Jefferson Elementary School

WARSAW, IN - On October 7, Jefferson Elementary welcomed back Diana-Melissa Ngoumape, a 2014 student and newly crowned Miss Africa USA 2025.

At age 12, Diana-Melissa moved to Warsaw from the Central African Republic after fleeing war in her home country. She entered Jefferson Elementary as a sixth grader knowing no English. With the support of her teacher Angela Luecke, principal David Robertson and many other staff members, she quickly began to learn and thrive.

“They invested in me, and I just want to say thank you,” said Diana-Melissa. “I wanted to come back to Jefferson and give back. Warsaw really set the stage for who I am today.”

During her visit, Diana-Melissa read to students in classrooms and spoke to the entire student body in the gym. She shared her story and encouraged students to lead with kindness, gratitude, and hope (the same values that shape her Miss Africa USA platform focused on education and kindness).

Jefferson Principal Josh Wall shared, “We were so honored to welcome Miss Africa Diana-Melissa Ngoumape back home to Jefferson. Her message of kindness, empathy, and compassion aligns perfectly with the values we strive to instill in our students each day.”

Diane-Melissa shared that her visit to Jefferson was an important opportunity to thank those who supported her and to encourage students to keep learning, growing, and believing in themselves.

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Photo Provided: Miss Africa Diana-Melissa Ngoumape speaking with Jefferson students