Miss Manatee’s Alexandra de Roos Crowned Miss Florida 2026
Alexandra de Roos has achieved one of the highest honors in the Miss America organization, capturing the title of Miss Florida 2026 and becoming the first Miss Manatee titleholder to earn the statewide crown in 35 years.
The Winter Haven native, who represented the Miss Manatee Scholarship Organization, was crowned Saturday night during the 90th anniversary Miss Florida competition at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. De Roos succeeds Miss Florida 2025 Paris Richardson and will go on to represent Florida at the Miss America competition. Along with the title, she received a $20,000 scholarship.
Following her victory, de Roos reflected on realizing a lifelong dream and shared her commitment to serving communities across Florida. She said her goal as Miss Florida is to serve abundantly, lead with compassion, and leave both the organization and the state stronger for the next generation. She also praised the Miss Florida Class of 2026 for their resilience, kindness and dedication to serving others.
De Roos competed as Miss Manatee after winning the local scholarship competition earlier this year. A graduate of the University of South Florida’s Judy Genshaft Honors College, she has earned more than $25,000 in scholarships through the Miss America organization. Her community service initiative, The Blue Project: Integrating Neuroscience and the Arts, promotes awareness of traumatic brain injuries and explores the role of the arts in recovery. She also impressed judges throughout the week by winning preliminary talent honors with a contemporary ballet performance.
The Miss Florida Scholarship Competition is the official state preliminary to the Miss America Organization. Contestants are evaluated in private interview, talent or HERstory presentation, fitness, on-stage conversation and evening gown, while also competing for scholarships and promoting community service initiatives. The program has awarded scholarships to young women across Florida for decades and selects the state’s representative for the Miss America competition.
De Roos’ victory is especially significant for Manatee County. She becomes only the ninth Miss Manatee titleholder to win the Miss Florida crown in the pageant’s 90-year history and the first since Mary Ann Olson captured the title in 1991, ending a 35-year wait for a contestant representing the Manatee scholarship program to bring home the statewide title.
