Miss Idaho Explained

Miss Idaho
Formation:	1933
Type:	Beauty pageant
Headquarters:	Boise
Location:	Idaho
Membership:	Miss America
Language:	English
Key People:	Heidi Brendle (Executive Director)
Website:	Official website

The Miss Idaho scholarship program is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss America pageant. The current titleholder receives a $4,000 cash scholarship to any accredited institution of her choice. She also represents the state of Idaho for the live ABC broadcast of the Miss America pageant.^[1]

Madison Andreason of Pocatello was crowned Miss Idaho 2024 on June 22, 2024 at the Colonial Theater in Idaho Falls. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

Results summary

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

• 1st runners-up: Karen Herd (1972)
• Top 10: Marlene Coleman (1961), Nina Forest (2019)
• Top 15: Louise Fletchner (1939), Kylee Solberg (2017)
• Top 16: Sierra Sandison (2015)

Awards

Preliminary awards

• Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Kristine Phillips (1968)

Non-finalist awards

• Non-finalist Talent: Carene Clark (1958), Bonnie Baird (1959), Judith Steubbe (1965), Rhonda Hammond (1966), Karen Ryder (1969), RaNae Peterson (1977), Kimberly Jensen (1979), Stephanie Kambitsch (1982), Elaine Pack (1984), Kendra Ruwe (1991), Sadie Quigley (2008), Whitney Wood (2013), Kalie Wright (2016)
• Non-finalist Interview: Rebecca Trueblood (1990), Elizabeth Barchas (2005)

Other awards

• America's Choice: Sierra Sandison (2015)
• Miss Congeniality: Grace Zimmerman (2020)
• Four Points Award: Genevieve Nutting (2012), Whitney Wood (2013), Sarah Downs (2014)
• Louanne Gamba Instrumental Award: Whitney Wood (2013)
• Quality of Life Award Winners: Tracey Brown (2006)
• Quality of Life Award 1st runners-up: Brooke Gambrell (1996), Elizabeth Barchas (2005)
• Quality of Life Award Finalists: Whitney Wood (2013)
• Women in Business Scholarship Award Finalists: Grace Zimmerman (2020)

