YORK COUNTY — Cassie Donegan, a former Hampton Roads resident, was crowned Miss America during the annual competition last weekend in Orlando.

Donegan, a graduate of York County School of the Arts, is using her community service initiative, ‘Promoting Arts Education in Our School Systems,’ to increase access to arts education for all students.

According to the Miss America Organization, for nearly two decades, she has championed every child’s right to creative expression, directing and designing youth theatre curricula, curating a K-12 S.T.E.A.M. masterclass and founding three scholarship funds to bridge accessibility gaps in arts education.

Representing New York in the 2026 Miss America pageant, Donegan won the preliminary talent portion of the competition for her vocal performance. Sh

See Full Page