Gracen Grainger

Ava Gracen Grainger was raised on her family’s farm in Hamer, South Carolina. Gracen has balanced her educational pursuits and career as a professional model and actress since she signed with Directions USA at 8 years old. She has worked with numerous national and regional brands as well as on commercial and film sets as a Screen Actors Guild Actress. In 2019, she began her undergraduate education at Wofford College and ultimately graduated in 2022 from Coastal Carolina University Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in History. Gracen is a proud member of the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law Class of 2027 and will begin her Juris Doctorate program in August. She finds joy in traveling, spending time at home with her family and farm animals, needlepointing, adding recipes to her collection, and exploring her new hometown- Columbia, South Carolina. Gracen has dreamed of becoming Miss South Carolina USA since she attended the pageant when she was 7 years old. Throughout her reign, Gracen will proudly advocate for the transformational power of pageantry, encourage young girls to dream big, and continue her work promoting civic literacy.

Fun Facts

  • Claims to have a perfect biscuit recipe
  • Raised on a farm and has a menagerie of farm pets
  • Wrote a bill at 17 years old and spoke to Congressmen on Capitol Hill
  • Caddied in a professional golf tournament
  • Restored a 113 year old bank with her family in their hometown
  • Published historian
California dreaming ✨
California dreaming ✨
It’s always an awesome day in Clemson especially when @missscteenusa and I are together for the 15th Dabo Swinney Ladies Clinic 💜🐅🐯 Seeing my sweet baby cousins while I am in town is always the cherry on top!
It’s always an awesome day in Clemson especially when @missscteenusa and I are together for the 15th Dabo Swinney Ladies Clinic 💜🐅🐯 Seeing my sweet baby cousins while I am in town is always the cherry on top!
Excited for a weekend in South Carolina’s ‘Golden Corner’ 🤭✨
Excited for a weekend in South Carolina’s ‘Golden Corner’ 🤭✨
I stayed booked and busy during my time in Pageland for the Watermelon Festival 🍉 From flying a helicopter to installing smoke alarms in local businesses to filming a PSA to driving fire vehicles and all around promoting the wonderful work done by the volunteers in High Point Fire District I was spoiled with experiences. We capped off my 24 hours in Pageland this morning with a ride through the parade on top of a fire truck! Life sure moves fast as Miss South Carolina but I am cherishing every moment. Thank you HPFD and thank you Pageland 🩷
I stayed booked and busy during my time in Pageland for the Watermelon Festival 🍉 From flying a helicopter to installing smoke alarms in local businesses to filming a PSA to driving fire vehicles and all around promoting the wonderful work done by the volunteers in High Point Fire District I was spoiled with experiences. We capped off my 24 hours in Pageland this morning with a ride through the parade on top of a fire truck! Life sure moves fast as Miss South Carolina but I am cherishing every moment. Thank you HPFD and thank you Pageland 🩷
Full circle ✨ I couldn’t be more overjoyed for my darling @missaugusteloise !!! She is your new Little Miss South Carolina! One of my dearest pageant blessings has been getting to know August and her mom. She was paired with me as my princess during our time as @scnchighschoolamerica titleholders and will forever be my princess. It was such a gift to watch her achieve her goal and to support her. August stormed the stage after I was crowned Miss SC and she was my first big hug to celebrate my win. I still get emotional over the fact that I got to do the same for her to celebrate her win. Pageantry not only builds sisterhood and relationships that we cherish but it shows us that through hard work and determination you are capable of anything you set your mind to. August, I am so proud of you and am so excited to reign together again 😉
Full circle ✨ I couldn’t be more overjoyed for my darling @missaugusteloise !!! She is your new Little Miss South Carolina! One of my dearest pageant blessings has been getting to know August and her mom. She was paired with me as my princess during our time as @scnchighschoolamerica titleholders and will forever be my princess. It was such a gift to watch her achieve her goal and to support her. August stormed the stage after I was crowned Miss SC and she was my first big hug to celebrate my win. I still get emotional over the fact that I got to do the same for her to celebrate her win. Pageantry not only builds sisterhood and relationships that we cherish but it shows us that through hard work and determination you are capable of anything you set your mind to. August, I am so proud of you and am so excited to reign together again 😉
