Algonquin Teen Is First African-American Miss Illinois Teen USA

ALGONQUIN, IL – Algonquin teen Sydni Dion Bennett's recent crowning as Miss Illinois Teen USA is a big enough accomplishment in and of itself. But adding even more glory to her win is the fact that Sydni Dion is the first African-American to ever be crowned Miss Illinois Teen USA in the pageant’s 34-year history.

The 16-year-old was pretty much a newcomer to pageant life when she took the stage at last month's Miss Illinois competition. It was only her second time as a pageant contestant, the Daily Herald reports.

And when the called her name is the new Miss Illinois, she was shocked.

“When they said my name, I was like, ‘Whoa! It’s me!’ I wasn’t expecting it, honestly. My reaction video isn’t that good because I didn’t know what to do. It set in a couple days after," Sydni Dion told the Chicago Tribune.

The first fellow contestant to hug her on stage was another black girl.

“There were very few black girls competing,” Sydni Dion told the Chicago Tribune. “We were all close friends and talked about how it had to be the year for one of us to take it. No matter who, we wanted one of us to win.”

Dion is in her junior year at Chicago Academy of Arts. She first fell in love with dancing at the age of 6 years old. Today, she is a "multi-talented dance major focusing on ballet," and is also a ballet instructor, according to a news release from Miss Illinois Teen USA.

She is also an active member of her church, Life Changers International Church and has been active, since fifth grade, in philanthropic work with a variety of charitable organizations.

Over the next year, Dion is planning to dedicate herself as being a positive role model for young girls and bring her endeavors of mentorship to a national platform. She plans to works closely with Girls Inc., Boys and Girls Club, and Chicago Cares.

"I feel like I have a weight on my shoulders to represent all African-American teens," Sydni Dion told the Daily Herald. "I'm just proud to be the first, and to be able to share what I want to do this year -- to be there for girls and boys that don't have someone there supporting them."

So far, the teen has been getting a lot of attention.

You can follow Sydni Dion on Twitter to get a glimpse into her life this next year as Miss Teen USA.

Photo credit: YouTube