Pittsfield Native Competing in Miss Massachusetts
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Taconic High graduate Nevaeh Williams is competing in the 2026 Miss Massachusetts Scholarship Competition this weekend in Worcester.
She said pageants have helped her step into her own self-confidence while helping others; her chosen community service initiative is the AYJ Fund of North Adams.
"When I was younger, I had an issue with body image, and I thought I had to look a certain way. So, I joined pageants to try to help with my self-confidence, and I soon fell in love, and it helped me become a more well-rounded young woman," Williams said.
"Along with it, it made me fall in love with myself and my body, no matter what I look like."
The 2026 Miss Massachusetts Scholarship Competition is being held at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester on Friday, June 19, with finals on Saturday, June 20, at 7 each night.
Williams, holding the title of Miss Mayflower 2026, has continued her journey in pageants over the past four years and says she has truly come to learn so much about herself.
"And have grown into, I believe, the best young woman I possibly could, because of the Miss America opportunity," she said.
A 2024 graduate of Taconic, she attends Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston, studying echocardiogram sonography.
When Williams was younger, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but knew she wanted to make a difference in the community. Beginning the Miss America opportunity, she had to find a community service initiative to promote, and chose one that had helped her family years before.
She unfortunately lost her younger brother to brain cancer at the age of 6 in 2016, and remembered the "Smile" package that the AYJ Fund sent him during this time. Williams then knew she wanted to represent the nonprofit on the stage, and for years to come.
The AYJ Fund raises money for childhood brain cancer as well as other cancers, and provides gifts and experiences to brighten children's days.
iBerkshires spoke to Williams on Friday morning, when she said she woke up "truly feeling so excited to hit the stage tonight."
Twenty-three contestants are vying for the 86th Miss Massachusetts title. On Saturday, the top 10 will be announced, and then the top five will compete for the crown.
Williams explained that there are many different parts of the competition, including fitness, evening gown wear, talent, and onstage questions. All of these come together for judges to find the most well-rounded woman for the title.
"And I'm hoping today on the stage that the judges can see exactly who I am as a young 20-year-old, and the difference I want to make in the community, and hopefully they find that I am the correct woman for the job," Williams said.
She described it as a very hard process and believes that, at the end of the day, it depends on how hard she is willing to work on the stage and to get there.
Williams has been practicing her walks and talent every day to ensure that when those spotlights are on her, she feels her best.
"After all the hard work I've put in, I feel very confident going into the show tonight," she said.
She highlighted her grandmother as one of her biggest supporters, spending countless hours altering her clothes so they would be perfect for competition day.
Link to Williams' fundraising page.
Tags: cancer support, competition,
