Testimonials

Our candidates and volunteers are passionate about the benefits of becoming involved with the Miss Douglas County Scholarship Program. Read about the positive impact of our program in the lives of women in Douglas County below.

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Audrey VanHouten

Scholarships Earned - $10,675

Audrey has been involved with our program for 15 years. She started as a Princess and went on to become Miss Douglas County’s Teen 2021 and Miss Douglas County 2024.

Audrey says, “Competing in this program means opportunity. It gives you opportunities to be successful as an individual, set high goals, learn important skills you can use outside the program, make connections, and build yourself as a person. Along the way, you're going to meet your sisters, your forever hype girls, and friends that you can rely on for the rest of your life.”

Watch Audrey’s full testimonial here.

Lena Larecy

Scholarships Earned - Over $11,000

Lena has been involved with our program for 5 years. She served as Miss Umpqua Valley’s Teen 2021, Miss Douglas County’s Teen 2023, and went on to earn the title of Miss Oregon’s Teen 2023.

Lena says, “When I first joined this program, I thought that I was competing for a crown. Little did I know that five years later, I would have found my forever family. This is more than a program. It’s a community of people who want to support you and help you as they empower you to become who you were meant to be.”

Watch Lena’s full testimonial here.

Marin Gray

Scholarships Earned - Over $20,000

Marin was involved in our program for 5 years. She was crowned Miss Douglas County’s Teen 2018, Miss Oregon’s Teen 2019, and Miss Douglas County 2022.

Marin says, “There isn’t a single day that passes where I don’t use what I got from my time with Miss Douglas County. I’ve gained crucial communication skills and these have helped me in all sorts of situations, ranging from interviews to professional networking events, and even classes. I know that I can feel confident walking into any room because of my experience with this program. When I first started competing in 2018, I had no idea that I would gain lifelong friendships in addition to those lifelong skills.”

Watch Marin’s full testimonial here.

Lily Brown

Scholarships Earned - $8,825

Lily has been involved in our program for 6 years. She served as Miss Umpqua Valley’s Teen 2022.

Lily says, “My favorite memory as a candidate would have to be all of the practices. I remember my very first practice as a candidate at 13 years old. I was scared going into it and I remember there was a miss candidate who took me under her wing and showed me the works of the program. As a future candidate, I would love to be able to do the same to a teen candidate that is fresh out of the gate.”

Watch Lily’s full testimonial here.

Emily Warren Wylie

Scholarships Earned - Over $15,000

Emily was involved in our program as a candidate for 7 years. During that time, she served as Miss Douglas County 2018 and Miss Umpqua Valley 2021.

Emily says, “This program changed my life. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it. I wouldn’t have my two best friends. I wouldn’t have $15,000 in scholarships. I wouldn’t have the job that I have now. It’s not about being a certain type of person. It’s about having a common goal to want to become the best version of yourself and be a leader of your own life.”

Watch Emily’s full testimonial here.

Cassidy Smith

Scholarships Earned - Over $20,000

Cassidy was involved in our program for 5 years. She served as Miss Douglas County’s Teen 2013, Miss Douglas County 2015, and Miss Douglas County 2017.

Cassidy says, “It’s hard to pinpoint every little thing I gained from this program because it thoroughly molded me into the person I am today. It taught me grace and elegance, while giving me life long friends and mentors. It gave me a voice and a chance to work with some amazing people in our community. It cultivated my empathy and passion to serve others, all while being my best self. It awarded me the ability to graduate college debt free and gave me the interview skills to secure a position as an Alaska Airlines flight attendant. I use the skills I learned through this program on a daily basis and am proud to be part of its legacy.”

Chloe Garcia

Scholarships Earned - $3,300

Chloe has been involved in our program for 4 years as a teen candidate. She received the Director’s Award in 2022, the Rising Star Award in 2023, and the Top BYOS Earner Award in 2024.

Chloe says, “With this program, not only do you gain scholarships from it, but you also gain really fun memories and lasting friendships. This program has been awesome and something you don’t want to miss out on.”

Watch Chloe’s full testimonial here.

Rochelle Peiper

Volunteer

Rochelle says, “Being a mentor for the Miss Douglas County Program is such a rewarding experience. As a mentor, you get assigned candidates and you will meet with them every week to work on a variety of tasks. Seeing them blossom week to week is amazing! I had the honor of being a mentor to three different young women this past year and we had so much fun together. I am proud of each one of them! One of my candidates, Kendyl-Rae Bartz, even won the title of Miss Douglas County’s Teen! If you would like to guide one of these amazing young women through this fun and rewarding program, please reach out today!”

Jamie Williams

Volunteer

Jamie says, “This last year I had the honor of mentoring both teen and miss candidates for the Miss Douglas County Scholarship Program. This program offers you the opportunity to help guide your candidates through the pageant process and offer support along the way. I was paired with candidates that had a similar interest in my career specialty as their Community Service Initiatives. This proved to be a wonderful opportunity to connect these young women with resources and knowledge that helped support their success in the program. The best part though was helping pick out dresses and outfits for pageant night and watching these girls shine on stage! It was such a rewarding and inspiring experience! If you are interested in making a difference/impact on the lives of the wonderful young ladies participating in the Miss Douglas County Scholarship Program please reach out for more information today!”

Have you been involved in our program? We would love to hear from you!

Click here to submit a testimonial of your own.