PAGEANT Circle

Aubrie Charter, representing Lincoln County, was crowned Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2023 on Sunday, February 26 at The Rose Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. The 18-year-old graduating student at North Platte High School edged out 11 other competitors to win her state title and also bagged the Miss Congeniality award. Miss Beatrice, Avery Collins, Miss South Lincoln, Krista Andersen (Miss Photogenic), and Miss Midwest, Addilyn Wilson, were named the first, second, and third runners-up, respectively. Completing the Top 8 semifinalists were Miss Bennington, Micahlyn Loucks, Miss Elkhorn, Alexandra Huffman, Miss Norfolk, Gisell Duarte Rosas, and Miss Lincoln, Madyson Zoucha. The new Miss Nebraska Teen USA succeeded last year's winner and reigning Miss Teen USA Faron Medhi. She will now prepare to represent the state of Nebraska at Miss Teen USA 2023 national final in Reno, Nevada later this year. Her platform "A Little Birdy Loves You" is focused on cancer patients' care and comfo

Miss West Omaha, Mimi Wood, was crowned Miss Nebraska USA 2023 in a state competition held on Sunday, February 26 at The Rose Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. The 23-year-old dance coach from Omaha won the state title in her fourth attempt and will now prepare to represent Nebraska at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada later this year. She was third runner-up in 2020, and second runner-up in 2021 and 2022. Rounding out the Top 4 finalists were Miss Omaha, Michaela Edstrand (first runner-up and Miss Photogenic), Miss David City, Bailey DeWispelare (second runner-up), and Miss Elkhorn, Grace Smith (third runner-up). The rest of the Top 8 were Miss Lincoln, Emma Wilkinson, Miss Midwest, Charity Williams (Miss Congeniality), Miss Papillion, Ravyn Craver, and Miss Waterloo, Mary Foster. Natalie Pieper, last year's winner who placed second runner-up at Miss USA 2022, relinquished her reign at the end of the glittering event. Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2023 was also held at the same venue and Miss Linc

The Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Top 40 contestants were officially announced last February 18 in Manila and one of them is former Mutya ng Pilipinas winner Klyza Castro. Klyza is 23 years old, pure Filipina beauty with indigenous Mandaya tribe roots, and born in Mati City, Davao Oriental. She is a graduate of Ateneo de Davao University with a degree in political science. No stranger to pageantry, the Miss Universe Philippines aspirant won the 51st Mutya ng Pilipinas while representing Davao del Sur and went on to compete in Miss Asia Pacific International 2019 where she placed in the Top 25 and bagged the Continental Queen of Asia title. Her advocacy is focused on supporting and sustaining the livelihood of her indigenous communities. She recently shared that in 2021, she started a charity drive using her own savings for the Mandaya tribe of Sangab Davao Oriental where she met the woman chieftain of one of the last remaining communities to fully preserve the Mandaya culture. "H

The Cayman Islands Minister for Tourism and Transport, Hon. Kenneth Bryan officially announced the government's decision to drop the national license for Miss Universe Cayman Islands. According to the minister, the local committee was consulted before notifying the Miss Universe Organization. Future uncertainties due to the changes being implemented by MUO were hinted at as the reasons for their decision. While first runner-up and 70th Miss Universe representative Chloe Powery-Doxey is expected to be officially crowned as Miss Universe Cayman Islands this March, it is still unknown who will take over the franchise or when the country will be back to the Miss Universe pageant. "I am hopeful that a private sector entity will step up and take over the franchise, because, in addition to offering tremendous empowerment opportunities for young women, it also allows them to act as positive role models for other young women, and represent the Cayman Islands as a cultural ambassador,&q

Former Miss Grand Peru, Camila Escribens, decided to give pageantry another try by joining Miss Peru 2023 national competition. The 24-year-old Lima-born fashion model is no stranger to pageantry. After bagging the title of Miss Grand Peru 2019, she went on to participate in the 7th Miss Grand International pageant in Caracas, Venezuela, and finished in the Top 10 among 60 competitors. She was later on nominated by the Miss Peru Organization as Miss Supranational Peru 2020 and was supposed to take part in the 12th Miss Supranational edition in Poland but withdrew due to health reasons. At present, the national organization holds the licenses for Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Grand International, and Miss Supranational pageants. Camila is currently the ambassador of an American fast fashion retail company Fashion Nova and signed under a US-based modeling agency Elite Model Management Miami. If she wins this year's Miss Peru, she will have the opportunity to represent her c

