Nora Paige Isenhour of Statesville, N.C., was crowned Miss Orange County’s Teen 2027 on Sept. 19, 2026, at East Chapel Hill High School.
Isenhour takes the title with a community service initiative built out of the sport she competes in. Arrows for Armed Forces pairs her competitive archery with support for combat veterans with PTSD, and it began close to home: the initiative was inspired by her stepfather’s experience with PTSD after he served in the Army during the Gulf War.
“Watching him navigate the lasting effects of military service opened my eyes to the invisible struggles many veterans face,” Isenhour said.
Through the initiative, Isenhour raises awareness, hosts archery events, partners with veteran organizations and helps connect veterans with resources and support systems. One of those partners is Saving Grace K9s in Lexington, N.C., which trains service dogs for combat veterans with PTSD at no cost to the veteran, and where she hosted a Family Day that brought veterans and their families together for a meal and an archery lesson.
“Teaching veterans and their families how to shoot archery and watching them spend quality time together was incredibly rewarding,” Isenhour said. “Seeing how a simple activity could foster connection and moments of peace reminded me why this work is so important. Several participants shared how calming and therapeutic they found the experience and expressed a desire to continue practicing archery.”
Isenhour is a junior and an honor roll student at Cornerstone Christian Academy, and she plans to study criminal justice after graduation with the goal of becoming a police officer. Outside of archery she is an All-State soccer player and a member of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Explorer Program. In the talent category she performs a flag routine to “Jailhouse Rock.”
Isenhour will represent Orange County at the Miss North Carolina’s Teen competition in June 2027.
She describes service as “one of the most powerful ways to create change,” and says the aim stays the same whichever setting she is in. “Whether I am competing in archery, advocating for veterans through Arrows for Armed Forces, or working toward my future career in law enforcement, my goal is always the same: to make a positive impact on my community while encouraging others to do the same,” she said.
Isenhour can be followed on Instagram at @missorangecountysteen_nc.
