Miss Vermont

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Vermont USA.

Miss Vermont

Formation	1945
Type	Beauty pageant
Headquarters	Stowe
Location	Vermont
Membership	Miss America
Official language	English
Key people	Darcie Fisher
Website	Official website

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.

Meara Seery of Brattleboro was crowned Miss Vermont 2024 on April 14, 2024, at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe, Vermont. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Vermont 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

• Miss Americas: N/A
• 1st runners-up: N/A
• 2nd runners-up: N/A
• 3rd runners-up: N/A
• 4th runners-up: N/A
• Semi-finalists: N/A

Awards

Preliminary awards

• Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: N/A
• Preliminary Talent: Ashley Wheeler (2009) for her a capella vocal performance of "God Bless America." ^[1] This marked the first time a representative of the state of Vermont won a preliminary award at the Miss America Pageant. ^[2]

Non-finalist awards

• Non-finalist Interview: Drell Latasha Hunter (2004)
• Non-finalist Talent: Joan Hewitt (1958), Brenda Naatz (1960), Melissa Hetzel (1964), Elizabeth Sackler (1969), Sue Glover (1972), Joylynn McCraw (1974), Carole Spolar (1981), Erica Van Der Linde (1986), Michelle Dawson (1987), Jacqueline Quirk (1994), Sarah Watson (2007), Ashley Wheeler (2009), Alayna Westcom (2016)

Other awards

• Miss Congeniality: Sandra Simpson (1957), Julia Crane (2019)
• Rembrandt Award for Mentorship: Vanessa Branch (1995)
• STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Lucy Edwards (2015), Alayna Westcom (2016)
• STEM Scholarship Award Finalists: Julia Crane (2019), Danielle Morse (2022)
• Women Who Brand Finalists: Alexina Federhen (2023)

