Miss Mississippi USA heads to Miss USA national stage

From a small town in Mississippi to a national stage, Hailey White is on her way to competing for the title of Miss USA.

By Marissa McCardell Published: Sep. 21, 2022 at 8:37 PM BRT

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) - From a small town in Mississippi to a national stage, Hailey White is on her way to competing for the title of Miss USA.

“You can do it all,” said White. “You can be it all - wedding planner, horse trainer, pageant girl. You can do whatever you set your mind to, and as cliché as it sounds, it’s true.”

Picayune native and recent graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi, White won the title of Miss Mississippi USA in April. She said she has her older sister to thank for introducing her to pageants.

“I know that was something that I needed for my personal self, personal growth, and I was able to identify that I needed that at 16, and it’s the best decision I ever made,” said White. “It increased my confidence, made me where I can talk to people, and just really setting those goals and reaching them was just a great lesson to learn at 16 years old.”

When the now 23-year-old isn’t competing on stage, White spends half her time as a wedding and event planner and the other half on her family’s ranch training horses.

She said growing up with these animals taught her lessons she would carry through life.

“Hard work, patience most of all because we know horses aren’t the most patient animals to be around,” said White. “But just those values and growing up being able to get my hands dirty and take on those experiences and a lot of what I had learned, translated into pageants, but more than just pageants into life.”

White said she wants to continue to be a positive light to her hometown community and the state of Mississippi.

“We don’t really need to limit ourselves in life, and that’s kind of what I want to show and bring out this year is that multi-fascinated women exist, and they are important because they are the backbone of our county,” she said. “And so, I’m just super excited and proud to represent Mississippi. And for all those young girls out there who are maybe like me from small-town Mississippi that don’t think this is possible, it is absolutely possible.”

The Miss USA Pageant will be in Reno, Nevada, on Oct. 3.

https://www.wdam.com/2022/09/21/miss-mississippi-usa-heads-miss-usa-national-stage/