38 Miss and 38 Teen candidates compete for spots at Miss America, Miss America's Teen national pageants
HIGH POINT (June 25, 2026) – The Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina’s Teen preliminary competition got underway on Wednesday evening at the High Point Theatre, but a nearby power outage interrupted Preliminary Night One midway through the show. After the issue was resolved, Preliminary Night One resumed and concluded on Thursday at 4:00 PM. A total of 38 Miss candidates and 38 Teen candidates from across the Tar Heel state are competing across three preliminary nights before the final crowning shows on Saturday, June 27, when two young women will be crowned to represent North Carolina at 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 David Clegg, is Josie Perdue, Miss Cabarrus County, who performed a dance routine to “Dream On.” She is from Asheboro, North Carolina, and is a Senior at UNC-Charlotte.
- Miss Preliminary Evening Gown Award for a $1,000 scholarship, provided by Mike and Deborah Golden, is Hannah Welborn-Lewis, Miss Central Carolina. She is from Archdale, North Carolina, and is a post-baccalaureate student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Graduate School.
Miss North Carolina’s Teen Preliminary Winners:
- Teen Preliminary Talent Award for a $500 scholarship, provided by Relevé Dancewear, is Isabella DiFiore, Miss Statesville’s Teen, who performed an opera vocal selection of “Art Is Calling for Me.” She is from Statesville, North Carolina, and is a rising Senior at North Iredell High School.
- Teen Preliminary Evening Gown Award for a $500 scholarship, provided by Lizzie Horton Peress, is Raiah Dona, Miss Cleveland’s Teen, a native of Cameron, North Carolina. She wore a custom Primavera evening gown.
Final competitions for Miss North Carolina’s Teen and Miss North Carolina take place Saturday, June 27, at 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM, respectively. Preliminary Night Two takes place tonight at 7:30 PM, with results to follow. All on-stage preliminaries and finals will also be available for streaming online. To learn more about individual candidates, visit the Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina’s Teen Class of 2026 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 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. Sophia Kellstrom currently serves as Miss North Carolina 2025. Kate Ward serves as Miss North Carolina’s Teen 2025. For more information about volunteering or competing, please visit www.missnc.org.
About the Miss America Brand
The Miss America brand’s mission is “Empowering Women to Lead” in every area of life, including philanthropy, business, the 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.
Photo Credit: Lenn Long / PageantPics
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