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Miss Rhode Island

Beauty pageant competition

Summary

Beauty pageant competition

Field	Value
name	Miss Rhode Island
logo	Miss Rhode Island Logo.png
formation	1923
type	Beauty pageant
headquarters	Providence
location	Rhode Island
membership	Miss America
language	English
website	Official website

The Miss Rhode Island competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Rhode Island in the Miss America pageant.

Alexia Rodrigues of Warwick was crowned Miss Rhode Island 2025 on May 11, 2025 at the North Kingstown High School Auditorium in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. She competed for the title of Miss America 2026 in September 2025.

Gallery of past titleholders

File:Miss_RI_Allison_Rogers.jpg|Allison Rogers Miss Rhode Island 2006, speaking in August 2008 File:Ashley Bickford.png|Ashley Bickford, Miss Rhode Island 2007

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Rhode Island titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

3rd runners-up: Marilyn Cocozza (1968)
4th runners-up: Caroline Parente (2024)
Top 10: Laurie Gray (2004)
Top 15: Deborah Saint-Vil (2011)

Awards

Preliminary awards

Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Debra Cusick (1976), Karen Lindsay (2000), Ashley Bickford (2008)
Preliminary Talent: Marilyn Cocozza (1968), Laurie Gray (2004), Deborah Saint-Vil (2011)

Non-finalist awards

Non-finalist Interview: Lisa Snow (1993)
Non-finalist Talent: Cheryl Hirst (1962), Cheryl Girr (1967), Teresa Bradley (1971), Karen Salvatore (1975), Kelly Jo Roarke (1998), Julianna Strout (2010)

Other awards

Miss Congeniality: Ann Willis (1959)
Miss Photogenic: Ashley Bickford (2008)
Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Laurie Gray (2004)
Quality of Life Award Winners: Allison Rogers (2007)
Quality of Life Award 2nd runners-up: Jessica Marfeo (2014)
Quality of Life Award Finalists: Ashley Bickford (2008), Francesca Simone (2009), Alexandra Curtis (2016), Alexia Rodrigues (2026)
Women in Business Scholarship Award Winners: Shruti Nagarajan (2017)

Winners

Declared as winner
Ended as a runner-up
Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist}}

