Cassandra Valdez smiles for the camera after she was crowned Miss Merced County 2025 last Saturday.
Miss Merced County Cassandra Valdez reads to TK students at John Muir Elementary School during a class earlier this week.
Delilah Sichmeller, the new Miss Merced County Teen.
Young ladies in the Little Miss Program took part in a noncompetitive event during the Miss Merced County program.
Cassandra Valdez — a 25-year-old Merced native with a passion for agriculture — has been crowned Miss Merced County 2025.
Valdez took the top honor at the 49th annual Miss Merced County Scholarship Program that was held Jan. 11 at Buhach Colony High School in Atwater.
“I am beyond honored to represent this amazing community that has shaped me in so many ways,” Valdez wrote on her Facebook page after the event. “With my platform, ‘From Soil to Society,’ I aim to advocate for agricultural education, highlight the incredible farmers and producers of our region, and bring awareness to the vital role agriculture plays in our daily lives.
“This journey is about more than a crown,” she continued, “it’s about serving others, inspiring the next generation, and building a bridge of understanding between agriculture and society. I am ready to make a difference, and can’t wait to share this exciting year with all of you.”
Valdez was crowed by Bianca Trindade, who served as Miss Merced County for 2024. “I am filled with so much gratitude and appreciation for this incredible journey,” Trindade said. “Serving as your titleholder has been one of the greatest honors of my life. From representing our beautiful community at local events to advocating for causes close to my heart, every moment has been a reminder of the power of connection, service, and hard work.”
If you have heard the name Cassandra Valdez in the news before, it might be because she won the same crown back in 2018 when she was a senior at Merced High School. Unfortunately, she had to immediately step down from her role due to family obligations; however, she remained eligible for the Miss Merced County program.
Valdez is currently an Agricultural Communications student at Fresno State, where she is engaged in studying the intersection of agriculture and communication. She is also the founder of “From Soil to Society,” a community service initiative aimed at bridging the gap between farmers and consumers through educational outreach and effective communication. This initiative highlights her commitment to enhancing public understanding of agriculture.
Beyond her work in agriculture, Valdez is a trained Youth Leadership Development Facilitator. Her dedication to fostering youth development has taken her across the country, where she helps young people build skills and reach their full potential.
Fluent in Spanish and actively learning Portuguese, she is also committed to breaking down language barriers and connecting with diverse communities.
In her first week wearing the crown, Valdez has already visited a local classroom at John Muir Elementary to read to a group of TK students.
Said Valdez: “We explored the fascinating journey of milk — from the farm to our fridges — and even tackled the big question: ‘Does chocolate milk come from brown cows?’
“Teaching them about pasteurization and the hard work behind milk production was so much fun. Seeing their excitement and curiosity reminded me why I’m so passionate about agricultural education.”
Five crowns in all
There were a total of five competitors participating in the Miss Merced County competition, including Valdez, Mckenzie Cousins, Mellani Baxter, Sophia Lomeli and Mackenzie Saephan. There were also several young women vying for the titles of Miss Sierra Nevada, Miss Yosemite Valley, Miss Merced County Teen and Miss Yosemite Valley Teen. The newly crowned title holders for 2025 include:
- Miss Merced County’s Teen — Delilah Sichmeller
- Miss Yosemite Valley’s Teen — Aly Faria
- Miss Sierra Nevada — Katie Ann Horger
- Miss Yosemite Valley — Jillian Rogers
Delilah Sichmeller had this to say about her new role as Miss Merced County Teen: “I will be raising funds for the American Heart Association and the Miss America Scholarship Opportunity. The AHA’s ‘Go Red for Women’ has joined forces with Miss America’s Scholarship Foundation to raise both research dollars and tuition scholarships, ensuring a healthier, smarter future for women in America.”
The Miss Merced County competition operates under the Miss America Organization and the five women crowned at the event will travel to Visalia in June and compete for the title of Miss California and Miss California’s Teen 2025.
Girls between the ages of 13 and 18 can compete for Miss Merced County’s Teen, 18 and 28 for Miss Merced County and they must be Merced, Mariposa, Madera or Stanislaus County residents, attend school or work in Merced County.
The competition includes an interview with a panel of selectors, an on-stage talent, on-stage question, health and fitness and red carpet/evening wear.
The winners earn scholarships ranging from $200 to $500 to further their academic career. In addition to the scholarships, one local candidate receives the Friendship Award which is voted on by the candidates. This candidate receives a $150 cash award which has been donated by the Olivarez-Kidwell family. This year, the Friendship Award went to Cassandra Valdez.
There is also a scholarship awarded to the local candidate with the highest interview score. Linda Dash generously donated $200 toward this scholarship, which was awarded to Mackenzie Saephanh.
Little Miss Program
Something new in this year’s Miss Merced County event was a spotlight on the “Little Miss Program,” a non-competitive program designed to introduce girls ages 6 to 12 to the Miss America organization.
Thanks to local coordinator, Mindy Crooks, eight local girls took the stage during the Miss Merced County competition, as well as participate recently in the Atwater Christmas Parade and other community events. The group will spend the next year learning what it takes to be a titleholder, including the areas of “style, service, scholarship, success and sisterhood.”
The young ladies include: Sunny Corbett, Teagan Crooks, Blake De Santis, Emory Hansen, Laila Ingram, Brooklynn Keeler, Ahlina Martinez, and Sarah Villanueva.