Over $8 million dollars have been made available and nearly 10,000 women have participated in the Miss Oklahoma program in state and local competitions since The Kiwanis Club of Tulsa started sponsoring the pageant in 1972.

The Miss America Organization, with which the Miss Oklahoma Pageant is affiliated, is the largest single source of scholarship funds for young women in the world and at all levels is a completely nonprofit organization. This year more than $30 million in scholarships will be offered to the contestants of the Miss America Pageant system.

Miss Oklahoma should be an example of the high standards of young womanhood of our state and the principles of the Miss America Pageant Program. She should see herself as a "public servant" not royalty. She should be one who is committed to helping others, a role model someone others can look at and want to pattern their lives after.

It doesn't cost a cent to compete in the Miss America program - all you need is commitment, perseverance, talent and ambition.

If you become a contestant at the local, state or national level, you will demonstrate your speaking and vocal, musical, dance or dramatic abilities before a live audience. The four categories of each Miss America local, state and national competition are: talent, evening wear, interview and physical fitness in a swimsuit. Every Miss America state titleholder selects a platform issue of importance to her and to society and spends her year of service advocating her issue before the media, business people, public officials, civic and charitable groups, and others.

To compete in a local a contestant must fulfill the following requirements. A contestant must be born female, be a U.S citizen, never been married, and must be a resident of city/town/state for at least six months preceding the date of the local pageant in which she wishes to compete. She must be between the ages of 17 and 24.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: To compete on residency a contestant must meet the requirement set by the local and provide proof of residency -- a current drivers license, voters registration card, current lease, etc. If competing as a out of state student, she must have successfully completed one semester as a full time student at a bona fide college/university and be registered into her second semester. If competing as employed full-time, she must work at least 40 hours per week in Oklahoma for at least six months preceding the date of the local in which you wish to compete.

AGE REQUIREMENTS: To be eligible to compete, a contestant must be 17 years of age before the first date of the preliminary competition of the local pageant in which she wishes to compete, and must be a graduate of a high school by July 30^th of the year in which she is eligible to compete, and can or will be able to produce a diploma as proof upon request, or has successfully completed a G.E.D. testing program for high school equivalency and show proof.

A contestant can be no older that 24 years of age on September 30 of the year in which she intends to compete in the National Finals of the America Pageant.

A contestant must be of good moral character and have never been pregnant and is not now pregnant and has not been involved at any time in any act of moral turpitude. She must never been convicted of any crime and does not have any criminal charges pending. She must never have been engaged in any activity which is or could be characterized as dishonest, immoral, immodest, indecent or in bad taste; is in reasonably good health.

If interested in entering a local pageant or having a local pageant in your area, please contact the Miss Oklahoma Pageant office - 918/461-9595. We have forty-two local pageants throughout the State of Oklahoma.