Lexington County is known for many things: highly-rated schools, its variety of frequented restaurants and its growing popularity, welcoming new families into its community.

Additionally, Lexington is home to three of the state's 2024 "Misses" - National American Miss South Carolina Junior Teen, Mrs. South Carolina America and Miss South Carolina Teen.

Recent Chronicle stories feature these Lexington County-based state title-holding beauty queens.

Three of them.

So, the question stands: Why are there so many Miss South Carolinas from Lexington?

These women share similar titles but come from different pageant circuits and organizations.

Miss South Carolina and Mrs. South Carolina America, for example, may share a similar state title but are from two completely different pageant organizations. While each pageant circuit may have state titleholders, each organization is unique and represents different values.

In July, the Chronicle featured Mary Elle Marchant, Miss South Carolina’s Teen. Miss South Carolina’s Teen is a part of the Miss America Organization. According to the Miss America Organization website, the first pageant was held in 1921, so this organization has been around for 102 years. Due to its legacy, Miss America has become one of the most prestigious and iconic titles that a young woman can achieve.

Leading up to the Miss America pageant, all states will hold local primary competitions throughout the year. Then once local primaries have crowned their winners, the local titles will compete for the state title, such as Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina’s Teen. All state titleholders will compete for the iconic title: Miss America.

According to missamerica.org, the Miss America organization (and its state titleholder organizations) prides itself on service, style, scholarship and success. Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina’s Teen spend their full reigning year serving within the community and promoting their chosen platforms.

The same competition system is also used for the Mrs. South Carolina America pageant.

This year's Mrs. South Carolina America, Ashley Caulder, was featured by the Chronicle in August.

Since she has won the state title of Mrs. South Carolina America, she will go on to the national pageant to compete for the title of Mrs. America.

While this is a separate system from the Miss America organization, the Mrs. America pageant system was created to honor and celebrate married women within the country.

The national titles of Mrs. America and Miss America are similar, but the biggest difference in the two systems is the contestants' marital status. In order to be eligible to compete in the Mrs. America pageant, all contestants must be married.

Recently, the Chronicle also featured National American Miss South Carolina Junior Teen, Mariyah Mabson. Unlike most pageants, the National American Miss Organization places less emphasis on the outward glitz and the glamor. Instead, the organization places focus on personal development for young women.

The National American Miss website describes its organization as “a program centered around helping young ladies grow and expand their ideas about who they are and what they want to achieve.”

Where are all these Lexington winners getting their training from? What is their secret to winning a state crown?

Mary Elle Marchant shares that she has received formal training from local pageant studio, Gowns and Crowns, and interview training from Mrs. Dixie Covington. She also attributes her success in pageantry to God.

“God has answered my prayers and guided me on this journey,” Marchant said.

Ashley Caulder also recognizes Gowns and Crowns for her formal training. She also has received interview training from Rebekah Wheeler with Be Fearless Consulting.

Mariyah Mabson shares that while she has not had formal training, she has been mentored by girls within the National American Miss Organization.

While each Lexington titleholder has received different levels of training, their hearts share the same passion for community service.

Is it a coincidence that Lexington County is home to so many South Carolina beauty queens?

Perhaps it's a result of the county’s award-winning schools, community service organizations, churches and community.