The faces of the Miss Audrain Scholarship Organization have been familiar these past two years. 

On Saturday night, a new queen was crowned — Sasha Benn, Miss Audrain 2027. She was awarded a $1,000 scholarship and will represent Audrain County next summer in the 2027 Miss Missouri Scholarship Organization competition.

Benn is the daughter of Lamont and Diana Benn. She is a Lake St. Louis native and senior at Liberty High School. 

At 18 years old, Benn had the option to compete as either a Miss or Miss Teen delegate. Rather than play it safe in the teen competition, she chose to go all in for her first year on stage — and it paid off. 

“My mom led me to the decision,” Benn said. “She told me to go for it, so I did.” 

Benn said she loved watching pageants and dressing up, so competing in a local pageant seemed like a good fit for her.

Benn competed against former Miss Texas County 2026 Emily Laskowski and Zoe Henderson. In previous years, the Miss Audrain Scholarship Organization has awarded two titles, Miss Audrain and Miss Brick City, but this year, a lack of competitors led to the removal of Miss Brick City.

Alice Leonatti, executive director of the Miss Missouri pageant, said she didn’t have a reason for the low turnout as it varies among pageants year to year. 

The organization was, however, able to crown two teens this year. Miss Audrain’s Teen and Miss Brick City’s Teen will look very familiar this year as the 2026 teen titleholders Autumn Daras and Nicole Knop have swapped titles. 

Knop, Miss Audrain’s Teen 2027, is the daughter of Stacy and Brian Knop. She is from St. Charles and a student at Francis Howell North High School. Daras, Miss Brick City’s Teen 2027, is the daughter of Shawna and JD Daras. She hails from Kirkwood and is a student at Kirkwood High School. 

Both young women have made a point to expand their community service initiatives this year.

Knop’s community service initiative, Meals Make Memories, started when she volunteered at Ronald McDonald Houses through the Meals From the Heart program where she would make meals for house guests. After learning more about the opportunities within the organization, such as the Tabs collection, Knop said her service has really expanded. She has donated over 10,000 soda can pull-tabs to the fundraiser.

Daras has also expanded her community service initiative, initially called, A.C.T. - Against Cyberbullying together, to focus more on mental health awareness and spreading positivity. Daras now calls her initiative Rays of Grace.

“I’ve just recently, this past month, started an online series called Brighter Conversations,” Daras said. “My biggest message is really just to show that it’s not a weakness to share your feelings — it’s a sign that you’re human.”

Unlike Knop and Daras, Benn and her community service initiative are new to the organization. Through New Beginnings for Refugees, Benn hopes to start charity drives to support refugees and plans to start locally establishing drives at local schools.

“I really think that they need that type of support — things like clothes, food (and) housing,” Benn said. “Most of all, they need that moral support.

While she may only have a year with the Miss Audrain crown, Benn said her mission will continue regardless if she’s a titleholder or not.

Benn believes her confidence and love for being involved in the pageant won her the title this year.

“I wasn’t here just to take a crown — I was definitely here to make some friends, meet the people and make it a really great experience for myself,” she said. “I’m just really grateful for the opportunity.”