Ashley Edwards
Miss Long Island 2017
Being crowned Miss Long Island 2017 is a great honor for Ashley, who has been competing in pageantry since she was 11 years old. Raised on Long Island, she is excited to give back to the place she credits to making her the woman she is today.
After her aunt was diagnosed with Stage 4 uterine cancer, Ashley became determined to spread awareness about cancers that afflict women, educating herself and others on preventive measures and treatment options. She plans to dedicate her year to raising funds for cancer research and volunteering with those affected by cancer.
Ashley is a news editor at Mic, and previously worked at the New York Daily News and PIX11 News after graduating summa cum laude from St. John's University in 2012. She loves living a healthy lifestyle through fitness and cooking and is a huge animal lover. She lives by the quote "the sky's the limit" and hopes to bring home Long Island's first Miss New York USA crown in January at the state competition.
Taylor Yaeger
Miss Long Island Teen 2017
Taylor is humbled and honored to be chosen as Miss Long Island Teen 2017. She is looking forward to being a role model for teens across Long Island, and can't wait to continue the Long Island legacy through community involvement and any other opportunity she is afforded with.
Taylor is a graduate of Half Hollow Hills East High School where she was a high honor roll student since freshman year, captain of the kick line team, a trained dancer in all genres of dance and an active member in her school and community. Through volunteering she found her inspiration behind her platform of raising awareness for those who suffer from autism. One of Taylor's favorite experiences was performing a dance routine for autistic children and looks forward to many more opportunities where she can spend her time with autistic children and promote her platform.
In addition to Taylor's humanitarian efforts, Taylor has modeled in New York Fashion Week and will be modeling for Rubies Costume Company. She will be attending college this fall where she will be studying biology to fulfill her dream of becoming an orthodontist. In her free time, Taylor loves attending concerts, going to the beach, and, of course, shopping.