CONTESTANTS … 2026 Pride of Williams County featured 20 contestants from Bryan, Edgerton, Edon, Montpelier, and West Unity.
PAGEANT TIME … 2026 Pride of Williams County and First Runners-up.
FIRST PLACE FINISHERS … 2026 Pride of Williams County Queens Little Miss Williams County, Cecelia Rodriguez, Miss Williams County, Felicity Thiel, Teen Miss Williams County, Amiya Myers, and Junior Miss Williams County, Bailee Bernath.
WILLIAMS COUNTY ROYALTY … Pictured with the newly crowned 2026 Williams County Royalty. Front: 2025 Junior Miss Williams County Evelyn Hamrick, 2026 Little Miss Williams County Cecelia Rodriguez, 2025 Little Miss Williams County Skylar Roth, and 2026 Junior Miss Williams County Bailee Bernath. Back: 2025 Miss Williams County Avyonna Hamrick, 2026 Miss Williams County Felicity Thiel, 2026 Teen Miss Williams County Amiya Myers, and 2025 Teen Miss Williams County Lanie Cheek.
By: Rebekah Dell
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
Confidence, composure, and community pride filled the stage as contestants representing Bryan, Edgerton, Edon, Montpelier, and West Unity competed in the 15th Annual Pride of Williams County Pageant.
The competition took place on January 18 at 5 p.m. at Edon High School, where queens vied for county titles in the Little Miss, Junior Miss, Teen Miss, and Miss divisions, each bringing her own preparation, personality, and passion to the competition.
Contestants were evaluated on several elements contributing to their overall scores. All queens were judged on reference, interview, Queen Scene Poster, Winter Wear, and Evening Wear. Teen Miss and Miss contestants were also judged on Community Concession, with Miss contestants additionally competing in the Talent portion.
The youngest contestants brought enthusiasm and charm to the stage throughout the evening.
Cecelia Rodriguez, Little Miss West Unity, was crowned 2026 Little Miss Williams County, also earning awards for Best Smile, Best Overall Interview, and Best Dressed. Aria Manges, Little Miss Edon, received the title of First Runner-Up, along with Most Photogenic, Miss Congeniality, Best Response to a Question, and Best Queen Scene Poster.
Additional honors included Best Hair, awarded to Carissa Harter, Little Miss Montpelier, and the Volunteerism Award, presented to Mabel Rice, Little Miss Bryan.
The 2026 Junior Miss Williams County title was awarded to Bailee Bernath, Junior Miss West Unity, who also earned Best Response to a Question, Miss Congeniality and Best Dressed, standing out for her poise and polished presentation. Paislee Owens, Junior Miss Edon, was named First Runner-Up, receiving additional honors for Best Smile, Best Overall Interview, and Best Queen Scene Poster.
Community involvement was highlighted by Harper Nowak, Junior Miss Edgerton, who earned awards for Most Photogenic and Volunteerism.
Crowned 2026 Teen Miss Williams County, Amiya Myers, Teen Miss Edon, impressed judges with her confidence and clarity, earning additional awards for Best Overall Interview, Onstage Presentation, and Best Dressed. Abigail Krill, Teen Miss Edgerton, received First Runner-Up, along with Best Smile and Miss Congeniality. Charlotte Lash, Teen Miss West Unity, was recognized with Best Hair, Most Photogenic, and Volunteerism, while Kinlee Yoder, Teen Miss Bryan, earned the Best Queen Scene Poster Award.
The talent portion of the pageant showcased creativity, confidence, and individuality from each Miss contestant. Autumn Owens, Miss Edon, presented a live science demonstration, creating the experiment commonly known as “elephant toothpaste” while explaining the chemical reaction taking place.
Miss Edgerton Felicity Thiel combined culinary art with storytelling, decorating a cake on stage as a monologue played in the background. Visual art and music came together during the performance by Caddisy Chamberlain, Miss Montpelier, who painted a picture of a pig while simultaneously playing the harmonica.
Nayah Rodriguez, Miss West Unity, energized the audience with a dance performance, while Caylin Brenneman, Miss Bryan, painted on stage using the Dutch Pour method, a fluid art technique known for its vibrant movement and color blending.
The title of 2026 Miss Williams County was awarded to Felicity Thiel, Miss Edgerton, who delivered a standout performance across multiple areas of competition.
Thiel also received honors for Best Hair, Best Queen Scene Poster, Onstage Presentation, Volunteerism, and Best Dressed. Caylin Brenneman, Miss Bryan, was named First Runner-Up, also earning Most Photogenic and Miss Congeniality, reflecting both her polished presence and positive rapport with fellow contestants.
Strong communication and performance skills earned Autumn Owens, Miss Edon, the awards for Best Overall Interview and Best Talent, while Nayah Rodriguez, Miss West Unity, was recognized with the Best Smile Award.
The newly crowned queens will serve as ambassadors for Williams County throughout the coming year.
Their reign will include community service, appearances at local events and summer parades, and participation in future pageants before returning next year to pass along their titles.
