What is The Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program?

The Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program is an official preliminary to the Miss Washington and Miss America Scholarship Pageants. This year, the program celebrates its 45th year with the Miss America Organization. The Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program is a dynamic educational program. It provides opportunities for young women to expand their quest for knowledge and acquire skills to better equip them for future opportunities. Most importantly, participants will have many occasions to develop their leadership skills, resulting in a greater sense of awareness of their potential.

To become Miss America, a contestant must first win a local competition and then compete to represent her state, a process requiring personal commitment, hard work and talent. A woman may compete at the state level more than once, but may only compete in the national Miss America competition one time. More than twelve thousand women participate each year in the local and state events, culminating in the selection of 52 national finalists who vie for the Miss America title. Tens of thousands of volunteers organize the local and state preliminary competitions, promoting community involvement throughout the United States and furthering scholarship and achievement among young women in their communities.

Rich in history and social significance, the Miss America Organization is a not-for-profit organization that has maintained a tradition for many decades of empowering American women to achieve their personal and professional goals, while providing a forum in which to express their opinions, talent and intelligence.
www.missamerica.org/organization-info/key-facts-and-figures.asp

Scholarship

The Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program through the Miss Lewis County Scholarship Pageant awarded over $6,000.00 to 12 young women last year. * Each participant received a minimum of $300.00 in scholarship awards. The goal of the Miss Lewis County program is to inspire accomplishments and motivate personal achievement in young women. This program aims to assist young women to reach their educational goals and dreams. *2005

The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance.

Responsibilities of a Miss Lewis County Contestant

All entrants are required to attend each Sunday afternoon rehearsal and special appearances made by the group.

Each entrant will need to provide:

· Interview Outfit

· Talent Outfit

· Evening Wear

It is not necessary nor encouraged to spend large sums of money on this competition wardrobe. The Miss Lewis County board of directors has a strong network to assist you with your wardrobe. The swimsuit needed for Physical Fitness competition is provided by the board.

Why should my daughter enter the Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program?

The Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program provides in-depth training and experience in developing leadership and interview skills. This will pay dividends throughout the young woman's career and lifetime. She will also receive extensive training in developing her choice of talent, along with personal grooming, poise and wardrobe consultation.

Competition Phases

Presentation and Community Achievement in Interview 25%

Artistic Expression in Talent 35%

Presence and Poise in Evening Wear 20%

On Stage Knowledge and Awareness 5%

Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit 15%

INTERVIEW: Judged on overall first impression, personal appearance, mental attributes, communication skills, style, and emotional control.

TALENT: Judged on technical skill level, stage presence, and the totality of all elements including voice, use of body, costume, music, props, and choreography. The talent competition shall not exceed two minutes (2:00) and shall not be compared with professional performances.

EVENING WEAR: Judged on overall first impression, sense of confidence and stage presence. Posture, carriage, grace and appropriateness of attire shall also be considered. Evening attire should fit the young woman's personality.

ON STAGE INTERVIEW: This is designed for the contestant to make a statement of her personality and her platform and shall be judged on responses to two, on stage questions. Criteria includes: overall first impression, sense of confidence, personality, stage presence, expression, vocabulary, and sincerity. Judges pay special attention to whether or not the contestant answered the question.

LIFESTYLE & FITNESS IN SWIMSUIT: Scoring is based on overall first impression, statement of physical fitness and health, overall physique which is pleasing to her height, weight and bone structure, walk, posture and grace, sense of confidence and presence on stage.

General Requirements

For

Miss Lewis County Contestants

The Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program is open to young women of the Lewis County who are interested in serving in a leadership role that fosters community service.

• Entrants must be female between the ages of 17 and 24.
She must be no less than a high school senior.

• Candidates must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Resident of Lewis County

2. Full time high school or community college student in

Lewis County.

3. Work full time in Lewis County (40 hours per week).

• The Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program will
consider young women who reside or attend school in an
area adjacent to Lewis County, which does not have a
Miss America preliminary pageant. Priority will be given
to young women who live, work full time or go to school
full time in Lewis County.

• Entrant must be single, never have been married, nor
had marriage annulled, not be living with a male in lieu of
legal marriage. She must not be, nor ever have been,
pregnant.

• Entrant must be in good health.

• Entrant must be a United States citizen.

• The candidate selected for the responsibility of serving as
Miss Lewis County must be available to serve as the
official hostess of Lewis County from March 2007, until
March 2008. She will also compete in the Miss
Washington Scholarship Pageant in June/July 2007. As
the Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program supports
education, every effort will be made to accommodate her
school schedule.

Application Process

Deadline for applications is December 1, 2006.

Each applicant must meet with the pageant board for an interview.

• Applicants will perform a sample of their planned talent.

• Parents or legal guardian must attend the pageant
board interview

All applications must be in writing on the official Miss Lewis County Scholarship Pageant application form.

Applications can be mailed to:

Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program P.O. Box 431 Centralia, WA 98531

Interviews will be scheduled after receipt of application.

Mrs. Shawn Peters, Contestant Coordinator, will call you to arrange the interview in December.

NO ENTRY FEES REQUIRED!

The Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program board of directors provides a local sponsor for each contestant.

The Role of Miss Lewis County

Miss Lewis County 2007 will enjoy an exciting and a busy year of appearances and engagements. She will meet and interact with city and state officials, community leaders, and a myriad of caring and giving volunteers who serve the Lewis County communities in a diligent and dedicated manner.

"Never question whether you are good enough. It’s a learning opportunity

— Whether you win or lose — and an incredible life experience."

Katie Harmon, Miss America 2002

For additional information on the

Miss Lewis County Scholarship Program,

please contact:

Kirk Hoff

Executive Director

(360) 485-5776

Shawn Peters

Contestant Coordinator (360) 736-5411

or e-mail: misslewiscountywa@yahoo.com

Web: www.misslewiscounty.com