whether Granberry can carry her preliminary-round momentum into Sunday’s finals remains to be seen. If she does, she would make history by becoming the first Miss Mississippi to win Miss America since Susan Akin won the national title in 1986.