Miss Alabama USA Katelyn Vinson, left, and Miss Teen Alabama USA AnnaLee Story wave to the crowd after being crowned during the Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday in Auburn.
Two Auburn University students were crowned Saturday evening during the Miss Alabama USA Pageant at Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University.
Katelyn Vinson, a senior competing as Miss Dothan, was named Miss Alabama USA, and AnnaLee Story, a freshman competing as Miss Tiger Town Teen, was named Miss Teen Alabama USA. 
“I am actually in shock,” Vinson said. “I couldn’t even cry. It took me a second to even start crying because I just could not believe it. I have worked so hard and so tirelessly for this.”
AnnaLee Story, Miss Tiger Town Teen, reacts to being named Miss Alabama Teen USA 2022. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Maddie Corbitt, Miss Trussville Teen, in the Athletic Wear category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Savannah Grace Huver, Miss Northport Teen, in the Athletic Wear category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Madeline Tapley, Miss Lake Martin Teen, in the Athletic Wear category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
AnnaLee Story, Miss Tiger Town, in the Athletic Wear category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Samantha Huver, Miss Northport, in the Swimsuit category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Katelyn Vinson, Miss Dothan, in the Swimsuit category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Ashleigh Rye, Miss Tuscaloosa, in the Swimsuit category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Alyssa Weyant, Miss Lake Martin, in the Swimsuit category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Samantha Sims, Miss Auburn-Opelika, in the Swimsuit category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Jaycee Parker, Miss Gulf Coast Teen, in the Evening Gown category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Ashlyn Powers, Miss Mobile Bay Teen, in the Evening Gown category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
All contestants wait onstage for the announcement of the winner. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Dailyn Swann, Miss Alabama Teen USA 2021, takes the stage to speak about her experience. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Margaret Anne McNeill, Miss River Region, in the Evening Gown category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Alexandria Flanigan, Miss Alabama USA 2021, takes the stage to speak about her experience holding the title. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Maddie Corbitt, Miss Trussville Teen, reacts to being named to the top five. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Kensey Collins, Miss Spanish Fort Teen, answers a question in the Interview category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Natalie Robertson, Miss Northwest Alabama Teen, answers the question in the Interview category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
AnnaLee Story, Miss Tiger Town Teen, answers the question in the Interview category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Dailyn Swann walks the stage as Miss Alabama Teen one last time before passing on the title. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Katelyn Vinson, Miss Dothan, answers the question in the Interview category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Noelia Voigt, Miss Camelia, answers the question during the Interview category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Natalie Lamm, Miss Auburn, answers the question in the Interview category. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Madeline Talley, Miss Lake Martin Teen, wins People’s Choice. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Shalee Winsett, Miss Baldwin County, wins People’s Choice. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Arica Haywood, Miss River Region Teen, wins Most Photogenic. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Jordan Golden, Miss Indian Springs Village, wins Most Photogenic. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Joi Williams, Miss Mobile County Teen, wins Miss Congeniality. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Lauren Gray, Miss Flint River, wins Miss Congeniality. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Third Runner-up: Maddie Corbitt, Miss Trussville Teen. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Second Runner-up: Kensey Collins, Miss Spanish Fort Teen. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
AnnaLee Story, Miss Tiger Town (left) and Jaycee Parker, Miss Gulf Coast Teen (right) await the announcement of the winner. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
AnnaLee Story, Miss Tiger Town Teen, reacts to being named Miss Alabama Teen USA 2022. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
AnnaLee Story, Miss Tiger Town Teen, reacts to being named Miss Alabama Teen USA 2022. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
AnnaLee Story shares a moment with Dailyn Swann after being named Miss Alabama Teen USA 2022. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
AnnaLee Story, Miss Tiger Town, is crowned Miss Teen Alabama USA 2022. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Fourth Runner-up: Samantha Huver, Miss Northport. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Third Runner-up: Natalie Lamm, Miss Auburn. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Second Runner-up: Harleigh Lantrip, Miss Hoover. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Katelyn Vinson, Miss Dothan, reacts to being named Miss Alabama USA 2022. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Katelyn Vinson, Miss Dothan, is crowned Miss Alabama USA 2022. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Katelyn Vinson, Miss Dothan, is crowned Miss Alabama USA 2022. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Miss Alabama USA Katelyn Vinson (left) and Miss Teen Alabama USA AnnaLee Story (right) share a hug after being crowned. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Miss Alabama USA Katelyn Vinson (left) and Miss Teen Alabama USA AnnaLee Story (right) wave to the crowd after being crowned. Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 15 in Auburn, Ala.
Contestants from all over the state competed for scholarships, prizes and a chance to travel the state promoting the pageant. Vinson is headed to the Miss USA pageant, while Story will represent Alabama in the Miss Teen USA pageant. 
On Saturday night, the Gogue Center was crowded with family members, friends and other audience members who showed their support for their competitor by cheering, whistling, holding up posters and waving glow sticks.
After two days of competing in interview, evening gown and swimsuit/active wear competitions, the 34 Miss Alabama contestants and the 47 Miss Teen Alabama contestants were each narrowed down to the top five.
Vinson said pursuing this goal has changed her life in many ways and has helped her grow spiritually, physically and mentally.
“I’ve worked for this for years,” she said. “I just think about eighth grade me and I never could see myself doing this, even three years ago. It just seemed like a far-fetched dream.”
Vinson, who is from Dothan, will be graduating in July of this year with a degree in business administration and a minor in marketing.
“I’m not quite sure the route I want to take yet, but I’ve just learned to be OK with the process,” Vinson said. “Ideally I would love to work in the music industry working with artists and making other people’s dreams a reality.”
Story, who is from Lawrenceburg, Tenn., is a freshman nursing major at Auburn University and plans to be a nurse anesthetist, to continue to grow her online boutique and to make a difference in the world.
“I was absolutely shocked and honored,” Story said. “I can’t believe this is real, but it’s an honor of a lifetime. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next year.”
The top four runners up for Miss Alabama, from first to fourth, were as follows: Noelia Voigt, Miss Camelia; Harleigh Lantrip, Miss Hoover; Natalie Lamm, Miss Auburn; and Samantha Huver, Miss Northport.
The top four runners up for Miss Teen Alabama, from first to fourth, were as follows: Jaycee Parker, Miss Gulf Coast Teen; Kensey Collins, Miss Spanish Fort Teen; Maddie Corbitt, Miss Trussville Teen; and Natalie Robertson, Miss Northwest Alabama Teen. 
Votes were collected online for the People’s Choice Award, and the winners were Shalee Winsett, Miss Baldwin County, and Madeline Talley, Miss Lake Martin Teen.
For Most Photogenic, the judges selected Jordan Golden, Miss Indian Springs Village, and Arica Haywood, Miss River Region Teen.
The contestants voted among themselves for the Miss Congeniality award, given to the friendliest and kindest, and the recipients were Lauren Gray, Miss Flint River, and Joi Williams, Miss Mobile County Teen.
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Miss Alabama USA Katelyn Vinson, left, and Miss Teen Alabama USA AnnaLee Story wave to the crowd after being crowned during the Miss Alabama USA Pageant on Saturday in Auburn.
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