Miss Florida Crowned After Lakeland Competition

LAKELAND, FL — A Winter Haven native, who is also the reigning Miss Manatee, is the new Miss Florida after Alexandra de Roos won the 2026 Miss Florida Scholarship Competition on Saturday night in Lakeland.

De Roos was crowned at the RP Funding Center Youkey Theatre after three nights of competition focused on talent, interview skills and community initiatives, according to a news release from Visit Central Florida,

She is the ninth Miss Manatee to win the Miss Florida title in the event's 90-year history, and the first Miss Manatee to earn the crown since Mary Ann Olson won in 1991.

Other winners include first runner-up Halle Burton (Miss Tampa), second runner-up Emma Manthos (Miss Northeast Florida), third runner-up Angelica Jones (Miss City Beautiful) and fourth runner-up Tia Unsell (Miss Gainesville).

De Roos received her crown from 2025 Miss Florida winner Paris Richardson and was awarded a $20,000 scholarship.

She’ll graduate from the University of South Florida's Judy Genshaft Honors College, where she is on the Dean's List of Scholars with a 3.93 GPA. Prior to USF, she attended Columbia University from 2021 to 2022.

During Miss Florida week, de Roos earned multiple scholarships, including a talent win on night one for a contemporary ballet performance to Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion's rendition of "The Prayer." It was the second straight year de Roos won the top talent honor.

On preliminary night two, she also won the evening gown portion.

The Polk County native was among 16 semifinalists announced at the start of Saturday evening, then competed in presentations tied to community service initiatives, the health and fitness portion, talent, evening gown and an on-stage interview.

De Roos began dancing in Winter Haven at Barbara's Center for Dance before studying at The Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa.

At 14, she moved to New York City as a resident trainee at the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Over the next year, de Roos will use her Miss Florida platform to expand The Blue Project: Integrating Neuroscience and the Arts, Inc. The initiative explores how art could address the physical and emotional toll of traumatic brain injuries.

De Roos suffered a serious concussion on Nov. 30, 2021, causing damage to her frontal lobe and Broca's area.

The winner of Miss Florida will represent the state at the 2027 Miss America competition, scheduled for Aug. 28 through Sept. 6 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach. The competition will include delegates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.