| Miss Washington | |
| Formation: | 1926 |
| Type: | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters: | Puyallup |
| Location: | Washington |
| Membership: | Miss America |
| Language: | English |
| Key People: | Peggy Miller (Executive Director) |
| Website: | Official website |
The Miss Washington competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Washington in the Miss America pageant.
Hermona Girmary of Seattle was crowned Miss Washington 2024 on July 6, 2024, at the Capital High School Performing Arts Center in Olympia. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.
Washington first sent delegates to Miss America in 1926 with Leona Fengler, Miss Seattle. She was sponsored by the Seattle Times newspaper, a practice common in the early days of Miss America pageants. She was pictured in the paper leaving in a biplane for her cross-country flight to Atlantic City, where she was voted "Prettiest Girl in an Evening Gown." In 1987, Fendler was featured again in the newly-revived Miss Seattle Pageant.
The Depression and war years caused sporadic participation by Washington contestants in the Miss America pageant, but the Miss Washington pageant was revived in 1948 and held in Ephrata, with a $1000 scholarship offered to the winner.[1] In 1949 the pageant was a "financial flop" and the winner had to seek community donations to fund her appearance at Miss America. At the time the organization was so deeply in debt that the titleholder's tiara was nearly repossessed by the manufacturer.[2] [3] [4]
From 1961 to 1997 the pageant was hosted by Vancouver, under a number of executive directors before moving to the Tri-Cities under the directorship of Chamber President, Dorothy Schoeppach. Under the direction of Schoeppach the local programs again grew from 9 to 22. Two years later the pageant moved to Tacoma under the directorship of Joan Dehn and Mike Shinkle.
The competition was held in Renton or Des Moines, WA beginning in 2008 under the directorship of Charlie VanTramp and then Peggy Miller and Patti Belik, except for 2021, which was held at Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA, due to pandemic restrictions. . In 2023, the competition as well as all of its annual events moved to Olympia, WA, to the Capital High School Performing Arts Center.
The Miss Washington Scholarship Organization is a 501(c)4 organization, and its scholarship arm, MWSO Miracle, Inc. is a 501(c)3, where donations are tax deductible.[5] [6]
Following is a visual summary of the results of Miss Washington 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 | Hermona Girmay | Seattle | 23 | Miss Seattle | TBA | TBA | |||
| 2023 | Vanessa Munson | Battle Ground | 23 | Miss Clark County | Preliminary Evening Gown winner, Miss Washington 2023. | ||||
| 2022 | Regan Gallo | Puyallup | 23 | Miss Pierce County | Dance | Previously Top 10 at Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2016. Third Runner Up at Miss Washington Volunteer 2022 | |||
| 2021 | Maddie Louder[7] | Seattle | 23 | Miss Emerald City | Dance | Competed at Miss Oklahoma 2018 and 2019 Later became Miss Washington Volunteer 2024 | |||
| 2019–20 | Abbie Kondel[8] | Brush Prairie | 21 | Miss Clark County | Power Tap Dance, "Sax" by Fleur East | First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2018. Top 10 at Miss Washington 2017. | |||
