The Miss Vermont USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Vermont in the Miss USA pageant. It is formerly directed by Sanders & Associates, Inc., dba- Pageant Associates based in Buckhannon, West Virginia from 2004 to 2017 before GDB Theatre and Pageant Productions becoming the new directors of the stage pageant since 2018.

Miss Vermont USA
Formation1952
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersBuckhannon
Location
Membership
Miss USA
Official language
English
WebsiteOfficial website

Vermont produced a Miss USA, Carlene King Johnson in 1955. The most recent placement was by Kelsey Golonka in 2022 after 40 years, who reached the semifinals. Vermont holds the record for most Miss Congeniality awards, having earned a total of five.

Five Miss Vermont USAs have competed at Miss Teen USA, four as Miss Vermont Teen USA, and one as Miss New York Teen USA. Three have also competed at Miss America, including Miss USA 1955 Carlene King Johnson, the second out of five Miss USA winners who competed at both pageants.

Prior to 2022, no sisters had been held the Miss and Teen titles in a single state. Vermont became the first state to have biological sisters holding the statewide Miss USA and Miss Teen USA titles simultaneously, when Kelsey Golonka crowned Miss and her sister Kenzie crowned Teen.[1]

Jenna Howlett of Bridport was crowned Miss Vermont USA 2023 on March 25, 2023. She will represent Vermont for the title of Miss USA 2023.

Gallery of titleholders

Results summary

  • Miss USA: Carlene King Johnson (1955)
  • 1st runners-up: Mary Verdiani (1969)
  • Top 11/12: Sandra Bette Taft (1971), Georgia Davis (1982), Kelsey Golonka (2022)
  • Vermont holds a record of 5 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

  • Miss Congeniality: Mary Verdiani (1969), Donna Sue Thorton (1974), Constance Crabtree (1975), Nancy Jeanne Wierzbicki (1978), Michelle Fongemie (2004)

