Car tag design winner wanted to highlight what she loves about Mississippi

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The creative mind behind the state’s new license plate design said she wanted it to represent what Mississippians know and love: the magnolia and hospitality.

Leah Frances Eaton is a substitute teacher in the Starkville School District.

She said she found out her design had won the contest when Governor Tate Reeves announced it on social media Tuesday. Hers was chosen out of 400 submissions.

Eaton said her goal was to give the design a clean look that represents what people love about their state.

“I just wanted something simple and that followed the Mississippi theme which is the magnolia. I know that there have been previous license plates that have had the magnolia and those were always some of my favorites. And, when I think of Mississippi I think of hospitality and the magnolia state. So, to me, it was pretty simple to take what we have already used and what Mississippians already know and love about Mississippi and put it on a tag,” said Eaton.

You’ll start seeing the new tag on vehicles in January 2024.

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