Project Girl Code Founder, AP Honors Student, Model UN member, and a State Champion Baton Twirler, Zoe Little of Huntington, recently added Miss West Virginia’s Teen 2026 to her list of accomplishments. First up on her agenda is ending relational bullying and instead instilling confidence in young girls through her Project Girl Code initiative. Next stop is representing the Mountain State in the Miss America’s Teen Competition!

Relational bullying is defined as purposeful exclusion, gossip, and shifting friendships, and when Zoe experienced it, it left her confused and hurt. At the same time, she competed in her first local with the Miss America Opportunity, where she met confident, kind, and supportive young women. She saw firsthand what healthy, encouraging friendships could and should look like. This life-changing experience led her to start Project Girl Code.

Project Girl Code helps young girls build confidence and encourages them to talk openly, helping them build healthy relationships. The program focuses on self-assuredness, leadership, kindness, and inclusion. It values compassion over competition and reminds us that having even one true friend matters.

“From conversation starters on how to meet new friends to real-life scenarios like what to do if you are being bullied, Project Girl Code helps girls recognize harmful relationship behavior, handle such behavior, and see examples of how to be a true friend.” — Tiffany Pittman, Marshall University School of Medicine, WV School Mental Health Newsletter

Project Girl Code equips West Virginia girls not only to be role models, but also to be culture changers. More than an anti-bullying campaign, Project Girl Code is a cultural movement toward normalizing healthy friendships.

A junior at Cabell Midland High School, Zoe plans to end a 5-generation Auburn University tradition by attending its rival, the University of Alabama. Her ambition to become an attorney was inspired by her time in a Model UN class at her school, where she learned the value of teamwork and developed an appreciation for international studies.