Miss Washington

Miss Washington

Formation	1926
Type	Beauty pageant
Headquarters	Puyallup
Location	Washington
Membership	Miss America
Official language	English
Key people	Peggy Miller (Executive Director)
Website	Official website

The Miss Washington competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Washington in the Miss America pageant.

Hermona Girmay of Seattle was crowned Miss Washington 2024 on July 6, 2024, at the Capital High School Performing Arts Center in Olympia. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

History

Washington first sent delegates to Miss America in 1926 with Leona Fengler, Miss Seattle. She was sponsored by the Seattle Times newspaper, a practice common in the early days of Miss America pageants. She was pictured in the paper leaving in a biplane for her cross-country flight to Atlantic City, where she was voted "Prettiest Girl in an Evening Gown."^{[citation needed]} In 1987, Fendler was featured again in the newly-revived Miss Seattle Pageant.^{[citation needed]}

The Depression and war years caused sporadic participation by Washington contestants in the Miss America pageant, but the Miss Washington pageant was revived in 1948 and held in Ephrata, with a $1000 scholarship offered to the winner.^[1] In 1949 the pageant was a "financial flop" and the winner had to seek community donations to fund her appearance at Miss America. At the time the organization was so deeply in debt that the titleholder's tiara was nearly repossessed by the manufacturer.^[2][3][4]

From 1961 to 1997 the pageant was hosted by Vancouver, under a number of executive directors before moving to the Tri-Cities under the directorship of Chamber President, Dorothy Schoeppach. Under the direction of Schoeppach the local programs again grew from 9 to 22.^{[citation needed]} Two years later the pageant moved to Tacoma under the directorship of Joan Dehn and Mike Shinkle.^{[citation needed]}

The competition was held in Renton or Des Moines, WA beginning in 2008 under the directorship of Charlie VanTramp and then Peggy Miller and Patti Belik, except for 2021, which was held at Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA, due to pandemic restrictions.^{[citation needed]} . In 2023, the competition as well as all of its annual events moved to the Capital High School Performing Arts Center in Olympia.

The Miss Washington Scholarship Organization is a 501(c)4 organization, and its scholarship arm, MWSO Miracle, Inc. is a 501(c)3, where donations are tax deductible.^[5][6]

Gallery of past titleholders

• 
  Evelyn Atkinson,
  Miss Washington 1922
• 
  Dorothy Parker,
  Miss Washington 1938
• 
  Susan Buckner,
  Miss Washington 1971
• 
  Laurie Nelson,
  Miss Washington 1978
• 
  Elyse Umemoto,
  Miss Washington 2007

Results summary

Following is a visual summary of the results of Miss Washington titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

• 2nd runners-up: Anna Mae Schoonover (1939), Sharon Vaughn (1960), Sharon Rogers (1983), Elyse Umemoto (2008)
• 3rd runners-up: Honey Castro (1986), Jacquie Brown (2011), Alicia Cooper (2017)
• 4th runners-up: Laurie Nelson (1979)
• Top 10: Lauren Waddleton (1965), Susan Buckner (1972), Leslie Mays (1974), Kathleen Moore (1975), Doris Hayes (1981), Jennifer Wall (1990), SoYoung Kwon (1992), Kristen Eddings (2007), Mandy Schendel (2013)
• Top 15: Leona Natalia Fengler (1926), Amanda Beers (2003), Danamarie McNicholl (2019)
• Top 16: Karlyne Abele (1951)
• Top 18: Gladine Sweetser (1933)

Awards

Preliminary awards

• Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Sharon Vaughn (1960), Susan Buckner (1972), Leslie Mays (1974), Kristine Weitz (1982), Mandy Schendel (2013)
• Preliminary Talent: Doris Hayes (1981) (tie)

Non-finalist awards

• Non-finalist Interview: Fianna Dickson (2004)
• Non-finalist Talent: Mardi Hagen (1964), Kippy Lou Brinkman (1966), Kristine Weitz (1982), Brittney Henry (2012)

Other awards

• Miss Congeniality: N/A
• Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Honey Castro (1986)
• Miss America Scholar: Mariana Loya (1999)
• Quality of Life Award Finalists: Mandy Schendel (2013)
• STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Lizzi Jackson (2016)

