If you would like to be a contestant, volunteer, or make a donation, please contact Jennifer Couse at (845) 339-8889 or Shannon Helm at (845) 334-8845, or submit an email.

More History of this Pageant
(reprinted from "Old Dutch Supplement", April 4, 1978)

"The pageant was first organized in the summer of 1955 by Saugerties Area Chamber of Commerce as the Miss Saugerties Pageant, which was principally a beauty and personality pageant. In 1960 the Chamber of Commerce received its Miss America franchise and the reigning Miss Saugerties represented the township in the New York State Pageant held in Kingston that year.

In 1967 the Scholarship Pageant went County-wide and the name was changed to Miss Ulster County Scholarship Pageant. The winner each year was sent to the State Pageant held in Olean in July. The Pageant was sponsored by the Saugerties Jaycees up until 1974."

(Of course, there have been many changes since the 1978 article.)

The 2005 pageant was dedicated to Joan and Charles Beckwith.  Joan and Chuck became involved with the Miss America Organization in 1960, when one of Joan's students became Miss Vermont.  Joan and Chuck dedicated many unselfish hours and very much love to the program.  They were the definition of great Executive Directors.  During their 15 years as Executive Directors of the Miss Ulster County Scholarship Program, Joan and Chuck touched so very many lives and made many friends.  As the sun set on the Miss Ulster County Pageant, the legacy that Joan and Chuck left behind will live in the memories of all they have influenced.

As a new day arrives for the Miss Apple valley Scholarship Program, Jennifer Emery Couse (Miss U.C. 1997) and Shannon Swart Helm (Miss U.C. 1996) hope to follow in the grand footsteps that the Beckwiths have left behind.