Kayley is a seventeen year old senior at Oviedo High School who has completed a total of 15 Advanced Placement Classes and will be graduating with honors this spring. She is beyond excited to attend Rollins College this upcoming fall where she was accepted into the 3/2 Accelerated Management Program in the Crummer Graduate School of Business, she will major in International Business and minor in communications, giving her the opportunity to complete her MBA in five years rather than six! She loves spending time with her friends and family who are incredible supporters in all she pursues. Kayley is an active advocate for her platform, “Be an Upstander: Bullying Prevention” which encourages every generation to be informed about Bullying so that we, as a nation, are able to recognize bullying and how to handle various situations. By being well-informed we have the power to end this epidemic once and for all. Kayley has been singing since she was in the 7th grade and has since then had a passion to share compelling messages with those around her through song. Being a former sunshine princess, Kayley knows the impact a mentor can have on our youth which is why she is now a competitor in the Miss Florida’s Outstanding Teen Program! A fun fact about Kayley is that she and her family have watched Miss America every year since she was a baby which is why this program holds a special place in her heart. As a Brand Ambassador for Real Talk, a program dedicated to educating (high school students/college students/community members) about addiction and the dangers of substance abuse. This is especially relevant in this time as we lose more loved ones to substance abuse than car crashes each year. Real Talk has impacted over 17,000 people across the state of Florida since its inception four years ago. Please visithttps://www.therecoveryvillage.com/real-talk/ to learn more about this program
MacKenzie is an 18-year-old senior at Newsome High School. She will graduate in May and have obtained an Associates in Liberal Arts degree from Hillsborough Community College. She is a member of numerous honor societies including: National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Latin National Honor Society. MacKenzie’s biggest passion has always lied in the sport of baton twirling. This year will celebrate her 15th competition season. Throughout her twirling career, MacKenzie has won state, regional, and national individual events. Her platform is Life Chronically; bringing awareness to invisible illnesses. MacKenzie uses her experiences and personal testimony to reach her goal of opening the qualifications for academic accommodations. She is currently the Southeastern Ambassador for Dysautonomia Youth Networks of America as well as an Advocacy Board member for Dysautonomia Support Networks. Both of these organizations have allowed MacKenzie to share her truth on the illnesses that severely impacted her life. This is MacKenzie’s third year in the Miss America Organization and has gained an abundance of life lessons and self-confidence. The great City of Largo is the heart of her health journey and platform. MacKenzie is overjoyed at the opportunity to represent Largo at Miss Florida this summer!
Miss Pinellas County’s Outstanding Teen - Ashlyn Palacios
Alana Scheuerer is a 23-year-old graduate of Florida State University. Having received a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management and Tourism, she has recently obtained her Masters in American Dance Studies. Alana hopes to pursue a career in arts administration or entertainment. Dancing since the age of two, Alana has always held a strong passion for dance. Growing up as a competitive dancer, helping start up and serve as President for her university’s first tap team, teaching students dance ages pre-school through adults, and working with organizations such as Dance Marathon, COCA, and Art4All have led Alana to her social initiative, TAP: Turn up Artistic Participation. When Alana is not dancing or working on her social initiative you can find her spending time with family or out in nature with her camera. She is grateful not only for scholarships the Miss America Organization provides, but the life lessons, connections, and values behind the crown and sash. Alana feels humbled and honored to represent the Sunshine City this year and hopes to bring attention to St. Petersburg’s rich culture and arts. She hopes you can come TAP with her on her way to Miss Florida! Another role Alana currently serves as is a Brand Ambassador for Real Talk, a comprehensive, educational program designed for high school and college students that discusses the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. For more information on Real Talk or if seeking guidance, please see the link below:
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/real-talk/
Ashlyn is a 7th grader at Charlie Walker Middle Magnet IB School for International Studies. She is a percussionist in her school symphonic band and enjoys playing her drum set in her spare time. She is also a member of the friendship club at her school where they spend time and engage in activities with special needs children. Ashlyn takes her studies very seriously as well and will soon be inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. She has been a competitive dancer since the age of 4 and is a regional and national dance champion. Ashlyn has traveled a few times to New York City to take master dance classes as well as participate in local dance conventions. Taking voice lessons since 2017, she was a chorus member in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade and made all-county chorus in 4th and 5th grade. Ashlyn enjoyed being a member of her school morning show program where her favorite part was being the news anchor. She has also been a dance model for Candid Artistry Photography and once appeared in a Jake and the Neverland Pirates commercial on the Disney Channel. For the past 4 years Ashlyn has been a Sunshine Princess and is so excited to finally be a teen competing in the Miss Florida Outstanding Teen Competition. She is so thrilled to have been able to join the Largo Team.
Miss St. Petersburg -Alana Scheuerer
Miss Pinellas County-Payton Barrington
Payton Barrington is 23 years old and an alumna of the University of South Florida, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. At the University of South Florida Payton was the vice president of Stampede into Bull Nursing, a mentor club that guides pre-nursing students as they apply to the nursing program, and a member of Delta Gamma Sorority. Payton currently works as a Registered Nurse on a Cardiac Neuro Progressive Care Unit of a major hospital. In the future, Payton plans to pursue higher education to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Her social impact initiative is “Save a H.E.A.R.T. - Fighting Against Heart Disease” in which she started to educate others, especially women, on how to live long heart healthy lives. The program focuses on five points through the acronym H.E.A.R.T. “H” is for Healthy eating, “E” for Educate, “A” for Activity, “R” for Reduce stress, and “T” is for Take action. Payton is also the founder of a program called “Kards 4 Kids” that provides children in the hospital a handmade card, and toy, or activity pack to enjoy during their hospital stay. With each activity pack and card Payton hopes that each recipient knows that someone else is thinking about them, it gives them joy, and it facilitates fast healing. Payton has been involved in the Miss America Organization for 6 years and has gained incredible scholarship and confidence. She accredits the Miss America Organization for being a vital part in shaping her into the woman she is today. She is incredibly blessed and honored that she has the opportunity to represent Pinellas County this year.
Miss St. Petersburg’s Outstanding Teen - Kayley Klatt
Alexis has been a regional and national dance champion since the age of five. In middle school, she was member of the National Junior Honor Society, Junior Civitan, Wind Ensemble, Duke Tip, and People to People International. She is currently a Team Tony Mentor. She volunteers for The Florida Cancer Specialist Foundation and the Team Tony Foundation. She is a flutist in Wind Symphony and plays the piccolo in the Marching Warrior Brigade. She was a model for Oh La La Dancewear in 2018. She will be appearing in Seraphina Magazine this coming January. This year she will be starting a dance team at her high school called the Warriorettes. She is currently enrolled in Capstone Seminar Program. Her goal in life is to obtain a Jurist Doctorate Degree in Law and practice family law.
Miss Largo’s Outstanding Teen - Alexis Palacios
Miss Largo - MacKenzie Brewer