Elaina Burt is the new Miss Alabama’s Teen.

The 17-year-old from Hoover as crowned on Sunday afternoon at Thompson High School in Alabaster. She competed as Miss Jefferson County Teen, besting 37 other contestants for the 2023 state title.

Burt will move on to represent Alabama at the Miss America’s Teen competition later this year. Morgan Greco of Washington State is the current Miss America’s Teen.

Burt takes over the role of Miss Alabama’s Teen from Hailey Adams of Birmingham, the 2022 winner. Adams crowned her successor on Sunday at the high school’s performing arts center and presented her with a bouquet of roses.

“Cloud Nine, like every single emotion that I could possibly think of, I’m feeling right now,” Burt said backstage after her win. “Just complete Cloud Nine. I’m just so humbled. I have worked really hard for this, and now that I have this opportunity, it feels so surreal. I am just so excited for the year ahead.”

When her name was announced as the winner, Burt said, she felt a surge of excitement and surprise.

“I was just in complete shock,” she said. “I was trying to soak in every little moment, because I know that’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Just trying to soak it all in and not pass out.”

Burt, a junior at Briarwood Christian School, lives in Hoover. She performed a ballet routine during the talent competition, dancing en pointe to music from “Oklahoma.” Burt participated in physical fitness and evening wear segments during Sunday’s finals competition, and discussed her philanthropic platform (called a “social impact initiative” by the Miss Alabama organization). It’s Charlie’s Chance: Overcoming Epilepsy Together.

When asked about her plans for the year ahead, here’s what Burt said:

“This is going to give me the platform I need to grow my voice, to grow my service initiative, Charlie’s Chance, obviously go to Dallas for Miss America’s Teen. That is just absolutely insane that I’ll get to be on that stage and just share my voice with the nation. … I really consider myself to be an investor, and that’s what I’m most excited about with this title. I’m ready to invest in this program, invest in the state of Alabama. I have big, big plans that I’m ready to execute. So I’m just ready to go.”

As the winner of Miss Alabama’s Teen, Burt will receive $7,500 in scholarship money and her choice of tuition scholarships to schools such as the University of Alabama, Auburn University, the University of Montevallo, Troy University and the University of North Alabama.

Burt had a large cheering section in the audience on Sunday, composed of family and friends. Their shouts and applause gave her a confidence booster, Burt said, helping her to do her best on stage.

“This are my people, my tribe,” Burt said. “The rest of the audience probably thought they were a little bit crazy, but it’s what keeps me going. I do ballet en pointe for my talent, so I need that, I need the energy. They have just supported me every step of the way and poured into me more than I could have ever imagined. I’m just beyond grateful for my tribe. It’s the best feeling in the world to know you have that many people behind you and they’re rooting for you and rallying behind you. It truly makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”

Anna Bella Foster was named first runner-up on Sunday. Dru Bramblett was second runner-up, taking third place. Carson Champion was third runner-up (fourth place). Christina Norman rounded out the top five. All of them will receive scholarship money ranging from $1,000 to $3,000.

Before the pageant finals on Sunday, contestants for Miss Alabama’s Teen participated in preliminary events and had a private interview with the judges.

Miss Alabama’s Teen was founded in 2003 as Miss Alabama’a Outstanding Teen, and has crowned 21 winners to date. Two Alabama winners, LeBlanc and Jessica Baeder, have moved on to become Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. (Note: The name of the teen competition has been changed for 2023, dropping the word “Outstanding” to make it simpler and more concise.)

READ MORE: Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen: Photos of every winner since 2003

Miss Alabama’s Teen is affiliated with Miss Alabama, and girls who participate in Miss Alabama’s Teen often move on to the Miss Alabama pageant. Lindsay Fincher, Lauren Bradford and Tiara Pennington, all recent winners of Miss Alabama, came up through the teen competition.

READ MORE:

Miss Alabama’s Teen 2023: Meet 38 teens competing for the crown

Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen: Photos of every winner since 2003

Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen 2022: Birmingham’s Hailey Adams wins the crown