Emma Groninger, Norfolk native and 2015 graduate of Norfolk High School, will compete at the 2019 Miss Nebraska competition, the official preliminary to the historic Miss America event.

Groninger, a recent graduate of the University of South Dakota with a degree in Business Management, was named Miss Twin Rivers 2019 in February. The 22-year old has since traveled parts of Nebraska and South Dakota promoting confidence and empowerment in young women through her social impact initiative ‘Beautifully You.’

“Becoming a part of the Miss Nebraska Organization has been truly amazing,” said Groninger. “Every person I’ve met has been so kind. Everyone wants each other to succeed. It’s very refreshing to meet women who want to build each other up instead of tearing them down. Through the Miss Nebraska Organization, I’ve been able to speak with various people across the state and country about what beauty means to them. I want to use my social impact initiative to help women and men to realize they true potential and to encourage them to be the most authentic version of themselves.”

Emma hopes to become the third Miss Nebraska from Norfolk; Mindee Zimmerman was crowned Miss Nebraska 1987, as was Miss Nebraska 1980 Paula Louise Mitchell, who won at Non-Finalist Talent Award at the 1981 Miss America competition.

“I would be honored to be among two very amazing women who represented Norfolk and Nebraska,” said Groninger. “Norfolk has been an amazing town to grow up in. This town has given me everything and now it’s my time to give back. At Miss Nebraska, I want to show everyone how kind and inspiring Norfolk natives can be.”

The Miss Nebraska Scholarship competition will be held June 2-8 in North Platte, Nebraska, where candidates are eligible for more than $70,000 in prize packages and an estimated $1.4 million in in-kind college scholarships. Tickets are available for the event, which will also be streamed live online, at http://www.MissNebraska.org.