Gettysburg Community Theatre (GCT), the non-profit 501c3 organization located at 49 York Street within the first block of Lincoln Square in Gettysburg, PA, now in its 17th season produced the first ever in person Miss Gettysburg Scholarship Competition last year as part of the Miss Pennsylvania and Miss America organizations. Last year’s competition had three contestants ages 13-18 for Miss Gettysburg’s Teen, and three contestants for Miss Gettysburg. This past Saturday, March 15, 2025, the competition grew fast to 5 contestants for Miss Gettysburg’s Teen, and 14 contestants for Miss Gettysburg. Part of the license with the Miss Pennsylvania/Miss America system is that the contestants are not required to live in the local area as long as they are residents of PA and enrolled in school. More contestants registered at the local competitions means more titles that can be awarded for their ticket to compete at the State Competition, Miss Pennsylvania.
“We are absolutely thrilled with this addition to our Education & Outreach Programs here at Gettysburg Community Theatre,” said Chad-Alan Carr, GCT Founding Executive/Artistic Director, “and the talent and dedication in these young women leaders of America is very inspiring. We are thankful to current local sponsors of Miss Gettysburg 2025 including The Pub & Restaurant, Starbucks At Hotel Gettysburg, One Lincoln, The Flower Boutique, as well as the Adams County Community Foundation for their assistance with Scholarship Funds. Donations/Sponsorships are always appreciated and can be made at any time of the year on the theatre’s website. More local sponsorship opportunities are still available for this and all of our education and outreach programs including our Senior Outreach, Summer Camp Scholarships, and Penguin Project (special needs) programming.”
For more than 100 years, Miss America has been one of the country’s most recognizable household names, and the young women involved have made a significant difference in people’s lives through their educations and charitable and community service endeavors, using this national organization and the public-facing podium it presents to educate millions of Americans on issues facing the nation. The symbols of Miss America are meant to advance a continuing movement of showing how women can be leaders, be givers, not takers, and use education and a social conscience to dream big and inspire change for the betterment of the world around them.
Crowned at last Saturday’s Miss Gettysburg Scholarship Competition 2025 were Miss Gettysburg’s Teen 2025, Taelor Martin, Miss Adams County’s Teen 2025, Markie Russell, Miss Gettysburg 2025, Jaelyn Monroe, Miss Adams County 2025, Emily Torrealba, and Miss South Central Pennsylvania 2025, Kendall DeShong. Each will compete with 30 others from across the Commonwealth of PA at the Miss Pennsylvania Competition in June at the Appell Center in York, PA.
As another special new addition this year, the first ever Miss Gettysburg Belles, ages 6-12 was added. This age program is not a competition at all and is designed to introduce young ladies, ages 6 through 12 years of age, to Miss Pennsylvania, Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen, and the Miss America program, which is one of the largest scholarship programs in the world. Each young lady that registered for Miss Gettysburg Belles had a rehearsal with all the contestants of Miss Gettysburg and Miss Gettysburg’s Teen and received their very own tiara and sash during the evening show on stage being crowned by Jay Maslowski, Miss Gettysburg’s Teen 2024, Juliana Denick, Miss Gettysburg 2024, and Auriana Spurlin, Miss Pennsylvania’s Teen 2024. The first-ever Miss Gettysburg Belles 2025 include Ellie Briggs, Joanna Edwards, and Aurelia Sainer.
Gettysburg Community Theatre encourages ages 6-28 to consider entering the Miss Gettysburg Scholarship Competition in March 2026. More information can be found at www.GettysburgCommunityTheatre.org
Featured image caption: The Miss Gettysburg Scholarship Competition 2025 produced by Gettysburg Community Theatre. Photo courtesy of Doreen Laskiewicz.