I am so honored to have been recognized by the Little Miss South Carolina Pageant last Saturday night. It was truly humbling to receive the ‘Heart of the Crown Award’. Thank you @lmscpageant for your love and support. I am so grateful ✨🫶 Let’s also take a moment for the gorgeous @sherrihill that @shopdazzles styled me in for the event! I felt so fierce. Thank you 😘 #missscusa #misssouthcarolinausa #lmsc #missusa
I am so honored to have been recognized by the Little Miss South Carolina Pageant last Saturday night. It was truly humbling to receive the ‘Heart of the Crown Award’. Thank you @lmscpageant for your love and support. I am so grateful ✨🫶 Let’s also take a moment for the gorgeous @sherrihill that @shopdazzles styled me in for the event! I felt so fierce. Thank you 😘 #missscusa #misssouthcarolinausa #lmsc #missusa
The People’s Choice is now LIVE! It’s Voting Time! Join our special online competition, the People’s Choice! Vote for your favorite delegates in both the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA categories. This year, the People’s Choice Winners will secure a spot as semi-finalists in the Pageant Finals! Cast your votes online, and the People’s Choice winners in each category will be acknowledged during the awards segment towards the end of the Pageant Finals! #missusa #missteenusa #peopleschoice #leadingladies #roadtothecrown #glamourandgrace #MissUSAjourney #NextMissUSA #NextMissTeenUSA #inspiringQueens #queensofhollywood
The People’s Choice is now LIVE! It’s Voting Time! Join our special online competition, the People’s Choice! Vote for your favorite delegates in both the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA categories. This year, the People’s Choice Winners will secure a spot as semi-finalists in the Pageant Finals! Cast your votes online, and the People’s Choice winners in each category will be acknowledged during the awards segment towards the end of the Pageant Finals! #missusa #missteenusa #peopleschoice #leadingladies #roadtothecrown #glamourandgrace #MissUSAjourney #NextMissUSA #NextMissTeenUSA #inspiringQueens #queensofhollywood
CHILLS 🥹 This is my @missusa headshot ✨ I am so thrilled to share the headshot and bio that are posted on the @missusa website and am counting down the seconds until we are all in LA for the 2024 Miss USA competition. Gracen Grainger credits her grit and intrinsic desire to serve to her upbringing on a farm in South Carolina. A proficient multi-tasker, Gracen has balanced her academic pursuits with a modeling/acting career since she signed with an agency at age 8. Now a law student, Gracen plans to combine her career and experience working in government and nonprofit sectors to make law more approachable, provide trustworthy counsel, and empower through education. She passionately advocates for the ‘power of one’ insisting that one person, one choice, one vote, and one opportunity all have the power to make lasting, impactful change. I cannot thank @glambytheperfect10 enough for their generous and tireless work! One step closer to my childhood dream 🩷
CHILLS 🥹 This is my @missusa headshot ✨ I am so thrilled to share the headshot and bio that are posted on the @missusa website and am counting down the seconds until we are all in LA for the 2024 Miss USA competition. Gracen Grainger credits her grit and intrinsic desire to serve to her upbringing on a farm in South Carolina. A proficient multi-tasker, Gracen has balanced her academic pursuits with a modeling/acting career since she signed with an agency at age 8. Now a law student, Gracen plans to combine her career and experience working in government and nonprofit sectors to make law more approachable, provide trustworthy counsel, and empower through education. She passionately advocates for the ‘power of one’ insisting that one person, one choice, one vote, and one opportunity all have the power to make lasting, impactful change. I cannot thank @glambytheperfect10 enough for their generous and tireless work! One step closer to my childhood dream 🩷
Treasure moments in DC #missscusa #missusa
Treasure moments in DC #missscusa #missusa
Reminiscing on three days of having my breath taken away 🇺🇸 I am so overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to have met so many of our nation’s leaders and have incredible experiences in our beautiful capital city. I always leave DC with a deep feeling of patriotism and hope. This opportunity with @rpmproductions has amplified all of my admiration for the privileges we enjoy as American citizens. #missscusa #missusa
Reminiscing on three days of having my breath taken away 🇺🇸 I am so overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to have met so many of our nation’s leaders and have incredible experiences in our beautiful capital city. I always leave DC with a deep feeling of patriotism and hope. This opportunity with @rpmproductions has amplified all of my admiration for the privileges we enjoy as American citizens. #missscusa #missusa

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