A night of scholarship, service, and competition culminated Saturday as two young women earned statewide titles during the 2027 Miss Louisiana Volunteer State Pageant at the Minden Civic Center.
Miss Webster Parish Teen Volunteer Presley Wood of Minden was crowned Miss Louisiana Teen Volunteer 2027, while Miss Germantown Volunteer Celeste Lay claimed the title of Miss Louisiana Volunteer 2027. The pageant marked the second consecutive year Minden has hosted the statewide competition, welcoming contestants, families, and supporters from across Louisiana for a weekend of events centered on leadership, volunteerism, and personal achievement.
The production transformed the Civic Center into a high-energy showcase featuring elaborate lighting, choreography, music, and entertainment. Contestants competed in interview, fitness and wellness, talent, and evening gown categories while also demonstrating the organization’s emphasis on scholarship, service, and leadership.
The evening’s theme, “One in a Million,” carried throughout the production with a disco-inspired atmosphere and polished stage presentation that kept the audience engaged from opening number to the final crowning.
For the hometown crowd, one of the night’s biggest celebrations came when Wood was announced as the new Miss Louisiana Teen Volunteer. Representing Webster Parish, the Minden contestant also earned Overall Fitness and Overall Interview awards before receiving the state crown.
Mayor Nick Cox congratulated the contestants during the event.
“We are proud of the young women from across Louisiana who are committed to service and personal excellence,” Cox said. “This is a celebration of your talents, your accomplishments, your character, your hard work, and your purpose.”
Lay enjoyed a standout evening in the Miss division, capturing the Overall Interview and Overall Talent awards before being crowned Miss Louisiana Volunteer 2027. As the new titleholder, she will represent Louisiana at the Miss Volunteer America Pageant in March in Jackson, Tennessee.
The next Miss Volunteer America national pageant week is scheduled for March 3-6, 2027, with preliminary competitions on March 4 and 5 and the finals on March 6 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson, Tennessee.
The pageant also recognized contestants for excellence in individual phases of competition and honored those selected by their peers.
People’s Choice honors went to Miss Ruston Volunteer Havyn Puckett.
In the Teen division, Presley Wood received Overall Fitness and Overall Interview, Lillian Coker, Miss City of Lights Teen Volunteer, earned Overall Talent, Brelynn Smith, Miss Germantown Teen Volunteer, received Overall Evening Gown, and Bella Fontana, Miss Ruston Teen Volunteer, was named Miss Congeniality.
In the Miss division, Aubrey Gray, Miss Minden Volunteer, earned Overall Fitness, Celeste Lay received Overall Interview and Overall Talent, Rachel Kennedy, Miss Baton Rouge Volunteer, won Overall Evening Gown, and Darcie Johnson, Miss McNeese LaBelle Volunteer, was selected Miss Congeniality.
Final placements in the Teen division were Lillian Coker, fourth runner-up; Harleigh Hart, third runner-up; Brelynn Smith, second runner-up; Bella Fontana, first runner-up; and Presley Wood, winner.
In the Miss division, Lake Carpenter finished as fourth runner-up, Sophia Nawaz was third runner-up, Aubrey Gray placed second runner-up, Rachel Kennedy was first runner-up, and Celeste Lay was crowned Miss Louisiana Volunteer 2027.
With another successful pageant completed, organizers closed the evening by celebrating not only the newly crowned titleholders, but also the dozens of contestants whose months of preparation and commitment to service brought them to the state stage in Minden. As the crowns begin their journey toward the national competition, the event has further established Minden as a destination for one of Louisiana’s premier scholarship pageants.
