April 5, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mary Lee McCrory, Public Relations Director
800-256-5435; marylee@ajm.org

AMERICA’S JUNIOR MISS PREPARES TO CELEBRATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY
NATIONAL FINALS PROGRAM

America’s Junior Miss (AJM), the nation’s oldest and largest scholarship program for high school senior women, is making preparations to celebrate its 50th Anniversary National Finals in June.

AJM will welcome the 50 young women of the Class of 2007 to Mobile on June 18th. These young women will spend nearly two weeks in Mobile preparing for the National Finals competition, which will take place June 28-30. Participants will visit Bellingrath Gardens, participate in a Day of Caring with the Junior League of Mobile, meet and greet members of the Mobile community at Colonial Mall Bel Air, and attend a BayBears baseball game, as well as many other activities.

AJM’s Community Night, a special preview of the National Finals show for residents of the Gulf Coast area, will take place on June 27th. This show, which debuted last year, was a huge success and AJM invites all local community members to participate this year.

To commemorate this milestone in AJM’s history, several special events are in the works. A reunion for former state Junior Misses and their host families will be held at Bellingrath Gardens on June 30. All former host families are encouraged to call the AJM office with their updated contact information so that they can participate in this great event.

Additionally, AJM will host a post-finals party immediately following the 50th Annual National Finals at the historic Battle House Hotel. This event, which is sponsored by the Battle House, is a ticketed event and open to the public.

AJM is thrilled to announce that Phyllis Whitenack, the nation’s very first America’s Junior Miss, who was awarded the title in 1958, will participate in this year’s National Finals.

Founded in 1958, AJM’s goal is to honor young women who excel and encourage them to obtain a college education and assume roles of leadership in their communities and professions. During the past 49 years, AJM has awarded cash scholarships totaling almost $90 million to girls across the nation. More than 700,000 college-bound young women have competed in the program, including Diane Sawyer, co-host of ABC’s “Good Morning America” and co-anchor of “Primetime Thursday;” Deborah Norville, host of “Inside Edition;” E.D. Hill, an anchor on Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends;” and Debra Messing, co-star of NBC’s “Will & Grace.”

AJM’s national sponsors are the City of Mobile, Mobile County, and the Mitchell Company. Category sponsors are Alabama Power, Encore Rehabilitation, Mobile Gas, Regions Bank, and Wintzell’s Oyster House.

For more information about America’s Junior Miss, please visit www.ajm.org, or contact Mary Lee McCrory, Public Relations Director, at 251-438-3621 or marylee@ajm.org.