A special Saturday at Parkview High School: the return of the Miss Parkview Pageant and a celebration of community excellence

On Saturday, January 10, 2026, there's truly something special which takes place at Parkview High School.

With the return of the Miss Parkview Pageant for the first time since 2019 (click HERE for our preview article), coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the cluster, the nearly sold-out event truly brings out the Parkview community and a bevy of supporters as 26 women across all four grade levels are participants.

The program opens with a welcome from David Smith (the principal of Parkview High School) along with the presentation of colors and National Anthem (the presentation is conducted by the Parkview High School Jr ROTC and the anthem is performed by Cassie Bitoden, Maxie Mueller, and Sophia Mora-Aristizabal). Following the opening is the introduction from representatives of the Parkview PTSA Executive Board (Kelly Blake and John Carlton). Once the stage and tone are set, the presence of Ms. Tanya Patel (the emcee and pageant director) further amplifies the setting and placing the contestants as the focal point of the evening.

All contestants are introduced via their group dance and later, their Panther Pride Fashion Show along with their Evening Wear and Final Question (which ranges from how they would use their platform related to school to community related matters).

As added features, the Parkview HS Dance Team has a performance, and a few of the previous Miss Parkview winners (Jade Nicolette, Kamryn Ashby, Lauren Williams, and Madeline Montgomery) take time to speak and share their reflections of their experience with the pageant, along with insight on what they are doing presently and other positive takeaways from their experiences.

Leading up to the final walk for Jade Nicolette as Miss Parkview (she is the 2019 winner), the judges Robin Martinelli, Regina Matthews, Lauren Williams, and Zach Cesar have the task of voting for the winners for each category. The following provides a breakdown of winners and all award recipients:

Miss Parkview Titleholders (2026)

• Miss Parkview: Avery Woods

• Miss Junior Parkview: Saniya Hasnani

• Miss Sophomore Parkview: Allie Bock

• Miss Freshman Parkview: Kaelyn Lockett

1st Runner-Up (2026):

• Miss Parkview 1st Runner-Up: Ella Nguyen

• Miss Junior Parkview 1st Runner-Up: Jordan Asare Kwaah

• Miss Sophomore Parkview 1st Runner-Up: Braelyn Gillis

• Miss Freshman Parkview 1st Runner-Up: Larisa Rustempasic

2nd/3rd Runner-Up (2026):

• Miss Parkview 3rd Runner-Up: Tessa Brigola

• Miss Parkview 2nd Runner-Up: Gaia Prior

• Miss Sophomore Parkview 2nd Runner-Up: Anessa Lee-Stewart

• Miss Freshman Parkview 2nd Runner-Up: Carrigan Summerour

Special Awards (2026):

• Miss Sponsorship: Macy McCormick

• Panther Pride Award: Kaelyn Lockett

• Miss Confidence: Avery Woods

• Miss Confidence (Honorable Mentions): Gaia Prior and Allie Bock

Academic Awards (2026):

• Miss Senior Academic: Ella Nguyen

• Miss Junior Academic: Saniya Hasnani

• Miss Sophomore Academic: Ellie Hernandez

• Miss Freshman Academic: Larisa Rustempasic

The pageant provides a tremendous platform for the celebration of women at Parkview High School. The combination of celebrating academic excellence, community engagement, professional acumen, and social awareness provide a sense and positive spirit which due to the pandemic and other factors brought back after a 7 year hiatus. The positive energy is not only a springboard for the contestants as they continue with their respective journeys, but something all patrons and supporters can take with them in their day-to-day.

The combination of 50 years of the Parkview cluster and the return of the Miss Parkview Pageant make January 10th a truly special day.

Notes: You may watch the video recorded by asnortonccs on our playlist (you may click HERE to view). The photo-grid photos are a combination of photos taken by and credited to EmoryRose Photography, Miss Parkview Pageant, 4my.photos, and asnortonccs. To view additional photos from the event, we recommend readers to visit the social media handles provided.