Sanpete contestants receive recognition at Miss Utah and Miss Utah Teen pageants

SALT LAKE CITY—Three women with ties to the Miss Sanpete County program earned recognition during the 2026 Miss Utah and Miss Utah’s Teen competitions this summer.

The Miss Utah’s Teen Competition was held May 28-30, with contestants competing for college scholarships in private interview, onstage question, talent, lifestyle and fitness, and evening gown.

Kate Craven of Fairview, Miss Sanpete County Outstanding Teen, represented Sanpete County and was nominated for the Teens in Action Award for her community service initiative, “Fight Like WyGuy: Childhood Cancer Awareness.” She also received the HerStory Award for her original poem about her younger brother’s battle with childhood cancer.

Two former Miss Sanpete County Outstanding Teen titleholders also competed. Madison Moulton advanced to the Top 12, while Kaylee Curtis received the runner-up Scholastic Achievement Award for 11th grade.

Following the teen competition, the 100th Anniversary Miss Utah Competition began June 16 and concluded June 21 with the crowning of Miss Nebo Erika Dalton as Miss Utah 2026.

Contestants competed in private interview, onstage question, talent, lifestyle and fitness, and evening gown while vying for scholarships. The week also featured several community events, including a Kendra Scott fundraiser benefiting women’s scholarships and the annual Show Us Your Shoes Parade.

Miss Sanpete County Ava Jensen, of Mount Pleasant, received the Silver Heart Hero Award for raising more than $1,000 for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign. She also earned third runner-up in ad page donations for securing sponsorships from local businesses.

The Show Us Your Shoes Parade traces its roots to the Miss America competition, where spectators would call out for contestants to show their shoes. Many contestants wore comfortable shoes, or none at all, during the parade. Over time, the tradition evolved into contestants creating elaborate shoes representing their home states. The Miss Utah Organization has continued the tradition by encouraging contestants to design shoes and outfits that reflect their hometowns or community service initiatives.

Jensen said she wanted her parade design to stand out while reflecting both her personality and her platform.

“I wanted to create something different from what had been done in the past, and because I’ve always loved Disney, I knew I wanted to incorporate that into my design,” Jensen said. “My shoe design was inspired by the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. It was also important to me that my shoes reflected my Community Service Initiative, ‘Crisis Smart: First Aid and CPR Awareness,’ as well as the fundraising efforts I’ve dedicated so much time to throughout the year. After brainstorming different ideas, this was the one concept that truly felt right. It combined my passions, my purpose and my personality into one design, making it the perfect way to represent both myself and Sanpete County at Miss Utah.”