Winners

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2024	Madison Andreason	Pocatello	21	Miss Pocatello	Dance	TBA	TBA
2023	Reagan Yamauchi	Soda Springs			Piano and Basketball
2022	Sarah Jensen	Weiser	26	Miss Western Idaho	Piano
2021	Ayriss Torres^[2]	Pocatello	21	Miss Bonneville County	Ballet en Pointe
2019–20	Grace Zimmerman^[3]	Weiser	21	Miss Western Idaho	Dance		Miss Congeniality Women in Business Scholarship Finalist^[4]	Originally first runner-up; assumed the title when Forest resigned in June 2019^[5]
	Rachel Forest	Pocatello	18	Miss Pocatello		colspan=3
							Younger sister of Miss Idaho 2018, Nina Forest^[6] Previously Distinguished Young Woman of Idaho 2017^[7]
2018	Nina Forest^[8]	Pocatello	21	Miss Pocatello	Piano, "Rhapsody Brillante" by Melody Bober	Top 10^[9]		Older sister of Miss Idaho 2019, Rachel Forest
2017	Taylor Lance^[10]	Boise	23	Miss Meridian	Vocal, "So Small" by Carrie Underwood
2016	Kylee Solberg^[11]	Coeur d'Alene	21	Miss Tri-Counties	Classical Ballet en Pointe	Top 15		Previously National Sweetheart 2015
2015	Kalie Wright^[12]	Kimberly	23	Miss Magic Valley	Vocal/Guitar, "Over the Rainbow"		Non-finalist Talent Award	Previously National Sweetheart 2014^[13] Later Miss Minnesota USA 2018^[14]
2014	Sierra Sandison^[15]	Twin Falls	20	Miss Magic Valley	Vocal, "Forget About the Boy" from Thoroughly Modern Millie	Top 16	America's Choice	1st runner-up at Miss Idaho USA 2021 pageant^[16]
2013	Sarah Downs	Emmett	23	Miss Nampa	Violin, "Orange Blossom Special"		Four Points Award
2012	Whitney Wood^[17]	Idaho Falls	19	Miss Idaho Falls	Piano, "Etude de Concert Opus 26" by Edward MacDowell		Four Points Award Louanne Gamba Instrumentalist Award Non-finalist Talent Award Quality of Life Award Finalist
2011	Genevieve Nutting^[18]	Boise	22	Miss Tri-Counties	Piano, Rhapsody in Blue		Four Points Award	Previously Miss Idaho's Outstanding Teen 2006^[19] Contestant at National Sweetheart 2010 pageant
2010	Kylie Kofoed^[20]	Eagle	19	Miss Nampa	Classical Vocal, "Time to Say Goodbye"			Only contestant at Miss America 2011 pageant to wear a one-piece swimsuit^[21]
2009	Kara Jackson	Nampa	22		Viola, "Csárdás"
2008	Elise Davis^[22]	Idaho Falls	20	Miss Idaho Falls	Classical Vocal
2007	Sadie Quigley		19	Miss Eastern Idaho	Piano, "Devilish Inspiration, Op. 4, No. 4" by Prokofiev		Non-finalist Talent Award
2006	Katherine Crouch	Rexburg	19	Miss Rexburg	Piano, "Un Sospiro"
2005	Tracey Brown	Post Falls	19	Miss North Idaho	Ballet en Pointe, "The Stars and Stripes Forever"		Quality of Life Award	Later Miss Idaho USA 2008
2004	Elizabeth Barchas	Boise	24	Miss Nampa	Classical Piano, "Prelude in C sharp minor"		Non-finalist Interview Award Quality of Life Award 1st runner-up	Triple Crown Winner Previously Miss Idaho Teen USA 1998 Previously Miss Idaho USA 2001
2003	Tiffany Jewell		22	Miss Southern Idaho	Vocal, "Ten Minutes Ago" from Cinderella
2002	Misty Taylor		20	Miss Tri-Counties	Classical Vocal, "Chacun le Sait" from La fille du régiment
2001	Christi Weible	Eagle	22		Dramatic Monologue			Sister of Miss Idaho Teen USA 1999 and Miss Idaho USA 2004, Kimberly Weible Contestant at National Sweetheart 1998 & 2000 pageants Contestant on season 2 of The Bachelor
2000	Christina Tiel	Nampa	21	Miss Blaine County	Classical Vocal, "Una Voce Poco Fa" from The Barber of Seville
1999	Mellisa Paul	Boise	20	Miss Tri-Counties	Dramatic Monologue from Steel Magnolias
1998	Tammy Toney		24	Miss Southern Idaho	Classical Vocal, "Che Fiero Costume"' from Eteocle e Polinice by Giovanni Legrenzi
1997	Sherrie Belnap	Roberts	20		Classical Piano, "Polonaise in A flat"
1996	Misty Esplin	Preston	19	Miss Franklin County	Classical Clarinet, "Concertino" by Carl Maria von Weber
1995	Brooke Gambrell	Boise	22	Miss Boise	Violin/Fiddle Medley, "Blackberry Blossom"		Quality of Life Award 1st runner-up	Later Miss Idaho USA 2000
1994	Tracy Yarbrough		24	Miss Southern Idaho	Vocal, "Over the Rainbow"			Later Miss Idaho USA 1996
1993	RoseAnna Boyle	Twin Falls	23	Miss Twin Falls	Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine"
1992	Stephanie Smith	Boise	26	Miss Eastern Idaho	Harp, "The Impossible Dream" & "Man of La Mancha"
1991	Sarah Louise Benson	Nampa	18	Miss Treasure Valley	Classical Piano
1990	Kendra Ruwe	Meridian	23	Miss Boise	Fiddle, "Miss Sally Goodin"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1989	Rebecca Trueblood	Caldwell	26	Miss Treasure Valley	Vocal, "God Bless the USA"		Non-finalist Interview Award
1988	Susan Hart	Rigby	18	Miss Idaho Falls	Ballet