Winners

•   Declared as winner
•   Ended as a runner-up
•   Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2024	Hermona Girmay	Seattle	23	Miss Seattle	TBA	TBA
2023	Vanessa Munson	Battle Ground	23	Miss Clark County				Preliminary Evening Gown winner, Miss Washington 2023.
2022	Regan Gallo	Puyallup	23	Miss Pierce County	Dance			Previously Top 10 at Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2016. Third Runner Up at Miss Washington Volunteer 2022
2021	Maddie Louder[7]	Seattle	23	Miss Emerald City	Dance			Competed at Miss Oklahoma 2018 and 2019 Later became Miss Washington Volunteer 2024
2019–20	Abbie Kondel[8]	Brush Prairie	21	Miss Clark County	Power Tap Dance, "Sax" by Fleur East			First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2018. Top 10 at Miss Washington 2017.
2018	Danamarie McNicholl[9]	Spokane	23	Miss Columbia Basin	Piano, "Curse of the Black Pearl" from Pirates of the Caribbean	Top 15[10]		First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2017. Competed at Miss Washington 2016.
2017	Nicole Renard[11]	Kennewick	22	Miss Rainier	Jazz Dance, "I Love Me" by Meghan Trainor			Previously Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2011[12] Previously Distinguished Young Woman of America 2013[13] Semi Finalist at Miss California 2016
2016	Alicia Cooper[14]	Vancouver	21	Miss Clark County	Tap Dance, "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez	3rd runner-up[14]		1st runner-up at Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2011 pageant[15] Third Runner up and Preliminary Swimsuit Winner at Miss Washington 2014. Top 10 at Miss Washington 2013.
2015	Lizzi Jackson[16]	Bellingham	23	Miss Rainier	Vocal, "This Will Be An Everlasting Love"		STEM Scholarship Award	Previously competed at Miss Washington 2014
2014	Kailee Dunn	Kennewick	22	Miss Spokane	Vocal, "Someone Like You" from Jekyll & Hyde			Previously competed at Miss Washington 2012 and 2013.
2013	Reina Almon[17]	Yakima	21	Miss Evergreen	Vocal, "I (Who Have Nothing)"			Previously Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2009[18] First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2012 and Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 pageant
2012	Mandy Schendel	Newcastle	22	Miss Eastside	Vocal, "My Wish"	Top 10	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Quality of Life Award Finalist	Was chosen 16th as the "Judges Choice" during the televised Miss America 2013 pageant Previously Miss Washington Teen USA 2008 2nd runner-up at Miss Washington USA 2012 pageant^[citation needed]
2011	Brittney Henry	Puyallup	24	Miss Eastside	Fiddle, "Celtic Fiddle Medley"		Non-finalist Talent Award	First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2010 and Contestant at National Sweetheart 2010 pageant
2010	Jacquie Brown	Vancouver	21	Miss Greater Vancouver	Vocal, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"	3rd runner-up
2009	Devanni Partridge	Auburn	20	Miss Seattle	Piano, "Malagueña"
2008	Janet Harding	Yelm	21	Miss Tahoma	Piano
2007	Elyse Umemoto	Wapato	23	Miss Seattle	Popular Vocal, "Angels"	2nd runner-up[19][20]		First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2006 and 3rd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant Contestant on Survivor: South Pacific
2006	Kristen Eddings	Silverdale	22	Miss Kitsap	Vocal, "For Once in My Life"	Top 10		Competed for Miss Washington 2002
2005	Tina Mares	Lynnwood	25	Miss Sno-isle	Classical Piano, "Nocturne in C-sharp minor" by Chopin
