Festival Princess
Mia Volety, a junior from John T. Hoggard High School, was crowned the 2025 North Carolina Azalea Festival Princess during the 77th Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival Scholarship Pageant on Saturday, March 8th. The event was held at Kenan Auditorium on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Mia is the daughter of Aswani Volety and Ai Ning Loh. She and her court were selected from among 32 contestants representing 9 area high schools. The court members include the following: 1st Runner-Up from North Brunswick High School, Maya Shannon, 2nd Runner-Up, from Eugene Ashley High School, Lauren Womble, 3rd Runner-Up, from Cape Fear Academy, Claire Mearns, and 4th Runner-Up, from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Perry Kim.
At Hoggard, Mia is a Varsity Cheerleader, a part of the BETA Club and a member of the National Honor Society. Outside of school, she enjoys traveling, singing, gardening and cooking with her family. After graduation, she would like to study economics and public policy at UNC-Chapel Hill or Elon University and eventually attend law school.
This year, Junior girls from area high schools competed for the title based on a private interview with judges, evening gown competition and on-stage presentation. The Princess is the recipient of the Beverly Anne Jurgensen Scholarship Award, named after the beloved Past President of the NC Azalea Festival.
Mia Volety
Festival Princess and Court
Maya Shannon, North Brunswick High School | Lauren Womble, Eugene Ashley High School | Mia Volety, John T. Hoggard High School | Claire Mearns, Cape Fear Academy | Perry Kim, NC School of Science and Mathematics
About the Scholarship Pageant
Junior girls from area high schools compete for the title based on a private interview with judges, evening gown competition and on-stage presentation. Truist is the Title Sponsor of the North Carolina Azalea Festival Scholarship Pageant. The Princess is the recipient of the Beverly Anne Jurgensen Scholarship Award in the amount of $6,250, named after the beloved Past President of the Azalea Festival. The Festival Princess is sponsored in her reign by Camille’s of Wilmington, Official Stylist of our Royalty, and Dr. Sarah E. Pless, Renaissance Dental Studio.
