Miss Greater Rockville organization formed, pageant date set

Miss Connecticut's Outstanding Teen Nicole Nemense visits with Town Councilman and RCA member Tom DiDio at last fall's Rockville Fest. File photo by Steve Smith.

Rockville will be sending a representative to compete for the Miss Connecticut crown in June of this year. At a meeting on Jan. 4, members of the Rockville Community Alliance signed an agreement with the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Corporation, which created the Miss Greater Rockville Scholarship Organization.

The Miss Greater Rockville Pageant will take place March 17, at a location to be determined, but the organizers are already excited.

Pam DiDio, who will serve as the new organization's executive director, said the idea germinated after Miss Connecticut 2010 Brittany Decker and Miss Connecticut's Outstanding Teen 2010, Logan West, visited the Rockville Fest in September of 2010.

“At a meeting afterwards we were saying, ‘Wouldn't it be great if we had a Miss Rockville or Miss Greater Rockville?’” DiDio said, adding that the idea bounced around among the group until it really took hold after Miss Connecticut's Outstanding Teen 2011, Nicole Nemense, made an appearance at this past fall's Rockville Fest, and subsequent contact with members of the Miss Connecticut organization.

“We were all so impressed with Nicole,” DiDio said, “so we talked about it some more with people from Miss Connecticut.”

DiDio said she and the other organizers hope this will do several positive things for Rockville and the surrounding area. “I think it will help bring a lot of good attention to Rockville,” DiDio said, “and hopefully some businesses will get involved. People will know who we are and what we're about. We hope to have a lot of contestants.”

RCA President Jim Sendrak said the pageant organization will be good for the growth of the RCA. “I think it will be fantastic,” Sendrak said. “It will be a great learning experience for us. We've just got to commit our hearts and souls. I like the idea of really approaching and tackling a truly structured event.”

DiDio added that she hopes the pageant and organization will have a positive impact on young women in the area, whether they compete as contestants, or volunteer. “Obviously, it will help provide more scholarships for girls,” DiDio said. “I also think it prepares them for life after college. It helps them to integrate into real life when they get out of school. You have to take on responsibilities, organize yourself, and utilize self-discipline. It's good for their self-esteem, and also as good role models for younger girls.”

Miss Connecticut Executive Director Tom Prete, while busily helping current Miss Connecticut compete for the Miss America crown in Las Vegas on Jan. 14, said he is thrilled with the Rockville franchise's expansion in this part of the state. “I'm ecstatic to open up to that end of the state,” Prete said. “We are, in fact, the Miss Connecticut Organization - we're not southern Connecticut, we're not eastern Connecticut, and we're not western Connecticut. I love the fact that we're opening up other parts of the state now.”

Prete added that he expects between 20 and 23 contestants will compete for the Miss Connecticut crown in June, up from 19 last year. The organization is seeking interested contestants, as well as volunteers and sponsorship partners. Miss Greater Rockville will be an “open” pageant, meaning that young women between the ages of 17 and 24 who live, work or go to school anywhere in the state are eligible, but the organizers said they hope to attract contestants from the eastern part of the state, since Miss Greater Rockville will be the only local Miss Connecticut preliminary held in either Tolland or Windham counties.

The Miss Rocky Hill/Hartford County Pageant, which took place last fall, and the Miss Greater Simsbury Pageant (also new this year), which will take place Feb. 11, are the other closest local pageants.

There was a Miss Vernon, formerly. Officials couldn't recall the exact dates, but it was more than a decade ago. Miss Connecticut 1989 was Glastonbury resident Marlena Marshall, who entered the state pageant as Miss Vernon.

For more information about the Miss Greater Rockville Pageant and organization, call Pam DiDio at 860-646-5320 or find the Miss Greater Rockville Scholarship Organization on Facebook. More information on contestant eligibility is available at www.missctamerica.org.