Alexina Federhen won the title of Miss Vermont 2022 at the competition held April 24 at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph.

Federhen said the moment she won was hard to believe.

“It didn’t feel real. I thought it was a dream,” she said, “and then I kept blinking my eyes, and the same picture showed. So, it was reality. I’m so excited. I can not wait to do so many things.”

Her plans for her year, naturally, include promoting her social impact initiative.

“My main goal is promoting mental health awareness. I am so passionate about it, as someone who has struggled with mental health, and I know how debilitating and how alone it feels. I want to be that person to talk about it.”

Federhen competed with six other talented and accomplished young women, and also hopes she can inspire many more to compete next year.

“I also want to encourage young women to become involved in this organization, because it has made me who I am today. Even if you don’t win, the amount of growth and tools this organization gives young women allows them to succeed in any spectrum.”

Federhen should know, as she was Miss Vermont’s Outstanding Teen in 2014. She said it hasn’t really sunk in yet that she’ll compete for the Miss America crown later this year.

“I know I’m going, and I can’t wait,” she said, “but I think what I’m most excited about is to re-live and relish in the moment of meeting all of the other misses. When I was a teen, I think I was a little young and didn’t quite take advantage of the sisterhood that exists. I really want to relish every moment, meet as many girls as possible, and make some life-long friends.”

Abagail Hunter was crowned Miss Vermont’s Outstanding Teen at the same competition. She said she also felt that the moment was surreal, as it was her first competition.

“I couldn’t believe it. It’s my first year competing and I’m so excited to see where this year will take me,” she said. “I really hope to spread positivity, inspire people to be what they want to be, and use my social impact initiative (Pursue the ARTS: Building Acceptance, Respect, Tolerance, and Safety) to make sure everyone can perform in the arts and contribute.”

Hunter, a senior at Poultney High School also said she’s excited to compete at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, which was recently announced to be taking place in Dallas, Texas in August.

“I’m really excited to meet everyone, throughout my year,” she said. “I feel like it’s probably going to sink in tomorrow, when I’m sitting at my desk at school, and I’ll just be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m Miss Vermont’s Outstanding Teen!’”

For more information, visit http://www.missvermont.org.