The titles of Miss Ocala and Miss Ocala’s Teen passed hands on Saturday night, with two new women taking over the crowns.
On Saturday, January 25, Caroline Schapansky was crowned the new Miss Ocala and Madelyn Covington was crowned Miss Ocala’s Teen during a ceremony at the Eastside High School in Gainesville.
According to her social media profiles, Schapansky attended Chiefland Middle High School in Chiefland and currently lives in Gainesville, where she is a nursing student at the University of Florida.
Last year, Schapansky was crowned Miss Georgefest 2024, which is annual celebration of George Washington’s Birthday held in Eustis every February.
In 2024, Schapansky says she had a busy year, traveling thousands of miles, and conducting a weeklong mission trip in Nicaragua. The young student also hosted three professional development workshops at UF’s Disability Resource Center, completed a minor in Disabilities in Society, and passed her first semester of nursing school.
Schapansky accepted the title on Saturday from former Miss Ocala, Tia Unsell, who earned the crown in 2024.
In addition to the titles of Miss Ocala and Miss Ocala’s Teen, the evening also saw the crownings of the new Miss Gainesville and Miss Gaineville’s Teen in Paris Richardson and Ashlee Combee, respectively.
The Miss Ocala and Miss Gainesville pageants provide scholrships to help its winners pay for college and prepare for a career through hands-on leadership.
With the crowns, both Schapansky and Covington will compete for the title of Miss Florida later this year.
Late last year, Ocala native Casana Fink claimed the title of Miss Florida. Earlier this month, Fink finished just shy of the Miss America crown.