Just a few weeks ago, a new Miss South Dakota was crowned in Brookings, where Kianna Healy of Hartford earned the 2026 title during the annual competition. While Brookings and Hartford are not in northeastern South Dakota, the pageant once again carried a strong local thread for Britton area residents, continuing a steady pattern of involvement from volunteers, former contestants and families connected to the community.
For those involved, Miss South Dakota is far more than a weeklong competition. Founded in 1946, the Miss South Dakota Scholarship Program is one of the state’s longest running scholarship organizations for young women. It operates as a preliminary to Miss America, emphasizing academic achievement, talent, service and leadership while awarding scholarship dollars that have helped participants pursue careers in fields ranging from medicine and law to broadcast journalism and business. While stage competition is part of the event, organizers and volunteers stress that its deeper mission is preparing young women for life beyond the stage through confidence, communication skills and community engagement.
Few people from Britton have remained as consistently connected to that mission as Kate Wismer. Wismer was crowned Miss South Dakota in 2007 after several years of competing at the local and state level, eventually advancing to the Miss America stage in 2008.
Her path into the program began unexpectedly, she said, after singing at the Snow Queen Festival in Britton years ago. A former Miss South Dakota from Britton, Alecia (Zuehlke) O’Neill, encouraged her to connect with the state organization, leading her to compete at SDSU area locals before advancing to Miss South Dakota.
“I kept competing because I could see the growth in myself,” Wismer said, recalling multiple years of participation before winning the title.
That growth is also what brought her back to the organization long after her reign ended. Today, Wismer serves as a producer for Miss South Dakota, helping coordinate the state competition from behind the scenes. The role involves year round planning, from selecting themes and music to recruiting volunteers and building the stage production.
“We’re empowering women, and women empower women,” she said, describing the philosophy that guides her work with contestants and volunteers. “It’s about lifting everyone up and watching them grow.”
Wismer noted that the modern program continues to evolve, with a stronger emphasis on mental health, personal storytelling and confidence building. One newer component is the HERstory monologue, which allows contestants to share more personal narratives in place of traditional talent formats.
Still, the foundation remains the same, she said, the four points of the crown, service, scholarship, success and style. While those values frame the competition, Wismer emphasized that many of the most meaningful outcomes happen off stage, where contestants gain interview experience, professional communication skills and lasting confidence.
The impact of the program is also reflected in younger participants from the region, including 2024 Britton Hecla graduate Jayden Bender. Bender became involved with Miss South Dakota in a spontaneous way after being encouraged just a day before a local competition in Rapid City.
She went on to earn the Miss Badlands title and competed at Miss South Dakota, where she said she was struck by the number of accomplished and driven women involved at every level of the organization, from contestants to volunteers and directors.
“It took a lot of time and effort,” said Bender. “But I am grateful for the opportunity to grow. I learned a lot about myself during the week, and, most importantly, I realized that I cannot grow by staying in my comfort zone.”
For Alecia Zuehlke O’Neill, those lessons have carried through more than two decades since she was crowned Miss South Dakota in 2001. O’Neill, also a Britton native, went on to compete at Miss America during a year marked by national tragedy following the Sept. 11 attacks.
She recalled arriving in Atlantic City for rehearsals when the events of that day unfolded, shifting the tone of the competition entirely.
“The competition no longer mattered,” she said, describing how contestants and staff came together in prayer and support before ultimately continuing the live telecast days later as a way to help restore a sense of unity and normalcy.
O’Neill said the experience left a lasting impression, not just because of the competition, but because of the shared sense of purpose and connection it created among participants.
Today, O’Neill serves on the Miss South Dakota board of directors and continues to advocate for the program’s mission. She said the scholarship opportunities alone make a significant difference, noting that some participants earn substantial funding for college even without winning the crown.
More than scholarships, she said, the lasting impact comes from the sisterhood built through the program, connections that extend well beyond competition week. “It becomes a family,” she said, adding that former contestants, volunteers and even families remain closely connected for years.
That sense of family is especially visible in Britton’s continued involvement. Wismer’s father, Mark Wismer, now serves as technical director for the production, helping build sets and constructing the runway used in Brookings. Caroline Furman assists in the dressing room and helps coordinate volunteers, while Cindy Zuehlke and other local volunteers also support backstage operations. O’Neill noted that her own mother has joined in dressing room support in recent years, reinforcing the multigenerational nature of the work.
For those involved, the program has become a kind of annual reunion as much as a competition.
Looking ahead, both Wismer and O’Neill hope the program continues to grow in ways that highlight its educational and leadership value. Wismer said she hopes more people recognize the skills gained off stage, public speaking, resilience, professionalism and confidence, as the true outcome of participation.
“It’s not just about what happens on stage,” she said. “It’s about what these women take with them for the rest of their lives.”
With another Miss South Dakota crowned and planning already underway for next year’s 80th anniversary of the program, Britton’s connection to the organization remains steady, rooted in volunteerism, tradition and a belief in the lasting impact it can have on young women across the state.
