key dates eligibility responsibilities orientation
competition forms fundraising contact us
Updated 06.11.10

The 15th annual Hollywood Southland Scholarship Pageant will be Saturday and Sunday, February 5 and 6, 2011. We have re-opened our Preliminary Entry Form and are now accepting entries for next year's competition.

Note that our 2010 contestants had the opportunity to take advantage of free preparation opportunities: make up consulting by Marlene Martin of Mary Kay Cosmetics pageant team, wellness coaching by Jibarie Kamara of California Fitness Association, and free spray tanning after Saturday rehearsal from Sonoma Tanning. We hope to make these same opportunities available to contestants next year.

SPECIAL NOTE TO CURRENT TITLEHOLDERS IN THE MISS CALIFORNIA ORGANIZATION: You may compete in Miss Hollywood/Miss Southland without giving up your current local title. You would have to give up your current title only if you win. Even then, we are very open to allowing our new titleholders to fulfill the duties of their previous title, if their previous Executive Director would like them to. That includes, but is not limited to, participating in your previous Local as "former Miss Local" and crowning your successor, again, if your previous E.D. would like you to do that. If interested in competing with us, talk to your current E.D. first and clarify what your position would be with respect to your current title. If you or your E.D. have any questions, please call Ernie Koneck at 818-738-0982 or Field Director Russ Gladden at (520) 572-4354.
    Key Dates
September, 2010 New contestant orientation. Exclusively for contestants who have not previously competed at Miss California.
November, 2010 Experienced contestant orientation. Exclusively for contestants who have previously competed at Miss California.
January 14, 2011 All pageant paperwork due, in addition to headshots and talent CDs.
January 21, 2011 All ad sponsorship funds and artwork due.
February 5, 2011 Pageant rehearsal and talent run-throughs, private interview competition. 9am - 5pm
February 6, 2011 Final pageant rehearsal, 8am. Pageant on-stage competition, 2pm.
April 1, 2011 (est) Final deadline for all Miss California paperwork.

April 1, 2011 (est)

 Final deadline for Miss California headshots
tbd
 State contestant Orientation (mandatory).
Late June, 2011 2011 Miss California pageant week, including rehearsals (mandatory).
   

    Eligibility Requirements

Young women who meet the following requirements may enter the 2011 pageant:

• Live, work (full time) or attend school in California. Resiency must be established by July 14, 2010.

• Must be at least 17 years old by the date of the Hollywood pageant and a high school graduate (or equivalent) by the beginning of competition at the Miss California 2011 pageant.

• 25th birthday is after 12/31/11

• United States citizen

• Good moral character

• Never married

• Never pregnant

We accept all eligible contestants who have completed all entry requirements (forms, documents, talent preparation, etc.) by the entry close date. Close of entries for the 2011 pageant will be January 14, 2011. This includes ALL required paperwork, headshots and talent music.
    Contestant Responsibilities
         Time Commitment

Only 3 meetings are required: contestant orientation (approximately 2-4 hours), 1 day for rehearsal and interviews (approximately 9 hours total), and 1 day for final competition (approximately 9 hours total). Dates of all these meetings will be announced. NOTE: Orientation is only for contestants who have nevere competed at the Miss California pageant before.
 

         Financial Commitment

Fund raising is now a requirement for competing in the Miss America system at the local, state and national levels. Contestants must raise $100 in donations to the Children's Miracle Network, the Miss America Organization's official platform. At the local level, we request a program book ad sponsorship of $200 each. This sponsorship includes a full-page ad in our 2011 Program Book which will be distributed at the pageant.

Keep in mind that a sponsor does not have to be a single business or person. For example, 10 friends could contribute $20 each to generate the $200 ad sponsorship. The same principal holds true for the required CMN donation. Sponsorship payments can be made in cash, checks or money orders, or using credit cards through PayPal in the Sponsorship section of this website. However, in order to receive the tax deduction that accompanies the CMN sposnsorship, your donors must donate directly at their website, www.missamerica4kids.org.
    Contestant Orientation

Orientation will be held for contestants who have never before competed at Miss California. It is strongly encouraged that you attend, because we will provide a lot of valuable information about the program and the areas of competition that you are not likely to be familiar with yet.

