Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2023: Morgan Greco of Washington takes the crown

Morgan Greco, Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2022, was crowned Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2023 on Aug. 12, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. (Courtesy of Miss America Organization)

By Mary Colurso | Published: Aug. 13, 2022, 6:00 a.m.

Morgan Greco was crowned Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2023 on Friday night in Dallas, Texas.

Greco, who competed as Miss Washington’s Outstanding Teen, is from Camas, a city near Vancouver, about 22 miles away from Portland, Oregon. She performed an operatic vocal at the pageant. Her career goals include marketing, business and opera.

Greco’s social impact initiative, Empowerment Starts with Me, encourages young women to empower themselves through self-defense programs. Greco is a student of Krav Maga, a military self-defense and fighting system developed in Israel during the 1950s.

Greco will receive scholarship money along with the national title, plus a yearlong reign as Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. The teen competition -- which includes talent, evening gown and on-stage question segments -- is part of the Miss America organization.

Marcelle LeBlanc, Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2022, crowned her successor at the pageant finals. LeBlanc, an actress and singer from Birmingham, won the national title in July 2021, competing as Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen.

Hailey Adams of Birmingham participated in the national pageant this year as Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen, but didn’t make the top 11 on Friday.

Aside from Greco, the top five finalists were:

Lauren Williams, District of Columbia, first runner-up.
J-Belle Kimbrell, Texas, second runner-up, or third place.
Julia Schumacher, Minnesota, third runner-up, or fourth place.
Dajania James, New York, fourth runner-up, or fifth place.

The top 11 contestants were:

Saray Ringenbach, Arizona
Olivia DeFrank, California
Lauren Williams, District of Columbia
Rebecca Zhang, Georgia
Annie Dauk, Kentucky
Julia Schumacher, Minnesota
Dajania James, New York
Bella Brown, Oklahoma
J-Belle Kimbrell, Texas
Jocelyn Osmond, Utah
Morgan Greco, Washington

A total of 51 teens were in the running for 2023, competing in preliminary events on Wednesday and Thursday and the finals on Friday at the Landmark Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Dallas. All had previously been crowned at pageants in their home states or the District of Columbia.

https://www.al.com/life/2022/08/miss-americas-outstanding-teen-2023-morgan-greco-of-washington-takes-the-crown.html