As Miss Orange, Elizabeth Raburn attends a wide variety of events and enjoys getting to know local business owners and others in the community, with her favorite part being meeting with kids.
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Elizabeth Raburn / Miss City of Orange
Reigning Miss City of Orange, Elizabeth Raburn, was born and raised in Orange, attending Orange Unified School District schools, where her mother taught. Currently, she is a senior at Cal Poly Pomona, majoring in general physics with a minor in astrophysics, and is also president of the university’s official dance team.
“Every day at school I’m a nerdy physics gal writing equations,” she says. “A lot of my classmates don’t know I’m also a dancer and do these community events.”
Raburn’s passion for STEM began early. “I fell in love with astronomy in 8th grade and knew I wanted to be an astrophysicist,” she says.
Raburn’s journey into pageantry was unplanned but fortuitous. Inspired by the poised and confident appearances of Miss City of Orange at events, she decided to compete on a whim, leveraging her talent in tap dancing. With the guidance of pageant Executive Director Connie Benson, she participated twice in the pageant, placing as first runner up in 2023 and winning the title in 2024.
“Elizabeth was phenomenal,” says Rebecca Martinez, a board member at both the Chamber of Commerce and Women’s Club, and also a pageant judge in 2024. “Her personality and the way she owned that stage—she just beamed this positive women success image.”
As Miss City of Orange, Raburn dedicated her platform to promoting science education in elementary schools. She visits schools, including her alma mater El Modena High School, where she speaks to classes about her journey and passion for science, in addition to actively engaging with the community by attending events, supporting local businesses and participating in charity galas.
“I’ve met her parents. They should be proud of the daughter they raised,” says Martinez, who was principal of El Modena High School when Raburn was a freshman.
“In being Miss Orange, you get out of it what you put into it,” says Raburn. “I want to be someone people can look up to. My mom, who was a teacher, always said it’s not just about teaching, it’s about inspiring. If I can inspire one person, then it has all been worth it.”
One of her most cherished aspects of her role is interacting with children. Raburn recalls moving moments when young girls have told her they see themselves in her.
Martinez hopes to see more people “supporting this wonderful opportunity for women and scholarships.”
Raburn’s favorite thing about Orange? “The people,” she says. “The city has a familial feel I haven’t found anywhere else. I always feel welcome.”
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