Natalia Yurecko, Miss Minnesota’s Teen, placed third runner up to the national title following three nights of competition at The Kravis Center for Performing Arts and the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Yurecko is the recipient of a $5,000 educational scholarship.
“Making the top five in Miss America’s Teen is an incredible honor,” said Yurecko. The competition featured 52 delegates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
A native of Chanhassen, Minnesota, Yurecko is a 17-year-old senior at Minnetonka High School, where she is an AP Scholar with Distinction and a member of the National Honor Society. After graduating, she plans to earn a political science degree, attend law school and pursue a career in environmental law and policy.
For the talent portion of the competition, Yurecko played “Bumble Boogie” on the piano.
Her community service initiative, which she will continue to promote during her year of service as Miss Minnesota’s Teen, is OCD: Transforming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Into Obtaining Confidence Daily. Using her own experience living with OCD, she works to empower young people, families and educators with accurate information and practical tools to recognize OCD early and respond with empathy rather than fear.
“The Miss America Organization provides a powerful platform to elevate conversations that are often hidden,” said Yurecko. “By using my voice to advocate for mental health education and compassionate policy, my purpose is to ensure that no child feels alone, misunderstood or invisible because of OCD and anxiety.”
Yurecko is the third Miss Minnesota’s Teen to place in Miss America’s Teen since the competition began in 2005.
