MARIETTA - Christina McCauley, 21, of Marietta, may have won the 2010 Miss Georgia Scholarship Pageant on June 19 competing as Miss Southern Heartland, but the one-time Miss Cobb County calls Cobb her home.

"You know they say - once you're a Miss Cobb, always a Miss Cobb," said McCauley, who plans to study early childhood education at Kennesaw State University's graduate program.

McCauley, like many contestants, has competed in various county pageants that may or may not be where they reside, to qualify for the top state pageant. McCauley won the Miss Cobb pageant in 2007 and placed third runner-up in the following Miss Georgia pageant.

However, her persistence paid off this year when she was crowned Miss Georgia.

And McCauley wasn't the only Cobb resident to do well at this year's Miss Georgia competition. Five of the top 10 finalists call Cobb home. Forty women sought the state crown and the top scholarship prize of $15,000 this year.

Jamie Kelton, 22, of Marietta, competed as Miss Capital City and placed first runner-up at Miss Georgia. Casy Walker, 21, of Powder Springs, is the current Miss Cobb and was third-runner up. Michaela Lackey, 20, of Marietta, competed as Miss Cherokee (County) Rose and was fourth-runner up. Briana Jewett, 21, of Marietta, placed among the top 10 as Miss Rome.

"I think it has a lot to do with the Miss Cobb County program," McCauley said. "I think all of those girls, if they haven't been Miss Cobb County, then they've competed in the Miss Cobb program. And the Miss Cobb pageant is just one of the greatest boards to be affiliated with in this state. They're one of the 10 as far as scholarships."

Amy Gant, a spokeswoman for the Miss Georgia pageant, agreed that there is something special about Cobb when it comes to producing outstanding pageant contestants. Miss Georgia 2009 Emily Cook is from Marietta.

"I wouldn't say it's overly common to have five of the top 10 from the same county. In fact, it's pretty rare," she said. "It speaks volumes about the talent and ability of some of the young women in this area. Last year both, Miss Georgia and Miss Georgia's Outstanding Teen were from Cobb County. We are so proud of these contestants."

The other Cobb pageant contestants credited the support they receive from their home county and each other for their success.

"I think that's really a testament to what kind of people we've become, because we've been raised in such a wonderful environment," Kelton said.

Added Walker: "It must be something in the water here."

Miss Georgia Christina McCauley will compete for the Miss America crown on Jan. 15. The pageant will be broadcast live on ABC.