1987	Holly Hill	Meridian	20	Miss Meridian	Vocal, "The Music and the Mirror" from A Chorus Line
1986	Jennifer Hovey	Twin Falls	19	Miss Idaho National Guard	Violin
1985	Nanette South	Rexburg	19	Miss Rexburg	Alto Saxophone
1984	Patty Hoag	Burley	19	Miss Burley	Popular Vocal, "Wind Beneath My Wings"
1983	Elaine Pack	Rexburg	20	Miss Idaho National Guard	Harp, "Spanish Fantasy"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1982	Lisa Eaton	Shelley	22	Miss Eastern Idaho	Vocal "It's My Turn"
1981	Stephanie Kambitsch	Genesee	22	Miss University of Idaho	Piano, "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1980	Leslie Taylor	Burley	18	Miss Burley	Piano, "Rocktata"
1979	Gladys Steele	Boise	22	Miss Boise	Violin, "Polish Dance"
1978	Kimberly Jensen	Caldwell	18	Miss Caldwell	Popular Vocal, "I Honestly Love You"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1977	Charlene McArthur	Pocatello	21	Miss Pocatello	Piano, "Piano Throughout the Ages"			Previously Miss Idaho USA 1975
1976	RaNae Peterson	Preston	19	Miss Preston	Organ Medley, "I Got Rhythm" & "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1975	Teri Harding	Heyburn	19	Miss Heyburn	Vocal, "If Ever I Would Leave You"
1974	Rochelle Bacon	Boise	21	Miss Boise	Vocal, "Cornet Man" from Funny Girl
1973	Sharon Davis	Jerome	21	Miss Twin Falls	Vocal, "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from Fiddler on the Roof
1972	Vicki Hawkins	Boise	20	Miss Boise	Piano, "Theme from Summer of '42"
1971	Karen Herd	Idaho Falls	20	Miss Idaho Falls	Organ, "Ebb Tide" & "España cañí"	1st runner-up
1970	Noralyn Olsen	Ovid	18	Miss Montpelier	Classical Piano, "Etude Op. 10, No. 5"
1969	Diana Hopperstad	Twin Falls	19	Miss Twin Falls	Folk Song with Tambourine & Drum, "Both Sides, Now"
1968	Karen Ryder	Weiser	20	Miss Weiser	Magic Act, "The Shadow of Your Smile" & "Born Free"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1967	Kristine Phillips	Rupert	19	Miss Rupert	Organ Medley, "Tico Tico", "Dark Eyes", & "The Shadow of Your Smile"		Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1966	Cheryl Couch	Twin Falls	19	Miss Twin Falls	Vocal, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady
1965	Rhonda Hammond	Preston	19	Miss Idaho State University	Speech on Fashion Design with Modeling		Non-finalist Talent Award
1964	Judith Steubbe	Moscow	21	Miss University of Idaho	Piano, Fantaisie-Impromptu		Non-finalist Talent Award
1963	Linda Moulton	Boise	20	Miss Boise	Semi-classical Vocal & Piano
1962	Irene May Ammons	Nampa	23	Miss Nampa	Folk Vocal, "The Riddle Song"
1961	LaVerda Garrison		18		Dramatic Reading, "The Yellow Wallpaper"
1960	Marlene Coleman	Pocatello	18	Miss Pocatello	Vocal, "If I Were On the Stage"	Top 10		Contracted laryngitis and was unable to perform her talent during the national telecast
1959	Tamara Ashby	Burley	18		Original Interpretive Ballet
1958	Bonnie Baird	Heyburn			Clarinet		Non-finalist Talent Award
1957	Carene Clark	Pocatello			Classical Vocal from Die Fledermaus		Non-finalist Talent Award
1956	Gail Rupp				Vocal, "One Kiss" from The New Moon
1955	Judy Voiten	Boise	19		Vocal / Guitar, "Western Folk Song Medley"
1954	LaVonne Skalsky	Nampa			Dramatic Monologue, "Children of God"
1953	Jane Bostic	New Plymouth			Vocal, "All the Things You Are"
1952	Zoe Warberg	Twin Falls	18	Miss Twin Falls	Speech, "The Sacred Duty of the American to Vote"			First female judge in Idaho's 5th Judicial District and appeared on the 1985 Miss America telecast. ZoeAnn Warberg Shaub died at 83 on Sept. 13, 2017 as result of a car accident in rural Jackpot, Nevada.
1951	Phyllis Ralstin	Nezperce			Operatic Vocal, "My Hero" from The Chocolate Soldier
1950	Barbara Norton	Burley			Vocal, "A Heart That's Free" from Two Weeks with Love
1949	No Idaho representative at Miss America pageant^[23] ^[24]
1948
1947	Norma Briggs	Pocatello			Drama, Romeo & Juliet
1946	No Idaho representative at Miss America pageant
1945
1944
1943
1942
1941
1940
1939	Louise Fletchner			Miss Sun Valley	Clarinet, "Stardust"	Top 15
1938	No Idaho representative at Miss America pageant^[25] ^[26] ^[27] ^[28]
1937
1936
1935
1934	No national pageant was held^[29]
1933	Margaret Whitman	Spokane, WA				N/A^[30]	Was disqualified from the pageant because she resided in Spokane, Washington^[31]
1932	No national pageants were held
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927	No Idaho representative at Miss America pageant^[32] ^[33] ^[34] ^[35] ^[36] ^[37] ^[38]
1926
1925
1924
1923
1922
1921