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2025	Alexia Rodrigues	Warwick	25	Miss Warwick	HER Story		Quality of Life Award Finalist
2024	Ali Hornung	Providence	24	Miss North Kingstown	Vocal
2023	Caroline Parente	South Kingstown	21		Vocal, "Imagine"	4th Runner-Up		Previously Miss Rhode Island's Outstanding Teen 2019-2020
2022	Abby Mansolillo	Providence	22		Monologue
2021	Leigh Payne	Barrington	21	Piano
2019–20	Molly M. Andrade	Middletown	20	Irish Step Dance
2018	title= Brown Grad Coppa Crowned Miss RI 2018	work= GoLocalProv	url= http://www.golocalprov.com/beauty/brown-grad-coppa-crowned-miss-ri-2018	date= May 7, 2018}}	Cranston	22	Jazz Dance			first= Jen	last= Cowart	title= Coppa represents RI for Miss Outstanding Teen	publisher=Cranston Herald	url=http://cranstononline.com/stories/coppa-represents-ri-for-miss-outstanding-teen,73774	date= August 8, 2012}}
2017	first=Artie	last=Tefft	title= A new Miss Rhode Island is crowned	publisher=Turnto10.com	url=http://turnto10.com/news/local/a-new-miss-rhode-island-is-crowned	date=May 29, 2017}}	Newport	21	Miss Newport	Acrobatics, "All That Jazz"			NFL cheerleader for the New England Patriots for the 2018–2019 season
2016	title= Brown Grad Shruti Nagarajan Crowned Miss RI 2016	publisher=Go Local Prov	url=http://www.golocalprov.com/beauty/brown-grad-shruti-nagarajan-crowned-miss-ri-2016	date=May 23, 2016}}	Providence	24	Miss Providence County	Bollywood-fusion dance		Women in Business Scholarship Winner
2015	first=Alexa	last=Torrens	newspaper=The Daily Orange	location=Syracuse, NY	title=Former SA President Allie Curtis crowned Miss Rhode Island	url=http://dailyorange.com/2015/05/former-sa-president-allie-curtis-crowned-miss-rhode-island/	date=May 30, 2015}}	East Greenwich	23	Miss West Warwick	Musical Theater Vocal, "Poor Unfortunate Souls"		Quality of Life Award Finalist	Contestant at National Sweetheart 2014 pageant
2014	title= Brown Grad Ivy DePew Crowned Miss RI 2014	publisher=Go Local Prov	url=http://www.golocalprov.com/lifestyle/ivy-depew-of-brown-university-crowned-miss-ri-2014	date=June 16, 2014}}	Providence	Miss Providence	Flute, "Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band			Contestant at National Sweetheart 2013 pageant
2013	title= Jessica Marfeo crowned Miss Rhode Island 2013	url= https://usedview.com/jessica-marfeo-crowned-miss-rhode-island-2013/	date= June 1, 2013	access-date= November 25, 2017	archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171201030434/https://usedview.com/jessica-marfeo-crowned-miss-rhode-island-2013/	archive-date= December 1, 2017	url-status= dead }}	Exeter	20	Miss University of Rhode Island	Vocal, "Ain't Misbehavin'"		Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up
2012	Kelsey Fournier	Pawtucket	23	Miss Pawtucket	Jazz Dance, "All That Jazz"			Former NFL cheerleader and line captain for the New England Patriots during 2009–2011 seasons
2011	Robin Bonner	Westhampton, NY	20	Miss University of Rhode Island	Jazz Dance, "Americano" by Lady Gaga
2010	Deborah M. Saint-Vil	Providence	22	Miss Spirit of Hope	Vocal, "Smile"	Top 15	Preliminary Talent Award
2009	Julianna Clare Strout	Watch Hill	24		Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine"		Non-finalist Talent Award
2008	Francesca Simone	North Smithfield	22		Classical Vocal, "Nessun dorma"		Quality of Life Award Finalist
2007	Ashley Bickford	Newport		Ballet en Pointe		Miss Photogenic
Quality of Life Award Finalist
Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award	Triple Crown winner:
2006	Allison Rogers	Providence	25		Classical Piano, "Fantaisie-Impromptu"		Quality of Life Award
2005	Jessica Samson	Newport	23		Vocal, "It's No Secret Anymore"
2004	Aimee Belisle	North Smithfield	24		Ballet en Pointe, "You're a Grand Old Flag"
2003	Laurie Gray	Warwick	22		Classical Violin, "Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64"	Top 10	Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
Preliminary Talent Award
2002	Gianine Marie Teti	Providence	22		Classical Vocal, "Steal Me Sweet Thief" from The Old Maid and the Thief
2001	Jennifer Leigh D'Ambrosio	21		Vocal, "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard			Featured on MTV's True Life-I'm a Beauty Queen
2000	Jennifer St. Laurent	Bristol	24		Vocal, "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show"
1999	Karen Lindsay	Warwick		Vocal, "I'm a Woman"		Preliminary Swimsuit Award	Contestant at National Sweetheart 1998 pageant
Contestant on The Bachelor
1998	Heather Marie Picard	Cumberland	23		Ballet en Pointe, Carmen
1997	Kelly Jo Roarke	Cranston	24		Comic Reading, "Non-Bridaled Passion"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1996	Elana Chomiszak	Providence	21		Dance, "Nice Work If You Can Get It"
1995	Elizabeth Reilly	North Providence	24	Miss North Providence	Dance, "Everybody Says Don't" from Anyone Can Whistle