Parents are enthusiastically invited to the meeting, but they are not required to be there.

We have scheduled only one orientation meeting. We will discuss important background information about the pageant, what the judges look for in each of the competitions and tips on sponsorship fundraising. Additionally, upon request, we will provide feedback to individuals on elements of their competition (e.g., paperwork, talent selections, wardrobe choices, etc.)There will also be discussion of the differences between open and structured pageant competitions.

A separate orientation covering pageant weekend logistics will be held for experienced contestants. This meeting will be shorter than the one for new contestants.

2011 Orientation Information

New Contestants: (never competed at Miss America state pageant before) - September, 2010. Date and location tbd.

Experienced Contestants (have competed at a state level Miss America pageant at least once) - November, 2010. Date and location tbd.

You may still enter the pageant if you didn't attend Orientation, by filling out our Preliminary Entry Form, so you receive all required materials and information.

Please RSVP for the Orientation meeting by emailing

   Areas Of Competition

Personal Interview (25% of total score)
Each contestant participates in an individual 10-minute press conference-style interview with our panel of judges. There are typically 5 to 7 judges on a panel. Contestants are questioned on their background as presented on their fact sheet, their educational and career goals, their opinions on current events and social issues, and their interests, hobbies and extracurricular activities. Scoring is based on overall communication skills, including personality, intelligence, validated opinions, emotional control, overall first impression and personal appearance, and whether the contestant possesses the overall qualities and attributes of a Miss America.
  Talent (35% of total score)
Contestants perform a 90-second routine of their own choosing. Possible talents include all types of singing, dancing, gymnastics, instrumental music, dramatic or comedy monologues, baton twirling and ventriloquism. Phone or e-mail us if you have a question about your talent presentation. Scoring is based on contestant's skill and personality, interpretive ability, technical skill level, stage presence and the totality of all elements, including costume, props, voice, use of body and choreography. Please note that talent time limit is 90 seconds. This limit will be strictly enforced.
  Evening Wear (20% of total score)
Each contestant appears on stage in an outfit of her own choosing, representative of what she would wear to a formal "after five" social event. Pant suits, cocktail dresses and evening gowns are all appropriate for this phase of the competition. Scoring is based on overall first impression, sense of confidence, personality and stage presence, walk and posture, appropriateness of attire and sense of attractiveness.
  Swimsuit (15% of total score)
Each contestant briefly appears on stage in a swimsuit and footwear of her own choosing. Swimsuits must be approved prior to competition by the Executive Director of the pageant. Scoring is based on overall first impression, statement of physical fitness and health, overall physique which is pleasing to her height, weight and bone structure, walk, posture and grace, sense of confidence and presence on stage.
 

On-Stage Question (5% of total score)
Contestants are judged on the answer to a question of a general nature, not specifically platform-related and not directly from the private interview, but something of a current events nature or an issue of importance to a young woman.

 
    Required Contestant Forms
 

Complete Entry Packets with required forms will become available later this year. Complete the Preliminary Entry Form to receive your packet.

Click here for Scholarship Rules.
    Fundraising
 

Our success with pre-pageant fundraising will determine whether the third title, Miss Southwest California, will be offered. The decision can be delayed as late as early Saturday morning on pageant weekend.

How you can help--
1) Your $200 ad sponsorship (NOTE: We do not receive any funds from the $100 CMN donation.)
2) Ticket sales - I will accept ticket pre-orders and would appreciate knowing your plans for ticket orders prior to rehearsal, if possible. Pre-ordered and pre-paid tickets will be held at Will Call at the box office, in your name. No tickets will be mailed, just to be safe.
3) Raffle ticket sales. The 50/50 raffle awards 50% of the money raised to the winner, with the other 50% supporting the pageant's scholarship fund and titleholder preparation for Miss California.
    How To Contact Us
 

E-MAIL
ernie@misshollywood.com

MAILING ADDRESS
Southern California Scholarship Association
4711 Atoll Street
Sherman Oaks, CA 91352

PHONE
Ernie Koneck, Executive Director
(818) 738-0982

Russ Gladden, Field Director
(520) 572-4354

Return to top of page