Miss Hoosier Heartland and Miss Hoosier Valley
Scholarship Organization, Inc.
Teen Program History
How did the Miss Hoosier Heartland's Outstanding Teen Program Begin…
In the late winter of 2005, the Miss America Scholarship Program established the Miss America's Outstanding Teen, Inc. Organization to encourage positive achievement by helping to nurture and build the scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living and community involvement of our nation's youth. Among its initiatives, the Miss America's Outstanding Teen, Inc. Organization decided to host a national competition intended to encourage and reward the talent, communication skills, community service, and academic achievement of girls between 13 and 17 years of age.
In March 2005, the Miss Indiana Scholarship Program asked each local program to hold a pageant or select a girl in to represent their organization. Since our organization only had from March to May to meet paperwork deadlines we decided not to hold a pageant but we decided to hold an audition. Jacqueline Dobbert of Greentown a junior at Eastern High School was chosen as the first Miss Hoosier Heartland's Outstanding Teen, through this process. All contestants were asked to do a talent routine, model and they were put through an interview. Jacqueline was among 25 teens in the inaugural Miss State Indiana's Outstanding Teen pageant, and placed in the top 10. She played “American Medley” by Anthony Berger, on the piano for her talent and chose "Save the Music" for her platform.
Leanna Ross of New Prairie, Indiana, a baton twirler, was selected during the first Miss Hoosier Heartland's Outstanding Teen pageant, which included eight young women. She went on to become Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen in June 2006, and competed in the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant in Orlando.
Rachael Lindgren of Greentown was the next Miss Hoosier Heartland's Outstanding Teen. A dancer, who promoted Positively Living Under Stress as her platform. Rachael Lindgren placed in the top 10 at state.
In January 2007, the numbers for the Outstanding Teens were down and the state board of directors asked the local programs to sponsor another teen for state. After that meeting it was decided to come up with another title for our Outstanding Teen Program and that was when we came up with the name Miss Hoosier Valley.
There had been a young lady who had competed in the Miss Hoosier Heartland's Outstanding Teen program two other times and she had always placed and even won talent and the interview portions of the competition. This young lady had also competed twice before at the state level. It was a very easy choice to make the phone call to ask Lora Garrett of Yorktown if she would like to be the very first Miss White River Valley's Outstanding Teen. Lora's platform was Multiple Sclerosis - "Care Today... Cure Tomorrow", chosen because of Lora's mother's diagnosis with the disease. Lora has worked for years to raise money for research for a cure for MS. She performed a Pointe' routine to “Pirates of the Caribbean” as her talent. Lora Garrett was second runner-up at the state competition.
On July 21, 2007, Danielle Holland of Muncie was crowned Miss Hoosier Heartland's Teen, while Presley Moreland of Bicknell was crowned Miss White River Valley's Teen. Danielle tapped to “Man with the Hex” and Presley sang “Orange Colored Sky”. Presley Moreland continued to encourage communities to “Bridge the Generation Gap Through the Gift of Music prior to competing in the Miss Indiana Outstanding Teen pageant. Danielle Holland, promoted G.I.V.E.: Get Involved, Volunteer Everywhere and continued to perfect her tap dancing. Danielle placed 3rd runner-up.
In 2008-09 the MHHOT took a one year hiatus; however, on August 29, 2009 Madison Seifert was crowned Miss Hoosier Heartland's Outstanding Teen in Peru, IN. Madison (aka) Madi was a freshman at DeKalb Middle School where she was 3rd in her class out of 309. Madi's platform issue was Leading the Way: Leader Dogs for the Blind which was inspired by her blind friend Noah. Madison's journey to the MIOT stage was filled with excitement and lots of hard work. Madi clogged her way into a 1st place finish and won the talent portion of the MIOT competition. She clogged to “Fire Burning” by Sean Kingston. Madison also won the Children's Miracle Network: Miracle Maker Award.