The Miss New Hampshire Class of 2011!

Twenty-seven contestants joined Miss New Hampshire 2010, Krystal Lee Muccioli, at “Boot Camp” on March 5, 2011 at the Marion Gerrish Community Center in Derry, New Hampshire. After a quest by more than 60 young women from throughout New Hampshire seeking to succeed Krystal, the 27 advancing to Miss New Hampshire will compete for the Miss New Hampshire title on April 28th April 29th and April 30th, 2011. For ticket information call the Miss NH Office at 437-9027.

The Miss New Hampshire Class of 2011!! First row L-R: Katrina Rossi, Meghan Lamontagne, Katrina Ulaky, Rachel Rendina, Miss NH Krystal Muccioli, Chantel McCabe, Jennifer Clements, MC Archer, Erica Millett. 2nd row: Alyssa McLaughlin, Kacie Ferraro, Rebecca Rendina, Sarah Mousseau, Asheley Chaput, Samantha Massahos, Megan Lyman. 3rd row: Regan Hartley, Brittany Freeman, Michelle Mayer, Caitlin McGlinchey, Brittany Dube, Adria Farr. Back: Lissa Silk, Elysha Greenberg, Kamilah Fucci, Bess Brooks, Lauren April, Kristen Ruggieri.

Local Chapters grant nearly $82,000 in scholarships

Sixty-three different women competed in at least one local competition Twenty-Seven set to compete for Miss New Hampshire title

Another wonderful local program year concluded with the crowning of Miss Granite State, Meghan Lamontagne, and Miss Merrimack, Lauren April at Merrimack High School on Feb. 5, 2011. Once again we have grown, this time reaching 27 state contestants who are set to compete during the three nights of competition—Thursday, April 28, 2011, Friday, April 29, 2011 and the finals are on Saturday April 30, 2011.

As we continue to grow, we increased our overall contestant numbers and 63 different contestants shared in nearly $82,000.00 in scholarships granted at the local level. The yearlong competition goes from 63 down to one by the end of Saturday evening at the 65th annual Miss New Hampshire Scholarship competition. The curtain is set to go up at 7:00 p.m. for both the preliminary nights and 6:00 p.m. for the finals at the Stockbridge Theater, located in Pinkerton Academy’s Spaulding Arts & Humanities Center in Derry.

Board President, Brenda Keith, stated, “This year we added one new local chapter—in Littleton, NH. It is the first time Littleton has had representation at Miss New Hampshire since 1956. We also maintained each of our 26 local titles from last year, and are now set to grow again in the upcoming year with the expected addition of Miss Sullivan County. With the addition of Littleton Area in northern Grafton County, and now Miss Sullivan County on line for next year, we will truly have met our goal of serving every geographic territory in the Granite State,” she concluded.

The local programs averaged just 12 contestants per local competition, with Miss Greater Derry and Miss Lakes Region tying for the most contestants this year at 19. The average scholarships granted per local title declined slightly with an average of just over $3000.00. With the dual/combined chapters, the chapters averaged just under $3900 per local program.

Announcing the Top 10 Local Chapters for 2010-2011!

The following chapters ranked as the top ten local chapters in New Hampshire for the 2010-2011 year—in terms of scholarships granted:

Announcing the local contestants who were awarded the most scholarships through their participation in one or more locals for the year!

The following are the top 10 contestants, in terms of total scholarships awarded from all locals during the 2010-2011 local program year are:

PUBLIC TO SELECT TWO SEMI-FINALISTS FOR MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE 2011 TITLE

Derry, NH -- February 25, 2011 -- New Hampshire citizens will help a Panel of Judges to select Twelve Semi-finalists in the 2011 Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Competition. The annual competition will take place at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire, from April 28-30, 2011.

According to Brenda Keith, President of the Board of Directors, the public will have the opportunity for the first time to vote for two contestants they would like to see included among the semi-finalists and potentially become Miss New Hampshire 2011. Votes may be cast through the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program web site (www.missnh.org) or on the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Miss-New-Hampshire-Scholarship-Program/119465301422447). A panel of five judges will determine the ten contestants who earn the greatest number of points in the five phases of preliminary competition (Private Interview, Lifestyle & Fitness in Swimsuit, Evening Wear, Talent and On-Stage Question competitions). Two contestants who gather the largest number of votes through voting on the web site and Facebook will fill out the final two places among the Top Twelve vying for the coveted crown on Saturday evening, April 30, 2011.

