McKenzie Louise Govern of Hendersonville, N.C., was crowned Miss Davidson County’s Teen 2027 on Oct. 3, 2026, at the T. Austin Finch Auditorium in Thomasville.
Govern takes the title with a community service initiative built around first responders. Project HEROES Powered by HOPE supports their mental health and that of their families, and works to break the stigma surrounding asking for help. She carries it out through education, awareness, community events and conversations.
“First responders spend so much of their lives caring for others, but they are human too, and they deserve to know that it is okay to need support,” Govern said. “My hope is to create a community where asking for help is seen as a sign of strength, not weakness.”
What has stayed with her from the work is how much small gestures register. “Seeing how thankful first responders are when they receive something as simple as a handwritten note, a thank you, or a sweet snack basket reminds me that sometimes the smallest gestures can mean the most,” Govern said.
Govern is a homeschooled freshman in North Carolina working through a college prep program, and she plans to enter a cosmetology or esthetician program after she graduates. She fell in love with dance at 4 and now teaches and mentors younger dancers, passing on the dedication, leadership, confidence and perseverance she says the sport taught her. In the talent category she performs an acro musical theatre dance to “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” a routine she choreographed with her 2026 Carolina Star.
She held the title of Miss Henderson County’s Teen 2026. Before that she held Carolina Princess and Carolina Star titles, and she credits those years in the organization with helping her become the young woman she is today.
Govern said she intends to serve her community “with grace, compassion, confidence, and strength” and to take Project HEROES Powered by HOPE “as far as I possibly can” this year. “I’m excited to continue learning, growing, and using this opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of others,” she said.
Govern will represent Davidson County at the Miss North Carolina’s Teen competition in High Point in June 2027.
She can be followed on Instagram at @missdavidsoncountyteen.
