Miss Keller Tarrant County Organization

Contestant Eligibility 

To become a participant for the next Competition Cycle 
(starting May 2023) you must meet all criteria as shown below: 

• For Miss America  – birth years 1996 – 2006 
• For Miss America’s Teen –  birth years 2010 – 2006 
• Be a United States citizen 
• Be a female 
• Meet residency requirements for competing in your city or state 

Residency Requirements 

Must reside in Texas for 6 months prior to competing. Residency is defined as the primary address where you physically live. Verification of residency includes a driver license, automobile registration, property mortgage or lease in your name, tax filings, etc. 

Areas of Competition

There are five areas of competition for the Miss Keller/Tarrant Count and Miss Keller/Tarrant County Teen Pageants. They are as follows: 

Private Interview (30% of total score) 

• Interviews are 10 minutes with a :30 second Community Service Initiative opening statement, 9:00 interview and an optional :30 second closing or to finish the last question answered. There are typically 5 to 7 judges on a panel, and the interview is press style, with the contestant standing at a podium. Contestants 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? 

On Stage Conversation: (10% of total score) 

• 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 contestant’s total look, grace, charm, and ability as a spokesperson and role model must be considered. 

Talent (20% of total score) 

• Contestants 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 contestant exceeds 90 seconds. Each judge will then use this information to assist in determining his/her score of the contestant’s talent competition. Scoring is based on contestant'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  (20 % of total score) 

• Each contestant appears onstage in a gown of her own choosing, representative of what she would wear to a prom or other formal event. 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? For the Teen contestants, dresses should be appropriate for a TEEN. High slits and plunging necklines are not recommended.

Lifestyle and Fitness (20% of total score) 

• Contestants will model fitness wear for this portion of the competition. The fitness wear should be the Rebel Athletic Miss America Red collection of the contestants choosing. Shoes/socks and accessories such as hair bows and earrings are of the contestant’s choosing. The Lifestyle and Fitness competition is designed to determine the level of fitness of the contestant and to obtain a glimpse into her daily routine and lifestyle.  The contestant’s drive, energy, and presence are to be likewise considered.