Note

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Prize Package. Miss Idaho Organization. 2016-02-17.
2. Web site: [e-mail]. By JOHN O’CONNELL. Inkom resident claims Miss Idaho crown. 2021-06-28. Idaho State Journal. en.
3. News: First runner-up named Miss Idaho 2019 . CBS 2 Idaho News . June 12, 2019.
4. Web site: Michelle . Brunetti . Miss America scholarships finalists to be interviewed in public at Mohegan Sun . Press of Atlantic City . December 14, 2019.
5. News: Miss Pocatello crowned as new Miss Idaho . KTVB News . June 9, 2019.
6. News: Kendra . Evensen . SISTERS WIN BIG — Nina Forest named Miss Idaho, sister Rachel is DYW champion . Idaho State Journal . June 11, 2018.
7. News: Kendra . Evensen . Pocatello teen wins Distinguished Young Woman of Idaho title . Idaho State Journal . October 10, 2017.
8. Web site: Kendra . Evensen . Sisters Win Big - Nina Forest named Miss Idaho, sister Rachel is DYW champion . Idaho State Journal . June 11, 2018.
9. Web site: Erin . Serpico . Miss New York crowned Miss America 2019 in Atlantic City . Press of Atlantic City . September 8, 2018.
10. Web site: Newly crowned Miss Idaho visits GMI . kivitv.com . June 12, 2017.
11. Web site: Tri Counties woman crowned Miss Idaho . June 19, 2016. Meridian Press.
12. Web site: Kimberly Native Crowned 'Miss Idaho'. magicvalley.com. June 23, 2015.
13. News: Tetona . Dunlap . . . . Your Neighbor: The Kimberly Woman Crowned Miss National Sweetheart . September 7, 2014.
14. Web site: Mary . Divine . Standing ovations for first woman with Down syndrome to compete in Miss Minnesota USA . Twin Cities Pioneer Press . November 27, 2017.
15. News: Lilit . Marcus . . Miss Idaho Shows Off Her Insulin Pump, Encourages Others to Flaunt Theirs on Social Media . July 21, 2014 . July 21, 2014.
16. Web site: Miss Idaho USA & Teen USA pageant results. Pageant Update. October 5, 2020.
17. Web site: Miss Idaho 2010 Winners . 2010-10-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100918092609/http://www.missidaho.org/new-miss-idaho.php . 2010-09-18 .
18. News: Miss Idaho 2011 Results. Miss Idaho Organization. June 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100918092609/http://www.missidaho.org/new-miss-idaho.php. 2010-09-18.
19. Web site: Cherise . Kaechele . Four crowned in Miss Western Idaho pageants . The Argus Observer . July 20, 2012 . Genevieve Nutting was given the opportunity to compete in Miss Idaho Outstanding Teen and won in 2006..
20. Web site: Jon . Meyer . Miss Nampa takes Idaho crown . Idaho Press . June 14, 2010.
21. Web site: January 26, 2011 . Mormon Miss America contestant's modest swimsuit draws Christian blogger's praise . Deseret News .
22. News: Idaho Falls woman wins Miss Idaho pageant . https://web.archive.org/web/20081003075406/http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8498636&nav=menu554_2 . dead . 2008-10-03 . Local News 8 . 2008-06-16 . Associated Press . 2008-06-16 .
23. Web site: 1948 Candidates . Miss America .
24. Web site: 1949 Candidates . Miss America .
25. Web site: 1935 Candidates . Miss America .
26. Web site: 1936 Candidates . Miss America .
27. Web site: 1937 Candidates . Miss America .
28. Web site: 1938 Candidates . Miss America .
29. Web site: Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950 . . 2019-08-05 . 2017-02-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170215160548/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/missamerica/timeline/timeline2.html . dead .
30. News: Karen . Schnitzspahn . There She Was – Miss Long Branch. Asbury Park Press . . September 8, 1997. 4 . ...talent contest that was established in 1935.. Newspapers.com.
31. News: Miss America 1933 Disqualifications.
32. Web site: 1921 Candidates . Miss America .
33. Web site: 1922 Candidates . Miss America .
34. Web site: 1923 Candidates . Miss America .
35. Web site: 1924 Candidates . Miss America .
36. Web site: 1925 Candidates . Miss America .
37. Web site: 1926 Candidates . Miss America .
38. Web site: 1927 Candidates . Miss America .