The Miss Poulsbo/Miss Kitsap Scholarship Organization is now accepting applications for its 2009 pageant.

Both the new Miss Poulsbo and Miss Kitsap will receive a large scholarship in addition to other awards and gifts. All participants in the pageant will receive a minimum of $500 just for competing. The Miss Poulsbo Scholarship Organization and the Miss Kitsap Scholarship Program will each crown a representative on Jan. 10, 2009 at the Bremerton High School Auditorium. The new Miss Poulsbo and Miss Kitsap will represent Poulsbo and the other communities in Kitsap County. They will both compete for the title of Miss Washington in Tacoma in July.

The Miss Poulsbo Scholarship Pageant is open to young women ages 17 to 24 who live in the North Kitsap School District. They must be a high school graduate by June 2009. The Miss Kitsap Scholarship Pageant is open to young women ages 17 to 24 who live, work or attend school within the boundaries of Kitsap County, excluding the North Kitsap School District. They must be a high school graduate by June 2009.

Both sets of contestants will be judged in five categories: talent, 35 percent; private interview, 25 percent; evening gown, 20 percent; swimsuit, 15 percent; and on-stage interview, 5 percent. This year’s pageant is hosted by the current Miss Poulsbo Amy Stadshaug, the current Miss Kitsap Samantha Przybylek and Miss Poulsbo 2001 Jeana Ostheller-Halversen. The theme of this year’s pageant is “New Year’s in New York.”

Since joining the Miss America franchise in 2000, the Miss Poulsbo/Miss Kitsap Organization has awarded $161,000 in scholarships to women in Kitsap County.

Applications must be postmarked by Sept. 30, 2008 and are available online at www.misspoulsbomisskitsap.org and at Nilsen’s Appliance Center in Silverdale. For more information, call Michele Wasson at (360) 689-3553 or e-mail misspoulsbo@yahoo.com.