With a gasp of breath or a shrill squeal of joy, Miss America Organization contestants and titleholders across the country see dreams of higher education come to life with each and every scholarship they receive. In the Miss Oregon Scholarship Organization, the newly crowned and veteran titleholders alike are putting their scholarship dollars to use—even decades after they walk across the stage. 

Lynette Boggs, Miss Oregon 1989, will never forget competing at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. And although the event took place nearly half her lifetime ago, the scholarships she won through Oregon’s local and state pageants and at the national level were indispensable to her graduate degree in the ‘90s and her recently acquired law degree. Lynette’s monetary awards were used to see her through graduate studies at the University of Oregon’s journalism college. But as recently as May 2012, Lynette saw her experiences—made possible because of MAO and MOSO—come full circle as she walked across a different stage, now a graduate of law. 

“I can tell you that my writing skills and my ability to be able be an effective writer go all the way back to that experience where I was able use my scholarship to study journalism. It’s all tied together. And even though twenty-three years have elapsed, I’m still reaping the benefits of having had those educational scholarship dollars that Miss Oregon and Miss America provided for me,” Lynette said. “It was an investment in my future that came back in multiple returns.” 

Starting a new career mid-life also required courage and support, both things Lynette came by because of MAO. The relationships she made with those in her class stood the test of time, and her “sister lawyers” were with her through the ups and downs of law school. 

“They were some of my biggest cheerleaders as I went through my law school experience in my forties,” Lynette said.

Written by: Erika Fifelski, fourpoints staff writer

McKenzi Novell, Miss Spokane 2012, now holds the world record for the longest standing female Salvation Army bell ringer. She stood outside in the cold weather without eating, sitting, or sleeping for 52.5 hours—all while continuously ringing the red handheld bell.

The last female record holder made it twenty-seven hours. The current world record is held by three men who went seventy-nine hours.

In Spokane, the bell ringing competition was called the "last man standing" between the "beauty" and the "beast." Miss Spokane—the beauty—won the competition after Spokane Salvation Army Captain Kyle—the beast—conceded at fifty-one hours. Marcus Riccelli, incoming Washington State Representative from the third legislative district, also competed against Miss Spokane and Captain Kyle. Riccelli stood for fourteen hours before he conceded.

Miss Spokane and Captain Kyle raised approximately $10,000. The competition began at 5 a.m. on Thursday, December 20, and ended on Saturday, December 22. The competition was initiated as a last minute fundraiser for the Salvation Army after reports of donations being lower than expected.

Source: Cheri Moore Photo 1: Chris Bornhoft

To know Miss Ohio, Elissa McCracken, as a middle school student, very few people would have predicted her January 2013 participation in the Miss America Competition. An excellent student although extremely shy, a self-proclaimed “band geek” who wore glasses and battled with bad skin, Elissa kept to herself and locked herself in her room to cry regularly and secretly for two years because of the hateful instant messenger taunts she received almost daily. The experience shook her self-confidence to the core. With help, Elissa found a way to beat the bullies—in a manner that changed her life.

Within the past two years, as a result of her participation in the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program (and specifically the local Miss West Central Scholarship Program), Elissa has been able to promote her “Stop Cyberbullying” platform and share both her life-changing story and practical techniques anyone could use to address and put a stop to their own cyberbullying experiences. “I have devoted myself to the commitment that I would help others to avoid the intimidation, humiliation, and embarrassment that I endured,” Elissa said.

Elissa has also worked to create public service announcements on her important platform. The Partnership for Violence Free Families and  the high school students from Lancaster City Schools have worked with her to prepare these PSAs for broadcast, locally and statewide.

Having just completed her third year of the rigorous six-year pharmacy school program at Ohio Northern University, Elissa is in pursuit of a doctorate in pharmacy. However, she plans to continue spreading the anti-cyberbullying message in the future, for years to come.

To read the full story, click here to order a copy of the December/January 2012-13 fourpoints.

Written by: Leslie Townsend

Miss Kansas’ Outstanding Teen board of directors takes volunteering as a family unit seriously. Lisa Ronen and her two daughters, Becki Ronen Walenz and Mandy Ronen, have shared the struggles and successes of their extended pageant family since 2010. They value each other as individuals as well as members of a team.

“I love the saying, ‘It takes a village’ as I think this concept applies to not only the pageant but life in general,” says Lisa, the executive director of Miss Kansas’ Outstanding Teen. “A family, village, or team is vitally important to the success of any organization. A team should be more efficient than all of the individuals put together.”

Each of the Ronen women has been able to hone her individual skill set in order that the Kansas organization can benefit. Lisa entered the world of MAO in 1976 when her sister was named first runner up to Miss Kansas. Lisa herself advanced to the state competition’s Top Ten in 1979, and six years later, she became the director of her local pageant. Through the years, she’s held just about every volunteer role possible including pageant mom. Mandy competed first, but it was Becki who clenched the role as Miss Kansas 2009. Not much for sibling rivalry, Mandy stepped into the role of volunteer instead of contestant.

“We never wanted to compete against each other,” Mandy says.

Thanks to this familial lesson, although competition is a reality for contestants, Mandy, who produces the show and recruits contestants, is able to help her Kansas teens enter into each year for the right reasons–service and scholarship–not just simple to win a crown.

But thanks to the crown on her head, Becki lends support to constants that only a titleholder can give. While she lives in New York, she still lends emotional and practical support to those preparing for the stage.

“Becki has national experience from participating in the Miss America pageant and understands the organization better than anyone,” Lisa says. “Because of Becki’s experience and the support she received, her desire to give back to an organization that gave her so much is great…. Her knowledge is very valuable to our continued success.”

It is with great care and much heart that scholarship organizations across the country continue to bloom after decades of existence. This kind of success comes from the united mission of volunteers to hasten young women into the world around them as well-rounded and dedicated citizens. Like a mother who dreams to see her daughter succeed, the volunteers of MAO dream to see the goals of their contestants come into reality.

Read more about the Miss Kansas Organization and the volunteer efforts of co-executive director Lisa Miller in the February issue of fourpoints! Subscribe today!

Written by: Erika Fifelski, fourpoints staff writer