More than 70 young women compete for spots at Miss America, Miss America’s Teen national pageants
HIGH POINT (June 28, 2025) – The Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina’s Teen preliminary competitions continued at the High Point Theatre yesterday evening. More than 70 contestants from across the Tar Heel state competed in the third night of preliminaries to qualify for the final competition on Saturday, June 28 which will lead two young women to the Miss America and Miss America’s Teen national pageants.
Miss North Carolina Preliminary Winners:
- Miss Preliminary Talent Award for a $1,000 scholarship provided by Funded by David Clegg, President and Chairman of the MNCO Board of Directors was presented for a clogging performance by Hannah Welborn-Lewis, Miss Thomasville.
- Miss Preliminary Evening Gown Award for a $1,000 scholarship by Mike Golden, Vice President of the MNCO Board of Directors & Debra Golden was awarded to Sophia Kellstrom, Miss Davidson County. Kellstrom was also a preliminary Talent Award winner on Night Two.
Miss North Carolina’s Teen Preliminary Winners:
- Teen Preliminary Talent Award for a $500 scholarship provided by Lizzie Horton Peress, Miss North Carolina 2006, was a three-way tie between Kate Ward (Miss Johnston County’s Teen, performing a lyrical dance), Mary Michael McLamb (Miss Fayetteville’s Teen, performing a lyrical dance), and Taytum Robbins (Miss Metrolina’s Teen, performing an acrobatic musical theatre routine). Ward also won a preliminary Evening Gown Award on Night One.
- Teen Preliminary Evening Gown Award for a $250 scholarship was awarded as a tie between Lily Grace Starnes, Miss Stanly County’s Teen, and Camdyn Lee, Miss Statesville’s Teen. Lee was also a preliminary Talent Award winner on Night Two.
Final competitions for Miss North Carolina’s Teen and Miss North Carolina begin on Saturday at 2:30PM and 7:30PM, respectively. All on-stage preliminaries and finals will also be available for streaming online. To learn more about individual candidates, please visit the Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina’s Teen Class of 2025 contestant biographies.
About the Miss North Carolina Organization
As an official state preliminary associated with the Miss America Organization, the Miss North Carolina Organization is a part of the largest scholarship providing organization for women in the world. Promoting an emphasis on academics and communication skills, the MNCO is considered a launching pad for young women to further their academic and career goals. Carrie Everett, a Talent Award winner at Miss America 2025 currently serves as Miss North Carolina 2024. Hanley House, crowned Miss North Carolina’s Teen 2023, became the first teen from North Carolina to win the national title as Miss America’s Teen 2024. Kamryn Hollowell serves as Miss North Carolina’s Teen 2024. For more information about volunteering or competing, please visit www.missnc.org.
About the Miss America Brand
The Miss America brand mission is “Empowering Women to Lead” in every area of life from philanthropy, business, arts, politics, education and more. Miss America and Miss America’s Teen local and state ambassadors contribute thousands of community service hours annually, raising funds for philanthropic partners.
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