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Contact Megan Heimes, Director of Marketing & Media MissOmahaMAO@gmail.com (308) 760-7179
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OMAHA, Nebr. August 15, 2023: Local Miss America Subsidiary Selects Winners, Awards Large Scholarships
The Miss Omaha Douglas County Scholarship Organization held its annual competition on Saturday, August 5th at Marian High School where four young Nebraska women were crowned affording them the opportunity to further their academic careers with scholarship awards, further promote their community service initiative, and compete at the upcoming Miss Nebraska and Miss Nebraska’s Teen competition in June 2024.
Alayna Wilson was crowned Miss Omaha 2024. A student at the University of Kansas/University of Kansas Medical Center she will spend her year of service promoting her Community Service Initiative entitled Sammy’s Superheroes: Ending Childhood Cancer. Alayna’s talent was a Lyrical Dance to “You are the Reason”.
Raechel Warren was crowned Miss Douglas County 2024. A graduate of Seattle University she will spend her year of service promoting her Community Service Initiative entitled Passion to Purpose. Raechel’s talent was an Artistic Roller Skating Routine to a Queen Medley.
Ally Parker was crowned Miss Omaha’s Teen 2024. A student at Millard South High School, she will spend her year of service promoting her Community Service Initiative entitled Be a Hero, Save a Life. Ally’s talent was a Baton Routine to “Diamonds are Forever”.
Clara Johnson was crowned Miss Douglas County’s Teen 2024. A student at the Palmyra High School she will spend her year of service promoting her Community Service Initiative entitled 4-H: Reaching One, Reaching All. Clara’s talent was a Piano Performance to a “Winter Rhapsody”.
The respected panel of judges in charge of selecting the titleholders traveled from across the nation including FL, IN, NC, NV, and NE. Emceeing the event were Brad and Jodi Holen, (Jodi served as both Miss Nebraska and our first Miss Omaha in 1988). Also present to assist was Miss Nebraska 2023 Morgan Baird and Miss Nebraska’s Teen 2023 Boston Patterra. Both Morgan and Boston will be competing in the Miss America and Miss America’s Teen Competition in January 2024. Prior to the competition starting, a special guest, Ava Bonifas from Hastings, Nebraska performed the national anthem.
Both Miss titleholders will receive a $2,500 cash scholarship, up to $24,000 in-kind scholarships from Bellevue University, as well as gifts from our Miss Omaha Organization Sponsors. They will compete in the Miss Nebraska competition in June 2024 and the winner of Miss Nebraska will go on to compete at Miss America.
Other Miss Award Include:
Phoenix Stanford was selected 1st runner-up and received a $300 cash scholarship along with a $3,000 In-kind scholarship to Bellevue University
Lexi Nolda was selected 2nd Runner-up and received a $250 cash scholarship
Desteny Miller was selected as the Dottie Matthies Community Service Award winner and won the Miss Non-Finalist Interview Award receiving a total of $300 in Cash Scholarships
Rylie Wright was selected by her peers for the Miss Congeniality Award as well as chosen for the Miss Non-Finalist Talent Award earning her $200 in cash scholarships
A new Scholarship this year, the Marianne Grubaugh Legacy Award for $250 was presented to Brookelyn Brighton in honor of our Co-Executive Director Marianne Grubaugh by the Miss Omaha/Douglas County/River City Former Titleholders.
Miss Omaha and Miss Douglas County’s Teen 2024 will each receive a $1,000 Cash Scholarship, a $25,000 renewable in-kind scholarship to Midland University (up to $100,000 in value), a $2,000 one-year in-kind scholarship to Bellevue University along with gifts from our Miss Omaha Sponsors. They will compete in the Miss Nebraska’s Teen competition in June 2024.
Other Teen Awards Include:
Abi Howard was selected 1st Runner-up receiving a $200 cash scholarship and a $22,000 renewable in-kind scholarship to Midland University (total value - $88,000. She also received a new scholarship presented this year, the Marianne Grubaugh Legacy Award for $250 in honor of our Co-Executive Director Marianne Grubaugh by the Miss Omaha/Douglas County/River City Former Titleholders.
Kaari Dawson was selected 2nd Runner-up and will receive a $100 cash scholarship
Emma Claire Fritz received a $100 cash award as Miss Congeniality which was selected by her peers as well as $100 for being chosen as Teen Non-Finalist Interview winner
Addison Dauel received a $200 cash scholarship as the Dottie Matthies Teen Community Service winner
The Miss Omaha Organization also extends its thanks to the Miss and Teen 2023 titleholders who represented the Miss Omaha Organization during their year of service. Thank you to Miss Omaha Francesca Stessman – named Miss Nebraska’s Preliminary Talent Winner and 3rd Runner-up to Miss Nebraska; and Miss Douglas County’s Teen Olivia Terwey – selected 4th Runner-up at the Miss Nebraska’s Teen competition. We appreciate all the work they did representing our organization during this year.
For more information about the Miss Omaha and Douglas County organization please visit www.missomahamao.org. Or reach out to missomahamao@gmail.com with any questions.
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About the Miss Omaha Organization Founded in 1988, the Miss Omaha & Miss Douglas County Scholarship Program has been providing young women with the opportunity to pursue their educational goals through scholarships for over 35 years. The organization has helped prepare 61 local titleholders for the Miss Nebraska stage and is proud to have had 13 titleholders take home the title of Miss Nebraska and compete on the Miss America stage, more than any other local competition in the state. In 2018 the organization solidified a partnership with the Midlands Community Foundation and established the Miss Omaha Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity that allows tax-deductible donations and expansion of the scholarship award offerings. To read more about the Miss Omaha & Douglas County Organization please visit www.MissOmahaMAO.org
We are a subsidiary of the Miss America Organization and follow the rules, regulations, and guidelines set forth therein.