Miss Uptown, Jordyn Ashlee McKey, was crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2023 during the glittering state competition held on Saturday, February 25 at the High Point Theatre in High Point, North Carolina. The 25-year-old advocate against domestic violence and a healthcare customer services professional from Charlotte is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University and currently working as a specialist for a health technology company. Jordyn succeeded last year's winner and current Miss USA Morgan Romano, and will now go on to represent North Carolina at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada. The runners-up were Miss South Park, McKenzie Hansley, Miss Mint Hill, Courtney Smith, Miss RDU, Caroline Credle, and Miss Pittsboro, Celia Stafford. Miss Capital City, Scarlett Freeman, Miss Charlotte, Jarin Simmons, Miss Davidson County, Terra Johns, Miss Fourth Ward, Serenity Edwards, and Miss Rowan County, Chelsea Skeens (Rowan County) rounded out the Top 10. Emma Knapp (City of Oaks), Genna Lockle

Miss Greater Lexington, Madalyne Kinnett, was crowned Miss Kentucky USA 2023 during the state competition held on Saturday, February 25 at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Kentucky. The 21-year-old model and student is a graduate of Lexington Christian Academy and currently attending the University of Kentucky. She will now represent Kentucky at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada. Miss Fayette County, Julia Long, and Miss North Central Kentucky, Kristen Bach were named first and second runners-up while Miss Lawrenceburg, Carley Duncan, Miss Louisville Waterfront, Sophia Baser, and Miss Northern Kentucky, Kristen Bach, rounded out the Top 6 finalists. The rest of the Top 16 were Cadie Taylor (Boyd County), Rebecca Cook (Capital City), Katie Fawn (Corbin), Gabrielle Norris (Columbia), Brooklynn Case (Danville), Sydney Poor (Jessamine County), Desiree Cross (Lexington), Courtney Rager (Purchase District), Rabiya Syed (South Lexington), and Emma Simms (Waverly). For the teens'

The 71st Miss Universe R'Bonney Gabriel will have her special homecoming celebration in her hometown of Houston, Texas on Saturday, March 18. Fans and supporters can get the chance to meet and celebrate with the beauty queen at the Hilton Houston Post Oak at 7 p.m. CST (local time). The Miss Texas USA organizers made the official announcement on social media late last week. Don't miss your chance to meet the queen in person. Tickets for the upcoming homecoming event will go on sale starting this Monday, February 27 at Miss Texas USA's official website . R'Bonney was born in Houston to a Filipino father and an American mother. She grew up in Missouri City and later in Friendswood, with her three older brothers. Last January 14, she became the ninth Miss USA to win Miss Universe. She was crowned at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her success also made history as she became the first ever Filipino-American to win Miss Texas USA, Miss USA

70th Miss World Karolina Bielawska touched down in Monterrey, the capital of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León at the start of her 5-day visit to the country. The Polish beauty queen was also reunited with her Miss World sister Karolina Vidales (the reigning Miss World Mexico and 70th Miss World Top 6 finalist). They both took the opportunity to catch up while enjoying the afternoon sunshine in the beautiful Santa Lucia Park which hosts the annual Santa Lucia International Festival. The famous festival is the biggest cultural event in Nuevo León. It is a celebration of young performers, artists, and international cultural activities with exhibits and performances not only taking place in the park but throughout the surrounding streets. Karolina's visit to Mexico is another addition to her record-breaking number of visited countries during her remarkable year as Miss World titleholder. She will crown her successor at the upcoming 71st Miss World final (Miss World 2023) in

The new national director for Miss Universe Vietnam, Quỳnh Nga, was officially announced on Friday, February 24 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Moving forward, the news anchor and former pageant contestant will head the national competition that will select Vietnam's next representative at Miss Universe, starting with the 72nd edition (Miss Universe 2023) later this year in El Salvador. Miss Universe 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel of the USA and second runner-up Andreína Martínez Founier of the Dominican Republic were special guests during the official license signing ceremony that took place at the spectacular The Reverie Saigon. The newly formed partnership between the Vietnamese licensee and the Miss Universe Organization under JKN Global Group's Anne Jakrajutatip is just one of the series of changes (after Miss Universe Indonesia and Malaysia) made public since the Thai business mogul acquired full ownership. "This momentous occasion marks the beginning of an exciting new era