Formation | 1922 |
---|---|
Type | Beauty pageant |
Headquarters | Mansfield |
Location | |
Membership | Miss America |
Official language | English |
Key people | Steven C. Oliveri |
Website | Official website |
The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program selects the representative for the U.S. state of Ohio to compete for the title of Miss America. The pageant is held annually, during the "Miss Ohio Festival" week, at the historic 1,600 seat Renaissance Theatre (originally named the Ohio Theatre) in Mansfield.
Ohio representatives have won the Miss America pageant six times, joining California, and Oklahoma as the only states with six crowns. New York has the most winners with seven. Ohio is the only state to have a contestant who won the Miss America title twice:
* When city representatives were common at the national pageant, Mary Katherine Campbell competed in Miss America Pageants as "Miss Columbus, Ohio".
The Miss Ohio pageant played a significant role in the saving of the Ohio Theatre and its renovation into the Renaissance Theatre. Mansfield originally hosted the Miss Ohio Pageant at the old Ohio Theatre from 1959 through 1962. After Jacquelyn Mayer, Miss Ohio 1962, was crowned Miss America 1963, the Miss Ohio pageant was relocated to the Ballroom Pavilion at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky. In 1975, the pageant returned to Mansfield, first to Malabar High School Auditorium from 1975 through 1978, then to the Madison Theatre in 1979. In 1980, it was decided to televise the pageant. Because of inadequate stage depth and backstage space at the Madison Theatre, then pageant producer Denny Keller and pageant set designer Paul Gilger persuaded the Miss Ohio Board of Directors to move the pageant back to Mansfield's Ohio Theatre, reopening the facility and sprucing it up for the pageant's first televised broadcast. The pageant's return to the old Ohio Theatre was the initial event that eventually led to the total renovation of the theatre and its reincarnation into the Renaissance Theatre. The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program has been held at the Renaissance Theatre since 1980, now for over 40 years.
Stephanie Finoti of Columbus was crowned Miss Ohio 2024 on June 15, 2024, at Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.
The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Ohio 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.
Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local Title | Miss America Talent | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Stephanie Finoti | Columbus | 21 | Miss Shawnee | Ballet | TBA | TBA | |
2023 | Madison Miller [1] | Coshocton | 23 | Miss North Coast | Piano | |||
2022 | Elizabetta Nies | Cincinnati | 18 | Miss Maple City | Piano, "Étude Op. 10, No. 10" | Top 11 | Daughter of Miss Illinois 1992 and Miss Illinois USA 1994, Kathleen Farrell Niece of Miss Florida 1985 and Miss Florida USA 1988, Monica Farrell and of Miss New York 1984, Mary-Ann Farrell | |
2021 | Lora Current [2] | Rosewood | 20 | Miss South Central Ohio | Tap Dance | |||
2019–20 | Caroline Grace Williams [3] | Cincinnati | 24 | Miss Montgomery County | Classical Vocal | |||
2018 | Matti-Lynn Chrisman [4] | Cambridge | 22 | Miss Maple City | Musical Theater Vocal, "Life of the Party" from Wild Party | |||
2017 | Sarah Clapper [5] | Louisville | 22 | Miss Clayland | Piano, "White Water Chopsticks" | Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship[ citation needed ] Women in Business Scholarship Award [6] | ||
2016 | Alice Magoto [7] [8] | Cincinnati | 18 | Miss Portsmouth | Vocal, "Astonishing" from Little Women | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Later Miss Ohio USA 2019 [9] Top 10 at Miss USA 2019 pageant | |
2015 | Sarah Hider [10] | Wooster | 24 | Miss Maple City | Jazz Vocal, "Almost Like Being in Love" | Previously Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2008 [11] | ||
2014 | Mackenzie Bart [12] | Columbus | 22 | Miss Montgomery County | Ventriloquism, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins | Top 10 | Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship [13] Preliminary Talent Award [14] STEM Scholarship Award [14] | Winner of Funny or Die Presents: America's Next Weatherman |
2013 | Heather Wells [15] | Warren | 23 | Miss Montgomery County | Dance, "Alabaster Box" | |||
