.png)
Ava Grace Nichols, Miss La Jolla Teen USA competing for Miss Ca Teen USA
- TVM
- Jul 5
- 4 min read
When Ava Grace Nichols walks across the Miss California Teen USA stage representing Miss La Jolla Teen USA, she brings far more than poise and confidence. She brings a heart dedicated to service, a passion for protecting the planet, and a belief that every opportunity can be used to make a meaningful difference.
At just 17 years old, Ava Grace has built an impressive résumé that reflects both excellence and compassion. Maintaining a remarkable 4.3 GPA, she balances academics with athletics, acting, modeling, music, and community leadership. As a competitive track and field sprinter, SAG-E actress and model, singer-songwriter, and leader in numerous philanthropic organizations, she has proven that success isn't about choosing one passion... it's about pursuing each one with purpose.
That purpose shines brightest through Re-Woven by Grace, the Girl Scout Gold Award project she founded to encourage sustainable fashion and environmental responsibility. While many teens see fashion as simply expressing personal style, Ava Grace hopes her generation will recognize its power to create positive change.
"Through the three R's: Re-Use, Re-Wear, and Re-Cycle. I encourage my generation to realize that sustainability doesn't begin in a store; it begins with the choices we make after we bring our clothes home," she explains. Her message is both simple and impactful. Americans discard more than 80 pounds of clothing each year, yet small everyday decisions...donating clothing, reimagining outfits already hanging in the closet, or recycling textiles can collectively create extraordinary results. Through workshops and clothing drives, Ava Grace has shown students that making environmentally conscious choices doesn't require perfection, just intention.
As a St. Jude Leadership Society Delegate, Ava Grace has raised more than $5,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital while educating hundreds of students about the hospital's lifesaving mission. Soon she'll travel to Memphis for the St. Jude Next Gen Leadership Summit, where she'll meet patients and families whose stories inspire hope every day. Her dedication is rooted in her own family's experience. After both her father and grandmother battled stage four cancer, Ava Grace found a way to combine compassion with sustainability by creating prayer cloths from recycled fabrics for local cancer infusion centers. She plans to donate more than 100 prayer cloths to St. Jude, transforming recycled materials into symbols of encouragement for families facing unimaginable challenges. "Leadership isn't measured by titles or recognition," Ava Grace says. "It's measured by the impact you leave on others." That philosophy carries into her pageant journey as well.
While some people mistakenly believe pageantry focuses only on beauty or competition, Ava Grace has discovered something entirely different. "Pageantry is about growth, leadership, and sisterhood," she shares.
For the past three years, she's proudly embraced sustainable fashion by re-wearing many of her pageant wardrobe pieces, proving creativity can be just as beautiful as buying something new. More importantly, she's found genuine friendships among fellow contestants who celebrate one another's successes rather than compete against them. "Someone else's success never takes away from my own," she says—a perspective that perfectly captures the supportive spirit of today's pageant community.
Ava's ultimate goal is earning an EGOT...winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony while using every platform she earns to inspire kindness, perseverance, and purpose. Whether she's performing on stage, acting on screen, writing music, or serving her community, she hopes every chapter of her future reflects the same servant leadership she practices today. Competing for Miss California Teen USA has already helped prepare her by strengthening her confidence, resilience, communication skills, and work ethic. "This journey has shown me that dreams aren't achieved overnight," she says. "They're built through dedication, perseverance, and believing in yourself."
Another organization especially close to Ava Grace's heart is The Princess Project San Diego, where she serves as a Teen Ambassador. From organizing dress drives that collected more than 300 prom dresses to rebuilding dressing rooms, volunteering in the boutique, promoting community events, and walking in sustainable fashion shows, she's helped countless young women experience the confidence that comes with finding the perfect dress. Her favorite role, however, is serving as a personal shopper.
Watching a teen see herself in the mirror and realize how beautiful she truly is has become one of Ava Grace's most rewarding experiences. "Confidence isn't something we give people," she says. "It's something we help them discover within themselves."
That single statement perfectly reflects who Ava Grace Nichols is. She is building a legacy woven together by compassion, sustainability, leadership, and hope. As Ava takes the stage at Miss California Teen USA 2026, she'll be representing far more than La Jolla. She'll be representing a generation that believes small acts of kindness, when multiplied by millions, truly can change the world.
Miss Teen Ca USA and Miss Ca USA's pageant greatness is brought to you by CROWN DIVA PRODUCTION.
For more than 25 years, Crown Diva Productions has produced California's premier pageants, creating exceptional experiences that inspire confidence, leadership, and personal growth in young women across the state. Under the leadership of Executive Director Kristen Bradford, the organization is built on decades of pageant expertise, mentorship, and a commitment to developing women who are prepared to lead with purpose both on and off the stage. At the heart of the Miss California USA and Miss California Teen USA program is the Wellness Experience, a signature initiative designed to nurture each contestant's mental, physical, and emotional well being. From the moment a contestant joins the program, their team is dedicated to providing an empowering, transformative journey that extends far beyond the competition.
Bold. Balanced. Beautiful.
For more information visit: www.misscaliforniausa.com
Comments