Fifth Ward beauty competes for Miss America this weekend

Northwestern State University student Makenzie Scroggs, a junior dance major from Fifth Ward, is representing the state in the Miss America pageant, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Scroggs won the Miss Louisiana title last year competing as Miss Natchitoches City of Lights. Two years ago, she was first runner up in the Miss Louisiana pageant competing as Miss Northwestern – Lady of the Bracelet.

Preliminary events for Miss American began earlier in the week with receptions, appearances, rehearsals and other activities. The finals will be at 6 p.m. (CT) Sunday, Jan. 14 at the Walt Disney Theatre in Orlando, Florida.

Online voting is also underway for an America’s Choice spot. Votes can be cast for donations of $1 or more. The contestant with the most votes gets a place in the top 10 at the finals event, according to the Miss American website.

Scroggs’ social impact initiative is Being True to Being You, an organization she started at age 15 with the goal of raising confidence in young women and girls through self-development workshops.

Users can follow along with Scroggs on her social media accounts. She is Miss Louisiana on Facebook, missamericala on Instagram and makenziescroggs13 on TikTok. The pageant finals can be streamed at https://watchmissamerica.com/

Information on Miss America is available at https://www.missamerica.org/.