Addie Carver of Mississippi was named Miss Teen USA on Thursday, assuming a title that has stood vacant since the previous winner’s highly controversial resignation in May.
The 17-year-old dance teacher, cheerleader, and choreographer was crowned at a glitzy Los Angeles event that organizers hope will draw a line under a tumultuous three months for the contest and its companion event, Miss USA.
Prior to accepting the tiara, Carver had told judges of her earlier mental health struggles, adding, “As the next Miss Teen USA, I want to make it my mission to know that every little girl who is just like me once is never alone.” Georgia’s Ava Colindres and Arizona’s Rachael Mclaen were named first and second runners-up.
The finale featured no explicit references to this year’s shock double resignation, which saw 2023’s Miss USA and Miss Teen USA—Utah’s Noelia Voigt and New Jersey’s UmaSofia Srivastava, respectively—become the first winners of either contest to ever renege their crowns. Voigt initially cited mental health reasons, though various criticisms of organizers later emerged, while Srivastava attributed her decision to a clash in “personal values” with the Miss USA organization.
The controversy heralded one significant change to Thursday’s proceedings: Breaking with years of tradition, Carver was presented with her tiara not by last year’s winner but by Hawaii’s Savannah Gankiewicz, who inherited the Miss USA crown following Voigt’s resignation.
Monticello’s Addie Carver competes tonight for the title of Miss Teen USA. A senior at Lawrence County High School, the 17-year-old was named the 2024 Miss Mississippi Teen USA earlier this year, after finishing as runner-up in 2023. “I am still in utter awe of this opportunity, and I am feeling so at peace walking into this weekend knowing that I have prepared, worked hard, and have truly become the best version of myself in the process,” Carver said after her win. “One year ago today, I stood hand in hand with Claire Ulmer on the same stage that I will be walking on tomorrow. This past year in preparation, I’ve experienced reflection, self-love, gratitude, and more than anything… I’ve experienced growth. I pray that my hard work and growth are visibly seen this year! I am beyond ready for this weekend and grateful for a God that has my path in His hands. Let’s do this!!!”
Carver’s Miss Teen USA bio reads:
When she was 13, Addie Carver lost her father, but dance saved her life. Today, Addie is the founder of Dance to Empower, a national organization focused on dance appreciation, education, and awareness. Addie is living proof that your heartbreaking circumstances do not have to define your future success, and she’s made it her mission to inspire all ages to find joy in things much bigger than themselves to help them get through every hardship. Addie is also a dance teacher and choreographer, Beta Club President, UCA All-American Cheerleader, and the founder & CEO of her own social media company.
How to watch For anyone not attending the 42nd Miss Teen USA finals in-person at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, the pageant will be broadcast live 7-9 p.m. CST on The CW network. The CW is available on major satellite and cable networks and through the CW app.
Year of scandal
The Miss USA organization, which operates both pageants, was thrown into disarray when Voigt stepped down in May.
Although Voigt did not provide further details at the time, internet commenters spotted that the first letter in each sentence of her cryptic Instagram post, which announced her resignation, spelled “I am silenced,” sparking rumors that a non-disclosure agreement may have kept her from elaborating.
Her resignation letter, later obtained by CNN, contained a litany of complaints against organizers. In it, she alleged delays in receiving prizes and a “toxic work environment” that “at best is poor management and, at worst, is bullying and harassment.” She also claimed to have been sexually harassed during a public appearance due the organization’s failure to provide an “effective handler. ” Days later, Carver’s predecessor, Srivastava, followed suit, giving up the Miss Teen USA title, saying that her personal values “no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.” She has not publicly commented further, though her mother, Barbara Srivastava, appeared on Good Morning America, saying both beauty queens had been “ill-treated, abused, bullied and cornered” and that “the job of their dreams turned out to be a nightmare.”
Organizers and the pageants’ parent company, the Miss Universe Organization, did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment at the time of the double resignation. Miss USA president Laylah Rose released a statement at the end of May, reported by the Los Angeles Times, refuting Voigt’s allegations.
Mental health struggles
Open to applicants aged 14 to 19, the annual Miss Teen USA contest celebrates “beauty, brains, and confidence,” according to its official website. The preliminary contest on Wednesday evening saw all 51 participants take part in evening gown and activewear rounds (the latter replaced the controversial swimsuit category in 2016).
Thursday’s final, hosted by Rachel Lindsay of “The Bachelorette” and Justin Sylvester of E! News, began with the announcement of the top 20, who then participated in another activewear parade.
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