Be A Miss California Volunteer

How To Become A Volunteer
history of the organization		mission statement
	volunteer network
community service		local pageant franchises
	e-mail us for more information

History - A Wonderful California Tradition

The Miss America Pageant was organized in 1921 by a group of Atlantic City merchants and civic leaders. It was known, at that time, as the Atlantic City Bathing Beauty Contest and was intended to be a special event designed to extend the summer season one week.

Today, the Miss America Pageant and its 1,500 Local and State Pageants comprise the largest single source of scholarship funds available to young women in the world. Annually, an estimated 30 million dollars is awarded to the more than 30,000 young women who participate in the Miss America Programs.

An estimated 300,000 volunteers donate more than 6 million hours every year to the local, state, and national pageants. This unique organization provides scholarship awards at every level of competition.

California joined the Miss America Pageant family in 1924, when a franchise granting the right to conduct the state finals was awarded to the city of Santa Cruz. One year later the first Miss California, Fay Lanphier of Oakland was crowned Miss America 1925. Six Miss California have since been selected as Miss America.

In the early years, Santa Cruz, a resort oriented community similar to Atlantic City, conducted the Miss California Bathing Beauty Contest on the Bandstand at the Santa Cruz Beach. In 1966 all beach and bandstand presentations were discontinued and all activities, including the preliminary competition, finals and coronation were staged in the civic auditorium.

In 1985 the Miss America Pageant elected to move the state franchise from Santa Cruz to San Diego.

Although headquartered in San Diego and governed primarily by a local Board of Directors, the Miss California Pageant is operated by a statewide network of volunteers. Key members of the state staff include a Director of Field Operations, Director of Marketing and Communications, and Director of Franchise Development. The conduct of preliminary pageants is supported and supervised by seven Field Directors, assigned according to geographical location.

The Miss California Pageant has no salaried employees and participants in its programs are not required to pay entry fees of any kind. In 2003, California led the nation in cash scholarships awarded at the local and state level combined--nearly $300,000. Since 1985, over $3 million in scholarships have been awarded in California to pageant contestants at local and state pageants.

Mission Statement

To provide unique opportunities for young California women to win scholarship awards.

To recognize women and to encourage the spirit of those who have made outstanding contributions in all fields of endeavor.

To create and maintain a system of competition which will enhance career opportunities and produce role models representing positive, wholesome American values.

To utilize the Miss California name to promote issues of concern to California women.

To encourage and promote the role of women in all aspects of our society.

To encourage the spirit of volunteerism throughout the Miss California network.

To provide goodwill, along with the civic and economic benefits, in the towns and cities which host local competitions leading to the title of Miss California.

Volunteer Network

The Miss America Organization maintains one of the strongest volunteer networks in this country. In California, thousands of volunteers organize the local and state preliminary competitions, promoting community involvement throughout the state. Last year, these volunteers raised over $40 million nationwide in scholarship assistance for young women. Volunteers from the smallest towns to the largest cities mobilize their resources every year on our behalf because they truly believe in the benefits afforded young women through this program. If you would like to get involved in this truly wonderful California tradition, e-mail us for your direct link to the Miss California Organization.

2001 National Academy of Honor Winner
Bob Arnhym
President and Chief Executive Officer,
M iss California Scholarship Program

An active volunteer in the Miss California/Miss America Program for the past 45 years, Mr. Arnhym has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Miss California Scholarship Program since 1984. A past President of the National Association of Miss America State Pageants (NAMASP), Mr. Arnhym currently serves as Treasurer to the Association. He is Vice President of the Western Region, Board Liaison to the National Judging Committee and Chairman of the National Orientation and Training Committee.

For the past 40 years, Mr. Arnhym has been an active civic leader in the San Diego area and has been honored by numerous organizations. He has served as Director or Officer of over 40 local, state and national associations. He recently retired as the President and CEO of the Arnhym Company, a San Diego based consulting firm for non-profit organizations.

Over the years, Mr. Arnhym increased scholarship awards at the state and local level. California is now the state with the largest cash scholarship offered in the nation. Mr. Arnhym increased the number of local contestants in his state to over 50 and organized a strong team of volunteers to give the state program long-term future stability. He also provides advice and guidance to volunteers in his state and other states to help build their respective organizations.

Community Service

In 1990, the Miss America Organization instituted the personal platform concept as part of the competition, with each local and state title holder choosing an issue of importance to herself and society. Through in-depth interviewing during local and state competitions, contestants are evaluated on their commitment to their individually chosen issue.

Miss California contestants have concentrated on the most significant questions facing America today: family values; organ donations: AIDS awareness and prevention: the affect of domestic violence on society: ways to motivate young people to service: and many others.

Local Pageant Franchises

A licensed agreement is required to conduct a local pageant in order to select a candidate to compete in the Miss California Pageant. The license agreement fee is $600.00. In addition, a $500.00 minimum cash scholarship, assistance with preparation for the Miss California Pageant, and an official crown must be awarded to the local pageant winner. A local pageant must be held on or before March 16, 2008 to select a candidate to compete in the 2008 State Finals. If you would like more information on conducting a local pageant, contact Agnes Duncan, Director of Franchise Development at 209-465-9363 (e-mail address: agdunc@aol.com) or George Bye, Associate Director of Franchise Development at 619-441-7783 (phone) or 619-233-8011 (fax).

E-MAIL US FOR MORE INFORMATION
For fastest response, you may contact local pageant(s) directly by phone or e-mail from our local pageant information page. Or e-mail us here, and we'll forward your request to the appropriate local volunteers.

INFORMATION REQUEST FORM Volunteers for Miss California Pageant
NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY, STATE:
ZIP CODE:
PHONE NUMBER (including area code)
E-MAIL (REQUIRED):

MESSAGE:

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