LEWISTOWN — The Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition will take the stage Saturday afternoon at Mifflin County Middle School, bringing one of the region’s most anticipated winter traditions back to Lewistown.

Contestants from across the Juniata Valley will compete for the titles of Miss Central Pennsylvania and Miss Central Pennsylvania’s Teen, with both winners advancing to their respective state competitions later this year.

Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Organization Executive Director Lisa Metzger felt there was enough competition on stage at the Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition without going head to head with Mother Nature.

Mother Nature might have won the crown this year.

The Juniata Valley has endured several rounds of snowfall, although the forecasts seem relatively clear for Saturday’s scholarship competition, scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Mifflin County Middle School at 2 Manor Drive, Lewistown.

“There seemed to be more snow in February,” Metzger quipped of previous year’s battle with storms. “I tried my best. This year has been different.

A total of 16 contestants — 13 misses and three teens — will compete for five titles on the Mifflin County stage. In addition to the prestigious title of Miss Central Pennsylvania — for both miss and teen categories — there will be a Miss Greater Juniata Valley crowned, along with Miss MidState and Miss Freedom Forge.

“I am very excited about this year’s contestant field,” Metzger said of the entry numbers. “We have a good solid number in a time when things have been going downhill as far as the number of contestants.”

The field does feature past winners as Abby Traxler was crowned Miss Central Pennsylvania; she competed in the Miss York competition last year. Traxler is the reigning Miss Susquehanna Valley. Finley Miller, who served as Miss Greater Juniata Valley in 2024, returns after also competing in York. She is the current Miss York.

The event continues the long-standing mission of the Miss America Organization’s local programs: to promote scholarship, service and personal growth. Participants have spent weeks preparing for the competition’s various phases, which include private interviews, talent presentations, evening wear and on-stage questions. Each segment is designed to highlight a different aspect of the contestants’ abilities, from communication and confidence to artistic skill and stage presence.

The talent portion is expected to be a highlight, with performances ranging from vocal and instrumental selections to dance and dramatic arts. Many contestants have been active in school programs, community events, and volunteer initiatives, and their personal service platforms — each centered on a cause they hope to champion — will play a significant role in the judging process.

The pageant traditionally draws a strong audience from throughout Central Pennsylvania, and organizers are hopeful for a large turnout this year. Families, supporters and former titleholders often fill the auditorium, turning the evening into a community gathering as much as a competition.

For the contestants, the pageant represents both a culmination of months of preparation and the beginning of new opportunities. The winners will spend the coming year participating in community events, promoting their service initiatives, and preparing for the Miss Pennsylvania and Miss Pennsylvania’s Teen competitions.

Tickets will be available at the door. As Lewistown prepares for another evening of talent, style, and community pride, the Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition remains a cherished tradition — one that continues to spotlight the ambition, creativity and spirit of young women across the region.

This year’s contestants for Miss Central Pennsylvania include (not all contestants submitted information forms):

Crystal Bomgardner

Talent: HerStory

Title of Talent: “Sweet Dreams”

Community Service Initiative: “Celebrating the moment of discovery and courage it takes to grow into your purpose.”

Anna Combs

Age: 18

College: Coastal Carolina University

Graduation Year: 2029

Talent: Hip-hop dance

Title of Talent: “Born This Way”

Community Service Initiative: Advocacy in Action: “Anna’s Closet,” which empowers youth and young adults and bridges gaps in access within communities through volunteering.

Emily Francher

Age: 17

High School: Hazleton Area High School

Graduation Year: 2026

Talent: Lyrical dance

Title of Talent: “In The Stars”

Community Service Initiative: Advocacy in Action: “When it is darkest, you can see the stars.”

April Gable

Age: 25

High School: Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio

Graduation Year: 2018

College: University of Cincinnati

Graduation Year: 2023

Graduate School: Penn State University

Graduation Year: Currently enrolled

Talent: Baton

Title of Talent: “Sweet Dreams”

Community Service Initiative: “A Seat at the Table: Where Food is Familiar” to equip young adults and college students with tools to address hunger.

Kristen Griffiths

Age: 19

High School: Wyoming Valley West High School

Graduation Year: 2024

College: Lebanon Valley College

Graduation Year: 2028

Talent: Baton

Title of Talent: “Radioactive”

Community Service Initiative: Advocacy in Action for “Unstoppable: My Fight for Cerebral Palsy Awareness”

Madeline High

Age: 23

High School: State College Area High School

Graduation Year: 2023

College: Penn State

Graduation Year: 2027

Talent: Color guard flagwork

Title of Talent: “One Short Day”

Community Service Initiative: “Ensuring Access to Sustenance: Working to Provide Food and Monetary Donations to Local Food Banks, Advocate for Anti-Hunger Initiatives and Legislation and Establish Volunteer Opportunities for Community Members to Get Involved in the Fight Against Food Insecurity”

Sadie Hilf

Age: 25

High School: Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy

Graduation Year: 2018

College: Grove City College

Graduation Year: 2022

Graduate School: Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced Intermediate Studies

Graduation Year: 2025

Talent: Contemporary dance

Title of Talent: “Hallelujah”

Community Service Initiative: Advocacy in Action for “Blue Square Alliance: Standing Up Against Antisemitism and All Hate”

Sarah Ann Kief

Age: 20

High School: Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School

Graduation Year: 2022

College: Point Park University

Graduation Year: 2026

Talent: Tap dance

Title of Talent: “9 to 5”

Community Service Initiative: Advocacy in Action: “My CSI, Mentally Mindful” was created from my own health struggles, and through dance and the arts, I work to quiet the mind, reduce worry and foster a low-cost, accessible environment so everyone can experience the healing power of the arts.

Taelor Martin

Age: 18

High School: Solanco High School

Graduation Year: 2024

College: Clemson University

Graduation Year: 2028

Talent: Latin ballroom-inspired dance

Title of Talent: “Hips Don’t Lie”

Community Service Initiative: “For Love of Learning: The Importance of Learning a Second Language Especially for Our Youth”

Cassidy McNew

Talent: Vocal

Title of Talent: “I Could of Danced All Night”

Finley Miller

Age: 20

High School: Hanover High School

Graduation Year: 2023

College: Penn State University

Graduation Year: 2027

Talent: Jazz dance

Title of Talent: “A Little Party”

Community Service Initiative: Advocacy in Action: “Project Essential,” a non-profit committed to providing good for those in need so that no one goes without.

Lydia Anne Peters

Age: 17

High School: Commonwealth Charter Academy

Graduation Year: 2027

Talent: Musical theater vocal

Title of Talent: “Let Me Be Your Star”

Community Service Initiative: “Timothy’s Echo: Suicide Awareness and Prevention”

Samanta Roth

Age: 26

High School: Lincoln Performing Arts Charter School

Graduation Year: 2018

College: Point Park University

Graduation Year: 2022

Talent: Vocal

Title of Talent: “Is It Really Me”

Community Service Initiative: Advocacy in Action: “Take a Stand” non-profit created to end all forms of abuse and violence.

Abby Traxler

Age: 24

High School: Mifflin County High School

Graduation Year: 2019

College: Lycoming College

Graduation Year: 2022

Graduate School: Penn State

Talent: Vocal

Title of Talent: “The Impossible Dream”

Community Service Initiative: “Common Cents of Financial Literacy”

Kaleigh White

Age: 26

High School: Conneaut Area Senior High School

Graduation Year: 2018

College: Allegheny College

Graduation Year: 2022

Talent: Vocal

Title of Talent: “Burn”

Community Service Initiative: “Disability and Accessibility Advocacy and Awareness: Working to Create a More Equitable World”