The 2025 Miss Butte County Scholarship Program titleholders include, from left, Missette Butte County Paizlee Faulkner, Miss Butte County Rajneet Kooner and Miss Teen Butte County Brianna Straws. Photo courtesy of Raina Wright-Reynolds.

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Ten young women from across Butte County will take the Courtyard Stage Thursday, Aug. 27, seeking titles through the Miss Butte County Scholarship Program, but those selected will have little time to simply wear their new crowns.

The competition begins at 5 p.m. on the opening day of the Butte County Fair, which runs Aug. 27-30. The new titleholders will represent the program at the fair and approximately 40 community events throughout the coming year.

The program, which traces its history to around 1960, focuses on public speaking, interviews, leadership, communication, sportsmanship and community service. Contestants prepare resumes, participate in interviews, deliver an on-stage speech, present a skill and answer an impromptu question.

Miss and Ambassador contestants also develop service platforms outlining initiatives or plans to serve Butte County.

The 2026 competition includes three Missette contestants, two Miss Teen contestants and five Miss contestants.

Competing for Missette Butte County are Elin Faulkner, 11, River Nichols, 10, and Miyesha Cottrell, 12, all of Oroville.

Faulkner raises hogs and has earned reserve champion honors. She also competes in swimming, has participated in the Junior Olympics and has earned nearly 200 first-place swimming medals. Faulkner also cheers for the Oroville Rhinos, whose team has won a national championship.

Nichols enjoys baking and has earned recognition for her work in the kitchen. She also incorporates art, music and nature into her interests and breeds and raises New Zealand rabbits.

Cottrell plays baseball and soccer, participates in taekwondo and plays in her school band.

The Miss Teen Butte County contestants are Grace Emerson, 16, of Biggs and Alyssa Mangan, 14, of Gridley.

Emerson serves as a Butte County 4-H Ambassador and color guard captain. She breeds rabbits and has served as a Shady Creek camp counselor.

Mangan participates in 4-H and community activities and competes in trap shooting. She previously competed in the Miss Butte County Scholarship Program and owns a golden retriever.

Five contestants will seek the Miss Butte County title.

Alexis Wroten, 19, of Biggs enjoys baking and crocheting and frequently coordinates and hosts blood drives. She also enjoys professional sports and has a Netherland dwarf rabbit named Buckley.

Aubrey Mangan, 17, of Gridley has earned supreme grand champion honors with meat rabbits and plays varsity tennis. She also knows how to drive a manual transmission.

Ava Hultz, 17, of Oroville serves as co-captain of her girls wrestling team. She is a College Connections student and participates in an ROP veterinary medicine program. She also enjoys painting.

Emily Danner, 17, of Oroville participates in FFA and has traveled to Ireland, Canada and 25 states, including a road trip to Alaska.

Gracie Yost, 17, of Chico competed in Miss California Teen USA and placed among the top 16 contestants in the state. She is a certified yoga instructor and cheers at the collegiate level for Butte College.

The competition extends beyond the Courtyard Stage. Contestants also complete panel interviews and a fair knowledge test assessing their knowledge of the Butte County Fair and scholarship program.

Judges evaluate contestants on their resumes, interviews, speeches, presentation of skills and responses to impromptu questions. Contestants also receive recognition for their highest-scoring competition area.

The Golden Feather Award recognizes a contestant in each age category. Contestants select the recipients based on encouragement, humor and care toward their fellow participants.

The program began around 1960 with the Golden Feather Girl and became Miss Butte County around 1966. Organizers removed the swimsuit competition during the 1990s as the program shifted its emphasis away from physical appearance. The Butte County Fair Board renamed it the Miss Butte County Scholarship Competition in 2004.

The fair board created the Miss Butte County Advisory Committee in 2023 to work with the program director on policies and participant experiences. The Ambassador division for young men followed in 2024.

Program Director Raina Wright-Reynolds oversees a program that continues well after contestants leave the competition stage. Titleholders represent the program at approximately 40 events during their year and participate in community service.

During the Butte County Fair, members of the court have traditionally assisted with activities including the Kids Zone, Pee-Wee Showmanship, Junior Livestock Auction and grandstand events.

The 2025 court includes Miss Butte County Rajneet Kooner, Butte County Ambassador Sawyer Smith, Miss Teen Butte County Brianna Straws and Missette Butte County Paizlee Faulkner.

Their successors will begin their year of service when the 2026 titles are awarded Aug. 27.