MARION, Ill. -- A 25-year-old has been crowned the new Miss Illinois 2023.
Jessica Tilton won the title at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center Saturday evening.
Tilton competed as Miss Quad Cities and is a native of Washington, Illinois.
She took home the title after five days of interviews, performances and rehearsals.
Jessica Tilton has been named Miss Illinois 2023 (Credit: Miss Illinois Scholarship Organization)
Tilton will now take the title and crown and travel throughout the state of Illinois for the following year, attending special events and promoting her social community initiative of advocating for organ donation.
Tilton also won a minimum $10,000 in scholarships and will represent Illinois at the Miss America competition later this year.
Runner up belongs to Miss Capital City Breana Bagley of Decatur and second runner-up was Miss Lake County Makalyn Heaslett of Chicago.
Additional semi-finalists included:
- Bethalto: Sydney Daniel, Miss Kankakee
- Chicago: Elise O'Connell Miss Chicago
- Chicago: Imani P. Muse, Miss Windy City
- Frankfort: Megan Magee, Miss Little Egypt
- Jeffersonville, Indiana: Madelyn Steurer, Miss Cook County
- Mundelein: Sheridan Hurtig, Miss Peoria
- Quincy: Jasmine Cobb, Miss Heartland
- Richton Park: Nitsaniyah Fitch, Miss Iroquois County