| 2018 | Danamarie McNicholl[9] | Spokane | 23 | Miss Columbia Basin | Piano, "Curse of the Black Pearl" from Pirates of the Caribbean | Top 15[10] | First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2017. Competed at Miss Washington 2016. | ||
| 2017 | Nicole Renard[11] | Kennewick | 22 | Miss Rainier | Jazz Dance, "I Love Me" by Meghan Trainor | Previously Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2011[12] Previously Distinguished Young Woman of America 2013[13] Semi Finalist at Miss California 2016 | |||
| 2016 | Alicia Cooper[14] | Vancouver | 21 | Miss Clark County | Tap Dance, "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez | 3rd runner-up | 1st runner-up at Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2011 pageant[15] Third Runner up and Preliminary Swimsuit Winner at Miss Washington 2014. Top 10 at Miss Washington 2013. | ||
| 2015 | Lizzi Jackson[16] | Bellingham | 23 | Miss Rainier | Vocal, "This Will Be An Everlasting Love" | STEM Scholarship Award | Previously competed at Miss Washington 2014 | ||
| 2014 | Kailee Dunn | Kennewick | 22 | Miss Spokane | Vocal, "Someone Like You" from Jekyll & Hyde | Previously competed at Miss Washington 2012 and 2013. | |||
| 2013 | Reina Almon[17] | Yakima | 21 | Miss Evergreen | Vocal, "I (Who Have Nothing)" | Previously Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2009[18] First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2012 and Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 pageant | |||
| 2012 | Mandy Schendel | Newcastle | 22 | Miss Eastside | Vocal, "My Wish" | Top 10 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Quality of Life Award Finalist | Was chosen 16th as the "Judges Choice" during the televised Miss America 2013 pageant Previously Miss Washington Teen USA 2008 2nd runner-up at Miss Washington USA 2012 pageant[19] | |
| 2011 | Brittney Henry | Puyallup | 24 | Miss Eastside | Fiddle, "Celtic Fiddle Medley" | Non-finalist Talent Award | First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2010 and Contestant at National Sweetheart 2010 pageant | ||
| 2010 | Jacquie Brown | Vancouver | 21 | Miss Greater Vancouver | Vocal, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" | 3rd runner-up | |||
| 2009 | Devanni Partridge | Auburn | 20 | Miss Seattle | Piano, "Malagueña" | ||||
| 2008 | Janet Harding | Yelm | 21 | Miss Tahoma | Piano | ||||
| 2007 | Elyse Umemoto | Wapato | 23 | Miss Seattle | Popular Vocal, "Angels" | 2nd runner-up[20] [21] | First Runner Up at Miss Washington 2006 and 3rd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant Contestant on | ||
| 2006 | Kristen Eddings | Silverdale | 22 | Miss Kitsap | Vocal, "For Once in My Life" | Top 10 | Competed for Miss Washington 2002 | ||
| 2005 | Tina Mares | Lynnwood | 25 | Miss Sno-isle | Classical Piano, "Nocturne in C-sharp minor" by Chopin | ||||
| 2004 | Allison Porter | Tacoma | 24 | Miss Seattle | Classical Violin, "Concerto in E Minor" | ||||
| 2003 | Fianna Dickson | Spokane | 24 | Miss Spokane | Jazz Dance, "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" | Non-finalist Interview Award | Contestant at National Sweetheart 2000 pageant | ||
| 2002 | Amanda Beers | Richland | 20 | Miss Tri-Cities | Classical Piano, "Sonata Opus 31" by Beethoven | Top 15 | |||
| 2001 | Breann Parriott | Puyallup | 23 | Miss Pierce County | Contemporary Ballet en Pointe, Music from West Side Story | Later Miss Washington USA 2003 | |||
| 2000 | Semmelle Ford | Tacoma | 19 | Classical Vocal, "Art Is Calling for Me" from The Enchantress by Victor Herbert | |||||
