Published: May 20, 2010

America's Junior Miss is a Scholarship Program, Not a Beauty Pageant

Share This Story

MOBILE, Ala. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Recent publicity surrounding the Miss USA beauty pageant and its 2010 winner Rima Fakih of Michigan, who celebrates both the Christian and Muslim faiths, has drawn incorrect comparisons to the America's Junior Miss Scholarship Program (AJM) and its 2007 winner Nora Ali of Minnesota.

"America's Junior Miss (AJM) is a national scholarship program that rewards young women for academic excellence, leadership and talent. It is not a beauty pageant," says Becky Jo Peterson, Executive Director, America's Junior Miss.

AJM 2007 winner Nora Ali, whose family is of the Muslim faith and who is currently a student at Harvard University majoring in Statistics and Quantitative Finance, has been recognized for her musical talents on the violin and piano and academic achievements. As AJM 2007, Ali received $57,000 in college scholarships for her skills in interview, scholastics, and talent. As the overall winner, Ali won a gold medallion recognizing her achievements in the classroom and extracurricular activities.

Founded in 1958 in Mobile, Alabama, AJM is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school senior females. During its 52 years of operation, AJM has provided life-changing experiences for more than 200,000 young women and more than $90 million in college scholarships. Visit www.ajm.org.