PLANT CITIANS MOVE ON TO MISS FLORIDA COMPETITION.
On March 17, the excitement and talent of local contestants shone brightly at the Southwest Central Florida Scholarship Competition as the preliminary Miss America scholarship competition awarded 12 titles. The event was held at Branscomb Auditorium located on the Florida Southern College Campus in Lakeland. The event celebrated the dedication and achievements of young women from the community. Several Plant City delegates were recognized as winners, including:
Anniston Griffin – Miss Plant City Teen
Taylor Gregory – Miss Hillsborough County Teen
Claire Thomas – 2nd Runner up, Teen Division
Madison Parolini – 1st runner up, Teen Division
Kaleigh Salmon – Miss Plant City
These accomplished young women will go on to represent Plant City in the Miss Florida Competition on June 28, showcasing their commitment and bringing pride to Plant City.
Other local winners were:
Miss Lakeland Teen – Larkin Mainwaring
Miss Polk County Teen – Elizabeth Lemeur
Miss Swan City Teen – Liliana Funtal
Miss Florida Blueberry Teen – Bailey Scheel
Miss Lakeland – Maci Miotto
Miss Polk County – Jada Brown
Miss Swan City – Emerson Ward
Miss Florida Blueberry – Samantha Jacobson
Miss Hillsborough County – Juliana Fray
2nd Runner up Miss – Victoria Sonza
1st Runner up Miss – Angelina Eidson
After a thrilling display of talented singing, the Kronhaus Talent Award in the Teen Division was presented to Larkin Mainwaring. The competition also recognized outstanding talent performances for the Kronhaus Talent Award that went to Angelina Eidson and Samantha Jacobson.
Tyirr Gray took home the honor of the Teen People’s Choice Award. The Miss People’s Choice Award went to A’Mya Roberts.
The event highlighted the hard work and commitment of all the participants. It served as a platform for these young women to develop their confidence, public speaking skills, and community service initiatives. The evening fostered a spirit of camaraderie and empowerment, inspiring the next generation of leaders. The winners will move forward to represent their titles at the upcoming Miss Florida competition at Lakeland’s Youkey Theater, RP Funding Center, June 25 thru June 28. “We are incredibly proud of all our delegates and their incredible performances,” Gail Domedion, Vice President of Crowning Leaders Foundation, said. “Each participant brings something unique to the stage, and their commitment to personal and community goals is truly inspiring.”
In 2023, Domedion reestablished the Miss Lakeland Scholarship program and supported Amanda Kronhaus, the Miss Lakeland titleholder, as she competed in the Miss Florida 2023 pageant. In March 2024, the Crowning Leaders Foundation, Inc. conducted its inaugural Miss America preliminary competition under the Miss Lakeland title. During this event, they awarded six titles: Miss Lakeland, Miss Swan City, Miss Polk County, Miss Lakeland Teen, Miss Swan City Teen, and Miss Polk County Teen.
This year, the program expanded to include 37 delegates, and added six additional new titles: Miss Plant City, Miss Florida Blueberry, and Miss Hillsborough County, along with their respective teen titles. The organization also changed its name from the Miss Lakeland Scholarship to the Miss Southwest Central Florida Scholarship Competition in preparation for the 2025 Miss Florida Scholarship Competition.
For more information about the Miss America Organization and upcoming events, visit MissFlorida.org
