South Carolina's Tess Ferm crowned Miss America's Teen 2026

South Carolina's Tess Ferm bested 51 other contestants to win Miss America's Teen 2026 on Saturday, September 6 at the Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida. The 18-year-old student and food allergy advocate from Charleston succeeds Peyton Bolling of Arkansas. She became me the third winner from South Carolina after Taylor Fitch (2009) and Rachel Wyatt (2013). Sara DeVolld of Sara DeVolld was named first runner-up while Emma Fossum of Texas, Delaney Higgins of New Jersey, and Ashton Blake Hart of District of Columbia were the second, third, and fourth runners-up, respectively. Reagan Khloe Moore of Georgia, Jasmine Wu of California, Fiona Treiber of Iowa, Allison Payton of Ohio, Mila Pearl of Oregon, and Lynzi Allen of Pennsylvania completed the Top 11 semifinalists. The newly crowned Miss America's Teen is a graduate of Porter-Gaud and is set to begin her freshman year at Furman University. She is dedicated to advocating food alle...