Become a Candidate
Become a candidate
Each year, thousands of young women participate at the local, state and national levels, culminating in the selection of 51 national finalists who compete for the title of Miss America. One of them could be you!
To become Miss America, a contestant must first enter and win a local competition, and then compete to represent her state—a process requiring hard work, talent and personal commitment. As a state titleholder, a contestant may only compete once at the national Miss America Competition.
Why enter? Because you can…
- Gain valuable experience and develop life skills (e.g. interview skills, public speaking, interpersonal communication, social interaction, etc.)
- Earn quality scholarship funds for college and graduate school, regardless of whether a title is won
- Find new interests and discover new opportunities
- Make lifelong friendships and relationships
- Learn to set goals, follow them through and exceed your expectations
- Develop a sense of responsibility for helping others
- Foster a positive, self-motivated mindset to achieve your goals
- Receive recognition for your efforts in bettering yourself and your community
Where to start
To become a contestant, you must:
- Be between the ages of 17 and 25
- Be a United States citizen
- Meet residency requirements for competing in a certain city or state
- Meet character criteria as set forth by the Miss America Organization
- Be in reasonably good health to meet the job requirements
- Be able to meet the time commitment and job responsibilities as set forth by the local, state and national competition(s) in which you compete
For more information on becoming a contestant, contact your state organization. Get started today!
State Contact Information
Miss Alabama Pageant, Inc.
E-mail Address: nanjten@aol.com
E-mail Contact: Nan Teninbaum
Web Site: http://www.missalabama.com
Executive Director: Nan Tenimbaum
State Competition
City: Birmingham
Location: Samford University Wright Center
Date: 6/8/2019
Miss Alaska Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
E-mail Address: missalaskapageant@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Bonnie Faulk
Web Site: http://www.missalaskapageant.com
Executive Director: Margo Bliss
State Competition
City: Anchorage
Location: University of Alaska
Date: 5/31/2019
Miss Arizona Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
E-mail Address: info@missarizona.org
E-mail Contact: Stacey Kole
Web Site: http://www.missarizona.org
Executive Director: Stacey Kole
Miss Arkansas Scholarship Pageant, Inc.
E-mail Address: info@missarkansas.org
E-mail Contact: Kelly Bales
Web Site: http://www.missarkansas.org
Executive Director: Kelly Bales
Miss California Scholarship Organization
E-mail Address: info@misscalifornia.org
E-mail Contact: Lt Col Patricia Murray
Web Site: http://www.misscalifornia.org
Executive Director: Lt Col Patricia Murray
Miss Colorado Organization
E-mail Address: mette@misscolorado.com & mark@misscolorado.com
E-mail Contact: Mette Castor & Mark Hinson
Web Site: www.misscolorado.com
Executive Director: Mette Castor & Mark Hinson
Miss Connecticut Scholarship Organization
E-mail Address: nakiyatroth@yahoo.com
E-mail Contact: Nakiya Troth
Web Site: http://www.missctamerica.org
Executive Director: Nakiya Troth
Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization
E-mail Address: traceyeng1963@gmail.com and gwleejr@aol.com
E-mail Contact: Tracey Eng & George Lee
Web Site: http://www.missde.org
Executive Directors: George Lee & Tracey Eng
Miss District of Columbia Scholarship Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: MissDCAmerica@aol.com
E-mail Contact: Tricia Morrin Lloyd
Web Site: http://missdc.org
Executive Director: Tricia Morrin Lloyd
Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant, Inc.
E-mail Address: jkeithwilliams.2010@
E-mail Contact: Keith Williams
Web Site: http://www.missflorida.org
Executive Director: Keith Williams
Miss Georgia Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: tammytspires@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Tammy Spires
Web Site: www.missgeorgia.net
State Executive Director: Tammy Spires
Miss Hawaii Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: info@misshawaii.org
E-mail Contact: Ryan Brown
Web Site: http://www.misshawaii.org
Executive Director: Ryan Brown
Miss Idaho Scholarship Program, Inc.
