Birthday Girl Becomes Miss Massachusetts Teenager in Fall River; here are all the winners – Fall River Reporter

FALL RIVER —It was a 17^th birthday she will never forget for Maggie Leighton of Leominster, a rising senior at Leominster High School, who was named Miss Massachusetts' Teen 2024. The 24th annual pageant was held Sunday, June 16 at BMC Durfee High School of Fall River. Sixteen applicants from across the Commonwealth competed for the title and more than $6,700 was awarded to applicants in scholarships. Emma Gibney of New Bedford, Miss Massachusetts' Teen 2023 crowned her successor in front of an audience of more than 300 attendees.

Leighton, who competed as a Miss Cranberry Country teen, will compete in the Miss America's Teen pageant in Orlando, Florida, in January 2025. As a Miss Massachusetts teen, she will receive $3,000 in scholarships and various awards and gifts from contest sponsors. At the national competition, she will have the opportunity to compete for thousands of dollars more.

Leighton will dedicate his year of service to his personal community service initiative, “Play On – Ensuring Access to Music Education.” Maggie says: “The benefits of music education extend to all areas of a student’s life: it can build self-confidence, reduce anxiety and give students a place where they belong. I will use my year of service as a Miss Massachusetts Teen to advocate for all students to have access to school music programs, regardless of their financial situation. She will also promote the Miss America Opportunity national platform, American Heart Association Go Red campaign. During the state competition, the 16 contestants collectively raised nearly $8,000 for The American Heart Association and the Miss America and Miss Massachusetts scholarship organizations.

At Leominster High School, Maggie received the Harvard Book Award in 2024 and is a member of the National Honor Society, where she was inducted as a sophomore. She is Leominster High School's representative on the Mayor's Youth Council and has received awards for academic excellence in Italian. She is also active in the performing arts at school as a member of the choir and show choir. An accomplished pianist and singer, Leighton received the Music in the Parks Accompanist Award and the Best Performer Award at the Central Massachusetts Show Choir Festival. Maggie is also very involved in sports at school, where she is a member of the volleyball and tennis teams. She received honorable mention for Player of the Year for the USA Today High School Sports Award as well as an All-Star Player Award for the Midland Wachusett MA League. She also studies ballet and jazz.

Leighton plans to earn a BS in biochemistry and continue medical school to become a cardiologist. She is the daughter of Jennifer and Corey Leighton of Leominster. For the talent portion of the competition, she performed a vocal for “Live on a prayer» by Bon Jovi.

The Miss Massachusetts' Teen pageant brings together teenagers aged 13 to 18. Other winners received scholarships. They included:

The first runner-up was Laila Hosnander, a 16-year-old on the rise at Minnechaug Regional High School. She resides in Hampden and received a $1,000 scholarship. She competed as a Miss Worcester County teenager.

The second finalist and recipient of a $750 scholarship was Marianna McCallum de Walpole, 16, a rising junior at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick. She competed as a Miss Taunton teenager.

The third finalist was Faith O'Hanlon who received a $500 scholarship. A resident of North Attleboro, she is an 18-year-old recent graduate of Bishop Feehan High School who will attend Auburn University in the fall. She competed as an At-Large candidate.

The fourth finalist was Na’Shajia Monteiro, 18, of New Bedford. A June 2024 graduate of Old Rochester Regional High School, she competed as a Miss Boston teen. She received a $250 scholarship. She will attend the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in the fall.

The winner of the non-finalist interview prize and recipient of a $100 scholarship was Miss Fall River's Teen. Lillian Annette Rankin. She also received the Marketing Award Scholarship in the amount of $100 for being the highest combined fundraiser for ad sales and the Spot Fund American Heart Association. She is a 17-year-old rising high school senior at Silver Lake Regional High School and resides in Plympton.

The non-finalist winner of the evening dress and recipient of a $100 scholarship was Jaime St-Onge of Acushnet. She is the current Miss Southeastern Massachusetts teen. Graduating from Fairhaven High School in June 2024, she will attend Stonehill College in the fall.

The 4^th The annual Millie Perry Community Service Award and $100 scholarship recipient was Miss Middleboro's Teen Anastasia Rose. This award was judged by an outside jury and was named in honor of the state's adolescent director's late mother, Donna Klamkin. Anastasia's community service initiative is called “Stasia Strong ~ Staying Strong for Others, Helping Those Battling Cancer.” The 16-year-old rising junior at Old Colony Regional Vocational High School resides in Acushnet.

Miss New Bedford's Teenager Layla Rej Johnson, a rising 16-year-old from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School won the Online SpotFund People's Choice award. She received half of the money raised, for a total of $870. During the month leading up to the competition, voters could choose their favorite candidate and vote for them online to be eligible for this scholarship. Layla resides in New Bedford.

The spirit of the Miss Massachusetts teenager, voted on by her peers, was the 14-year-old Miss Cape Cod teenager. Bree LeFavor by Marion. She is a rising freshman at Old Rochester Regional High School.

Other candidates included:

Alyssa Maé Babineau, 18, of Malden, graduated from Malden Catholic High School in 2024 and will attend St. Anselm College in the fall. She competed as a Miss Whitman teenager.

Elaina Bergeron, 16, of Wilbraham, is a rising junior at Minnechaug Regional High School. She competed as a teenager in Miss Pioneer Valley.

Olivia Charest, 14, of New Bedford, is a promising freshman at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School. She competed as a Miss Freetown teenager.

Maddie Mathias, 16, of Ludlow, is a rising student at Ludlow High School. She competed in Miss Western Massachusetts as a teenager.

Noelle O'Hanlon, 15, of North Attleboro, is a rising sophomore at Bishop Feehan High School. She participated in the Miss Blackstone Valley Teen Pageant

Katie Thomas, 15, of Fall River, is a rising sophomore at BMC Durfee High School. She competed as a Miss Lakeville teenager.

THE Miss Massachusetts' Teenager The pageant is affiliated with the Miss Massachusetts Scholarship Foundation. For more information about the Miss Massachusetts' Teen program or to book Maggie for an appearance, you can email Donna Klamkin at [email protected].

For more information about the Miss Massachusetts Teen Program, visit www.mmaoteen.org.