Are you the next
Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen?

The Miss Minnesota Outstanding Teen Pageant is a little sister program to the Miss Minnesota and Miss America Scholarship Organizations. The Miss Minnesota Outstanding Teen Competition has been organized to encourage positive achievement by helping to nurture and build the scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community involvement of our nation’s youth. This competition is intended to encourage and reward the talent, communication skills, community service, and academic achievement of girls between 13 and 17 years of age. (See eligibility requirements below.)

Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen has many roles during her year of service.  She represents her State Organization, the National Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Organization, the young women she competed with, and all young people her age, as well as promoting her chosen Platform Issue.  In addition, she prepares to compete at the MAOTeen National competition in a location to be announced. She accepts these responsibilities by always conducting herself in an “Outstanding” manner.
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Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen may be called upon to appear at a variety of functions throughout her state, where she will be asked to speak, possibly perform her talent, and interact with people of all ages. She sets an example of someone who has passion and initiative regarding her personal platform.

A Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen’s Year of Service is an exciting, busy, and important year in her life. She is an exceptional, charismatic young woman who leaves an inspiring and enduring impression on everyone she meets.

Educational Scholarships and a Lifetime of Memories

When you compete within the Miss America Organization umbrella, you not only have the opportunity to win scholarships to further for your education, we guarantee you will make lasting friendships and have memories that last a lifetime in this life-changing experience.

Scholarships & Awards

Competition Placement Scholarships
Miss Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen: $2,000
                                            1st Runner Up:    $600
                                         2nd Runner Up:    $400
                                                                       $3,000

In addition, Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen is given

• Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen Crown & Sash
• Trip to Compete for Miss America's Outstanding Teen 
• Dream Duffle Luggage​
• Wardrobe from The Pageant Shop

Preliminary Awards
Swiggum Family Overall Talent         $300
Evening Gown/On Stage Question     $100
CMN Miracle Maker Award                Plaque
                                                                   
​Special Awards
Bailey Wachholz Top Interview:        $300
Chantal Wilson Scholastic Award:   $200
Miss Congeniality:                                  $50
People's Choice Award:                       $50
Glenn Harman Rookie Talent            $250
Glenn Harman Non-Finalist Talent   $250
Total                                                                       $1500
                                                                     

Am I Eligible? 

If you're a young woman between the ages of 13-17 and want a life-changing experience, you might be eligible!

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• Eligibility
• Competition

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Residency Requirements

Contestants must have residency in the state in which they compete for 6 months prior to competing in their first local pageant. Residency is defined as the primary address where you physically live. You may be asked to present proof of residency of you have recently moved.

Please note: Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Miss America's Outstanding Competition was cancelled. Because of this, the dates below reflect the information for age eligibility for the year 2021 - competing for state title in 2022. We will be crowning a new Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen in 2022.  Our current MMNOT, Bella Grill, will compete for the title of MAOT in the summer of 2021 - dates to be announced soon!   WATCH FOR LOCAL TEEN COMPETITION information coming soon - you may sign up for the local of your choice and follow all local guidelines to compete. 

Eligibility Requirements

ELIGIBILITY:
​To compete in a local program you must:

• Be at least thirteen (13) years of age on the first day of the State Competition  (TBA 2022); 
• Be no older than seventeen (17) years of age as of July 31st in the calendar year of the State Competition, unless you are 18 years old and have not graduated from high school as of July 31st in the calendar year of the State Competition (June, 2022).  For the avoidance of doubt, 13 to 17 year old high-school graduates, as well as 18 year old non-graduates as of July 31st, must compete at MAOTeen level;
• Be a US citizen;
• Live or attend full time in Minnesota for at least the last 6 months prior to the competition; 
• Be in reasonably good health;
• Be able to meet the commitment and responsibilities as set forth by the local and state program;
• Be able to participate in the Miss Minnesota's' Outstanding Teen competition (location and date to be announced for 2022)
• Candidates in Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen program can compete by winning a local Outstanding Teen title in one of the official local competitions throughout Minnesota. Candidates may also enter "at large," which means they can select a title associated with where they live or go to school. There is a fee to compete "at large" and the local title selected must be approved by the Outstanding Teen Director, Megan Ehlert.

