Scholarship Funding Outlined for the Miss Greater Rockville Pageant

More than $1,000 in scholarships and prizes will be awarded to the the titleholder, runner-up and Miss Congeniality winners in the upcoming Miss Greater Rockville Pageant.

That is the word from Pamela DiDio, the executive director of the Miss Greater Rockville Scholarship Organization.

The event is scheduled for March 17 at the high school.

"The main purpose of this competition is to help young women who intend to further their education after high school," DiDio said.

Young women 17 to 24 who are graduating this year or receiving their GED by July 1 are eligible to apply. Contestants must be U.S. citizens and residents of Connecticut (or work or go to school in the state full-time).

Scholarships can be applied to student loans, DiDio said.

The Rockville Community Alliance, a local community service group, has partnered with the state level of the Miss America Organization to sponsor the event, DiDio said.

“With college tuition and fees on the rise, these girls can use all the help that is available” DiDio said.  “Our children are our future – they are the leaders of tomorrow, and they need a good education.  As parents of three children, my husband and I are quite aware how daunting it is to put a child through college.  Not all parents can help either, and it's scary for young people to think about having to be thousands of dollars in debt after graduating from college.”

The Miss Greater Scholarship Competition will be accepting applications through March 2. Girls interested in applying can contact DiDio at pamdidio@att.net or by calling (860) 646-5320.

Potential contestants can e-mail pageant@RockvilleCommunityAlliance.org  or go to http://www.rockvillect.org/missgreaterrockville

An orientation meeting has been scheduled for anyone interested in becoming contestants on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.mm at Bev's Corner, 3  Elm St.