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Lou Whitmire, Mansfield News Journal Published 8:10 a.m. ET June 16, 2019 | Updated 12:47 p.m. ET June 17, 2019
Miss Ohio: Caroline Grace Williams, 24, of Cincinnati Wochit, Wochit
MANSFIELD — Miss Montgomery County Caroline Grace Williams of Cincinnati was crowned Miss Ohio Saturday night at the Renaissance Theatre, receiving a $10,000 scholarship and other gifts and awards.
Outgoing Miss Ohio Matti-Lynn Chrisman placed the crown on her successor, who competed with 21 other contestants for the crown.
At the press conference after the pageant Williams said the crown represents all her "sisters."
"It is not just about me. It is about all of them. We were such a close group and when they did the Top 5 and we all answered the questions, I was sitting there thinking every single girl is ready for Miss America and every single girl is ready to represent this state. I would not be here if it wasn't for their support," Williams said.
Williams also took home several scholarship awards during pageant week including the Paul Herlihy Spirit Award given to a new and returning contestant.
Caroline Grace Williams, 24, of Cincinnati, reacts to winning the Miss Ohio Scholarship Pageant Saturday night at the Renaissance Theatre. Photo courtesy of Brent Watkins/Sylvart Studios (Photo: Submitted)
'It was my time to give back'
As a returning candidate, Williams, competed her first time at Miss Ohio in 2017. She also received the Chaperone's "Chappie" Scholarship.
Williams, 24, who said she was the oldest candidate, told the other contestants to call her "Nana."
She said she gave the contestants support and advice because girls did that for her when she first came into the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program.
"And I knew it was my time to give back," she said.
On Thursday night, Williams won the preliminary talent award, singing the Italian aria, "O Mio Babbino Caro."
The talented singer is currently a graduate student at Miami University where she also works as an admissions counselor. She was a music and theater major at Miami University.
Williams said she was a junior in college when she decided to compete at Miss Ohio, but said she chickened out and backed out. Her senior year, she said she decided to do the Miss Oxford Scholarship Program and ended up wining the pageant.
"And once you get here and experience the sisterhood and the family that Miss Ohio is, you're hooked," she said. "It is such a powerful connection and ... that is what this organization is about. It's about uplifting each other."
She said the organization parallels the fourth wave of feminism in empowering women to do what they want and be what they can be.
Her platform at the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program is: "Caroline’s Crisis Call Know the F.A.C.T.S. of calling 9-1-1.
She said she wants to teach people about the features on a cell phone that can help someone in an emergency, how you can call 911 quickly and effectively.
Miss Montgomery County Caroline Grace Williams, 24, of Cincinnati, was named the new Miss Ohio Saturday night at the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield. (Photo: Lou Whitmire/News Journal)
Competition about 'real girls'
Williams said she is excited about going to Miss America although the date and location have not yet been announced.
"I am so excited to gain 49 new sisters," she said. "I'm excited for this new 2.0 system."
"I think we're going to show real women and Matti-Lynn (Chrisman) already started it by talking about depression and anxiety and ending the stigma with that," she said of the outgoing Miss Ohio.
She said one of the reasons she didn't want to compete was she felt she was never a pageant girl and didn't think she would ever fit into the mold of a pageant girl until she heard Chrisman speak last year.
"And I thought, this is about real girls. And she changed that and I will forever thank her for that because that's when I realized I can do this and I can be on stage and tell my story," Williams said.
Carloline Grace Williams, 24, of Cincinnati is crowned Miss Ohio. (Photo: Lou Whitmire/News Journal)
Passing on the crown
The final night of Miss Ohio competition was emceed by former Miss Ohio Ellen Bryan and Miss Ohio 1989 Kristin Huffman.
The talented Miss Ohio entertainers sang and danced their way through the evening featuring legends of rhythm and blues hits by The Temptations, Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin, to name a few.
The outgoing Miss Ohio is going to be missed, by the sound of the applause in the theater Saturday night. Her farewell video on the big screen detailed what the program meant to her, and the impact she hoped she made criss-crossing the state talking about suicide prevention and depression and anxiety.
First runner-up was Miss Shawnee Grace Brown, 19, of Heath.
Second runner-up was Miss Franklin County Mara Mason, 22, of Columbus.
Third runner-up was Miss Clayland Rachel Gombosch, 24, of Ontario.
Fourth runner-up was Miss North Coast Jordan Meyer, 22, of Medina.
Rounding out the top 10 were: Miss Greater Cleveland Emma Rose Lewis, 22, of Erie, Pa., Miss Miami Valley Rosie Westerbeck, 19, of Minster, Miss Lake Festival Cami Mohler, 20, of Celina, Miss South Central Danielle Vivcharenko, 20, of North Royalton, and Miss Portsmouth Baylee Martin, 18, of South Webster.
More: 5 things to know about Miss Ohio 2019
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