2012 | Elissa McCracken | Ada [16] | 20 | Miss West Central Ohio | Piano, "Cumana" | |||
2011 | Ellen Bryan | Celina | 22 | Miss Clayland | Vocal, "On My Way" from Violet | Quality of Life Award Finalist | ||
2010 | Becky Minger | Sylvania | 22 | Miss All-American City | Vocal, "A House Is Not a Home" | Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2008 and 2009 pageants 3rd runner-up in Miss Ohio USA 2012 pageant [17] 4th runner-up in Miss Ohio USA 2013 pageant [17] | ||
2009 | Erica Gelhaus | St. Henry | 21 | Miss Clayland | Classical Vocal, "So Anch'io la Virtu Magica" from Don Pasquale | Previously National Sweetheart 2007 | ||
2008 | Karissa Martin | Woodsfield | 20 | Vocal, "The Girl in 14-G" | ||||
2007 | Roberta Camp | Grove City | 23 | Miss Maple City | Vocal, "Blessed" | Top 15 Miss Ohio USA 2006 | ||
2006 | Melanie Murphy | Brook Park | 20 | Miss Miami Valley | Dance, "Pump It" | Later Mrs. Ohio America 2011 under married name, Melanie Miller | ||
2005 | Marlia Fontaine | Massillon | 23 | Miss Lake Erie | Vocal, "The Impossible Dream" | |||
2004 | Amanda Beagle | Warren | 24 | Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo'" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2003 pageant | ||
2003 | Janelle Couts | Akron | 22 | Miss Medina | Vocal, "When I Look at You" from The Scarlet Pimpernel | |||
2002 | Tiffany Haas | Cincinnati | 20 | Miss Heart of it All | Classical Vocal, "Glitter and Be Gay" from Candide | Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | Later starred as Glinda in Broadway and national touring productions of Wicked [18] | |
2001 | Natalie Witwer | Dublin | 19 | Miss Ashland | Piano, "America the Beautiful" | |||
2000 | Stephanie Meisberger | Hopewell | 23 | Miss North Coast | Vocal, "You Do Something to Me" | Contestant at National Sweetheart 1999 pageant | ||
1999 | Tiffany Baumann | Cleveland | 22 | Miss Greater Cleveland | Vocal, "But the World Goes Round" by Kander and Ebb | Niece of Miss Ohio 1969, Kathrine Baumann | ||
1998 | Cheya Watkins | Cincinnati | 21 | Miss Southeastern Ohio | Gospel Vocal, "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" | Later Miss Ohio USA 2000 | ||
1997 | Kelly Creager | Hamler | 19 | Miss Conneaut | Vocal, "Remember Me This Way" from Casper | |||
1996 | Robyn Hancock | Grand Rapids | 21 | Miss Crestline | Classical Ballet en Pointe, "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
1995 | Ellen Pasturzak | Portsmouth | 23 | Miss Portsmouth | Vocal, "As if We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard | |||
1994 | Lea Mack | Pickerington | 21 | Miss Pickerington-America | Vocal, "Think of Me" | Top 10 | Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | Previously Ohio's Junior Miss 1991 |
1993 | Titilayo Adedokun | Cincinnati | 20 | Miss Americana | Classical Vocal, "The Jewel Song" from Faust | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
1992 | Robin Michelle Meade | New London | 23 | Miss Mansfield | Vocal, "Alexander's Ragtime Band" | Top 10 | Lead news anchor for HLN morning show, Morning Express with Robin Meade, since 2011[ citation needed ] | |
1991 | Renee Autherson | Newark | 21 | Miss Central Ohio | Vocal / Tap Dance, "Fabulous Feet" from The Tap Dance Kid | |||
1990 | Kristi Cooke | Marion | 22 | Miss Willard | Vocal, "Nothing" from A Chorus Line | |||
1989 | Kristin Huffman | Canal Winchester | 24 | Miss Pickerington-America | Classical Vocal, "Csárdás" from Die Fledermaus | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
1988 | Sarah Ann Evans | Van Wert | 23 | Miss Pickerington-America | Vocal, "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from The Phantom of the Opera | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
1987 | Susan Kay Johnson | Columbus | 22 | Miss Canton | Vocal, "Believe" | |||
1986 | Mary Zilba | Toledo | 22 | Miss Greater Toledo | Vocal, "My Mammy" | Sister of Miss Ohio 1981, Juliana Zilba Later appeared on The Real Housewives of Vancouver [ citation needed ] | ||
1985 | Suellen Cochran [19] | Heath | 21 | Miss Southeastern Ohio | Piano, "Variations on Chopsticks" | Top 10 | Preliminary Swimsuit Award Preliminary Talent Award | |
1984 | Melissa Ann Bradley | Mansfield | 23 | Miss Clayland | Vocal, "A Piece of Sky" from Yentl | 1st runner-up | Mother of actor, Chad Buchanan [ citation needed ] | |