2004	Allison Porter	Tacoma	24	Miss Seattle	Classical Violin, "Concerto in E Minor"
2003	Fianna Dickson	Spokane	24	Miss Spokane	Jazz Dance, "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"		Non-finalist Interview Award	Contestant at National Sweetheart 2000 pageant
2002	Amanda Beers	Richland	20	Miss Tri-Cities	Classical Piano, "Sonata Opus 31" by Beethoven	Top 15
2001	Breann Parriott	Puyallup	23	Miss Pierce County	Contemporary Ballet en Pointe, Music from West Side Story			Later Miss Washington USA 2003
2000	Semmelle Ford	Tacoma	19		Classical Vocal, "Art Is Calling for Me" from The Enchantress by Victor Herbert
1999	Tina Willis		20		Vocal, "Remember Me"
1998	Mariana Loya[21]		19		Classical Violin, "Concerto in E Minor"		Miss America Scholar	Later Miss Arizona USA 2005
1997	Monta Monique	Pasco	24	Miss Seattle	Classical Piano, "Rigoletto Paraphrase" by Franz Liszt
1996	Janet Reasons	Port Orchard	22	Miss Pierce County	Semi-classical Vocal, "Half a Moment" from By Jeeves
1995	Amber Hamilton	Auburn	18	Miss Auburn	Jazz Dance, "Last Dance"
1994	Annalee Klein	Enumclaw	24	Miss SeaTac	Country Vocal, "Sweet Dreams"
1993	Teri Ann Plante	Normandy Park	22	Miss Whatcom County	Tap Dance
1992	Colleen Kearney	Bellevue	26	Miss Issaquah	Jazz Piano, "Dizzy Fingers" by Zez Confrey
1991	SoYoung Kwon	Olympia	22	Miss Seattle	Classical Piano, "Mephisto Waltz"	Top 10
1990	Lynnae Thurik	Lake Oswego, Oregon	26	Miss Clark County	Classical Piano
1989	Jennifer Wall[22]	Issaquah	20	Miss Issaquah	Piano, "Opus 706" by Carl Wilhelm Kern	Top 10
1988	Talia Watland	Poulsbo	24	Miss Seattle	Vocal, "Pour on the Power"
1987	Sharon Dean	Issaquah	21	Miss Issaquah	Vocal Medley
1986	Melanie Cobb	Vancouver	24	Miss Clark County	Vocal, "Let's Hear It For Me" from Funny Lady
1985	Honey Castro[23]	Moses Lake	19	Miss Moses Lake	Vocal, "What Did I Have I Don't Have Now" from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever	3rd runner-up[24]	Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
1984	Rebecca Wood	Spokane	21	Miss Greater Tacoma	Vocal, "If I Ruled the World"
1983	Jennifer Havlin[25]	Bellingham	24	Miss Whatcom County	Character Ballet, "On Golden Pond"
1982	Monica Hard	Bellevue	23	Miss Burien	Vocal Medley, "Sweet Inspiration" & "Where You Lead"
1981	Kristine Weitz	Moses Lake	19	Miss Tri-Cities	Jazz Vocal, "Summertime"		Preliminary Swimsuit Award Non-finalist Talent Award
1980	Doris Hayes	Tacoma	20	Miss Pierce County	Jazz Vocal, "Love Is Here to Stay"	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award (tie)	First African American preliminary winner[26]
1979	Janelle Martz	Normandy Park	22	Miss Des Moines	Classical Piano, "Piano Concerto in A Minor" by Edvard Grieg
1978	Laurie Nelson[27]	Gig Harbor	19	Miss Pierce County	Vocal, "Have I Stayed Too Long At the Fair?"	4th runner-up
1977	Natasha Solovjev	Burien	19	Miss Burien	Classical Piano, Piano Concerto No. 1 by Tchaikovsky
1976	Theresa Adams	Wenatchee	19	Miss Greater Wenatchee	Classical Piano, "Prelude in G minor" by Rachmaninoff			Assumed to the title after Lambert resigned
	Sharon Lambert	Tacoma		Miss Pierce County		Unable to compete; later resigned after facing a shoplifting charge[28]
1975	Lee Ann Hibbert	Shoreline	22	Miss Northshore	Vocal / Jazz Improvisation, "That's a Fine Kind O' Freedom"
1974	Charlene Myers	Burien		Miss Burien		Did not compete; originally 1st runner-up, later assumed the title after Moore resigned
	Kathleen Moore	Bothell	22	Miss Northshore	Classical Vocal, "Italian Street Song"	Top 10		Later resigned
