New Miss Gainesville, Miss Gainesville’s Teen, Miss Ocala, and Miss Ocala’s Teen selected

Press release from Miss Gainesville Scholarship Program, Inc.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On Saturday evening, Halle Burton (20) and Tia Unsell (25) were chosen as the new Miss Gainesville and Miss Ocala, respectively. Held at the Eastside High School theater, the Miss Gainesville Scholarship Competition featured 15 delegates from around our state.

Moments after being selected, Ms. Burton shared her excitement about winning the Miss Gainesville title: “I am eager to begin my year of service in the area where I grew up, traveling, meeting members of our community, and promoting positive lifestyles through the benefits of volunteering.”

Ms. Unsell stated, “I cannot wait to become embedded in the Ocala community, where I plan on advocating and continuing to raise money for my community service initiative, Dancers against Cancer.”

As Miss Gainesville and Miss Ocala, Ms. Burton and Ms. Unsell each receive a $1,000 scholarship and the opportunity to compete for the Miss Florida title this summer in Lakeland, Florida.

During their year as Miss Gainesville and Miss Ocala, Ms. Burton and Ms. Unsell will travel throughout our area advocating for their community social initiatives, as well as volunteering with area charities to advance their own causes.

Rachel Dickhaus, local executive director of the Miss Gainesville Scholarship Competition, commented on both titleholders, “Halle is a native of the area, a talented baton twirler, and she personifies the qualities of a role model for all young women. We are also excited to welcome Tia to our family and look forward to watching how her dancing will continue to make cancer a disease of the past. We are thrilled for the upcoming year and know that both women embody the four points of the Miss America crown: service, style, scholarship, and success.”

Crowned alongside Halle and Tia were Larkin Mainwaring (17) and Noelle Schnacky (17), who were crowned Miss Gainesville’s Teen and Miss Ocala’s Teen, respectively. Ms. Schnacky, a dancer, returns to the organization after previously winning last year’s first-runner-up title to Miss Gainesville’s Teen 2023, Anna Katherine Risalvato, who went on to win the title of Miss Florida’s Teen in the summer of 2023. Rachel Dickhaus commented, “We are thankful to Noelle for stepping in as Miss Gainesville’s Teen last summer after Anna Katherine’s big win at Miss Florida and are thrilled that she has now won the title of Miss Ocala’s Teen outright for an entire year.”

Ms. Mainwaring joins the Gainesville area titleholders for the first time after being selected as first-runner-up for Miss Florida’s Teen during last year’s competition cycle. A singer, Larkin works in her community promoting the work of her non-profit: Not Invisible Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Her organization is dedicated to shedding light on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), an often invisible but life-altering condition.

Established in 2008, the Miss Gainesville Scholarship Organization provides opportunities for young women to achieve their personal and professional ambitions. Candidates participate in community service activities and develop leadership skills that help them excel in their chosen career and life goals. A not-for-profit affiliate of the Miss America Organization, the Miss Gainesville Scholarship Organization has helped make available more than $100,000 in scholarships and in-kind funds to dozens of young women throughout the State of Florida. Winners of the annual Miss Gainesville Competition are eligible to compete in the Miss Florida Competition, held every June in Lakeland, Florida.

The Miss America Organization, a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, is the nation’s leading advocate for women’s education and the largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women in the United States, awarding millions of dollars annually.