Miss America 2016, Betty Cantrell paid a special visit to her high school Alma Mater on Wednesday, the Mount de Sales Academy of Macon.

The beauty queen performed for students, answered questions about her Miss America journey and had a special meet and greet with students of the school’s fine arts classes.

Cantrell said she wanted to leave the students one message…

“Never give up and don’t listen to the nay-sayers, is what I really wanted to project to them,” she said. “I had a lot of people tell me that I couldn’t do a lot of things, that I couldn’t be Miss America, that I couldn’t be Miss Georgia and I’m so glad that I didn’t listen to them and I decided to follow the dreams that I had since I was really little. So I’m really encouraging the kids here to follow any dreams that they have.”

Cantrell will continue her local tour this week as she visits her hometown of Warner Robins and speaks to students at the schools she attended as a child.

Also Read; Betty Cantrell Miss America 2016 Performed at Christmas Spectacular Show

On Saturday, she will end her visit in Macon as she performs the National Anthem at the Mercer University Men’s basketball game against the Wofford Terriers.