Glendive Will Host The Miss Montana Competition July 23-25

Who will be the next Miss Montana? She will be taking over for Miss Montana 2019, Mo Shea, Helena, who won $14,875 in scholarships for medical school through the Miss America Organization. The 71st annual Miss Montana Scholarship Competition was rescheduled to July 23-25 with adjustments in the event to comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines. The event is held in conjunction with Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen competition for 13-17 year olds at the DCHS 1000-seat auditorium at 7 p.m. nightly.

The 2020 Miss Montana contestants are Anastasia Hayes, Billings; Alissa Bohle, Baker; Amber Sickler, Glendive; Jessica Criss, Bozeman; Caitlin Greaney, Helena; Kourtney Hanson, Chinook; Shannon Hannaway, Bozeman; Eden Perissini, Billings; Kristy Cullinan, Glendive; Kiera Melton, Glendive; Faith Johnson, Helena; Siera McKaughlin, Belgrade; and Britta Brenner, Glendive.

Competing to be Miss Montana's Outstanding Teen now held by Karsen Murphy, Glendive, are in order of performance Jillian Litwiller, Bloomfield; Brielle Gorder, Sidney; Karina Melton, Glendive; Julia Kunau, Lewistown; Liliana Johnson, Sidney; Gabrielle Higbee, Glendive; Taitlyn Berry, Glendive; Annika Bennion, Sidney; Grace Peoples, Wibaux and Jessica Romo, Sidney.

People can vote online at http://www.missmontana.com starting two weeks before the pageant for a contestant to be Montana's Choice, a preliminary finalist and earn up to $1,000 scholarship.

Preliminary competition with 13 Miss Montana contestants and 10 outstanding teens begins Thursday, July 23 at 7 p.m. in Glendive at the DCHS 1000-seat auditorium with room to spread out safely. Friday at 1 p.m. the Glendive Chamber sponsors the parade with candidates riding in the back of new pickups from American Ford & HKT. Friday night's 7 p.m. production is seeing the rest of the candidates' talent and culminates in the crowning of Montana's Outstanding Teen.

Saturday night the judges narrow the competition which includes Montana's Choice voted by the public online and judging starts anew. Miss Montana 2019 Mo Shea crowns the new Miss Montana who wins over $5,000 in scholarships. Miss Montana 2020 is Montana's ambassador throughout the state and will compete for the title of Miss America 2021 in its centennial year.

Tickets are $10 Thursday, $15 Friday, $20 Saturday or 3 night package for $40 for upper seating at the DCHS auditorium. Lower seating tickets are $5 more or $50 for 3 nights and available online at www.missmontana.com, at the Glendive Chamber and at the door.

All contestants receive at least a $950 scholarship for competing with over $38,000 available in cash scholarships and more in applied scholarships and prizes. Miss America and its state pageants are the largest provider of scholarships for young women in the nation, preparing Great Women for the World and the World for Great Women.