Miss Rome's Teen

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Miss Rome's Teen and Miss Northwest Georgia's Teen are OPEN preliminaries to Miss Georgia's Teen and Miss America's Teen. This means that our competition is OPEN to any eligible young woman who lives, works, or attends school in Georgia.

The next competition will be held at the Rome City Auditorium on Saturday, August 24, 2024 with dress rehearsal the night before on Friday, August 23, 2024. DEADLINE FOR ENTRY (paperwork packet, talent track, head shot, and entry fee) is August 11, 2024. We have a deadline with our local newspaper the following day and must have headshots and applications by August 11th in order to meet that deadline.

Miss Rome's Teen and Miss Northwest Georgia's Teen are OPEN preliminaries for eligible young women who live or attend school in Georgia (must provide proof of residence or school) and are U.S. citizens. The age eligibility range is 14 to 17 according to the criteria listed below (must provide copy of birth certificate OR driver's license as proof of age eligibility).

*UPDATED 8/1/24* - Age Eligibility for TEEN: 

To be eligible to compete as a Teen delegate in the current Competition Cycle 2026 (leading to the Miss Georgia's Teen Competition in June 2025 and Miss America's Teen in January 2026), Teen delegates must be 14 years old by state competition (in Georgia that's June 11, 2025) and no older than 18 years old at state competition (in Georgia, that's June 11, 2025). Young ladies who are 18 as of June 11, 2025 may CHOOSE to compete as a Teen or a Miss. However, once she competes in a local this competition season, she must continue in the same age division. She cannot switch back and forth between the Teen and Miss Divisions within a given year.

Miss America Program Registration requirement:  Each Teen delegate must register for the Miss America/Miss America's Teen Program Competition Season (2026 Competition Cycle) and pay a one-time-per-year fee of $39.99. The $39.99 fee is good for the entire local competition year. This registration gives you access to MAO’s exclusive Professional Development series and MANY other opportunities. (If you have already competed at a local preliminary this season, you have completed this step). 

If this is your first local of the competition season and you have not yet registered or paid your one-time fee, follow this link to register on the Miss America site (the site will say this is for the "2026 Competition Cycle"): club.missamerica.org/join-page 

If this is NOT your first local competition of the season and you have already paid the $39.99 one-time fee, you still need to register for our local competition. But you do not need to pay another fee. To register only, use the MAO registration bypass page: club.missamerica.org/bypass-page

**NOTE** This registration must be completed by August 23rd or the candidate will not be allowed to compete at Miss Rome's Teen/Miss Northwest Georgia's Teen. 

Local Competition Entry Fee:  For all Miss and Teen Local Competitions in Georgia this season, delegates have a $75 entry fee paid to the local competition. This replaces the previous fees paid per local competition to the national organization. Entry fee may be paid via check (see mailing address below), or online through the Miss Rome Competition Square account: 

https://square.link/u/jyJhx5ZL 

American Heart Association Donation: To compete in a local competition, each delegate must raise a $30 donation for the American Heart Association. A $30 donation must be raised for every local that a delegate competes in during the competition cycle. The link for payment of this $30 donation is found on the Miss Georgia website under the tab for 2025 Local Paperwork . Scroll down the page to find the “TEEN Local AHA Registration."

Contestant Application: The contestant application is standard for all local competitions in the Miss Georgia Organization. The application must be complete and submitted with the other paperwork. The application can be found in the list of downloads below.

Interview Fact Sheet and CSI Essay:  Delegates will submit a one-page Interview Fact Sheet and a one-page Community Service Initiative (CSI) Essay by the deadline of August 11th. These two pieces will be mailed to the judges prior to competition weekend so that judges can get to know the delegates, formulate questions, and be prepared to ask the delegates questions during their private interview. Delegates must follow the guidelines set forth by Miss America for completing both the interview fact sheet and CSI essay. See the list of downloads below for instructions on completing each.

Miss America's Teen/Miss Georgia's Teen Local Candidate Contract:  All Miss and Teen delegates must have a current, signed, completed contract on file to compete in the local season. The most recent 2026 Local-State Contract can be found in the list of downloads below. Contracts may be emailed, mailed, or turned in at dress rehearsal. Per the Miss Georgia Board, delegates cannot compete until their contract or addendum has been RECEIVED.  

