On Saturday, July 17, Junior Miss Greater Sandhills, Calli Brielle Granville McLean, was crowned "Preteen Miss" during North Carolina's Outstanding Little Miss Pageant, which was held at Louisburg College.

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. In addition to McLean, other contestants from this area were Makayla Blue, of Pinehurst; Megan Huff, of Pinehurst; and Madison Hadaway, of Aberdeen.

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

McLean tied with Megan Huff in the interview category, and McLean won the talent competition, performing a vocal and tap routine to "Almost There," from the film "The Princess and the Frog."

McLean receives vocal instruction from Lisa Gessner, of Aberdeen, 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. McLean's platform is "Be a P.A.L - promoting food allergy awareness." McLean 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.

Local businesses sponsoring McLean include: Dr. Michael Henry, of Henry Orthodontics; Granville Financial; G104 Christian Radio; Mac McIntyre Insurance; and Pretty and Bliss, of Pinehurst.

McLean's grandmother, Elsie Granville, of Pinehurst, was in the top 10 of the Miss North Carolina pageant in 1975. When McLean 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."

McLean'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.

McLean was crowned by Miss North Carolina Adrienne Core. McLean will be involved with different events such as the Raleigh Christmas parade, and she will perform at the 2011 Miss North Carolina Pageant.