Winners

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2024	Meara Seery	Brattleboro	24	Miss Southern Vermont	Vocal	TBA	TBA
2023	Yamuna Turco	Colchester	20	Miss Green Mountains	Vocal, "Listen" from Dreamgirls
2022	Alexina Federhen [3]	Bennington	24	Miss Southern Vermont	Vocal		Women Who Brand Finalist	Previously Miss Vermont's Outstanding Teen 2014 [4]
2021	Danielle Morse [5]	New Haven	22	Miss Addison County	Speed Painting, Johnny Cash portrait		STEM Scholarship Finalist	First firefighter to compete for Miss America
2019–20	Jillian Fisher [6]	Burlington	20	-	Vocal, "Bennie and The Jets" by Elton John			Older sister of Miss Massachusetts' Outstanding Teen 2017, Carly Fisher[ citation needed ]
2018	Julia Crane [7]	Colchester	22		Tap Dance, "Hey Momma/Hit the Road Jack" by Pentatonix		Miss Congeniality STEM Scholarship Award Finalist [8]	Contestant at National Sweetheart 2016 pageant
2017	Erin Connor [9]	Bridport	22		American Sign Language - Song Interpretation, "The Greatest Love of All"			Previously Miss Vermont's Outstanding Teen 2010 [10] Obtained pilot's license at age 16 and piloted plane to Atlantic City for Miss America 2018 pageant [11]
2016	Rylee Field	Montpelier	24		Spoken Word Poetry, Mockingbird by Rives
2015	Alayna Westcom [12]	Bakersfield	23		Scientific Experiment		Non-finalist Talent Award STEM Scholarship Award	Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 pageant
2014	Lucy Edwards [13]	Burlington	19		Vocal, "You'll Never Walk Alone"		STEM Scholarship Award [14]
2013	Jeanelle Achee	Rochester	22		Vocal, "Running"
2012	Chelsea Ingram	Lyndonville	23		Operatic Vocal, "Habanera"			Meteorologist for WJZ CH 13 CBS Baltimore[ citation needed ]
2011	Katie Levasseur [15]	Burlington	20		Scottish Highland Dance, "Toss the Feathers"
2010	Caroline Bright [16]	St. Albans	20		Vocal, "Let Yourself Go"			Previously Miss Vermont's Outstanding Teen 2007 [17]
2009	Laura Hall	South Burlington	21		Jazz Dance, "I Want To Go To Hollywood" from Grand Hotel
2008	Ashley Wheeler [18]	Lyndonville [19]	21		A Cappella Vocal, "God Bless America"		Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award	Born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, to Michael & Donna Ellsworth Wheeler; [20] platform was Political Awareness Among Young Voters; [18] [21] wore an eco-friendly gown that she had crafted by local Vermont designer Tara Lynn; [22] Vermont Secretary of State Deb Markowitz presented Wheeler with one of seven Enduring Democracy Awards for her commitment to advancing the democratic process in the state. [23]
2007	Rachel Ann Cole	Middlebury	22		Monologue, "Queen Hermione" from A Winter's Tale			As of 2020 [update] , a senior producer for The Try Guys and their company, 2nd Try LLC. [24]
2006	Sarah Watson	Enosburg Falls	21		Classical Piano, "Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum"		Non-finalist Talent Award
2005	Megan Plebani	Weybridge	24		Gymnastics Jazz Dance, Music from Pirates of the Caribbean
2004	Megan Yardley	Burlington	24		Vocal, "Who Can I Turn To?"
2003	Drell Latasha Hunter	Sharon	24		Lyrical Dance		Non-finalist Interview Award
2002	Sarah Jo Willey	Bakersfield	24		Vocal, "You Do Something to Me"			Contestant at National Sweetheart 2001 pageant
2001	Amy Marie Johnson	Essex Junction	22		Classical Piano, "Impromptu"
2000	Hannah Jane Nelson	Ryegate Corner	24		Vocal, "I Will Survive"			Contestant at National Sweetheart 1999 pageant
1999	Katy Johnson	Burlington	21		Vocal, "Two Little Words" from Steel Pier			Later Miss Vermont USA 2001
1998	Aimee Rzewuski	Lyndonville	21		Tap Dance, "Greased Lightnin'" from Grease
1997	Jill Renee Cummings	Montgomery Center	20		Vocal, "Someone to Watch Over Me"
1996	Nicole Juvan	Essex Junction	22		Vocal, "Some Day My Prince Will Come"
1995	Jennifer Faucette	Burlington	24		Piano & Violin, "Hungarian Dance No. 5"
1994	Vanessa Branch	London, England	21		Dramatic Monologue		Rembrandt Award for Mentorship	Eligible as a student at Middlebury College; also with dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and United States[ citation needed ]
1993	Jacqueline Quirk	Burlington	24		Classical Vocal, "Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta" from La rondine		Non-finalist Talent Award
1992	Nicole Gentry	Middlebury	23	Miss University of Vermont	Jazz Vocal, "Hit Me With a Hot Note And Watch Me Bounce" from Sophisticated Ladies
1991	Tina Ostrowski	Bellows Falls	21	Miss Bellows Falls	Vocal, "I've Got a Crush on You"
1990	Debra Lewin	South Burlington	24	Miss Burlington	Dance
1989	Catherine Stillinger	Burlington	24	Miss Greater Burlington	Vocal Medley