1983 | Pamela Helean Rigas | Canfield | 22 | Miss Cuyahoga County Fair | Vocal / Dance, "Shine it On" | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Previously Ohio's Junior Miss 1978 Previously Miss Alabama USA 1980 3rd runner-up at Miss USA 1980 pageant |
1982 | Debra Gombert | Bexley | 22 | Miss North Central | Semi-classical Vocal, "Love Is Where You Find It" | |||
1981 | Juliana Zilba | Mansfield | 21 | Vocal Medley, "Up the Ladder to the Roof" & "With One More Look at You" from A Star Is Born | Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship Non-finalist Talent Award | Sister of Miss Ohio 1986, Mary Zilba | ||
1980 | Kathy Vernon | Youngstown | 24 | Miss North Central | Vocal Medley, "I Have Dreamed" & "I Loved You Once in Silence" | Top 10 | ||
1979 | Tana Carli | Lakewood | 23 | Miss Willard | Accordion Medley, "Tea for Two" & "Dizzy Fingers" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
1978 | Sher Patrick | Centerville | 19 | Miss South Central | Middle-Eastern Dance | 3rd runner-up | ||
1977 | Joan Gilger | Mansfield | 21 | Miss Bowling Green | Gymnastic Trampoline | Did not compete; originally 4th runner-up; later assumed the title after Perkins won Miss America 1978 | ||
Susan Perkins | Middletown | 23 | Miss Clayland | Vocal, "Good Morning Heartache" | Winner [20] | Preliminary Talent Award | Judge for the preliminary competition of the Miss America 2018 pageant [21] | |
1976 | Janice Cooley | Portsmouth | 20 | Miss Ohio Valley | Piano, "Mephisto Waltz" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
1975 | Susan Banks | Ravenna | 24 | Miss Warren | Classical Vocal, "Sempre libera" from La traviata | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
1974 | Lorrie Kapsta | Columbus | 26 | Miss Franklin County | Classical Piano, "Piano Concerto in B Minor" by Tchaikovsky | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
1973 | Cheryl Yourkvitch | Lorain | 21 | Miss Lorain County | Vocal Medley | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
1972 | Karen Sparka | Bowling Green | 21 | Miss Bowling Green | Vocal Medley, "My Man" & "My Man's Gone Now" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
1971 | Judy Jones | West Alexandria | 19 | Miss Miami University | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Schaefer won Miss America 1972 | |||
Laurie Lea Schaefer | Bexley | 22 | Miss Central Ohio | Semi-classical Vocal, "And This Is My Beloved" | Winner [22] | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | ||
1970 | Grace Bird | Alliance | 21 | Miss Alliance | French Horn & Classical Vocal, "1st Concerto for French Horn" & "Ouvre ton Coeur" from Vasco da Gama by Georges Bizet | |||
1969 | Kathrine Baumann | Bowling Green | 19 | Miss Bowling Green | Gymnastics Dance, "Those Were the Days" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award Preliminary Talent Award | Aunt of Miss Ohio 1999, Tiffany Baumann |
1968 | Leslyn Hiple | Louisville | 19 | Miss Canton | Vocal Medley, "If My Friends Could See Me Now" & "I'm a Brass Band" from Sweet Charity | |||
1967 | Pamela Robinson | Dayton | 22 | Miss Dayton | Vocal, "Oh, to Be a Movie Star" from The Apple Tree | Previously Ohio's Junior Miss 1963 3rd runner-up at America's Junior Miss 1963 pageant | ||
1966 | Sharon Phillian | Delaware | 21 | Miss Delaware | Vocal Medley, "This Is My Country" & "Où va la jeune Hindoue" from Lakme | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | Contestant at National Sweetheart 1965 pageant |
1965 | Valerie Lavin | Canton | 20 | Miss Canton | Vocal / Dance, "I Ought to Dance" | |||
1964 | Diane Courtwright | Columbus | 19 | Miss Columbus | Popular Vocal & Modern Jazz Dance | |||
1963 | Peggy Emerson | Akron | Miss Akron | Semi-classical Vocal, "And This Is my Beloved" | ||||
1962 | Bonne Gawronski | Toledo | 19 | Miss Toledo | Modern Jazz Interpretation of "Let There Be Drums" | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mayer won Miss America 1963 | ||
Jacquelyn Mayer | Sandusky | 20 | Miss Vacationland [23] | Broadway Vignette, "Wishing Upon a Star," "My Favorite Things," & "The White Cliffs of Dover" | Winner [24] | Had a near-fatal stroke at the age of 28[ citation needed ] | ||
1961 | Darlene Depasquale | Dayton | 18 | Miss Dayton | Comedy Skit, "Betty at the Baseball Game" | |||
