(Seguin) — Guadalupe County has named a new Distinguished Young Woman. Winning the 2025-2026 title over the weekend was Eleanor Crettenden, a junior at Seguin High School. The scholarship program was held Sunday at the Stephen and Mary Birch Texas Theatre. The program, better known in this area as Junior Miss, is designed for well-rounded high school juniors who compete for various scholarship opportunities.
Crettenden, the daughter of Leigh and Denise Crettenden, not only walked away with this year’s title but also claimed the majority of the awards available throughout the competition. Those awards include Talent, Self Expression and Scholastic.
Crettenden says she remains humbled by the opportunity to represent all residents and to be “a voice for all girls.”
“I’m excited for this next year of representing Guadalupe County and ready to give it my all,” said Crettenden.
Crettenden says she has always admired the program. She is especially grateful to have been a part of this ongoing tradition — a tradition that earned her more than just scholarship money.
“I have been going and watching the program since I was little before I could walk so I always knew that I wanted to do the program and then getting to be a junior and finally being in the program, I think the best part was reconnecting with some friends that I hadn’t seen or talked to in a while and bonding with them and kind of rekindling the friendships that kind of dwindled away just as we got busier and older and reconnecting with some old friends,” said Crettenden.
Crettenden, who earned $2,000 in scholarships, competed alongside 14 other area high school juniors. This year’s batch of girls is said to have been the largest in recent years.
Others representing the program include First Runner-Up Chloe Ray. Ray also earned this year’s Spirit Award named in memory of Steve Tschoepe, one of the program’s longtime coordinators who died last year.
Also receiving honors were Second Runner-Up Courtlynn Ward and Third Runner-Up Holly Denby.
Rounding out this year’s list of award recipients was Emirrah Harris who won the Fitness Award.
This year marked a milestone anniversary for the Junior Miss/Distinguished Young Women Program. Crettenden says it was an honor to not only have won the contest but looks forward to now being a part of its longstanding history.
“I really had a fun time with the program and I want to thank Toni Winters for just being there for all of us and supporting the program. It’s been 60 years that it’s been here. We are the only local program in the state so I’m super glad that we still have it,” said Crettenden.
Crettenden now advances to the state competition.