E-mail Address: missidahoboard@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Christi van Ravenhorst
Web Site: http://www.missidaho.org
Executive Director: Christi van Ravenhorst
Miss Illinois Scholarship Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: exec.dir@missillinois.org
E-mail Contact: Ashley Hatfield
Web Site: http://www.missillinois.org
Executive Director: Ashley Hatfield
Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant, Inc.
E-mail Address: missin@missindianapageant.com
E-mail Contact: Aren Straiger
Web Site: http://www.missindianapageant.com
Executive Director: Aren Straiger
Miss Iowa Scholarship Management Corporation
E-mail Address: executivedirector@missiowa.com
E-mail Contact: Leslie Moore
Web Site: http://www.missiowa.com
Executive Director: Leslie Moore
Miss Kansas Pageant, Inc.
E-mail Address: dbrehm1@cox.net or lisam@prattcc.edu
E-mail Contact: Doug Brehm and Lisa Perez Miller
Web Site: http://www.misskansas.org
Executive Director: Doug Brehm and Lisa Perez Miller
Miss Kentucky Scholarship Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: misskentuckypageant@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Ashley Anderson
Web Site: http://www.misskentuckypageant.com
Executive Director: Ashley Anderson
Miss Louisiana Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: dewanalittle@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Dewana Little
Web Site: http://www.misslouisiana.com
Executive Director: Dewana Little
Miss Maine Scholarship Program, Inc.
E-mail Address: westhames1@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Wes Thames
Web Site: http://www.missmaine.org
Executive Director: Wes Thames
Miss Maryland Scholarship Organization
E-mail Address: srush@allconet.org
E-mail Contact: Sherry Rush
Web Site: http://missmd.org/
Executive Director: Sherry Rush
Miss Massachusetts Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
E-mail Address: dancgym@aol.com
E-mail Contact: Dolores “Buffy” Rabuffo
Web Site: http://www.missmass.org
Executive Director: Dolores “Buffy” Rabuffo
Miss Michigan Scholarship Pageant, Inc.
E-mail Address: mmdirector@missmichigan.org
E-mail Contact: Shari Graham
Web Site: http://www.missmichigan.org
Executive Director: Paula DeWall
Miss Minnesota Scholarship Program
E-mail Address: kathyshellum@missminnesota.org
E-mail Contact: Kathy Shellum
Web Site: http://www.missminnesota.org
Executive Director: Kathy Shellum
Miss Mississippi Corporation
E-mail Address: missmisspageant@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Miss Mississippi Corporation
Web Site: https://missmississippipageant.com/
Executive Director: W. David Blackledge
Miss Missouri Scholarship Pageant, Inc.
E-mail Address: office@missmissouri.org
E-mail Contact: Anne Williams
Web Site: http://www.missmissouri.org
Executive Director: Anne Williams
Miss Montana Scholarship Program
E-mail Address: holdenmissmt@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Jan Holden
Web Site: http://www.missmontana.com
Executive Director: Jan Holden
Miss Nebraska Scholarship Program, Inc.
Email: info@missnebraska.org
Email Contact: Megan Doughty and Chris Tooley
Web Site: www.missnebraska.org
Co-Executive Directors: Megan Doughty and Chris Tooley
Miss Nevada Scholarship Program
E-mail Address: elizabeth@missnevada.org
E-mail Contact: Elizabeth Hunterton
Web Site: http://www.missnevada.org
Executive Director: Elizabeth Hunterton and Jennifer Lier
Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program, Inc.
