There’s a new Miss South Carolina’s Teen for 2024. Here’s who won

A teen who advocates for people to put down their electronic devices and do something meaningful was crowned Miss South Carolina’s Teen Saturday.

Mary Elle Marchant, River Bluff’s Teen, seemed overcome with emotion as her name was read. Daniel Island’s Teen Tess Ferm was first runner up.

During the contest, Marchant, of Lexington, talked about her platform #HangUpandHangOut, saying how important it is to unplug from social media and other diversions commonly consuming young people.

She also said in response to a question about time management from co-host Morgan Nichols Scarnecchia that her best method is prayer.

“God has a plan for all of us,” she said.

Marchant, 18, won in preliminary contests for teen fitness and teen evening gown.

For her talent, she performed a lyrical dance to the song “I Hope I Get It” from “A Chorus Line,” an appropriate choice since she says one of her ambitions is to appear on Broadway or as a Rockette. She’s been dancing for 14 years.

She also has been an extra in a Hallmark movie.

She was an honors student at River Bluff High and hopes to attend Oklahoma City University for a bachelor in Fine Arts.

Her father is a chef, mother owns a dance studio, where Marchant hopes to work one day.

Marchant, competing last year as Columbia’s Teen, was first runner up to Margaret Turner.

In all, 33 young women competed for Miss South Carolina’s Teen at Township Auditorium.

Marchant will go to compete in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, which is a division of the Miss America program for ages 13-18.

The contestants have spent the week rehearsing and taking part in the preliminary rounds as did the competitors — the Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization calls them delegates —for Miss South Carolina.

The organization will award $260,000 in scholarships this year, including $12,500 to Miss South Carolina’s Teen, an increase of $2,500 over last year.

Miss South Carolina Teen 2023 Margaret Turner crowned Marchant. She was Miss Lakeland’s Teen and is from Greenwood. When she was 14 she won Miss Junior High School America on an anti-bullying platform. She calls it Building Respect and Values for Everyone B.R.A.V.E.

She continued the work as Miss Lakeland because she was a victim of bullying when she was in 7th grade via some sort of electronic communication.

She runs an anti-bullying, web-based app called onlykindwords.com.

She said she’s not sure what’s next for her, other than finishing high school in the coming year. She hopes to attend the University of South Carolina.

The other delegates in the top five were 2nd runner up Columbia Teen Le’Daviah Terry, 3rd Greer High School Madison Harbin and 4th Greater Greer LilyKate Barbare.

This story was originally published June 29, 2024 at 5:32 PM.