1960 | Alice McClain | Marion | 18 | Miss Marion | Vocal, "Summertime" & "I Got Plenty of Nothin" | |||
1959 | Carole Weiler | Circleville | 18 | Miss Circleville | Dramatic Reading | |||
1958 | Margaret Putman | Ada | Miss Ada | Dramatic Sketch, "Student Nurse" | ||||
1957 | Linda Hattman | Mansfield | Miss Mansfield | Ballet | ||||
1956 | Roberta Palmer | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Vocal, "On the Street Where You Live" from My Fair Lady | Mother of Matthew Porretta [ citation needed ] | |||
1955 | Marguerite Garr | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Vocal & Zither, "Old Black Joe" | ||||
1954 | Barbara Quinlin | Alliance | Miss Alliance | Classical Vocal, "Habanera" | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award | ||
1953 | Martha Zimmerman | Salem | Miss Salem | Drama / Piano | ||||
1952 | Carol Koontz | Bolivar | Miss Bolivar | Fire Baton Twirling & Clarinet | ||||
1951 | Ruth Howell | Apple Creek | Miss Apple Creek | Drama | ||||
1950 | Irene Farren | Grand River | Miss Grand River | Fashion Design | ||||
1949 | Florence Bondi | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | |||||
1948 | Maxine Waack | Fairview | Miss Fairview | Rumba Dance | ||||
1947 | Nancy Nesbitt | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Vocal, "I Don't Know Enough About You" | ||||
1946 | LaVonne Bond | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Vocal, "Thine Alone" from Eileen | Top 16 | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||
Mary Eileen Kelly | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | ||||||
1945 | Julia Donahue | Oxford | Miss Ohio | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
Virginia Lee Pleasant | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | ||||||
1944 | Madeline Bohanon | Competed under local title at national pageant | ||||||
1943 | Joan Hyldoft | Ice Skating | Preliminary Talent Award | |||||
1942 | Barbara Patterson | Preliminary Talent Award | ||||||
1941 | Lois Jean Beck | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
Janice Sulzman | Willoughby | Miss Ohio | Top 15 | |||||
1940 | Violet Berze | Steubenville | Miss Ohio | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
Bette Jane Hart | Miss Central Ohio | |||||||
1939 | Maxine Drumm | Miss East Ohio | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||||
Jeanne Saboda | Cleveland | Miss Ohio | ||||||
1938 | Evelyn Bertelsbeck | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Top 15 | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||
Marilyn Meseke | Marion | 21 | Miss Ohio | Tap Dance, "How'd You Like to Love Me," "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise," & "Joseph, Joseph" | Winner | |||
1937 | Jean Fadden | Cleveland | Miss Ohio | Top 16 | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||
Sally Lillian Frank | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | ||||||
Evelyn Townley | Miss Buckeye Lake | Top 16 | ||||||
1936 | Dorothy A. Duncan | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
Evelyn Townley | Miss Buckeye Lake | Acrobatic Dance | Top 15 | |||||
1935 | Beatrice Pfeiffer | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Vocal | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||
Eleanore Papin | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | ||||||
1934 | No national pageant was held [25] | |||||||
1933 | Corinne Porter | 18 | Miss Ohio | Top 18 | ||||
1932 | No national pageants were held [25] | |||||||
1931 | ||||||||
1930 | ||||||||
1929 | ||||||||
1928 | ||||||||
1927 | Erma Shorwood Steele | Miss Canton | N/A [26] | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
Evelyn Wilgus | Russells Point | Miss Ohio | ||||||
1925 | Elsie Connor | Miss Cleveland | Top 15 | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
Elarka Towne | Conneaut | Miss Ohio | ||||||
Emilia Kaniewska | Miss Toledo | |||||||
Isabel Robertson | Miss Youngstown | |||||||
1924 | Mary Katherine Campbell | Columbus | 17 | Miss America 1922 and 1923 | 1st runner-up | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||
Lenore O'Ryan | Miss Columbus | |||||||
Pauline James | Miss Youngstown | Top 15 | ||||||
1923 | Thelma Boyd [27] | Akron | Miss Akron | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