| 1999 | Tina Willis | 20 | Vocal, "Remember Me" | ||||||
| 1998 | Mariana Loya[22] | 19 | Classical Violin, "Concerto in E Minor" | Miss America Scholar | Later Miss Arizona USA 2005 | ||||
| 1997 | Monta Monique | Pasco | 24 | Miss Seattle | Classical Piano, "Rigoletto Paraphrase" by Franz Liszt | ||||
| 1996 | Janet Reasons | Port Orchard | 22 | Miss Pierce County | Semi-classical Vocal, "Half a Moment" from By Jeeves | ||||
| 1995 | Amber Hamilton | Auburn | 18 | Miss Auburn | Jazz Dance, "Last Dance" | ||||
| 1994 | Annalee Klein | Enumclaw | 24 | Miss SeaTac | Country Vocal, "Sweet Dreams" | ||||
| 1993 | Teri Ann Plante | Normandy Park | 22 | Miss Whatcom County | Tap Dance | ||||
| 1992 | Colleen Kearney | Bellevue | 26 | Miss Issaquah | Jazz Piano, "Dizzy Fingers" by Zez Confrey | ||||
| 1991 | SoYoung Kwon | Olympia | 22 | Miss Seattle | Classical Piano, "Mephisto Waltz" | Top 10 | |||
| 1990 | Lynnae Thurik | Lake Oswego, Oregon | 26 | Miss Clark County | Classical Piano | ||||
| 1989 | Jennifer Wall[23] | Issaquah | 20 | Miss Issaquah | Piano, "Opus 706" by Carl Wilhelm Kern | Top 10 | |||
| 1988 | Talia Watland | Poulsbo | 24 | Miss Seattle | Vocal, "Pour on the Power" | ||||
| 1987 | Sharon Dean | Issaquah | 21 | Miss Issaquah | Vocal Medley | ||||
| 1986 | Melanie Cobb | Vancouver | 24 | Miss Clark County | Vocal, "Let's Hear It For Me" from Funny Lady | ||||
| 1985 | Honey Castro[24] | Moses Lake | 19 | Miss Moses Lake | Vocal, "What Did I Have I Don't Have Now" from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever | 3rd runner-up[25] | Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship | ||
| 1984 | Rebecca Wood | Spokane | 21 | Miss Greater Tacoma | Vocal, "If I Ruled the World" | ||||
| 1983 | Jennifer Havlin[26] | Bellingham | 24 | Miss Whatcom County | Character Ballet, "On Golden Pond" | ||||
| 1982 | Monica Hard | Bellevue | 23 | Miss Burien | Vocal Medley, "Sweet Inspiration" & "Where You Lead" | ||||
| 1981 | Kristine Weitz | Moses Lake | 19 | Miss Tri-Cities | Jazz Vocal, "Summertime" | Preliminary Swimsuit Award Non-finalist Talent Award | |||
| 1980 | Doris Hayes | Tacoma | 20 | Miss Pierce County | Jazz Vocal, "Love Is Here to Stay" | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award (tie) | First African American preliminary winner[27] | |
| 1979 | Janelle Martz | Normandy Park | 22 | Miss Des Moines | Classical Piano, "Piano Concerto in A Minor" by Edvard Grieg | ||||
| 1978 | Laurie Nelson[28] | Gig Harbor | 19 | Miss Pierce County | Vocal, "Have I Stayed Too Long At the Fair?" | 4th runner-up | |||
| 1977 | Natasha Solovjev | Burien | 19 | Miss Burien | Classical Piano, Piano Concerto No. 1 by Tchaikovsky | ||||
| 1976 | Theresa Adams | Wenatchee | 19 | Miss Greater Wenatchee | Classical Piano, "Prelude in G minor" by Rachmaninoff | Assumed to the title after Lambert resigned | |||
| Sharon Lambert | Tacoma | Miss Pierce County | colspan="3" | ||||||
| 1975 | Lee Ann Hibbert | Shoreline | 22 | Miss Northshore | Vocal / Jazz Improvisation, "That's a Fine Kind O' Freedom" | ||||
| 1974 | Charlene Myers | Burien | Miss Burien | colspan=3 | |||||
| Kathleen Moore | Bothell | 22 | Miss Northshore | Classical Vocal, "Italian Street Song" | Top 10 | Later resigned | |||
| 1973 | Leslie Mays | Mercer Island | 23 | Miss Bellevue | Jazz Dance, "The 'In' Crowd" | Top 10 | Preliminary Swimsuit Award[29] | ||
| 1972 | Rebecca Pozzi | Kent | 20 | Miss Kent | Vocal Medley, "Consider Yourself" & "I'd Do Anything" | ||||