Proof of Eligibility and Headshot:
In order to verify your age eligibility, you must provide a copy of your birth certificate and proof of residence.  You will need to provide a digital color photo (jpeg) head shot for newspaper, social media, and program publicity. Your head shot must be high-resolution and submitted via email. 

OPENING NUMBER

You will not be required to learn a dance. There will be basic stage maneuvers for the opening number, followed by candidate introductions. Introductions will include delegate number, name, and community service initiative. Opening number attire will be the same outfit worn for private interview. Immediately following opening number, Delegates will compete in onstage question, wearing their interview/opening number attire.

PHASES OF COMPETITION

Private Interview:  30%  Teen and Miss delegates will have a 10-minute private interview with the panel of judges, including a 20 to 30-second opening statement and a 30-second closing statement. Questions are primarily based upon the delegate's resume and social impact initiative essay but may cover additional topics as well. When she enters the room, the delegate will be introduced by a member of the Miss Rome Board. The delegate will walk straight to the podium and begin her opening statement. Once she finishes her opening statement, the judges will begin asking her questions. The Head Judge will notify the delegate when time is up and allow her to make her closing statement. Once she finishes her closing statement, her interview is over and the delegate will immediately leave the room. Delegates should NOT approach the judges or shake the judges' hands.

On Stage Conversation:  10%  Candidates will answer a question on stage related to her community service initiative (CSI). This will be the first phase of on-stage competition. Candidates will wear the same outfit as worn for the opening number (interview attire). For this phase of competition, the emcee will state the title of the delegate's CSI and then ask her question. The delegate will then have 20 seconds to answer her question. 

Health & Fitness:  20%  Miss America has partnered with the American Heart Association to promote #MissAmericaFit. Miss America also continues their partnership with Rebel Athletics, now as the "official athletic apparel partner." Therefore, all delegates at local competitions are REQUIRED to wear a red Rebel Athletic top and bottom from the Curated Styles for the Miss America Organization page. On the Rebel Athletics website page, delegates have a choice of about 22 different red tops and red bottoms so that she can choose the items that best reflect her style and best compliment her Health & Fitness presentation. When purchasing your outfit, be sure to use the code: MAOGAGB and Rebel will give back 7% of your purchase to the Miss Georgia Competition.  

Use the following link for more information on using the Rebel "Give Back" code: How to use Rebel Give Back code  

The choreography for the fitness walk will be demonstrated at rehearsals. Generally, the walk will mimic what was presented at Miss Georgia's Teen - walk to the front of the stage, 3 quick poses, and walk off.

Delegates do NOT need to purchase a new red Rebel Athletic Health & Fitness outfit for each local competition. She may use the same red Rebel Athletic Health & Fitness outfit throughout the local competition season. Follow this link to find the designated fitness outfits from the Miss America Red Collection on the Rebel Athletics website: Rebel Styles - Miss America Organization – Rebel Athletic 

Talent/HERStory:  20%   Each candidate will have 90 seconds to perform her talent selection. Background music track must be submitted electronically and in advance of rehearsals, as part of the August 11th paperwork deadline. Submitted music tracks will be timed to ensure the 90 second time limit is met. If candidates are not using a background track, she much submit an audio recording of her talent performance for purposes of time-limit verification; this audio recording will not be shared with anyone other than the local executive director and will not be judged. Miss America has published a list of approved talent performance. You can find this in the list of downloads below. Talents may not be duplicated and are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. See the below list of downloads for a talent request form (prefer submission via email). Candidates may submit their talent request form prior to submitting the other items to ensure she secures her talent selection of choice. 

 
Evening Wear:  20%  Teen delegates will wear an evening gown of her choice. Scoring is based on how the delegate carries herself and performs in this phase of competition - not on the actual gown or perceived cost of the gown.   

Please refer to the downloadable items listed below and submit the paperwork packet, a copy of your birth certificate, your proof of residence, 90-second talent track, and high-resolution, digital color head shot (jpg) by August 11, 2024 to missromegacompetition@gmail.com  (strongly prefer that all items be emailed).

Entry fee of $75 should be made online via Square: https://square.link/u/jyJhx5ZL

or by check made payable to the Miss Rome Competition and mailed to: 

Andrea Pitts, Executive Director

22 Saddle Mountain Road

Rome, Georgia 30161

You may contact Andrea Pitts, Executive Director, for more information at missromegacompetition@gmail.com or 706-766-4887.