Calli Brielle Granville McLean of Wagram was crowned “Preteen Miss” during North Carolina’s Outstandling Little Miss Pageant which was held at Louisburg College.

Calli is Junior Miss Greater Sandhills.

Calli’s grandmother, Elsie Granville of Pinehurst, was Miss Laurinburg in 1975 and was in the top 10 of the Miss North Carolina pageant that same year.

When Calli was asked why she wanted to win the state pageant, her reply was “To be the first person in her family to win a state title”.

Calli’s dress was a tribute to her grandmother as the bottom half of her white gown, a unique pleated chiffon skirt, was exactly like her grandmother’s pageant gown.

North Carolina’s Outstanding Little Miss is the little sister program to the Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina Outstanding Teen pageants.

The preteen division included girls ages 9 and 10. There were seven contestants of which four were from the Sandhills area: Makayla Blue of Pinehurst, Megan Huff of Pinehurst, Madison Hadaway of Aberdeen, and McLean.

Each contestant competed in several events. Competition included an 8 minute interview with the judges, fitness wear, talent, beauty, and on stage question.

Calli tied with Megan Huff in interview for the Preteen division and Calli won the talent competition. For talent, Calli performed a vocal and tap routine to “Almost There” from the Princess and the Frog. Calli is instructed in voice by Lisa Gessner of Aberdeen, NC and her tap routine was choreographed by Elizabeth Fowle, who is a dance instructor at Taylor Dance.

Each contestant was required to promote a platform of their choice. Calli’s platform is “Be a P.A.L – promoting food allergy awareness”. Calli has food allergies and she hopes to take food allergy awareness with her everywhere as she travels this year. Her goal is to help other children who suffer from food allergies to learn to adapt to alternative foods and to overcome the feeling of being singled out.