Miss Massachusetts

Summary

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 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Miss Massachusetts
Formation1922
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersBoston
Location
Membership
Miss America
Official language
English
WebsiteOfficial website
Loren Galler-Rabinowitz, Miss Massachusetts 2010, competes in ice dancing at the 2004 Four Continents Championships

Women between the ages of 17 and 24 who meet residency, scholastic and character requirements are eligible to compete in local pageants, the winners of which continue on to the Miss Massachusetts pageant in Worcester each July.

Contestants at the Miss Massachusetts competition are judged in five areas: personal interview, poise and grace in evening gown, lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit, artistic expression, and on stage question. Scholarships are awarded for Miss Massachusetts, first through fourth runners-up, preliminary talent winners, preliminary swimsuit winners, non-finalist talent winner, MAO Academic Award, MAO Service Award, and MAO Children's Miracle Network Award.

Katrina Kincade of Boston was crowned Miss Massachusetts 2022 on July 3, 2022, at Hanover Theatre in Worcester, Massachusetts. She competed for the title of Miss America 2023 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut in December 2022.

Results summary edit

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Massachusetts 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 edit

  • 1st runners-up: Paulina McKevitt* (1944), Catherine Monroe (1969), Abbie Rabine (2002)
  • 2nd runners-up: Helena Frances Mack* (1943), Deborah O'Brien (1972), Elizabeth Pierre (2022)
  • 3rd runners-up: Polly Connors (1940)
  • 4th runners-up: Lauren Kuhn (2015), Gabriela Taveras (2019)
  • Top 10: Virginia Maffucci (1956), Jewel Smerage (1957), Brenda Crovo (1961), Carol Kennedy (1967), Georgina Hossfeld (1970), Cynthia Carpenter (1976), Margaret O'Brien (1985), Lisa Desroches (1993), Marcia Turner (1996), Melanie Correia (2003)
  • Top 15: Martha E. Hick** (1927), Ethel Beatrice Pierce* (1927), Barbara Laughton (1948), Alissa Musto (2017)
  • Top 16: Claire Nevulis* (1937)
  • Top 18: Elsie Taylor (1933)

Awards edit

Preliminary awards edit

Non-finalist awards edit

  • Non-finalist Talent: Sharon Faught (1960), Maria Lynn Chaffee (1968), Marie Semas (1973), Rena Walmsley (1974), Amy Linder (1981), Holly Mayer (1984), Lisa Kleypas (1986), Aurelie McCarthy (1988), Marissa Laakso (1991), Melissa Bloemker (1992), Sharon Lee (1995), Lori Flick (1997), April Thibeaut (2000), Erika Ebbel (2005), Valerie Amaral (2008), Taylor Kinzler (2013)
  • Non-finalist Interview: Elizabeth Hancock (1999)

Other awards edit

  • Miss Congeniality: N/A
  • Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Susan Sadlier (1975)
  • Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship: Lauren Kuhn (2015), Alissa Musto (2017)
  • Children's Miracle Network (CMN) Miracle Maker Award Winner: Valerie Amaral (2008), Loren Galler-Rabinowitz (2011)
  • CMN Miracle Maker Award 2nd runners-up: Jillian Zucco (2018)
  • People's Choice Award: Gabriela Taveras (2019)
  • Quality of Life Award Finalists: Valerie Amaral (2008)
  • STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Lauren Kuhn (2015), Jillian Zucco (2018), Gabriela Taveras (2019)
  • STEM Scholarship Award 1st runners-up: Lyndsey Littlefield (2020)
  • Waterford Crystal Award for Business Marketing and Management: Samira Zebian (1998)

* Competed as Miss Boston
** Competed as Miss Pittsfield

Winners edit

  •   Declared as winner
  •   Ended as a runner-up
  •   Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes
2023 Chelsea Vuong Cambridge 25 Miss North Shore Piano First Asian-American woman to win Miss Massachusetts
2022 Katrina Kincade Boston 25 Miss Cambridge Vocal
2021 Elizabeth Pierre North Cambridge 23 Miss Cambridge Contemporary Dance 2nd runner-up
2019–20 Lyndsey Littlefield[1] East Taunton 22 Miss Taunton Lyrical Dance STEM Scholarship Award 1st runner-up[2] Longest reigning Miss Massachusetts at 2 years and 18 days (749 days), second longest reigning Miss America state titleholder[citation needed]
2018 Gabriela Taveras[3] Lawrence 23 Miss North Shore Vocal, "Rise Up" 4th runner-up[4] People's Choice Award

