WEST PALM BEACH — Elle Anderson went from Miss Utah's Teen to Miss America Teen on Saturday, receiving her crown at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.
Anderson dazzled jurors in a metallic, light blue dress with a puffy lavender tail and a violin performance that began with a soft melody before building into a fast, upbeat piece.
"What the Miss America contest opportunity gives to young women is to learn how to love the women you are competing with," Anderson said answering a question onstage.
"This is such a valuable skill for women in America to learn, because women are rising."
Miss America is scheduled to crown its 2027 winner on at 7 p.m. Sunday night at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach. The winners of both
competition receive college scholarships and make appearances on behalf of Miss America during the upcoming year.
The evening at the Kravis Center featured glamour and excitement. A total of 52 teens — one from each of the 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, all between the ages of 13 and 17 — competed for Miss America's Teen in events featuring talent, fitness and evening gowns, capped by the annual red carpet ceremony on Friday at the convention center.
The talent competition portion showcased a variety of performances including a hula dance by Miss Teen Hawaii, Tianna Lei Wailehua; a piano piece by Miss Teen Minnesota, Natalia Yurecko; and a flamenco-inspired ballet routine by Miss Teen Georgia, Sophia Wootten.
Neither Sheridan Delegal, Miss Florida's Teen, or Natalie Scott González, Miss Puerto Rico's Teen, made the top 11 finalists.
Anderson learned of her new title as her name was announced in the final moments of the Miss America's Teen 2027 pageant.
She won $30,000 in scholarships and will serve as the organization's ambassador during her year-long reign.
The other top five finalists for Miss America Teen USA 2027 were:
- Madalyn Sullivan, Miss Mississippi's Teen.
- Logan Wells, Miss South Carolina's Teen.
- Zoe Zogleman, Miss Texas' Teen.
- Natalia Yurecko, Miss Minnesota's Teen.
Valentina Palm covers immigration and breaking news for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miss American in West Palm: Teen winner crowned in night of glamour
