About the Competition and Organization
Welcome to the
Miss Missouri
Scholarship Organization
Official Preliminary for the Miss America Opportunity
The Miss Missouri Scholarship Organization is a non-profit organization that awards scholarship dollars to outstanding young women to help advance them academically and professionally.
Delegates have gone on to achieve major success in diverse fields including medicine, law, business, broadcast journalism, theater, politics, literature, and more.
The Miss Missouri Competition is an official preliminary of the Miss America Competition, the nation's leading achievement program and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women.
Participation in this program provides young women with the opportunity to promote a platform of community service, share their talents, intelligence, and positive values while serving as role models in their communities, all with the support of dedicated volunteers assisting them in their pursuit of academic excellence, service, and lifelong success.
The Miss Missouri Scholarship Organization operates within the guidelines of the Miss America Opportunity while stressing individuality, personal development, communication skills, and physical fitness.
Miss America
The Miss America Opportunity is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. This assistance is not just for the handful of women who become Miss America, but is available to the over 12,000 young women who compete in its local competitions as well.
The Miss America Competition was organized in 1921 by a group of Atlantic City merchants and civic leaders. The first Miss America competition was a spectacular two-day festival, culminating with a beachfront parade called the "Bather's Revue." The festival was to be a special event designed to extend the summer season by one week.
Today, Miss America and its 1,500 Local and State competitions comprise the largest single source of scholarship funds available to young women in the world. An estimated 300,000 volunteers donate more than 6 million hours each year to local, state, and national competitions. This unique program provides scholarships at every level of competition.
Miss America’s Teen
Miss America’s Teen is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a division of the Miss America program for young women ages 13-18. Just like the college-age Miss America division, teens who register for membership get access to professional development, networking, scholarship, community service opportunities, and can sign up for on-stage competitions.
As part of the Miss America Opportunity, participants in the Miss America’s Teen program can earn educational scholarships at every level of competition. Since its founding in 2005, Miss America’s Teen has paid over $1.3 million in cash scholarships to 200 colleges and universities across the nation plus our university partners who offer in-kind tuition waivers. Click below to learn more about the scholarships awarded at the 2023 Miss America’s Teen Competition.
Mission Statement
The Miss Missouri Scholarship Competition is a means for statewide awareness of the national Miss America and Miss America's Teen programs. Our mission is to uphold the four points of the crown: Service, Scholarship, Success, and Style.
SERVICE
To support our young women who devote a year of service promoting the Miss Missouri Scholarship Organization. Their year of service provides them the forum to share not only their platform and their talent, but the opportunity to express their views on local, regional, national, and global issues.
SCHOLARSHIP
To provide opportunities for young women to obtain scholarship dollars. We support higher education for advancing academic goals by using the model of competition. This experience prepares them to accept life's challenges and to produce role models who exemplify and promote positive values.
SUCCESS
To support a statewide organization of dedicated volunteers who devote time, talents, and resources for the betterment and longevity of the Miss Missouri and Miss Missouri’s Teen Programs.
STYLE
To provide young women with the opportunity for personal growth, fitness, and self-expression. To emphasize the importance of doing one's best while championing educational and career goals.