Preliminary On Stage Interview Award[5]

STEM Scholarship Award[6]
First African American woman to win Miss Massachusetts title[3]
2017 Jillian Zucco[7] Mattapoisett 24 Miss Bristol County Vocal, "The Impossible Dream" CMN Miracle Maker Award 2nd runner-up[8]

STEM Scholarship Award[8]
Top 10 finalist at National Sweetheart 2015 pageant
2016 Alissa Musto[9] Rehoboth 21 Miss Cambridge Piano Top 15[10][11] Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship Later Miss Massachusetts World 2020[12]
2015 Meagan Fuller[13] Attleboro 22 Miss Collegiate Area Jazz Dance, "Feeling Good" Top 10 at America's Distinguished Young Women 2010 pageant

1st runner-up at National Sweetheart 2013 pageant
2014 Lauren Kuhn[14] Boston 23 Miss Collegiate Area Piano, "Valse Dramatico" by Melody Bober 4th runner-up Charles & Theresa Brown Scholarship[15]

STEM Scholarship Award
2013 Amanda Narciso[16] Taunton 22 Miss Cranberry Country Tap Dance, "Can't Hold Us" 2nd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2011 pageant
2012 Taylor Kinzler[17] Lakeville 20 Miss Norfolk County Vocal, "At Last" Non-finalist Talent Award Previously Miss Massachusetts' Outstanding Teen 2008[17]

Contestant at National Sweetheart 2010 pageant
2011 Molly Whalen Middleboro 21 Miss Taunton Vocal, "I Just Call You Mine"
2010 Loren Galler-Rabinowitz Brookline 24 Miss Collegiate Area Piano, "The Swan" CMN Miracle Maker Award U.S. Ice Dancing Bronze Medalist[citation needed]
2009 Amanda Kelly Braintree 23 Miss Fall River Vocal, "Show Off" from The Drowsy Chaperone Sister of Miss Massachusetts USA 2006, Tiffany Kelly

Contestant at National Sweetheart 2008 pageant
2008 Alicia Zitka[18] West Springfield 22 Miss Hampden County Lyrical Dance, "I Will Love You" by Fisher
2007 Valerie Amaral[19] Acushnet 22 Miss North Shore Vocal, "Anyway" CMN Miracle Maker Award

Non-finalist Talent Award

Preliminary Talent Award

Quality of Life Award Finalist
Previously Miss Massachusetts' Outstanding Teen 2001

Contestant at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant
2006 Michaela Gagne Fall River 24 Miss Southcoast Vocal, "Bye Bye Blackbird" Contestant at National Sweetheart 2005 pageant
2005 Kristin Gauvin Worcester 23 Miss Apponagansett Bay Tap Dance, "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo" Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2004 pageant

Later New England Patriots Cheerleader[citation needed]
2004 Erika Ebbel Cambridge 23 Classical Piano, "Fantaisie-Impromptu" Non-finalist Talent Award

Preliminary Talent Award
2nd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2003 pageant
2003 Melissa Silva Fall River 23 Miss Southern Massachusetts Vocal, "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" from Side Show Contestant at National Sweetheart 2002 pageant
2002 Melanie Correia Acushnet 22 Miss Taunton Vocal, "Big Time" Top 10 2nd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2001 pageant
2001 Abbie Rabine Wenham 22 Miss Southern Massachusetts/Freetown Vocal, "Via Dolorosa" 1st runner-up Preliminary Interview Award

