Sophomore Brown crowned Miss Veterans High School
Anna Claire Brown was crowned Miss Veterans High School on Jan. 16.
A sophomore, Brown competed last year as a freshman and was third runner-up.
Along with winning the top title, Brown won the academic award for having the highest GPA, the interview award and the talent award.
She is a member of KAZ, Partners Club, Beta Club, Thespians and is vice president of the 10th-grade class. She attends Southside Baptist and volunteers with Jay's Hope and the Challenger League. She is the reigning Miss Teen Dogwood and Miss Columbus State University's Outstanding Teen and will be competing for Miss Georgia's Outstanding Teen this summer.
Her platform for both the Outstanding Teen program and Miss Veterans pageant was acceptance and inclusion of special needs students.
To that end, Brown has created a mentor program at Veterans High School and hopes to expand it across the county.
"It is an extension of Partners Club but this is more one on one," Brown said. "It is about establishing real friendships and like sit together at pep rallies and have social interaction where mentors can be there for their buddies. Really fostering friendships."
Her decision to compete in Miss Veterans was to help create opportunities for special needs students.
"When you have a crown on your head, people pay attention to what you are saying. I just want to reach out to others and get people to be more accepting of others," Brown said. "Veterans is a huge school and it has made a big impact on me. It strives for excellence, and I just wanted to be part of that."
Other students who won awards in the Miss Veterans High pageant include first runner-up, Haley Duck; second runner-up, Baylor Zuniga; third runner-up, Emilia Harris; and fourth runner-up, MacKenzie McCorkle, who also placed second in talent. Susanna Laymon got third place in talent. The people's choice award went to Emilia Harris, and Miss Congeniality was Juanita Carrizosa.
This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 10:15 AM with the headline "Sophomore Brown crowned Miss Veterans High School ."