Wirth sweeps title, talent and Miss Congeniality

By Robert Williams

Editor

Neveah Wirth was crowned as the 2024 Miss Frazee Outstanding Teen during Turkey Days and won the crown by exhibiting her natural talents.

Competing in her first pageant ever, the 14-year-old, incoming freshman at Frazee-Vergas High School took home two essay scholarships and with the crown was a three-event winner.

Besides being Miss Frazee Teen, Wirth was also named Miss Congeniality and was the winner of the talent competition.

“I was nervous for the pageant, but it went by really quick,” Wirth said. “The girls are all really helpful and nice. They made it really easy.”

The talent win was a special one as Wirth had just recently completed her first year of competitive dance working with both the Fly Girls at the high school and Just for Kix in Detroit Lakes.

“I like my team; I think that’s the most fun part of it,” said Wirth. “I loved the talent part of the pageant because I like dancing.”

Given the popularity of dance in Frazee, the talent portion of the Miss Frazee Teen pageant was loaded with competition. Four of the five contestants chose dance as their talent.

There will be four Miss Frazee Teens in the high school this year as the past three winners are still in school 2023’s Sophia Strand, 2022’s Katie Courneya and 2021’s and current Miss Moorhead Teen Annalynn Wallin.

Strand was one of the convincing factors to encourage Wirth to run for the title this year.

“I was convinced by Sophia; she texted me and my friend was doing it too, so we both decided to do it,” she said. “I had been thinking about it before she texted me, the year before, but once she did I thought it would be fun to get out of my comfort zone.”

Competing in a group of five for the title and getting the crown in her first attempt was somewhat of an eye-opener for Neveah.

“That was very surprising because I had no pageant experience,” she said. “At first, it was really fun and then reality set in and it got really busy.”

Unbeknownst to the winners, Saturday night typically turns into a full-day affair as the newly-crowned Miss Frazees make 10 stops on the final day of Turkey Days.

“That Sunday after…got really busy,” Wirth said. 

Her partner for the next year will be Miss Frazee 2024 Madison Olson.  

“I didn’t know her that well, but she’s really nice,” said Wirth. “I’m glad I’m with her.”

The two have something in common right off the bat. It was a phone call from outgoing Miss Frazee Teen Sophia Strand that convinced Olson to run for Miss Frazee, as well.

The crowned duo have complementary platforms as well. Olson is concentrating on working with the community with her platform “Disconnect to Connect – Building a Community beyond screen.” Wirth’s platform was “Leading a better, balanced life,” which is self-explanatory.

“Learning to balance everything in your life,” she said.

Some of that balance comes naturally as Wirth comes from a large family. Neveah is one of six children in her home and the middle child behind two older sisters, and ahead of two younger brothers and a newborn sister.

“It’s a lot, but it’s fun and I’m never bored,” she said.

Wirth is on the student council, a member of the Interact Club and a three-sport athlete at Frazee-Vergas High School. She competes in volleyball, dance and track and field, with volleyball being her favorite sport. 

“I’m really looking forward to volleyball,” she said.

Wirth and Olson are currently working on their schedule. Right now, they are operating about two weeks out with multiple stops at pageants and parades around the area.

“We’re doing Looney Days, the Wolf Lake Pageant and Parade and the Richville parade,” Wirth said.

Looney Days included the duo hosting the Little Miss and Mr. Vergas pageant at noon Saturday and riding in the parade Sunday afternoon.