| 1971 | Susan Buckner | Burien | 19 | Miss Burien | Gymnastics Dance, "The Joker" | Top 10 | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Played Patty Simcox in the film, Grease | |
| 1970 | Nancy Peterson | Moses Lake | 19 | Miss Moses Lake | Original Comedy Monologue, "Once Upon a Leaf" | ||||
| 1969 | Marsha Covey | 19 | Vocal Medley, "Love Come Again" & "That's Life" | ||||||
| 1968 | Joyce Stepanek | Issaquah | 20 | Miss Issaquah | Comedy Routine, "The Adventures of Huck Finn" | ||||
| 1967 | Lynda Kilp | White Center | 19 | Miss White Center | Vocal Medley, "One Boy" & "A Lot of Livin To Do" from Bye Bye Birdie | ||||
| 1966 | Sandra Marth | Centralia | 19 | Miss Lewis County | Semi-classical Vocal, "Habanera" | ||||
| 1965 | Kippy Lou Brinkman | Richland | 21 | Miss Seattle | Harp & Tap Dance, "Night and Day" | Non-finalist Talent Award | |||
| 1964 | Lauren Waddleton[30] | Burien | 19 | Miss Burien | Vocal, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady | Top 10 | |||
| 1963 | Mardi Hagen | Tacoma | Miss Seattle | Modern & Classical Character Dance | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||||
| 1962 | Susan English | Bellevue | 19 | Miss Bellevue | Dramatic Reading | ||||
| 1961 | Gail Hannuk | Aberdeen | 18 | Miss Grays Harbor | Piano, "Warsaw Concerto" | ||||
| 1960 | Connie Hughes | Bellingham | 18 | Miss Bellingham | Original Monologue | ||||
| 1959 | Sharon Vaughn[31] | Port Orchard | 21 | Miss South Kitsap | Vocal Medley, "Habanera" & "I Cain't Say No" | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award[32] | ||
| 1958 | Anne Henderson | Spokane | Miss Spokane | Pantomime & Charleston Dance | |||||
| 1957 | |||||||||
| 1956 | Deanna Hall | Olympia | Dance | ||||||
| 1955 | |||||||||
| 1954 | Frances Graham | Spokane | Vocal | ||||||
| 1953 | Geraldine Lindsey | Seattle | Vocal | ||||||
| 1952 | |||||||||
| 1951 | Darlene Shaffer[33] | Seattle | Dress Design | ||||||
| 1950 | Karlyne Abele[34] | Des Moines | Dramatic Reading, "The Flag" | Top 16 | |||||
| 1949 | Libby Aldrich | Kelso | Vocal, "Stormy Weather" | ||||||
| 1948 | Lorraine Lowder | Aberdeen | Miss Grays Harbor | Hula dance | |||||
| 1947 | |||||||||
| 1946 | |||||||||
| 1945 | |||||||||
| 1944 | |||||||||
| 1943 | |||||||||
| 1942 | |||||||||
| 1941 | |||||||||
| 1940 | Peggy Mason | Tacoma | |||||||
| 1939 | Anna Mae Schoonover | Seattle | Dramatic Monologue from Accent on Youth | 2nd runner-up | |||||
| 1938 | |||||||||
| 1937 | Juliana Bernhardt | Seattle | Miss Seattle | Competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||||
| 1936 | |||||||||
| 1935 | |||||||||
| 1934 | |||||||||
| 1933 | Gladine Sweetser | Seattle | 22 | Top 18 | |||||
| 1932 | |||||||||
| 1931 | |||||||||
| 1930 | |||||||||
| 1929 | |||||||||
| 1928 | |||||||||
| 1927 | Eleanor Maddieux | Seattle | Miss Seattle | Multiple Washington representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant | |||||
| Eva King | Spokane | Miss Spokane | |||||||
| 1926 | Leona Fengler | Seattle | Miss Seattle | Top 15 | Multiple Washington representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant | ||||
| Gloria Smith | Spokane | Miss Spokane | |||||||
| Dorothy Rothermell | Tacoma | Miss Tacoma | |||||||
| 1925 | Evelyn Carman | Seattle | Miss Seattle | ||||||
| 1924 | |||||||||
| 1923 | |||||||||
| 1922 | Evelyn Atkinson[35] | Seattle | Miss Seattle | ||||||
| 1921 | |||||||||