Preliminary Swimsuit Award
Contestant at National Sweetheart 1999 pageant
2000 Michelle Neves New Bedford 23 Miss Pioneer Valley Vocal, "I'm Afraid This Must Be Love" Previously Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1994[citation needed]
1999 April Thibeault Boston 21 Miss North Shore Ballet, "Reflections of Passion" Non-finalist Talent Award
1998 Elizabeth Hancock Cambridge 20 Miss Suffolk County Musical Theater Monologue from 42nd Street Non-finalist Interview Award
1997 Samira Zebian Westfield 20 Miss Tri-Counties/North Shore Irish Step Dance Waterford Crystal Award for Business Marketing & Management
1996 Lori Flick Boston 24 Interpretive Gymnastics Dance, "Prologue from Beauty and the Beast" Non-finalist Talent Award
1995 Marcia Turner Cambridge 21 Miss Tri-Counties/North Shore Piano, "Souvenirs d'Andalousie, Op.22" by Louis Moreau Gottschalk Top 10
1994 Sharon Lee Somerville 24 Miss Tri-Counties/North Shore Classical Vocal, "O Mio Babbino Caro" Non-finalist Talent Award
1993 Ellen Fitzgerald Saugus 22 Miss Bay State Vocal, "Vision of Love"
1992 Lisa Desroches New Bedford 21 Miss New Bedford Character Ballet en Pointe, "Can-Can" Top 10
1991 Melissa Bloemker East Boston 20 Miss Greater Boston Harp, "Tango & Rumba from Suite of Eight Dances" by Carlos Salzedo Non-finalist Talent Award
1990 Marissa Laakso Randolph 24 Miss Bay State Character Tap Dance, "Mr. Bojangles" Non-finalist Talent Award
1989 Janette Elman Attleboro 22 Miss Greater Attleboro Russian Cossack Dance
1988 Diana Steckler East Boston 22 Miss East Boston Vocal, "Amazing Grace"
1987 Aurelie McCarthy 24 Marimba, "Hava Nagila", "William Tell Overture", & "Joplin on Wood" Non-finalist Talent Award Former executive director of the Miss Massachusetts pageant[citation needed]
1986 Kathleen Callahan Revere 23 Miss Boston Popular Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine"
1985 Lisa Kleypas Carlisle 20 Miss Tri-County Original Vocal Composition & Guitar, "Love You Are My Wings" Non-finalist Talent Award
1984 Margaret O'Brien Weymouth 26 Miss Cape Cod Vocal Medley, "The Man that Got Away", "The Man I Love", & "My Man" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award Previously National Sweetheart 1983
1983 Holly Mayer Brookline 26 Miss Merrimack Valley Dance / Baton Twirling, Music from Gypsy: A Musical Fable Non-finalist Talent Award Previously National Sweetheart 1982

Mother of Miss New York's Outstanding Teen 2011 and Miss New York 2019, Lauren Molella