If a contestant earning the largest number of votes through the public voting is among the ten earning a place as a result of the Panel of Judges scores, then the contestant receiving the next largest number of votes through public voting will win one of the two coveted public voted positions.

Following the announcement of the Top Twelve, all twelve contestants will compete in the Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit Competition and all twelve contestants will be scored by the Panel of Judges. The auditors will determine which ten of the twelve contestants earned the largest number of points in the competition, and the Top Ten will then be announced. The Top Ten will compete in the Talent and Evening Wear Competition. Based on the Composite Scoring as well as the results from the Lifestyle and Fitness Competition, Talent and Evening Wear Competition, a Top Five will be announced. The Panel of Judges will then complete individual ballots listing the order in which they would like the Top Five to finish. Based on the points on that ballot, Miss New Hampshire and the four runners-up will be announced.

Contestants are being encouraged to actively seek votes from friends, neighbors, and the general public through the media and social networks. Voting will take place between April 1 and April 27, 2011.

"It's an opportunity for two of our 27 contestants to receive additional consideration by our Panel of Judges and public recognition in addition to the ten selected through the preliminary judging process. We really hope that people are going to be excited about the change and encourage everyone to vote for their two favorite Miss New Hampshire contestants.

Bill Haggerty Named to Miss America Organization's "National Academy of Honor"

On January 12, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada - The Miss America Organization announced that Bill Haggerty, co-Executive Director/Executive Producer for the New Hampshire Scholarship Program was the recipient of the 2011 Academy of Honor Award. This prestigious award was established in 1996 to recognize one individual each year that has provided outstanding service to the Miss America Organization at the State or Local pageant level.

Art McMaster, President and CEO of the Miss America Organization noted “Bill has his own style defined by his charismatic personality and great laugh. He can be creative and is often described as an ‘out-of-the-box’ thinker, whole also focusing on measurable productivity through proper protocol and business strategies. His ‘style’ inspires people, challenges people and makes things happen.” (To read a transcript of McMaster's speech, click here.)

Bill says that he was influenced to volunteer with the Miss America Organization when he was a student at Keene State College. “As a nineteen year old college sophomore, I became interested in the program initially because of the beautiful young women. However, I soon realized that the validity of the Miss America Pageants rests on its promotion of intelligence and Talent,” he said.

Brenda Keith, President and Executive Director of the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program says that the award is long overdue. “He truly is the stability that creative folks need. He is a very good mediator, and when someone in the Miss New Hampshire Family is hurting, emotional, or angry—Bill seems to be the one that can put things back into prospective and get us back on track. Bill has the ability to step back and see the big picture—he has the vision.”

Bill was presented with a Waterford crystal eagle at an award ceremony in Las Vegas and will have his name engraved with other Academy of Honor winners at the Miss America Organization’s national headquarters. In addition, the Miss America Organization will award a $5,000 scholarship grant the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Fund.

Among the previous recipients of the Academy of Honor Award is the late Meg Geraghty, former Women’s Editor of the Union Leader and a long time Executive Director of the Miss New Hampshire Program. Meg received the award in 1998.

The Deborah Howard Memorial Teacher Education Scholarship - Open to all Local Contestants from 2010-2011 program year

The Deborah Howard Memorial Teacher Education Scholarship was instituted in 2010 to honor the memory of Deborah Howard, Miss New Hampshire 1991 whom we tragically lost in the summer of 2009. Since her reign as Miss New Hampshire, Deborah remained active in our program serving as a state judge in 2001, and judging the Outstanding Teen competition in 2007.

At the time of her passing, Deborah was a beloved high school teacher at Newfound Regional High School where she prided herself in connecting with the hard to reach students who were at risk. In addition to her work in the classroom she lent her talents to the stage, putting on one-act plays and performing in community musicals.

This scholarship will be awarded to a young woman majoring in education that is entering her junior or senior year in college or is in a graduate education program and has competed in a Miss New Hampshire local program during the current competition year.

A new application must be submitted each year.

Applicants will be considered for the award based on a combination of factors including, but not limited to, completed application, essay, grade point average (minimum 3.0), extracurricular activities, and 2 letters of recommendation. A sealed transcript must be submitted with the application.

Complete applications must be received by April 2, 2011 in order to be considered. The scholarship winner will be announced on stage at the April 30, 2011 finals night of the Miss New Hampshire competition. The scholarship rules of the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program, Inc. apply and may be downloaded form the Miss New Hampshire website here (on the second page).

For the 2010-11 program year ending on April 30, 2011, the award will be $1,000.00.

For an application, contact the Miss NH office at 603-437-9027

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