Excitement filled the Sapphire Center on Saturday, Nov. 8, as nearly 300 guests attended the Miss Fountain Valley 2026 Scholarship Competition.
Maya Lessenger, a real estate major at Orange Coast College, was crowned Miss Fountain Valley 2026. Samantha Nicart, a Fountain Valley High School student, earned the title of Miss Teen Fountain Valley. Together, they will represent the city throughout the coming year at community events and statewide competitions.
More than $10,000 in scholarships and awards were presented on stage. Lessenger earned a $5,000 scholarship and performed a moving vocal with American Sign Language (ASL) for her talent presentation. Nicart wowed the crowd with a high-energy cheer tumbling routine. Each titleholder also received a custom-made crown necklace from Mimi’s Jewelry in recognition of their achievement.
“These women demonstrated great talent, poise and beauty and brought many cheers from the audience” said Executive Director Sandi Licata.
The event was sponsored by the Fountain Valley Community Foundation with a grant from Hyundai Motor America and support from Gold Sponsor Orange County Power Authority along with numerous community sponsors.
Joining Lessenger on the 2026 Court are Malia Walker, a drama student at UC Irvine, and Phoebe Nguyen, a Cal State Fullerton graduate and public defender investigator. Fourteen Little Miss participants opened the program with the National Anthem, directed by Kasie Hanley.
Other award recipients included Miss Academic Winner Malia Walker and Teen Academic Winner Addison Phan. Additional honors went to:
Stewardship: Maya Lessenger, sponsored by OC Power Authority
Community Service: Mariz Isabella Bolano, sponsored by the Fountain Valley Women’s Club
Talent: Caroline Murdock, sponsored by Nancy Neil
Spirit of Fountain Valley: Phoebe Nguyen
Miss Congeniality: Samantha Nicart and Jasmine Dennis, sponsored by the Carbajal family
Outgoing Fountain Valley titleholders: Jackelyn Carbajal (Miss 2025) and Laurel Brookhyser (Teen 2025) were honored for their service. Carbajal, who granted eight wishes through the Make-AWish Foundation and earned the Golden Positivity Award at Miss California, and Brookhyser, now studying at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, received standing ovations for their accomplishments.
Former Miss Fountain Valley titleholders: Andrea Anema and Amy Tran emceed the evening.
The Miss Fountain Valley Scholarship Foundation, an official preliminary to the Miss California and Miss America competitions, continues its mission of empowering young women through education, leadership, and community service. Learn more at www.missfountainvalley.com.