Winners

Color key
  •   Declared as Winner
  •   Ended as runner-up
  •   Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
Year Name Hometown Age[a] Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes
1952 Elizabeth Whitcomb Essex Junction
1953 Kathleen Marie Eugenia Surrel Brooklyn, NY 22
1954 Georgia Laurise New Haven, CT 24
1955 Carlene King Johnson Rutland 22 Miss USA 1955 Semifinalist at Miss Universe 1955
Previously Miss Vermont 1953
1956 Dolores Wettack Westminster
1957 Marjorie Link East Harwick
1958 Doreen Patricia McNamee Brattleboro
1959 Sandra Laquerre Barre
1960 Carole Mary Demas Burlington
1961 Susan Nielson Poultney
1962 Barbara "Bobby" Ann Kearney Springfield
1963 Ellen "Bunny" Centerbar North Bennington
1964 Freda Elaine Betts Bennington
1965 Andrea Kenyon North Bennington
1966 Peggy Eckert West Burke
1967 Elaine Farrell Burlington
1968 Susan Glynn Mt. Snow
1969 Mary Verdiani Montpelier 19 1st runner-up Miss Congeniality
1970 Cynthia "Cindy" Jurewicz West Dover
1971 Sandra Bette Taft West Dover 24 Semi-finalist
1972 Stacey Becker Poultney
1973 Bonnie Height Poultney
1974 Donna Sue Thorton Poultney Miss Congeniality
1975 Constance Crabtree Poultney Miss Congeniality
1976 Susan Parsons Poultney
1977 Anne Kent Castleton
1978 Nancy Jeanne Wierzbicki Rutland Miss Congeniality
1979 Katherine Rechsteiner Sugarbush Valley Previously Miss Vermont 1975[2]
1980 Judi Mason Randolph
1981 Jeannette Wulff Montpelier
1982 Georgia Marie Davis Bennington 22 Semi-finalist
1983 Leslie Lucchina Barre
1984 Sue O'Brien Waterbury Center
1985 Angie Cummingham Rutland
1986 Tracey D. Morton Rutland
1987 Carole Woodworth North Bennington
1988 Stacy James Sisson Rutland
1989 Stacey M. Palmer Burlington
1990 Stephanie Bessey Chester
1991 Margaret Corey Brattleboro
1992 Bonnie Kittredge Burlington
1993 Jodi Sicely Burlington
1994 Christy Beltrami[3] Williston Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 1987[3]
1995 Jennifer Cazeault Winooski
1996 Nancy Anne Roberts Middlebury
1997 Lisa Costantino Burlington
1998 Catherine Bliss Burlington Previously Miss New York Teen USA 1990[4]
1999 Nicole Lewis Windsor
2000 Katie Bolton Colchester
2001 Katy Johnson[5] Burlington[5] Previously Miss Vermont 1999;[6] successfully sued Tucker Max in 2003 claiming he was using her name and photograph to promote himself[5]
2002 Brooke Elizabeth Angus Essex Miss World USA 2006
2003 Jennifer Lee Ripley Barre
2004 Michelle Fongemie[8] Williston 26 Miss Congeniality[9]
2005 Amanda Lee Mitteer Brattleboro 26
2006 Amanda Gilman Danville 20
2007 Jessica May Comolli Montpelier 22
2008 Kim Tantlinger Burlington 22
2009 Brooke Werner Granville 22
2010 Nydelis Ortiz Essex 20
2011 Lauren Carter Burlington 21
2012 Jamie Lynn Dragon Milton 25
2013 Sarah Landi Westbrook Burlington 25
2014 Gina Bernasconi Colchester 19
2015 Jacqueline "Jackie" Nicole Croft Winooski 23 Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012
2016 Neely Whitlock Fortune Burlington 24 Cast member of Bravo program Camp Getaway
2017 Madison Trimbey Cota[10] Bellows Falls 20
2018 Maia-Jena Allo[12] Colchester 20
2019 Bethany Marie Garrow Rutland 20
2020 Shannah Weller Middlebury 23 Longest reigning Miss Vermont USA at 1 year, 6 months and 27 days
2021 Joanna Leigh Nagle Colchester 27 Shortest reigning Miss Vermont USA at 9 months and 21 days
2022 Kelsey Golonka Montpelier 22 Top 12
2023 Jenna Howlett Bridport 21 Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 2019
2024 TBA TBA TBA TBA
Note
  1. ^ Age at the time of crowning

References

  1. ^ Perron, Darren (March 28, 2022). "Sisters crowned Miss Vermont USA and Miss Vermont Teen USA". WCAX-TV. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "N.J. has edge in beauty show". The Central New Jersey Home News. 1975-09-02. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  3. ^ a b Walsh, Molly (1994-02-11). "Miss Vermont is 'born and raised'". The Burlington Free Press. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  4. ^ "Pageant Winners". The Burlington Free Press. 1997-11-05. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  5. ^ a b c "Beauty queen's name ordered off Web site". Florida Today. 2013-06-03. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  6. ^ Grantham, Loretta (1999-09-18). "Johnson uses spotlight to impart wholesome values". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  7. ^ "2009 Mrs America". Archived from the original on October 12, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  8. ^ Jacobson, Erica (2013-11-17). "From CVU to Miss Vermont USA". The Burlington Free Press. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  9. ^ "Local Angle". The Burlington Free Press. 2004-04-16. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  10. ^ Cross, Caleigh (2017-10-12). "Miss VT queen, teen to be crowned at Spruce Peak". Stowe Today. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  11. ^ "Lawrence's Gabriela Taveras is Crowned Miss Massachusetts 2018". The Valley Patriot. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  12. ^ "Miss Vermont, Teen USA 2018 crowned at Spruce Peak". Stowe Today. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  13. ^ Collier, Kayla (December 1, 2016). "Confidently beautiful: Vermont pageants show that beauty is more than skin deep". Stowe Reporter. Retrieved March 28, 2022.