Angelina Yonan, an Oakland University student from Macomb, was crowned Miss Oakland County 2026 on August 8 in Farmington Hills and awarded a $1,000 scholarship. She will advance to represent Oakland County at the 2027 Miss Michigan Competition.
Angelina Yonan, 18, of Macomb, was crowned Miss Oakland County 2026 during the annual competition held August 8 in Farmington Hills. Yonan, a second-year Business Administration student at Oakland University, received a $1,000 education scholarship and will represent Oakland County at the 2027 Miss Michigan Competition in Muskegon next June.
In addition to the main title, Yonan was recognized with the Kirsten Haglund Foundation On-Stage Conversation Award, which includes a $100 scholarship, and received several other gifts and prizes. She is pursuing a double major in Marketing and Journalism at Oakland University. Her community service initiative, "Finding Purpose: Empowering Youth Through Extracurricular Engagement," aims to help young people build confidence and meaningful connections outside of digital spaces.
Scholarship Awards and Runners-Up
Cynthia Cao, 19, of Rochester Hills, was named first runner-up and awarded a $450 scholarship toward her Business of Science, Information degree at the University of Michigan. Cao also received the Samantha Steckloff Community Service Award, Vivian Zhong Talent Award, Miss America Scholar Award, and JoAnn Lingenfelter Spirit of Miss America Award, totaling $700 in additional scholarships.
Sydney Jaworski, 21, of Farmington, was selected as second runner-up and received a $300 scholarship, along with the People's Choice Award. Janelle Reiff, 25, of St. Clair Shores, was named third runner-up and awarded a $150 scholarship. Reiff is a graduate of Western Michigan University and works at Daifuku North America.
Additional Honors and Community Initiatives
Other notable awards included the Aldo Vagnozzi Community Service Award ($250) to Shaila Cranson, 18, of Farmington Hills, and the Kelly Garver Non-Finalist Talent Award ($150) to Alana Kowalski, 17, of New Boston. The competition also recognized community service and academic achievement among participants, with scholarships sponsored by local organizations and families.
Scarlett Schultz, 15, of Portage, was crowned Miss Oakland County's Teen 2026 at the same event. Schultz will compete at Miss Michigan's Teen 2027 next June. Her initiative, "Your Story Isn't Over," focuses on suicide prevention and mental health awareness for teens. She also received the Leilani Thorn Talent Award ($75 scholarship), sponsored by the Corsi Family.
About the Miss Oakland County Program
The Miss Oakland County Scholarship Program serves as a preliminary competition for Miss Michigan and Miss America, offering scholarship opportunities to women who live, work, or attend school in Oakland County. According to organizers, the Miss America Opportunity is the largest scholarship provider for young women ages 18-28, awarding more than $20 million annually.
Scholarship sponsors for the 2026 competition included State Representative Samantha Steckloff, Farmington Masonic Lodge No. 151, KitchenMaster, Krizanic Family, Vicki Barnett & Mark Steckloff, Zhong Family, Pat Perri, Agnes Hutnik, Anthony Tuzzolino, Ulmer Family, Kirsten Haglund Foundation, and D Asian Media.
The annual event highlights the achievements, service, and talents of young women in Oakland County, with a focus on education and community involvement. Winners and award recipients are selected based on a combination of talent, academic achievement, and commitment to service initiatives.
