CHILLICOTHE, OH – Allison Payton, a 17-year-old from Chillicothe, was named Miss Ohio’s Outstanding Teen 2025 on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the Renaissance Theatre, marking a triumphant debut in the state competition. Representing Miss South Central’s Teen, Payton, who will be a senior at Zane Trace High School this fall, clinched the title on her first attempt, following a first-runner-up finish at Miss Chillicothe last year.
The Miss Ohio’s Outstanding Teen Scholarship Program, established in 2005 as a sister to the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program, aims to foster scholastic achievement, creative talents, healthy living, and community involvement among Ohio teens aged 13 to 17. Payton, whose talent is dance and whose community service initiative focuses on creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships, expressed her excitement: “My friend from dance got me started into pageants. Last year I finished first runner-up for Miss Chillicothe, and so I competed again this year. Now I’m going to compete for Miss America’s Teen!”
The program, guided by the Miss America Organization, offers college scholarships and mentoring to young women who excel in their communities. Local winners advance to the state competition in June, with the state winner proceeding to the national Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Program in late July. Payton’s victory highlights her rapid rise in the pageant world, and she now prepares to represent Ohio on the national stage.