Sister-in-law of Miss New York 1989, Lisa Molella[20]
1982 Lisa Scorgie North Attleboro 23 Miss Attleboro Violin, "Fantasy of Russian Folk Songs"
1981 Deborah Salois North Andover 19 Miss Methuen Vocal, "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" from Ain't Misbehavin'
1980 Amy Linder Lowell 22 Piano, Sonata by Alberto Ginastera Non-finalist Talent Award
1979 Lisa Matta Brockton 20 Miss Boston Jazz Dance, "Slow Dancing"
1978 Rowena Humphrey Worthington 20 Miss Northern Berkshire Ballet en Pointe, "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story"
1977 Janice Ould Boston 25 Miss Methuen Semi-classical Vocal, "One Kiss" from The New Moon
1976 Deborah Guastella Methuen 22 Miss Merrimack Valley Vocal, "Your World And Mine"
1975 Cynthia Carpenter Wayland 22 Miss Marlboro Classical Piano, "Malagueña" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
1974 Susan Sadlier Lowell 22 Miss Newburyport/Coast Guard Musical Comedy, "I'm the Greatest Star" Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
1973 Rena Walmsley North Attleboro 20 Miss Attleboro Dramatic Soliloquy from Funny Girl Non-finalist Talent Award
1972 Marie Semas Taunton 18 Miss Taunton Piano & Vocal Original Composition Non-finalist Talent Award
1971 Deborah O'Brien Foxboro 22 Miss Foxboro Classical Vocal, "Je Veux Vivre" from Roméo et Juliette 2nd runner-up
1970 Diana Dohrmann Boston 21 Piano, "The Kid From Red Bank" by Count Basie
1969 Georgina Hossfeld Burlington 22 Miss Burlington Piano, "Piano Concerto in A minor" by Edvard Grieg & "Bumble Boogie" Top 10
1968 Catherine Monroe Lynnfield 20 Miss Woburn Sign Language & Dance, "What the World Needs Now Is Love" 1st runner-up
1967 Maria Lynn Chaffee Waltham 18 Miss Woburn Ballet & Jazz Toe Dance, "Do I Hear a Waltz?", "Georgy Girl", & "One of Those Songs" Non-finalist Talent Award
1966 Carol Kennedy Worcester 19 Miss Northboro Jazz Ballet Dance, "Can-Can" Top 10
1965 Mabel Bendiksen New Bedford 18 Miss New Bedford Dramatic Reading & Folk Singing, "The Hazards of Nuclear Fallout" & "What Have They Done to the Rain"
1964 Kathleen Kenneally Whitman 21 Miss Brockton Dramatic Reading
1963 Lila Saldani Attleboro Miss Attleboro Original Dramatic Monologue, "A World of Darkness"
1962 Karen Behn North Dartmouth 18 Miss New Bedford Dramatic Reading
1961 Nona Smith Fairhaven 18 Dramatic Reading
1960 Brenda Crovo Reading 20 Miss Cambridge Vocal Medley, "Bill" & "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" from Show Boat Top 10
1959 Sharon Faught Holyoke 21 Dramatic Reading & Vocal Non-finalist Talent Award
1958 Patricia Nordling Lexington Vocal / Piano, "Exactly Like You"
1957 Daly Hirsch Boston Drama
1956 Jewel Smerage Boston Vocal Medley from The King and I Top 10 Featured in Atul Gawande's #1 New York Times bestselling book, Being Mortal[21]
1955 Virginia Maffucci Watertown Dramatic Monologue, "Solitary Confinement" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
1954 Judith Drake[22] Fairhaven
1953 Lois Feldman Natick Ballet
1952 Barbara Graves Milton
1951 Mildred Almeida New Bedford Fashion Modeling
1950 Britta Berg Boston
1949 Gloria Curelli Roslindale Dance
1948 Barbara McGrath Boston Miss Boston Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Barbara Laughton Reading Miss Massachusetts Vocal, "The Moon Belongs to Everyone" Top 15
1947 No Massachusetts representative at Miss America pageant[23]
1946 Paula C. Jerome Boston Miss Boston Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Urania "Rae" Nichols Malden Miss Massachusetts
1945 Claire Thibadeau Boston Miss Boston Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Ruth Thomas Belmont Miss Massachusetts
1944 Paulina McKevitt Boston Miss Boston Vocal, "Goodnight, Wherever You Are" 1st runner-up Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Lucille Descoteau Lowell Miss Massachusetts
1943 Helena Frances Mack Boston Miss Boston Samba Dance, "Cae Cae" 2nd runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit Award

Preliminary Talent Award
Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Mary McAnulty Roslindale Miss Massachusetts
1942 Paula Boardman Natick
1941 Betsy Sears Taylor Cambridge
1940 Polly Connors Bedford 3rd runner-up Mother of Miss Massachusetts USA 1967 Pamela Procter[24]
1939 No Massachusetts representative at Miss America pageant[25][26]
1938
1937 Claire Nevulis South Boston Vocal / Tap Dance Top 16 Preliminary Talent Award
1936 Marion Flynn Norwood 18 Miss Long Beach
1935 Rita Mae King Leominster Miss Leominster Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Mary Stanley Quincy Miss Quincy
1934 No national pageant was held[27]
1933 Elsie Taylor 17 N/A[28] Top 18
1932 No national pageants were held[27]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927 Ethel Beatrice Pierce Miss Boston N/A[28] Top 15 Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Muriel E. Bowers Miss Lynn
Marion Howarth Fall River Miss New England
Martha E. Hick Miss Pittsfield Top 15
Dorothy M. Rawson Miss Worcester
1926 Mary "May" Mudge Miss Boston Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Mary Robinson Miss Lockport
Rosa Lee Irving Miss Portsmouth
Muriel Borek Miss Springfield
1925 Nina Wolff Miss Boston Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Katherine Kearns Newton Miss New England
1924 Mildred M. Prendergast[29] Boston Miss Boston After winning Miss Boston title, pageant officials banned Prendergast from competing in national pageant as she was married and had a nine-month old son[29][30]

Prendergast and her husband threatened legal action citing that officials knew she was married prior to competing in Miss Boston pageant[29][30]

After their protest, officials relented and allowed Prendergast to compete[29]
1923 Margaret Black[31] Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Doris Rowden George[32] Cambridge Miss Cambridge
Mildred Salisbury[33] New Bedford Miss New Bedford
1922 Charlotte Trowbridge[34] Boston Miss Boston Multiple Massachusetts representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Helen Lynch[35] Fall River Miss Fall River
Alice Burke[36] New Bedford Miss New Bedford
1921
No Massachusetts representative at Miss America pageant[37]

