from the Miss America website :

"I did lots of things. I was a pianist, but not quite good enough to get a music scholarship; an athlete, but I didn't play a varsity sport; smart, but not smart enough to get an academic scholarship. So competing in the Miss America program was an opportunity to get a scholarship for school."
Kellye Cash Miss America 1987

And this is actually the lead quote on the site's pitch to convince young women to become contests. I kid you not. Oooh, boy, I'm getting this in my novel somehow.