Natalie Shaw of Manchester is Miss New Hampshire 2008. She competed as Miss Hooksett in the 62nd Annual Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program Saturday night, May 3, 2008. A 23-year-old 2006 cum laude graduate of Plymouth State University, where she earned her Bachelor's of Arts degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, she also minored in theatre. She is currently a full time music teacher in the Manchester School District, teaching at Hallsville, McDonough and Beech Street Schools. A product of the Manchester School District, Natalie was a member of Central High School's class of 2002.

Natalie's community service involvement revolves around hunger relief, in which she has volunteered since the age of seven. She volunteered with "SHARE New England" with her mother, through the St. Marie's Parish in Manchester at a young age and continued on with her volunteerism into adulthood. Her projects included volunteering at nursing homes, catering dinner theatre nights at Majestic Theatre. In college she began with "America's Second Harvest." Her work included "Meals on Wheels" and she also volunteered extensively with area soup kitchens, including New Horizon's Food Pantry. Additionally, Natalie has volunteered for six years with the Salvation Army's Kid's Café. Serving as a mentor to young inner-city children who take their meals at the Café each evening, she volunteered this past year each Thursday evening. Natalie was thrilled to recently be honored by the Salvation Army as the "Positive Role Model of 2008."

Natalie, an accomplished lyrical soprano, has studied voice for more than 15 years. She was honored with both a preliminary and overall talent award at Miss New Hampshire for her performance of "Climb Every Mountain" from the 1965 Academy Award winning Best Picture of the Year, Sound of Music. Last summer she won the Patricia Musk Talent Award at the National Sweetheart Pageant in Hoopston, Illinois. (Sweetheart is open to the Miss America runners-up.) Last January Natalie competed in the Boston National Association of Teachers of Classical Singing Competition; she was honored as a semi-finalist. She competed with over 300 classical singers. She previously sang with the Manchester Choral Society.

Natalie's academic ambition includes obtaining a Master's degree in either Music Education or Vocal Performance. Ultimately, she would like to operate her own voice studio and perform full time. Natalie's platform is "Hunger Relief and Awareness in America." She plans to devote her year of service to raising funds for and promoting volunteerism with the various organizations that address the need in New Hampshire, including the area soup kitchens, Meals on Wheels, and the Salvation Army.

Natalie resides in Manchester, with her father, Winston. Her mother, Yvonne, resides in Georgia. She has three sisters, twins Careen Shaw-Riley of Georgia and Karen Smialek of Campton, NH; and sister Shereen Shaw of Georgia.

She will compete for the title of Miss America in 2009.