1973	Leslie Mays	Mercer Island	23	Miss Bellevue	Jazz Dance, "The 'In' Crowd"	Top 10	Preliminary Swimsuit Award[29]
1972	Rebecca Pozzi	Kent	20	Miss Kent	Vocal Medley, "Consider Yourself" & "I'd Do Anything"
1971	Susan Buckner	Burien	19	Miss Burien	Gymnastics Dance, "The Joker"	Top 10	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	Played Patty Simcox in the film, Grease^[citation needed]
1970	Nancy Peterson	Moses Lake	19	Miss Moses Lake	Original Comedy Monologue, "Once Upon a Leaf"
1969	Marsha Covey		19		Vocal Medley, "Love Come Again" & "That's Life"
1968	Joyce Stepanek	Issaquah	20	Miss Issaquah	Comedy Routine, "The Adventures of Huck Finn"
1967	Lynda Kilp	White Center	19	Miss White Center	Vocal Medley, "One Boy" & "A Lot of Livin To Do" from Bye Bye Birdie
1966	Sandra Marth	Centralia	19	Miss Lewis County	Semi-classical Vocal, "Habanera"
1965	Kippy Lou Brinkman	Richland	21	Miss Seattle	Harp & Tap Dance, "Night and Day"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1964	Lauren Waddleton[30]	Burien	19	Miss Burien	Vocal, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady	Top 10
1963	Mardi Hagen	Tacoma		Miss Seattle	Modern & Classical Character Dance		Non-finalist Talent Award
1962	Susan English	Bellevue	19	Miss Bellevue	Dramatic Reading
1961	Gail Hannuk	Aberdeen	18	Miss Grays Harbor	Piano, "Warsaw Concerto"
1960	Connie Hughes	Bellingham	18	Miss Bellingham	Original Monologue
1959	Sharon Vaughn[31]	Port Orchard	21	Miss South Kitsap	Vocal Medley, "Habanera" & "I Cain't Say No"	2nd runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award[32]
1958	Anne Henderson	Spokane		Miss Spokane	Pantomime & Charleston Dance
1957	No Washington representative at Miss America pageant[33]
1956	Deanna Hall	Olympia			Dance
1955	No Washington representative at Miss America pageant[34]
1954	Frances Graham	Spokane			Vocal
1953	Geraldine Lindsey	Seattle			Vocal
1952	No Washington representative at Miss America pageant[35]
1951	Darlene Shaffer[36]	Seattle			Dress Design
1950	Karlyne Abele[37]	Des Moines			Dramatic Reading, "The Flag"	Top 16
1949	Libby Aldrich	Kelso			Vocal, "Stormy Weather"
1948	Lorraine Lowder	Aberdeen		Miss Grays Harbor	Hula dance
1947	No Washington representative at Miss America pageant[38][39][40][41][42][43][44]
1946
1945
1944
1943
1942
1941
1940	Peggy Mason	Tacoma
1939	Anna Mae Schoonover	Seattle			Dramatic Monologue from Accent on Youth	2nd runner-up
1938	No Washington representative at Miss America pageant[45]
1937	Juliana Bernhardt	Seattle		Miss Seattle				Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1936	No Washington representative at Miss America pageant[46][47]
1935
1934	No national pageant was held[48]
1933	Gladine Sweetser	Seattle	22			Top 18
1932	No national pageants were held[48]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927	Eleanor Maddieux	Seattle		Miss Seattle				Multiple Washington representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Eva King	Spokane		Miss Spokane
1926	Leona Fengler	Seattle		Miss Seattle		Top 15		Multiple Washington representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Gloria Smith	Spokane		Miss Spokane
	Dorothy Rothermell	Tacoma		Miss Tacoma
1925	Evelyn Carman	Seattle		Miss Seattle				Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1924	No Washington representative at Miss America pageant[49][50]
1923
1922	Evelyn Atkinson[51]	Seattle		Miss Seattle				Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1921	No Washington representative at Miss America pageant[52]