1988	Julie Tidd	Barre	25		Jazz Dance
1987	Susan Bora	Colchester	26		Percussion, "Opus D Opus - The Tonight Show Theme"
1986	Michelle Dawson	Charlotte	18		Vocal, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady		Non-finalist Talent Award
1985	Erica Van Der Linde	Old Bennington	21	Miss Southern Vermont	Classical Piano, "Waldesrauschen"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1984	Lorrie Glosick	Winooski	21	Miss Middlebury	Vocal, "The Trolley Song"
1983	Juliet Lambert	Middlebury	19		Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade"
1982	Jill Wyckoff	South Burlington	20		Gymnastics Dance, Theme from CHiPs
1981	Kimberly Nestle	Shelburne	19	Miss Burlington	Acrobatic Jazz Dance, "I Hope I Get It" from A Chorus Line
1980	Carole Spolar	St. Albans	24		Dramatic Monologue from The Miracle Worker		Non-finalist Talent Award
1979	Shari Bach	Middlebury	22	Miss Central Vermont	Classical Piano, Holberg Suite
1978	Lisa Volkert		20	Miss Middlebury	Comedy Monologue, "Collage of TV Commercials: My TV Nightmare"
1977	Andrea Petty	Poultney	18	Miss Green Mountain College	Classical Vocal, "Glitter And Be Gay" from Candide
1976	Suzanne Wind	Saxtons River	18	Miss Brattleboro Winter Carnival	Acrobatic Jazz Dance, "Wisdom"
1975	Katherine Rechsteiner	Warren	23	Miss Warren	Electric Organ, "Galloping Comedian"			Later Miss Vermont USA 1979
1974	Donna Shea	Windsor	21	Miss Windsor	Oratory, "Eulogy of John F. Kennedy"
1973	Joylynn McCraw	Barre	22	Miss University of Vermont	Popular Vocal & Sign Language, "I Am Woman"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1972	Kathy Hebert	Burlington	21	Miss Burlington	Vocal & Guitar with Display of Fashion Design, "I Don't Know How to Love Him"
1971	Sue Glover	Brattleboro	18	Miss Brattleboro Winter Carnival	Gymnastics Routine on the Uneven Parallel Bars		Non-finalist Talent Award
1970	Pati Papineau	Rutland	19	Miss Green Mountain College	Classical Ballet, "The Stars and Stripes Forever"
1969	Barbara Schmitt	South Hero	21	Miss University of Vermont	Comedic Reading, "Archy and Mehitabel"
1968	Elizabeth Sackler	Putney	20	Miss Brattleboro Winter Carnival	Modern Dance Interpretation to Self-Recorded Reading of "The Last Flower"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1967	Kathleen Rowley	Williston	19		Vocal Presentation of an Original Song, "The Bigness of Being Small"
1966	Karen Tuttle	Brattleboro	18	Miss Brattleboro Winter Carnival	Popular Vocal & Jazz Dance
1965	Lois Dodge	Grand Isle	20		Vocal, "Climb Ev'ry Mountain"
1964	Jean Conner	Rutland	21		Popular Vocal
1963	Melissa Hetzel	Burlington			Popular Vocal, "Fly Me to the Moon"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1962	Elaine Wright		22		Display of Fashion Designs
1961	Janice Cole	Binghamton, NY	18		Dramatic Reading from Romeo and Juliet			Eligible as a student at University of Vermont
1960	Anne Masino	Randolph	18		Accordion, "China Boy"
1959	Brenda Naatz	St. Johnsbury	19		Piano & Impersonation of Victor Borge		Non-finalist Talent Award
1958	Sandra Sinclair	South Burlington			Vocal & Dance, "Getting to Know You"
1957	Joan Hewitt	Brattleboro			Art Presentation & Original Skit with Original Music		Non-finalist Talent Award
1956	Sandra Simpson	Barre			Dress Design		Miss Congeniality
1955	Phyllis Reich	Bennington			Vocal & Dance
1954	Annabelle Pinkham	Brattleboro			Drama
1953	Carlene King Johnson	Rutland			Dance			Later Miss Vermont USA 1955 Crowned Miss USA 1955 Semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1955 pageant
1952	Barbara Moore	St. Johnsbury			Baton Twirling / Dance
1951	Peggy Gilbert	Rutland			Dance
1950	Eleanor Kangas	Springfield
1949	Annalou Johnston	Enosburg Falls
1948	Jean M. Peatman	Montpelier						Jean M. Peatman Constantine Theobald, 94, died at home in Orange, Vermont on March 19, 2024.
1947	Barbara Campbell				Vocal, "Blue Skies"
1946	Lola Sundberg	Burlington
1945	Mary Staikos
1935–1944	No Vermont representative at Miss America pageant [25]
1934	No national pageant was held [26]
1933	No Vermont representative at Miss America pageant [27] Actually Nettina Anne Rich of Norton, MA was Miss Vermont in the Miss America 1933 Pageant [28] Nettina Anne Rich died at age 90 on June 15, 2005, in Middleborough, Massachusetts.
1932	No national pageants were held [26]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1924–1927	No Vermont representative at Miss America pageant
1923	Hazel Gove [29]	Burlington		Miss Burlington	N/A [30]			Competed under local title at national pageant
1922	No Vermont representative at Miss America pageant [31] [32]
1921

