In order to be eligible to participate in the Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Competition or Miss Pennsylvania’s Teen Program, you must first win a local competition. Local competitions such as Miss Butler County and Miss Butler’s Teen serve as preliminaries to Miss Pennsylvania.

To become a local (November 2024) or state (June 2024) participant for the Competition Cycle 2026, competing as a State Titleholder at nationals (January 2026), you must meet the criteria shown below:

• Meets age criteria as shown below at first day of state competition (June 2025) in which she competes:

  • Miss: be at least 18, but no older than 27.

  • Teen: be at least 14, but no older than 17.

    • Pivot Year (no older than 18): Miss America HQ is reinstating the option for 18-year-old contestants to have a ‘pivot’ year to decide whether they would like to compete in the Teen or Miss divisions. Once decided you may not change divisions until the next cycle, however, this mid-cycle reinstatement will allow for contestants that are 18 and currently registered as ‘Miss’ to elect to compete as Teen. This may however effect your eligibility for some some in-kind scholarship opportunities that specify ‘incoming freshman’ should you currently be enrolled in college.

• Be a US citizen and work, live, or go to school in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (at least 6 months prior to date of first competition, or one semester for full-time students enrolled in an accredited public, private or home schooling program.

• Be a female, single (unmarried) and without legal dependents.

• Be in reasonably good health to meet the job requirements.

• Be able to meet the time commitment and job responsibilities.

• Meets character criteria as set forth by the Miss America Organization.

1. Before submitting your application for our local competition, please register as a member on MissAmerica.org (it will be for “2026 competition cycle”)

   • While registering you will pay a membership fee (~$40) for the competition cycle. In addition, for each local competition you choose to compete in will have a $100 delegate fee.

2. Prepare your local application and send it to us via our online application form by Sunday, November 10th.

   • This should include the 2025 Delegate Contract & Local Addendum, Community Service Initiative (CSI) Essay, Resume for the judges, and Talent Registration Form with a copy of your birth certificate, proof of residency (state ID card, school ID or another document which confirms your eligibility), and, if possible, a headshot for our Program Book and Newspaper Publicity. You should submit your paperwork as soon as possible. First person with paperwork in, is last in program order.

     • Paperwork bearing the logos of other local pageants may be submitted to the Miss Butler County Pennsylvania Competition provided it is identical in format to our paperwork, to avoid repeating the same paperwork for every competition. You may also be required to sign a Miss America local contract at some point leading up to the local competition.

     • If the headshot is not sent with your initial application materials, it will be needed by Sunday, November 10th).

   • Payment of the local fee of $100 will be complete with credit / debit card when submitting the delegate contract.

3. We will let you know that we received your application.

   • Once we receive your entry materials you will receive a confirmation email. If we have eligibility questions, we will also make sure they are cleared up at that time. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check back with us because it probably means that for some reason, we have not received your paperwork.

Fees paid on MissAmerica.org

• Before submitting your application for our local competition, please register as a candidate on MissAmerica.org

• While registering you will pay a membership fee (~$40) for the competition season, please select “Miss Butler County” as the local competition in which you are competing. You will pay a $100 delegate registration to each local competition you choose to compete in.

Fee paid to Local Competition

• $100 – You will pay your local delegate fee to the Miss Butler County Scholarship Organization via credit card / debit card while submitting the online application form.

1. Evening Wear for the Evening Wear and Community Service Initiative (CSI) Competition.

2. An appropriate Outfit for the Private Interview.

3. Your Talent Costume.

4. An Opening Number Outfit (To be announced)

5. You must accompany yourself or submit an MP3 file to us (under 90 second file uploaded before the application deadline). Be sure to test it on a variety of devices to be sure they will work on our sound system the day of the Competition. Also, please note, that no one else is allowed on stage or in the wings to provide live musical accompaniment for you during your performance.

6. Be sure to bring make-up, hair products, etc.

7. Some candidates bring full length and make-up mirrors as well as racks for hanging clothing.

8. Health & Fitness Wear (Rebel red top required, black leggings, and sneakers w/out “bling” )

All winners will advance to Miss Pennsylvania completion. In addition, all will receive a Miss America local crown, sash, and scholarship.

Miss Titleholders: $1,000 each
1st runner-up: $400

The private interview will take place on the date of the competition (November 16), during the morning or afternoon prior to the start of on-stage competition. The judges are seated, and the candidate is at a podium in front of the judges. The judges’ chairperson will introduce you and the questions begin immediately. Do not go to the judges table to shake hands with the judges. You will immediately go to the podium and begin to answer questions. For Miss Candidates the interview length is 10 minutes. The first 9 and ½ minutes are spent on questions and answers. At the 9 and ½ minutes mark, one of the judges will tell you that the formal part of your interview has been completed and ask if you wish to add anything at that time. If you choose to do so you have ½ minute to speak. It is your decision whether to end the interview at that point or to add something. Your decision does not influence your scoring but, if you chose to add something it does play a part in your scoring. Please remember that no visual aids, paperwork, or props may be brought into the interview.

Miss Candidate Requirement Guide

Judges preview your Resume, Community Service Initiative (CSI) Essay and Photo.

No Hand Written Paperwork.

Paperwork is provided by filling out this request an application form and then you receive an email inviting you to an online form that once submitted will go to the local Director for review.

Miss Requirements:

• Application – COMPLETE ALL REQUESTED INFORMATION (For Local Competition use only, Not for Judges to see)  

• Birth Certificate Copy

• Photo ID – Drivers License copy or permit, School ID

• Resume – Typed per MAO Instructions (DO NOT CHANGE FORMAT of the FORM)

• Community Service Initiative (CSI) Essay – Typed per MAO Instructions

• Talent Registration Form – Typed 

• Photo Headshot – (jpeg format)

• Talent music per local competition – If not accompanying yourself… upload a 90 second MP3 file to us by the application deadline.

Miss Wardrobe for the Following:

• Interview Outfit 

• On Stage Interview – (It is recommended to use your Private Interview Outfit at the local level)

• Talent Costume

• Glamor Evening Gown

• Health & Fitness Wear (Rebel red top required, black leggings, and sneakers w/out “bling” )

Please be courteous and turn in paperwork ASAP to the local organizations per the deadline.

ALL paperwork can be updated for each local with the titles you are competing for, any community service, volunteer work, and hours you have donated, along with the money you have raised for MAO and your social initiative from one local to another. This is required for Miss America reports only.