A record-setting pageant awarded a record amount of scholarship and prize dollars for a second straight year as Kaylee Griep, Paige Nikodem and Mia Glocke won the top honors during its 29th annual Miss Door County Scholarship Organization pageant.
Griep was crowned Miss Door County 2026, Nikodem was named Miss Cherryland 2026 and Glocke was crowned Miss Door County’s Teen 2026 during the sold-out Feb. 7 event at Southern Door Community Auditorium. Griep and Nikodem advance to compete in the Miss Wisconsin pageant and Glocke in Miss Wisconsin’s Teen, both of which take place from June 17 to 20 in New Berlin. The Miss Wisconsin winner advances to represent the state in the Miss America pageant in Orlando, Florida, in September.
Also competing in the 2026 state teen pageant will be 2025 Miss Door County’s Teen Elise Jackson, a junior at Southern Door High School who did not compete this year but will be an at-large contestant as Miss Cherryland’s Teen 2026. Last year Jackson became the first Miss Door County’s Teen to place in the Top 5 at the state teen pageant.
The program awarded $24,000 in prizes and college scholarships during the competition, smashing the record of $17,650 set in 2025. The competition also set a record for a second straight year for the number of contestants, with 26 young women vying for the three crowns, 13 for Miss Door County’s Teen alone, compared to the previous records of 18 and 10, respectively, who competed in 2025.
Miss Door County 2026: Kaylee Griep
Griep, who served as Miss Door County’s Teen in 2020-21, earned a total of $4,050 in prizes and scholarships, including a $3,000 scholarship for winning the title. She also won the $300 Peninsula Pride Award, $300 overall evening gown award, $250 for overall interview and $200 for Miss Congeniality.
She is a graduate of Southern Door High School and a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying journalism, mass communication and criminal justice on a pre-law track. For her talent, she performed an original monologue, “A Woman’s Objection.” As Miss Door County, she will promote the initiative “Behind the Headlines: Bringing Clarity to Our Communities.”
Ophelia Linnan was named first runner-up, winning a $1,000 scholarship, and Micaela Boucher won second runner-up, earning a $750 scholarship and the $250 Women in Business Award.
Other contestants Ashlynn Paulsen, Ellie Engerson, Amolia Jefferson, Abbigail Reseburg and Brynleigh Ash each earned $500 scholarships, with Paulsen earning an additional $250 for winning the talent competition (she sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone”) and Engerson the $100 non-finalist interview prize.
Miss Cherryland 2026: Paige Nikodem
Nikodem earned a total of $2,000 in scholarships and prizes, with a $1,000 scholarship for winning the competition and another $1,000 for winning the interview, fitness, talent and evening gown contests.
She is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a bachelor’s degree in the law of sociology, criminology and justice, and is on a pre-law track. A two-time USA gold medalist for baton twirling, Nikodem performed a twirling route for her talent. She will promote “Stronger than Substance: Engage, Educate, Empower” for her initiative.
Other contestants Kayla Dufresne, Olivia Heuer, Hailey Plantico and Brittany LaCourt earned $300 scholarships with Dufresne also winning the $50 non-finalist interview award.
Miss Door County’s Teen: 2026 Mia Glocke
Glocke earned a total of $2,500 in scholarships and prizes, with $2,000 for winning the Miss title, $200 for winning the fitness contest, $150 for talent and $150 for tying for the top spot in evening gown.
She is a sophomore at Gibraltar High School, where she participates in the One-Act Play program, performs in the Wisconsin State Honors Band and plays volleyball and softball. To win the talent contest, Griep performed the classical trumpet piece, “Concerto in E Flat Minor.” She will promote “Mind Over Pressure: Prioritizing Mental Health in Schools – on any Team, Stage, or Court” for her initiative.
Four runners-up were named in the teen competition.
As first runner-up, Shelby Kelsey won $1,300 with an $800 scholarship and the $500 People’s Choice Award. Faith Lemke earned $1,250 with the $700 second runner-up scholarship, the $200 Spritka Sister Scholarship, $200 for winning the interview contest and $150 for tying Griep in evening gown. Skya Scrimgeour won the $600 third runner-up scholarship and $50 in a tie for the Women in Healthcare Award. Katja Nelson-Newman earned $500 for the fourth runner-up scholarship.
Among the teen non-finalists, all of who earned $250 scholarships, Teagan Williams won a total of $825, including the $250 Make an Impact Award, $200 for Teen Congeniality, $50 in a tie for the Women in Healthcare Award, $50 for non-finalist evening gown and $25 for a tie in non-finalist fitness. Roxy Draz also earned a total of $825 with the $500 STEM Scholarship, $50 for non-finalist talent and $25 for a tie in non-finalist interview. Mia Weborg earned $500 including $250 for first runner-up in the People’s Choice Award and Skyler Kopkey earned $300 including $50 for ties in non-finalist interview and non-finalist fitness.
Also competing in the teen pageant and earning the $250 non-finalist scholarships were Anna Dalke, Halyn Rasmusson, Karissa Denil and Amelia Van Boxtel.
FYI
The 2027 Miss Door County, Miss Cherryland and Miss Door County’s Teen pageants are scheduled Feb. 6 at Southern Door Community Auditorium. For more information on the Miss Door County Scholarship Program, visit missdoorcounty.org.
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Miss Door County program crowns winners in record-setting 2026 pageant
Reporting by Christopher Clough, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Green Bay Press-Gazette
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