She wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mom, Karla Smith Traxler, who won Miss Tri County. “They wanted to wait until I was older,” Traxler said back after winning the teen title. Starting to compete at age 12, Traxler said she “bugged” her parents for years to let her participate in scholarship competitions. In 2016, the 14-year-old Traxler won Miss Central Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen. In the teen category, Ella Rabin, who attends Trinity High School in Camp Hill, won Miss MidState’s Teen.Ĭompetition officials believe Traxler’s coronation is the first Miss Central Pennsylvania winner to come from Mifflin County in almost a decade. and another Penn State student, won Miss MidState and Shannon Cattie, of Lafayette Hill, earned Miss Freedom Forge. She sang “Bring Him Home” during the talent part of the competition and gave a social impact pitch themed, “Money Matters: Promoting Financial Literacy for a Brighter Future.”įour other winners were crowned as Finley Miller, of Hanover, Pa., and a first-year student at Penn State, was selected as Miss Greater Juniata Valley Bryn Patton, of Waynesburg, Pa.

Traxler was one of 11 contestants from around the region who had hoped to wear the crown. “Especially when we had so many former titleholders volunteering from judging to helping backstage to assisting with the production of the show.”

“Everything ended up working out really well,” said Miss Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition Director Lisa Metzger, referring to a one-hour delay due to inclement weather.

Lewistown sentinel