Pee Dee teen crowned 2024 National American Miss South Carolina

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Being in beauty pageants can be a pretty daunting task, but one Pee Dee teenager is doing it with grace, leading her to be crowned the 2024 National American Miss South Carolina pre-teen.

Ashanti Pickens will compete for the National Title of National American Miss in Orlando, Florida, during Thanksgiving week. According to the organization, its mission is to encourage America’s future leaders and equip them with valuable life skills.

Pickens is a sickle cell survivor, which is the platform she’s running on, which is timely, as September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. The name of her platform is “I have Sickle Cell, but Sickle Cell doesn’t have me.”

Pickens also loves to dance and go to church.

For those who would like to support Pickens as she competes for the national title, contact her mother at t_yates@yahoo.com .

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Annette Peagler is an evening anchor at News13. Annette is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She joined the News13 team in December 2020. Annette is an Emmy-nominated journalist and has won journalism awards in Mississippi and Tennessee. Follow Annette on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of her work here .

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