Mary Margaret Roark is a Cleveland native. She competed in Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen pageant before going for the title of Miss Mississippi. It took 2 years, but after dominating the swimsuit competition, winning a preliminary two years in a row, she was ready to represent this state at the Miss America Pageant.
"I would be lying if I did not say how disappointed I was not to make the Top 15 at Miss America, that is really what I had set my sights on, and that was disappointing without a doubt, but going to Miss America, meeting a girl from every state, that was really incredible," said Roark.
Her focus is now on the future. She is concentrating on completing her college degree.
"And then I'll graduate in May and I'm hoping to go to law school."
She says the scholarship money she has won at the local and national level will pay for her education.
"My apartment, it's helping pay for books, my computer just crashed a few days ago, so its bought me a new computer."
Roark also plans to continue working with her platform on Alzheimer's. Her grandmother suffers from the disease and she is hoping her work and the jewelry company she runs will raise enough money for research and a cure.
"Working for Alzheimer's has really been the way that I use this title to give back," said Roark.
42 young women are hoping they will be the next in line to wear the Miss Mississippi crown. Roark says she has some advice.
"The judges have selected this young woman for a reason and whoever she is, I just want whatever that sparkle was that they saw in her, I want her to hold on to that."
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