References edit

  1. ^ "Taunton's Littlefield crowned Miss Massachusetts". The Herald News. June 30, 2019.
  2. ^ "Miss America 2020 Scholarship Award Winners Announced". Miss America Organization. December 19, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Kashinsky, Lisa (July 2, 2018). "Lawrence woman crowned Miss Massachusetts, will compete for Miss America title". The Eagle-Tribune.
  4. ^ Stone, Natalie (September 9, 2018). "Miss New York Nia Imani Franklin Crowned Miss America 2019". People. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  5. ^ Parry, Wayne (September 7, 2018). "Miss America contestant: Trump 'caused a lot of division'". The Associated Press.
  6. ^ "Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin Crowned in Atlantic City". Miss America Organization. September 9, 2018.
  7. ^ Semon, Craig S. (July 1, 2017). "Jillian Marie Zucco, Miss Bristol County…". Worcester Telegram.
  8. ^ a b Ray, Andrea (September 8, 2017). "Zucco wins $5,000 science scholarship from Miss America". Sippican Week.
  9. ^ "Alissa Musto of Rehoboth is Miss Massachusetts 2016". Reporter Today. July 9, 2016.
  10. ^ Zaretsky, Staci (September 12, 2016). "Miss America Contestant Longs To Be A Lawyer". Above the Law.
  11. ^ "2017 Contestant Scholarship Awards" (PDF). Miss America Foundation.
  12. ^ "Miss World America Massachusetts 2020 – Miss World America". Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  13. ^ Allen, Paige (June 29, 2015). "Attleboro woman headed to Miss America competition". The Sun Chronicle. Attleboro, MA: United Communications Corporation. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  14. ^ Rhodes, George W. (July 2, 2014). "Attleboro resident third runner-up in Miss. Mass. pageant". The Sun Chronicle. Attleboro, MA: United Communications Corporation. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  15. ^ "2015 Miss America Pageant Scholarship Winners". Miss America. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015.
  16. ^ "Bridgewater and Raynham residents receive awards in Miss Massachusetts contest". Taunton Daily Gazette. Taunton, MA: GateHouse Media. July 2, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  17. ^ a b "Lakeville woman wins Miss Massachusetts 2012; Miss Taunton receives fourth runner-up". Taunton Daily Gazette. July 1, 2012.
  18. ^ "West Springfield woman crowned Miss Massachusetts". Wicked Local. June 29, 2008.
  19. ^ Wagner, Jeffrey D. (June 24, 2007). "Acushnet resident Valerie Amaral crowned Miss Massachusetts". The Herald News.
  20. ^ "Lauren Molella named Miss New York Outstanding Teen". SI Live. June 19, 2011.
  21. ^ Gawande, Atul (October 7, 2014). Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York, New York: Metropolitan Books. p. 202. ISBN 0805095152.
  22. ^ "1955 Candidates". Miss America.
  23. ^ "1947 Candidates". Miss America.
  24. ^ "Sisters, Mom Are Queens". Press and Sun-Bulletin. 15 May 1967. p. 12. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  25. ^ "1939 Candidates". Miss America.
  26. ^ "1938 Candidates". Miss America.
  27. ^ a b "Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950". PBS.
  28. ^ a b 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.
  29. ^ a b c d "Miss Boston's Protest Wins". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. September 4, 1924. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ a b "Miss Michael Prendergast". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. September 4, 1924. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Golden Apple Is Sought by Scores". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Golden Apple Is Sought by Scores". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. September 6, 1923. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Half a Dozen America Beauties, Please". The Daily News. Frederick, Maryland. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspaper.com.
  34. ^ "Miss Columbus Picked as Miss America at Pageant". Evening Journal. Vineland, New Jersey. September 9, 1922. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ Arbuckle, Alex Q. (July 12, 2015). "1922:The first Miss America". Mashable.
  36. ^ "Now, Which One Would You Say?". Salisbury Evening Post. Salisbury, North Carolina. August 31, 1922. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "1921 Candidates". Miss America.

External links edit

  • Miss Massachusetts official website
  • Miss Massachusetts page on Miss America official website[permanent dead link]