Meet Xanthi!

Our Miss New Hampshire Xanthi Russell is ready to shine on the Miss America stage! With a name meaning “Sunshine” her promise is to spread light, leadership and positivity as she serves the Granite State. Her Community Service Initiative, 4-H + 5 Pillars = The Leadership Equation is all about promoting 4-H and Miss America as valuable leadership programs as she dismantles the misconceptions that surround each brand. She champions the 4-Hs and 5 Pillars as her personal core values and brings her passion for leadership to each and every event she attends. 

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As a 4-H participant, Xanthi was (and still is) a renaissance woman, participating in activities ranging from Leadership to Civic Engagement, Fashion to Shooting Sports and practically everything in between. As a volunteer now, she is a Co-Advisor for the Strafford County Youth Leadership Team. She mentors Strafford County’s finest Teen participants in community service activities, leadership development and planning county events. This is a full circle leadership experience for her as she was part of the inaugural Strafford County Youth Leadership Team 10 years ago. She also works on the New Hampshire 4-H Communications Team. Her role in this capacity is mentoring 4-H participants across the state as they compete at the county, state and regional levels in communications platforms such as public speaking, fashion, video production, demonstrations and 4-H Action Exhibits. 

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For the last 7 years, Xanthi has competed in the Miss America Opportunity. In this time she competed as a Teen Candidate for one term and a Miss Candidate for 6. She has engaged in approximately 4,000 hours of community service through this program alone with a history for serving others spanning long before her time with us. In her fifth attempt to capture the title of Miss New Hampshire this year, she walked away with the LAVO Inner Beauty Award, D&M Demers Sanctioned Community Service Award, Preliminary Evening Gown, Overall Evening Gown and Overall Interview awards in addition to securing the crown and being named Miss New Hampshire 2025. This victory brings her scholarships earned through the Miss America Scholarship Program to approximately $61,000 in total! She will use these funds to continue her pursuits toward becoming an Attorney with a specialty in Real Estate and Contracts Law. She graduates from the New Hampshire Technical Institute only 2 weeks after her crowning with a degree in Paralegal Studies. A true hometown girl, she is honored to represent New Hampshire with pride as she embarks on her year of service which will include the opportunity to compete at the Miss America competition this year!