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Traxler wins Miss Central Pennsylvania

Five crowned, advance to Miss Pa. competition in June

By Greg Williams 5 min read

LEWISTOWN -- Abby Traxler tried not to show it but nerves were starting to get the best of the Lewistown native as one by one the four titleholders were crowned at the Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition Saturday.

"I was calm, cool and collected for the most part," said the 22-year-old Traxler. "You never know what can happen. If it was supposed to happen, it was supposed to happen."

While the wait was an agonizing one, Traxler's name was called as the 2024 winner of Miss Central Pennsylvania, and her focus quickly turned to the celebration and coronation.

"I was the last girl to get crowned, I was standing there, and I was super nervous," Traxler recalled. "I was thinking about all the other girls standing up there with me. They were all amazing.

"I was hoping for the Miss Central Pennsylvania title because I am from here," she added. "I was just really excited to win it."

Traxler, who earned her entry into the statewide competition for Miss Pennsylvania, was crowned during the 2024 Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition at the Mifflin County Middle School in Lewistown Saturday.

"Everything ended up working out really well," said Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition Director Lisa Metzger, referring to a one-hour delay due to inclement weather. "Especially when we had so many former titleholders volunteering from judging to helping backstage to assisting with the production of the show."

Traxler was one of 11 contestants from around the region who had hoped to wear the crown. She sang "Bring Him Home" during the talent part of the competition and gave a social impact pitch themed, "Money Matters: Promoting Financial Literacy for a Brighter Future."

Four other winners were crowned as Finley Miller, of Hanover, Pa., and a first-year student at Penn State, was selected as Miss Greater Juniata Valley; Bryn Patton, of Waynesburg, Pa. and another Penn State student, won Miss MidState; and Shannon Cattie, of Lafayette Hill, earned Miss Freedom Forge.

In the teen category, Ella Rabin, who attends Trinity High School in Camp Hill, won Miss MidState's Teen.

Competition officials believe Traxler's coronation is the first Miss Central Pennsylvania winner to come from Mifflin County in almost a decade.

In 2016, the 14-year-old Traxler won Miss Central Pennsylvania's Outstanding Teen. Starting to compete at age 12, Traxler said she "bugged" her parents for years to let her participate in scholarship competitions.

"They wanted to wait until I was older," Traxler said back after winning the teen title. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mom, Karla Smith Traxler, who won Miss Tri County. "I would put her crown on all the time."

Miller performed a contemporary dance number during the talent competition to "Amen" and spoke about her initiative, "Essential Project," spreading joy and positivity through collecting and gifting donations as well as her social media platforms.

Patton displayed her tap dancing abilities to the music of "Proud Mary" and spoke about the American Heart Association, helping others recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and advocating for CPR/AED and first aid education.

Cattie sang her rendition of "A New Life" and talked about her platform, which focused on "Giving a Voice to the Chronically Resilient Patients Struggling with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome."

For their efforts, Patton won the Top Talent Award, while Cattie was the recipient of the Top Interview Award. Miller also was named the People's Choice Award winner.

In the teen competition, Rabin tap danced to "Great Balls of Fire" and spoke about her initiative, "Advocacy in Action." Despite not winning the title, teen Jillian Donia, of Boswell, Pa., cleaned up with the awards, taking home Top Teen Talent, Teen Spirit and People's Choice honors.

The competitions are official preliminaries to the Miss Pennsylvania and Miss America competitions and the Miss Pennsylvania Teen and Miss America's Teen competitions.

That means that Traxler, Cattie, Miller and Patton, along with Rabin, will advance to the Miss Pennsylvania competitions in York. They are scheduled for the week ending June 15, as the final takes place Saturday at the Palace Theatre.

Traxler, who won the Miss Pennsylvania Volunteer in 2022, is excited to compete at the state level again.

"This is really where I got my start with the Miss America organization," Traxler said. "Every experience that I have had has prepared me for this point. My heart has been with the Miss America organization. Both organizations (Miss America and Miss America Volunteer) are there to empower women and give them a voice."

Traxler competed on the state stage as a teenager in 2021 as Miss Keystone, representing the Scranton-Hazleton area. She has fond memories of the competition, which was also held in York.

"It was a great experience," Traxler said. "I know the whole town gets involved."

The reigning Miss Pennsylvania is Miranda Moore, who won Miss Central Pennsylvania in 2023.

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