Mary Katherine Campbell [28] | Columbus | 16 | Miss America 1922 | Winner [29] | Competed as Miss America 1922 Successfully defended her title, the only woman to win the national pageant twice [29] | |||
Olga Emrick [28] | Cincinnati | Miss Cincinnati | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||||
Mary Jane Clark [28] | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | ||||||
Genevieve Mambourg [28] | Columbus | Miss Columbus | ||||||
1922 | Doris Widdersheim [30] | Akron | Miss Akron | Multiple Ohio representatives Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
Leile Charles [31] | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Intercity Roller Chair Parade Third Prize [32] | |||||
Mary Katherine Campbell [33] | Columbus | 15 [34] | Miss Columbus | Winner [35] | Intercity Beauty Award [36] Evening Dress Award Third Prize [37] | |||
Helen Frances Smith [38] | Dayton | Miss Dayton | ||||||
Loraine Foskey [39] | Toledo | Miss Toledo | ||||||
1921 | No Ohio representative at Miss America pageant [40] |
Miss Alabama USA, previously known as Miss Alabama Universe, is the beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by its winner. The pageant is directed by RPM Productions.
The Miss Oklahoma competition selects a winner to compete on behalf of Oklahoma in the Miss America pageant. Miss Oklahoma has won the Miss America crown on five occasions. Also, in the years when city representatives were common, Norma Smallwood won, competing as Miss Tulsa, giving the state of Oklahoma a total of six crowns. Oklahoma is also one of three states to win back to back Miss America titles.
Mary Katherine Campbell was the only person to win the Miss America pageant twice and the second woman in history to win the title.
The Miss Kentucky competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss America pageant.
The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s. Four Miss Virginia winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America, including former national titleholder Caressa Cameron.
The Miss Tennessee competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss America Scholarship Competition.
The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.
The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.
Miss Mississippi is a scholarship pageant and a preliminary of Miss America. The contest began in 1934, has been held in Vicksburg since 1958, and provides more money than any other scholarship pageant in the Miss America Organization.
The Miss New York scholarship competition selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss America scholarship competition.
The Miss Vermont competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Vermont in the Miss America pageant. While Vermont is the only state to have never had a contestant advance to the semi-finals of the Miss America pageant, their representatives have won numerous non-finalist awards.
The Miss Indiana competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Indiana in the Miss America Pageant.
The Miss Massachusetts competition is a scholarship pageant put on annually by the Miss Massachusetts Scholarship Foundation, Inc. The winner of the pageant receives the title of Miss Massachusetts and represents the state of Massachusetts at the Miss America pageant.
The Miss Michigan competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss America pageant. Michigan has won the Miss America crown on five occasions.
The Miss New Jersey competition is an annual pageant held to select the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss America pageant.
The Miss Pennsylvania competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss America pageant. Pennsylvania, including early years' city representatives, has won the Miss America crown on five occasions.
Miss America 1922 was the second annual Miss America pageant, held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey from September 7–9, 1922.
Miss America 1923, was the third Miss America pageant, held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, September 7, 1923.
For the state pageant affiliated with Miss Teen USA, see Miss Ohio Teen USA
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)Hider was the 2008 Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen state titleholder.
Miss Widdersheim...was recently selected as Akron's prize beauty