References

1. "Ephrata greets state beauties". The Spokesman-Review. 1948-06-23.
2. "Miss Washington's Crown in Danger". Eugene Register-Guard. 1949-08-29.
3. "Kelso-Longview affair to help Miss Washington". Ellensburg Daily Record. 1949-08-30.
4. "Miss Washington Winners to Get Fine Scholarships". 1949-08-11.
5. "Miss Washington Pageant to Change Site".
6. "Despite loss, Miss Tri-Cities eager to cheer on new Miss Washington". Tri City Herald. 2000-07-04.
7. Molina, Emily (2021-07-07). "Maddie Louder Crowned as Miss Washington". 425 Magazine. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
8. Hewitt, Scott (July 1, 2019). "Miss Clark County new Miss Washington". The Columbian.
9. "KREM 2's Danamarie McNicholl crowned Miss Washington 2018". KREM 2. July 1, 2018.
10. Serpico, Erin (September 8, 2018). "Miss New York crowned Miss America 2019 in Atlantic City". Press of Atlantic City.
11. "Photos: Meet Nicole Renard, our new Miss Washington!". Seattle Refined. July 2, 2017.
12. Probert, Cameron (July 21, 2017). "Kennewick native earns Miss Washington crown". Tri-City Herald.
13. "Meet Nicole Renard, Distinguished Young Woman of America 2013". AL.com. June 30, 2013.
14. Mathieu, Stevie (September 11, 2016). "Alicia Cooper of Clark County third runner-up for Miss America". The Columbian.
15. "Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2011 Crowning" (video). krzy4krs. February 26, 2012 – via YouTube.
16. Barksdale, Dave (July 4, 2015). "Lizzi Jackson is crowned Miss Washington 2015" (video). Miss Washington Scholarship Organization – via Vimeo.
17. Hoang, Mao (July 16, 2013). "Yakima native crowned Miss Washington". Yakima Herald.
18. "West Valley's Reina Almon ready to take national stage". Yakima Herald. July 12, 2013.
19. "Miss Washington is second runner-up for Miss America". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 2008-01-28.
20. "Miss Washington snags 2nd runner-up spot". kimatv.com. 2008-01-28.
21. Culverwell, Wendy (1998-06-21). "Stunned Miss Pierce wins state title". Tri City Herald.
22. "Issaquah Woman is Miss Washington". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. June 23, 1989.
23. "Miss Washington Crowned". Spokane Daily Chronicle. 1985-06-24.
24. "Miss Washington is second runner-up for Miss America". Tri City Herald. August 15, 1985.
25. "Dancer Crowned Miss Washington". Spokane Chronicle. June 27, 1983.
26. "Miss Washington ties in pageant talent test". The Spokesman-Review. 1980-09-05.
27. "Gig Harbor Girl Miss Washington". Tri City Herald. Associated Press. 1978-06-25.
28. "Title Resigned". The Deseret News. July 12, 1976.
29. "Search for swimsuit pays off for Miss Washington". Tri City Herald. 1973-09-07.
30. "Seattle Miss Wins State's Beauty Title". Ellensburg Daily Record. 1964-07-20.
31. "Co-ed is Miss Washington". Spokane Daily Chronicle. 1959-05-11.
32. "3 Tie in Talent Competition of Miss America Contest". Toledo Blade. 1959-09-10.
33. "1958 Candidates". Miss America.
34. "1956 Candidates". Miss America.
35. "1953 Candidates". Miss America.
36. "Miss Washington is Ex-Idahoan". Spokesman-Review. 1951-08-01.
37. "Des Moines Miss is 1950 Miss Washington". Ellensburg Daily Record. August 8, 1950.
38. "1947 Candidates". Miss America.
39. "1946 Candidates". Miss America.
40. "1945 Candidates". Miss America.
41. "1944 Candidates". Miss America.
42. "1943 Candidates". Miss America.
43. "1942 Candidates". Miss America.
44. "1941 Candidates". Miss America.
45. "1938 Candidates". Miss America.
46. "1936 Candidates". Miss America.
47. "1935 Candidates". Miss America.
48. "Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950". PBS.
49. "1924 Candidates". Miss America.
50. "1923 Candidates". Miss America.
51. "Reporter, Dazzled by Beauty of Six Pageant Entrants - Sees Hard Job Ahead for Judges". The Indianapolis Times. Indianapolis, Indiana. September 5, 1922. p. 1.
52. "1921 Candidates". Miss America.

External links

• Miss Washington official website