Miss Phenix City's Meg McGuffin to compete in Miss America pageant

When the women take the stage tonight for Miss America, there will be a touch of Phenix City on the stage and in the crowd.

Miss Phenix City's Meg McGuffin, who was named Miss Alabama in June, will be one of 52 contestants in the scholarship pageant that airs live at 9 p.m. on ABC.

The Auburn University graduate has at least 100 supporters from Alabama -- 15 from Phenix City -- with her in Atlantic City, N.J.

The Phenix City contingent flew out Tuesday night and were able to talk to McGuffin throughout the week.

Gina Harper, director of the Miss Phenix City pageant, said McGuffiin's been doing great during the preliminaries, which include talent, on-stage question, interview, evening wear and swimsuit.

On Wednesday, she won second runner-up and a $2,000 scholarship for the Quality of Life Award, which is given for community service in connection with the contestant's platform. McGuffin's Healthy is the New Skinny platform encourages young women to have a positive body image.

"She's having the time of her life," Harper said. "It's a dream come true. There's nothing right now that she would have changed. She's very pleased with how things are going. It all depends on what the judges are looking for. She was totally prepared and totally ready. She's really thrilled."

Harper said McGuffin's on-stage answer Wednesday was "phenomenal."

The question for the contestants usually has something to do with their platform.

"She nailed her answer," Harper said. "In my estimation and others, she had the best on-stage question Wednesday night."

McGuffin is comfortable on the big stage since she's been in pageants most of her life.

The 22-year-old is the first Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen to also win Miss Alabama.

In June, McGuffin said she was "so ready for this journey."

Eventually wanting to pursue her Ph.D. in education leadership and work as a lobbyist, McGuffin has won more than $70,000 in scholarships through the Miss America organization.

McGuffin, who is from Ozark, Ala., will perform a ballet en pointe to if she makes the Top 15 tonight.

Lisa Bowers, who has been on Miss Phenix City's board for a year now, described the Miss America experience as "beautiful chaos."

As part of the group that arrived on Tuesday, she said McGuffin has done great all week and has a lot of confidence.

"I do expect to see her in the Top 15," Bowers said. "I expect to see her in the Top 5. From there, I think it will be very close. There's some really, really outstanding girls out there. We'll keep our fingers crossed."

MISS GEORGIA

Miss Georgia's Betty Cantrell won the Talent preliminary Thursday with her performance of the aria "Tu Tu Piccolo Iddio" from Madame Butterfly.

This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 10:48 PM with the headline "Miss Phenix City's Meg McGuffin to compete in Miss America pageant."