Following the week at the Miss Oregon Scholarship Program's pageant in Seaside, Miss Douglas County's Teen Addison Reneau said she felt like she gave each phase of the competition her very best.
But her favorite part was bonding with her fellow local titleholders and forming connections with the other women representing Oregon through local ambassador titles.
"Miss Douglas County, Miss Umpqua Valley, Miss Douglas County's Teen and myself all stayed together in an AirBnB together, and it was really fun to bond together, especially because we're really close already because we spend a lot of time together," Reneau said.
"After each night of the pageant in the prelims, we got to sit down and talk, and just debrief what happened, and it's really fun to like have someone to lean on when the competition's over, and someone to talk to about it."
She loved the evening gown phase of the pageant, taking advantage of the quick moment where she solely held the spotlight on stage, shining in a red, sparkly dress covered in rhinestones. She felt good in the fitness part, reacting with good energy and pace. While she was nervous for night two and the on-stage question, she felt better after responding well and went into her talent, playing Fantaisie-Impromptu by Chopin on the piano, feeling strong.
"I felt like it was the best performance I've given on a stage, so I felt really good about every phase of competition," Reneau said. "My interview with the judges went really well, so overall I feel like I did the best I could in every single phase."
After her recent graduation from Roseburg High School, Reneau will use her scholarship money to fund her time at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where she plans to study biology and become a dermatologist.
For Miss Douglas County’s Teen Rebecca Wanjikū Ngigi, the best part was seeing the sisterhood in action.
"Behind the scenes, everybody was such close friends during rehearsals. We were, of course, focused, but also we were having fun and just making new memories, and it was so wonderful to see everybody come together," Ngigi said.
"If you didn't have the right dress, or you needed a dress, or you just needed some makeup, or anything, they would be there for you, and they would provide it for you, and everybody was always like head over heels ready to help."
Six women from around Douglas County competed for a chance to be the next Miss Oregon or Miss Oregon's Teen at the Miss Oregon Scholarship Competition during June 22-27 in Seaside. A total of 28 women competed for the Miss title and 19 for the teen title, according to the Miss Oregon Scholarship Program website. Local participants include Miss Umpqua Valley Kaeli Meyer, Miss Sunset Empire Weston Jennings and Miss Three Rivers Audrey VanHouten.
Allyssa Defillipo of Klamath Falls was crowned Miss Oregon 2026, and Aria Christensen from Eugene is Miss Oregon's Teen 2026. They will compete at the Miss America 2027 pageant in September in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Miss Douglas County Scholarship Program Executive Director Emily Warren Wylie told NRToday that the contestants exceeded all expectations, holding their own in an extremely competitive cohort. Miss Douglas County Jasman Brar placed in the top 12 and Ngigi placed in the teen's Top 10.
"I believe they stood out for their strong interview skills and community service initiatives," Wylie said.
Brar's community service initiative Stronger Than Turbulence is dedicated to supporting the mental wellness of student pilots. She has connected with flight students at Lane Community College's Aviation Academy and started a peer support group focused on encouragement and connection.
Through The First Chapter — Nurturing Mothers, Empowering Futures, Ngigi confronts the crisis of local maternity poverty through providing immediate aid and building a support network around Douglas County mothers and infants. She started a Diaper, Formula, and Maternal Care drive for Safe Haven Maternity Home, and volunteers at Mercy Medical Center.
The competition in Seaside lasted one long, tiring week, but Ngigi said she went into it with a mindset to improve herself, make new memories and form new relationships. With this being her first, and probably only, year participating in pageantry, she said she feels like she succeeded in the program and hopes to inspire others to participate without prior experience.
"You don't have to have years and years of pageantry experience, you just have to go in there and show your heart," Ngigi said.
Ngigi recently graduated from Glide High School, where she was valedictorian. She will use her scholarship dollars to attend the University of Pennsylvania with plans to obtain first a Bachelor degree, then a Master of Science in Nursing to become a mother, baby and pediatric nurse practitioner.
The Miss Douglas County Scholarship Program is accepting applications for the 2027 program as of July 1 and women ages 14-28 who live, work or go to school in Douglas, Curry, Josephine or Jackson counties are welcome to apply.