E-mail Address: co-ed@missnh.org
E-mail Contact: Bill Haggerty
Web Site: http://www.missnh.org
Co-Executive Directors: Bill Haggerty, Claudette Jolin & Lynne Ulaky
Miss New Jersey Education Foundation
E-mail Address: david@holtzmangallery.com
E-mail Contact: David Holtzman
Web Site: http://www.missnewjersey.net
Executive Director: David Holtzman
Miss New Mexico Scholarship Program
E-mail Address: missnewmexico@yahoo.com
E-mail Contact: Rhonda Haynes
Web Site: http://www.missnewmexico.org
Executive Director: Rhonda Haynes
Miss New York Organization
E-mail Address: info@missamerica.org
E-mail Contact: State License Available
Web Site: State License Available
Executive Director: State License Available
Miss North Carolina Pageant Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: bethknox@missnc.org
E-mail Contact: Beth Knox
Web Site: http://www.missnc.org
Executive Director: Beth Knox
Miss North Dakota Scholarship Organization
E-mail Address: Kathrynkkj@hotmail.com
E-mail Contact: Kathy Jones
Web Site: http://www.missnorthdakota.org/
Executive Director: Kathy Jones
Miss Ohio Scholarship Program, Inc.
E-mail Address: ed@missohio.org
E-mail Contact: Steven Oliveri
Web Site: http://www.missohio.org
Executive Director: Steven Oliveri
Miss Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant, Inc.
E-mail Address: mop8908@aol.com
E-mail Contact: Kay Alexander
Web Site: http://www.missoklahoma.org
Executive Director: Kay Alexander
Miss Oregon Scholarship Program, Inc.
E-mail Address: directors@missoregon.org
E-mail Contact: Teri Leeper Taylor
Web Site: http://www.missoregon.org
Executive Director: Teri Leeper Taylor
Miss PA Scholarship Foundation Inc.
E-mail Address: debbiebutcher@yorklinks.net
E-mail Contact: Debbie Butcher
Web Site: Pending
Executive Director: Debbie Butcher
Miss Rhode Island Scholarship Program, Inc.
E-mail Address: debidiorio@gmail.com
E-mail Contact: Debi D’Iorio
Web Site: http://www.missri.org
Executive Director: Debi D’Iorio
Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: info@miss-sc.org
E-mail Contact: Erin Gambrell and Chaz Ellis
Web Site: http://www.miss-sc.org
Executive Directors: Erin Gambrell and Chaz Ellis
Miss South Dakota Scholarship Foundation
E-mail Address: september.kirby@misssd.org
E-mail Contact: September Kirby
Web Site: http://www.misssd.org
Executive Director: September Kirby & Carol Nesbitt
Miss Tennessee Scholarship Competition, Inc.
E-mail Address: contact@MissTennessee.
E-mail Contact: Katherine Tosh
Web Site: www.MissTennessee.org
Executive Director: Katherine Tosh
Miss Texas Organization
E-mail Address: info@misstexas.org
E-mail Contact: Jan Mitchell
Web Site: http://www.misstexas.org
Executive Director: Jan Mitchell
Miss Utah Scholarship Organization
E-mail Address: utahscholarshipfoundation@
E-mail Contact: Carly Condie
Web Site: http://www.missutahpageant.org
Executive Director: Carly Condie
Miss Vermont Scholarship Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: executivedirector@
E-mail Contact: Barbara Wilkinson
Web Site: http://www.missvermont.org
Executive Director: Barbara Wilkinson
Miss Virginia Organization, Inc.
E-mail Address: harlengudger@jetbroadband.com or mcgravely@missva.org
E-mail Contact: Harlen Gudger and MC Gravely
Web Site: http://www.missva.com
Executive Director: Harlen Gudger and MC Gravely
Miss Washington Scholarship Organization
E-mail Address: peggy@misswashington.org
E-mail Contact: Peggy Miller
Web Site: http://www.misswashington.org
Executive Director: Peggy Miller
Miss West Virginia Organization
E-mail Address: shelleynicholsfranklin@gmail.
E-mail Contact: Shelley Nichols Franklin
Web Site: Pending
Executive Director: Shelley Nichols Franklin
Miss Wisconsin Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
E-mail Address: directors@misswisconsin.com
E-mail Contact: Jeanne Schmal
Web Site: http://www.misswisconsin.com
Executive Director: Jeanne Schmal
Miss Wyoming Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
E-mail Address: chele@misswy.org
E-mail Contact: Chele Schamber
Web Site: http://www.misswyoming.com
Executive Director: Chele Schamber