Eleven-year-old Lia Barraza Sloan of Galesburg was crowned Junior Miss Illinois 2025 on Sunday during the Miss Illinois Youth Program Pageant in Muscatine, Iowa.
The daughter of Leno and Sabrina Barraza, Sloan impressed judges with her vocal performance of “Beyond” from Moana 2 and her advocacy for her Community Service Initiative, “Hands and Hooves Working Together,” raising over $3,000 for Rainbow Riders Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center in Monmouth to fund an indoor arena.
The pageant, which awarded over $10,000 in scholarships to participants aged 6-13, prepares contestants for future competitions like Miss Illinois.
During her reign, Sloan plans to continue promoting therapeutic horseback riding and serving her community across Illinois.