RESIDENCE:

• Candidates must have residency in the state in which they compete for 6 months prior to competing in their first local pageant.
• Residency is defined as the primary address where you physically live. You may be asked to present proof of residency if you have recently moved.

If you are interested in receiving more information about becoming a candidate in the Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen program, contact the Teen Director:   Megan Ehlert at MMNOT@missminnesota.org 

Areas of Competition and Criteria

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Judging Criteria for the Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen Pageant
There are five areas of competition for the Miss Minnesota Outstanding Teen Competition. They are as follows:

• Judges Interview (8 minutes)
• Talent (90 seconds)
• Fitness Routine
• Evening Gown/On Stage Question and Academic Achievement

Each candidate must also have a service platform they will advocate during their year of service. 
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Private Interview (25% of total score)
Interviews are 8 minutes with no opening or closing statements. There are typically 5 to 7 judges on a panel, and the interview is press style, with the contestant standing at a podium. Candidates are questioned on their background as presented on their fact sheet, their educational and career goals, 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. Can the judge envision the public and especially young people being positively impacted by meeting this young woman?

Talent (35% of total score)
Candidates will perform a talent of 90 Seconds. 
Nothing longer will be accepted, and this time limit is  strictly enforced! Judges will be informed immediately if a candidate exceeds 90 seconds. Each judge will then use this information to assist in determining his/her score of the candidate's talent competition. Scoring is based on candidate'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. Will the judge be proud that he or she selected this young woman when she performs her talent if she is selected as the titleholder?  Did the judge enjoy the presentation?

Evening Wear/On-Stage Question  (20% of total score)
Each candidate appears onstage in a gown of her own choosing, representative of what she would wear to a prom or other formal event. Dresses should be appropriate for a TEEN. High slits and plunging necklines are not acceptable. The objective is to evaluate the candidate's ability to think on her feet and answer a question of general interest to people her age. Overall “first impression”; sense of confidence, composure, and poise; personality and stage presence; walk, carriage, posture, and beauty; sense of style and age-appropriateness of the evening wear are evaluated.  Does she take command of the stage by simply walking onto it?  Can she handle the pressure of speaking on stage in front of an audience?  Judges must give special attention to whether or not she answered the question she was asked, and did she have the ability to make the audience want to listen to her?  The candidate's total look, grace, charm, and ability as a spokesperson and role model must be considered.

Lifestyle and Fitness (10% of total score)
Teens will compete in Lifestyle and Fitness wearing black capris, a plain bright colored tank top, PLAIN white socks and sneakers. The Lifestyle and Fitness competition is designed to determine the level of fitness of the candidate and to obtain a glimpse into her daily routine and lifestyle.  The candidate's drive, energy, and presence are to be likewise considered.

Scholastic Achievement (10% of total score) - This phase of competition will NOT be scored in the 2021-2022 competition year, due to pandemic and because of distance learning.   This competition should be back for the 2022-2023 competition
A separate panel of Scholastic Judges will review each candidate's resume and official transcripts. Scoring will be based on the following questions:
1. Has this student maintained at least a "B" average during the past academic year?
2. Would her scholastic achievements place her in the top 10% of your (the judges') institution?
3. Is she taking Advanced, AP, or IB courses?
4. Does she hold leadership positions in her school and extracurricular activities?
5. Based on the information before you, do you believe this student would meet the description of an "outstanding student"?
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​Yes, I want to compete!

​Interested in competing? Awesome! Contact us and we will point you in the right direction. 

For More Information, Contact Megan Ehlert, the Teen Director at MMNOT@missminnesota.org