References

1. "Miss Vermont's singing ranks her tops in talent". Rutland Herald. Associated Press. 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
2. • "Miss Vermont Wows Judges With Singing". The White River Valley Herald. 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
   • "Vermont, New York score wins in Miss America preliminaries". CT Insider. 2009-01-24. Archived from the original on 2023-08-21. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
   • "MISS VERMONT, MISS NEW YORK GRAB PRELIM TITLES" . Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
3. Smith, Cam. "Newsmaker Interview: 2022 Miss Vermont winners". wcax.com. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
4. Carson, Derek (June 25, 2014). "MAU student Alexina Federhen chosen to receive $500 scholarship". Bennington Banner.
5. "Whiting firefighter wins Miss Vermont". Addison County Independent. 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
6. "Miss Vermont and Miss Vermont's Outstanding Teen 2019 crowned". Vermont Biz. June 3, 2019.
7. "Miss Vermont, Julia Crane, to promote organ donation". Vermont Business Magazine. May 29, 2018.
8. Serpico, Erin (August 26, 2018). "Miss America Cara Mund announces scholarship finalists before competition". Press of Atlantic City.
9. "Bridport woman crowned Miss Vermont 2017". Addison Independent. April 29, 2017.
10. "Miss Vermont, a pilot, flies herself to Miss America contest". Burlington Free Press.
11. Carroll, Lauren (August 30, 2017). "Miss Vermont pilots plane to arrive in A.C. for Miss America". Press of Atlantic City.
12. "2015 Miss Vermont and Miss Outstanding Teen crowned". Burlington, VT: WCAX-TV. April 27, 2015. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
13. Blaisdell, Eric (April 28, 2014). "Not just about looks". Rutland Herald . Rutland, VT: Herald Association. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
14. "2015 Miss America Pageant Scholarship Winners". Miss America. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015.
15. "Miss Vermont is selected". Boston Globe . Associated Press. June 27, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
16. "St. Albans woman crowned Miss Vermont". WCAX.com. June 6, 2010.
17. "Talent show to be emceed by Miss Teen Vt". Manchester Journal. March 7, 2008. This year's scheduled emcee is Caroline Bright, Miss Vermont's Outstanding Teen 2007.
18. "Lyndonville woman wins 2008 Miss Vermont pageant". Times Argus. Associated Press. 2008-04-29. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
19. Nelson, Shyla (2009-01-06). "Miss Vermont doesn't leave Miss America emptyhanded" (PDF). missvermont.org. missvermont.org.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
20. • Finnegan, Amanda (2009-01-20). "Tears and hope in front of the JumboTron during inauguration - Las Vegas Weekly". lasvegasweekly.com. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
    • "Vermont Birth Records, 1909-2008" . Ancestry.com. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
21. "Miss Vermont - What's your Platform?", TLC, 2009-01-03, retrieved 2023-08-21
22. • "Miss Vermont goes green with dress". UPI. 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
    • "Eco-friendly custom made pageant gown by Tara Lynn Bridal". Tara Lynn Bridal. 2012-08-18. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
23. "Secretary of State presents the 2009 Democracy Awards | Vermont Business Magazine". vermontbiz.com. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
24. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "Which Try Guy Is The Best Boss?". YouTube .
25. "1935 Candidates". Miss America. 5 July 2018.
26. "Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950". PBS . Archived from the original on 2017-02-15. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
27. "1933 Candidates". Miss America. 28 June 2018.
28. Obituary: NORTON — "Nettina A. "Tina" Rich, 90, of Norton, died on Monday evening, June 13, 2005, at the Oak Hill Nursing Home in Middleboro. Born in Norton, Mass., on Aug. 17, 1914 ... In her younger years, Tina had participated in many beauty contests and had won the titles of both Miss New England and Miss Vermont. ..." She is pictured in the 1933 panorama picture and is featured in several newspaper articles in Nov 1933 disparaging the Miss America Pageant, such as "Beauty Contest a 'Racket' Warns Disillusioned Winner" in the November 9 Massillon, Ohio newspaper.
29. "Golden Apple Is Sought by Scores". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
30. Schnitzspahn, Karen (September 8, 1997). "There She Was – Miss Long Branch". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com. ...talent contest that was established in 1935.
31. "1922 Candidates". Miss America. 28 June 2018.
32. "1921 Candidates". Miss America. 28 June 2018.

External links

• Official website