Pageant Evolution

The Miss Greenbelt Pageant began in 1955, only one year after the annual Greenbelt Labor Day Festival originated. The first Miss Greenbelt Pageant was open to women between the ages of 15 and 50. It was a fundraiser for the construction of the Youth Center building. Votes were cast by turning in pennies in collection jars set out at various businesses, and children helped collect penny votes. The woman with the most pennies to her credit won the title. The first Miss Greenbelt was married and had three children when she won at the age of 30!

In 1956, the rules were modified slightly. Entrants had to be single and between the ages of 16 and 25. The contest was called the "Popularity Crown" or "Popularity Contest." Once the Youth Center was a reality, the theme evolved to "Unity Through Community Involvement." Over the years, the Pageant has been modified, streamlined, and organized under various directors, becoming what is known today as the Miss Greenbelt Pageant System. In 1982, the swimsuit competition was removed. The Little Miss Greenbelt and Junior Miss Greenbelt contests were added in the 1980s. In 1992 the Pageant began to emphasize the importance of education, and gave scholarships to the Miss Greenbelt title winners. Talent and speech are optional parts of the competition and are not judged for points.

The Miss Greenbelt competition is designed to teach girls poise and self confidence, how to be at ease with themselves and others, and how to have fun in a team effort toward a common goal.

All contestants receive special recognition in the Miss Greenbelt Pageant System because everyone is viewed as a winner!

Past Miss Greenbelts

MISS GREENBELT

1955 Mary (Emmert) Ruleman
1956 Nancy (Kurth) Markley
1957 Katheleen (Madden) Dunleavy
1958 Harriet (Clinedinst) McDonald
1959 Pat (Moore) Mancuso
1960 Karen (Klem) Smith
1961 Diane (Shegogue) Hyland
1962 Jane (Brooks) Duval
1963 Mary (DeMarzo) Funk
1964 Carolyn (Finley) Flynn
1965 Linda (Howey) Malone
1966 Claudia (Kennnedy) Zell
1967 Doris (Maffay) Freemyer
1968 Donna (Austin) Parish
1969 Deborah (Freeman) Kirby
1970 Beth Wilkenson
1971 Beverly Goulart
1972 Martha Jane Plaster
1973 Kim (Nicholson) Harris
1974 Alice Plaster          Junior Miss-Terry Beckford
1975 Robyn Davis
1976 Kathy Braddock
1977 Louise Tousignant
1978 Connie (Becraft) Coleman
1979 Cathy Clark
1980 Amanda (Green) Hogan
1981 Carolyn (Boone) Schalllmo
1982 Elizabeth (Greig) Moore
1983 Natasha (Chavrid) Jewell
1984 Angela (Schreiber) Querry
1985 Paula Clinedinst
1986 Nicole (Buemi) Grady
1987 Michelle Lee
1988 Aimee Heller
1989 Alicia Derin
1990 Shannon Grady
1991 Rosalie Kowmas
1992 Jennifer Fraser
1993 Christine Patsas
1994 Carolina Godinez
1995 Rachel Petty
1996 Heather Villalba
1997 Genette DonBullian
1998 Joi Loretz
1999 Pamela Brewster
2000 Joanna Andrus
2001 Kateri Hull
2002 Stephanie Danielson
2003 Danyelle Thomas
2004 Joanna Murray
2005 Emily Ivy
2006 Kimberly Wynkoop

JUNIOR MISS GREENBELT

1992 Rhiannon Brinkley
1993 Genette DonBullian
1994 Shaye Shacklelford
1995 Shabnam Mazhari
1996 Kelly White
1997 Jessica O'Connor
1998 Jessica Teets
1999 Stephanie Holland
2000 Emily Ivy
2001 Marie Crenweldge
2002 Lauren Decker
2003 Jenny Lindvall
2004 Melanie Pope
2005 Devin Fendlay
2006 Jazmin Kienas

LITTLE MISS GREENBELT

1988 Lorin Cahill
1989 Jennifer Magerer
1990 Brandy Worley
1991 Charity Bates
1992 Erica Baca
1993 Nina Strauss
1994 Kerri Gilkerson
1995 Jessica Mealey
1996 Charlene Kim
1997 Kimberly Wynkoop
1998 Jessica Hall
1999 Shaine Seigel
2000 Kimberly Carey
2001 Jenny Lindvall
2002 Erin Grady
2003 Lindsay Hepler
2004 Emily Scites
2005 Alexis Thompson
2006 Molly Jankowski

DIRECTORS MISS GREENBELT

1966 Larry Noel
1968-1974 Shirley Meredith
1975-1976 Fran Bernhards
1977-1978 Alice Plaster and Martha Plaster
1979-1981 Leslie Kramer
1982-1986 Jean Cook
1986-1990 Cheri Gainor
1990-1994 Natasha Chavrid-Jewell
1994-1999 Natasha Jewell & Johanna Smith
1999-2005 Natasha Jewell, Christine Patsas, & Katherine Patsas
2006- Natasha Jewell & Christine (Patsas) Lebhar

DIRECTORS
LITTLE & JUNIOR MISS GREENBELT

1989-1994 Cheri Gainor
1994-1995 Natasha Jewell, Gretchen Sacra, & Johanna Smith
1995-1999 Natasha Jewell & Johanna Smith
1999-2005 Natasha Jewell, Christine Patsas, & Katherine Patsas
2006- Natasha Jewell & Christine (Patsas) Lebhar