North Carolina's Sophia Kellstrom heads to Florida Sept. 2-7 to represent the Tar Heel State at the Miss America 2026 competition in Orlando.

Kellstrom won the Miss North Carolina pageant in June, earning her the equivalent of a golden ticket the national competition which will stream on YouTube this year.

About Sophia Kellstrom

Kellstrom says she initially got into pageantry as a way to expand her network as a non-profit organizer.

At just 6 years old, Kellstrom began collecting change anywhere she could find it. With the help of some friends, she said she was quickly collecting enough change to feed an entire orphanage for a weekend.

In 2008, her organization, Pennies for Heaven, became an official 501c3, sparking her love for community service.

As a teen, Kellstrom learned about M

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