Heather Renner was crowned the 72nd Miss Nevada by the Miss Nevada Scholarship Association on Friday in Reno.
The 22-year-old Reno native, who was previously crowned Miss Nevada’s Outstanding Teen in 2016, said in a news release that becoming Miss Nevada has been a lifelong dream with her family being involved in the scholarship organization for 50 years. She has won more than $24,000 in scholarships throughout her time in the Miss America Organization.
Renner hopes to revolutionize the perception of Miss Nevada and make it more inclusive, and she said that her win will usher in women who have been historically underrepresented on the Miss America stage.
“I am a student, performer, LGBTQ woman, mental health advocate, and lover of life,” Renner said in a news release. “Miss America is for every woman who seeks to embrace her most extraordinary self, and I am so thankful to have found that version of myself through the Miss Nevada Scholarship Organization.”
Renner will spend the next year promoting her Social Impact Initiative, Performing for a Purpose, and will compete at the Miss America Competition in Connecticut this year.
Megan Dwyer, 16, was crowned the 17th Miss Nevada Outstanding Teen. Dwyer, who lives in Elko, has raised over $80,000 for several nonprofit organizations.
“I hope to inspire more young women to participate in service, while promoting the Miss Nevada Organization’s scholarship, networking, and life skills opportunities,” Dwyer said in a news release.
Contact Taylor Lane at tlane@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tmflane on Twitter.