Carty won the Miss North Carolina Teen USA pageant in late 2003 and represented North Carolina in the nationally televised pageant held in Palm Springs, California in August 2004.
Groat's first pageant experience came in 2003 when she entered and won the Miss Union County pageant, which allowed her to enter the Miss North Carolina Teen USA pageant, where she was a top twelve semi-finalist.
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As Miss North Carolina Teen USA, Groat was the "sister" titleholder to Chelsea Cooley, who was Miss North Carolina USA for five months before she won the Miss USA title.