Susan Eby Bio	Pamela Kimura Bio	Carol Henry Bio
Stephen Musselwhite Bio	James Jones Bio	Cha Thompson Bio

JUDGING OVERVIEW

The Miss America Organization, of which the Miss America Pageant is a part, is one of the largest and most effective Competitions for American women in the world, providing nearly $45 million annually in scholarship assistance, and promoting and honoring women's achievements along with the positive qualities which serve as inspiration for today's American woman.

Agreeing to judge local and state Miss America preliminaries is an honor and an awesome responsibility, not only to the entire Miss America Organization, but to the young women who, by entering the competition, have placed their trust in the integrity and objectivity of the judges' scores.

Judges will select a young woman who will represent the community in which she is competing— as a public servant, an advocate for local issues, a friend to local businesses and a role model to youngsters. It is crucial that judges select the woman who best meets these criteria. While she will compete at the state competition and perhaps in the Miss America Pageant, these considerations are secondary. Most women will return to their communities after the state competition and must be of the character and mindset to serve that community.

Consistent with the job responsibilities and the Miss America philosophy of judging, women are being sought with the best composite of the following attributes and qualities of Miss America— a woman of these times:

• Role model who cares about her role and other women's roles in society;
• An ambassador and public relations representative of the Miss America Organization;
• Physically conscientious woman with a confident and commanding presence;
• Considered both talented and intelligent;
• An activist on issues she deems important;
• Independent and eloquent communicator with the courage of her convictions;
• Accomplished individual whose diversity represents a composite of the "Best of Modern Women";
• A leader by virtue of her experiences;
• One who takes personal pride in physical fitness and health.

A judge must be:

• Decisive
• Impartial
• Consistent
• Appreciative of the arts
• Appreciative of community service endeavors

The philosophy of the Miss America system of judging relies on the premise that "each contestant competes against herself," rather than being compared to other contestants.

The dimensions of the system promote:

• Equity (outstanding talents can receive the same score)
• Scoring of each contestant
• Accumulative scoring
• Confidentiality

All aspects of the Miss America system of judging mandate consistency.