1994	Tori-Lynn Heaton	Cranston	Miss Cranston	Character Jazz Dance			First police officer to compete at a Miss America pageant
1993	Wendy Mello	Narragansett	22	Miss South County	Lyrical Ballet, "A Piece of Sky" from Yentl
1992	Lisa Snow	Cranston	23	Miss Western Cranston	Dramatic Monologue		Non-finalist Interview Award
1991	Debi Cutler	North Providence	26	Miss Providence County	Vocal, "Shine On, Harvest Moon"
1990	Susan Savastano	East Providence	22	Miss Greater Providence County	Tap Dance, "All Right"
1989	Gloria Berlanga	Davisville	23	Miss Kent County	Flute
1988	Jenna Wims	Pawtucket	24		Vocal
1987	Cherilynn Cusick	Providence	21	Miss Providence County	Contemporary Ballet
1986	Barbara Longo	Barrington				N/A
Toni Langello	Warwick	20		Vocal, "My Man"			Competed as Miss Rhode Island in Miss America 1987 pageant
Later resigned after being arrested for cocaine possession in January 1987
1985	Lori Boucher	Pawtucket		Vocal, "Losing My Mind"
1984	Joanna Minisce	North Smithfield	19	Miss Northern Rhode Island	Modern Jazz Dance
1983	Pamela Hoff	Providence	21	Miss Providence-Pawtucket	Vocal, "For Once in My Life"
1982	Cynthia Crook	Warwick	22	Miss Central Rhode Island	Vocal/Dance, "Theme from New York, New York"
1981	Kathleen Cryan	Providence	23	Miss Eastern Rhode Island	Jazz Dance, "Electro-Phantasma"
1980	Dawn Potter	Pascoag	20	Miss Northern Rhode Island	Vocal / Dance, "All That Jazz"
1979	Elaine Rushlow	Westerly	Miss Southern Rhode Island	Piano, "Bridge over Troubled Water"
1978	Lori Leyden	Providence	21		Vocal, "Everything"
1977	Tanya Kapla	Middletown	21		Ballet en Pointe, "The Dying Swan"			Played Gloria Brown on The Young and the Restless
1976	Debra Cerroni	Esmond	20	Miss University of Rhode Island	Vocal, "Much More" from The Fantasticks			Previously Miss Rhode Island USA 1974
1975	Debra Cusick	Providence		Dance, Selections from Promises, Promises		Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1974	Karen Salvatore	Warwick	22	Miss Rhode Island Coed	Original Skit, "Don't Smoke"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1973	Patricia Garrahy	North Providence	19		Ballet, "Scarborough Fair"
1972	Michele Passarelli	Pawtucket	18	Miss Pawtucket	Vocal, "Cabaret"
1971	Annette Charpentier	Cumberland	21	Miss Cumberland	Semi-classical Vocal, "Eli's Coming"
1970	Teresa Bradley	East Greenwich	19	Miss North Kingston	Folk Singing & Guitar, "Chelsea Morning"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1969	Jeanne Bursley	Barrington	20	Vocal / Dance, "Standing on a Corner"
1968	Arlene Pinto	Warwick	21	Miss Warwick	Vocal / Dance, "Thoroughly Modern Millie"
1967	Marilyn Cocozza	North Providence	19	Miss Pawtucket	Piano / Vocal, "I Have Confidence" from The Sound of Music	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award
1966	Cheryl Girr	Newport	18	Miss Newport	Interpretive Ballet		Non-finalist Talent Award
1965	Maureen Manton	Warwick	21	Miss Warwick	Dramatic Reading from The Diary of Anne Frank
1964	Judy Anderson	20	Vocal / Dance
1963	Sheila Guarniere	Bristol		Miss Bristol	Piano
1962	Deborah Babbitt	18	Acrobatic Musical Comedy Dance
1961	Cheryl Hirst	Greenville	18	Miss North Providence	Ventriloquism & Organ, "This Can't Be Love"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1960	Sally Saabye	Warwick	18	Miss Warwick	Piano/Pantomime
1959	Michalene Chomicz	Pawtucket	23		Vocal
1958	Ann Louise Willis	Cranston	18				Miss Congeniality	Ann Louise Willis Ratray died at age 81 on June 9, 2021, in New York City, NY. She was a noted stage and screen actress who became a celebrated drama coach
1957	Beatrice Turek	Providence			Art Display
1956	Gail Gilmore	Barrington			Drama / Piano
1955	Claire Mae Emerson	Pawtucket			Dramatic Monologue
1954	Virginia Mary "Ginger" Gregory	20		Speech
1953	Joyce Sandberg	Providence			Drama			Later Miss Rhode Island USA 1954
1952	Jayne Bradshaw	Westerly			Classical Vocal
1951	No Rhode Island representative at Miss America pageant
1950
1949
1948
1947	Ellen DiCenzo	Providence			Vocal
1946	Marilyn Tripp	Westerly
1945	Mary Stevens	Cranston			Vocal, "How Deep Is the Ocean?"
1944	No Rhode Island representative at Miss America pageant
1943
1942
1941
1940
1939
1938
1937	Dorothy May Eden	East Providence	18					Dr. Dorothy May Eden Trayner Erinakes died at 97 on March 20, 2017, in San Luis Obispo, California.
1936	Mary Margaret Rogers	Johnston
1935	Beatrice McKenzie	Providence		Miss Providence				Multiple Rhode Island representatives
Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Leona Mucha	West Warwick		Miss West Warwick
Marianne Ranallo Grasso
1934	No national pageant was held
1933	No Rhode Island representative at Miss America pageant
1932	No national pageants were held
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927	June Frances Costello	Providence			N/A
1926	No Rhode Island representative at Miss America pageant
1925	Loretta Berchman				N/A
1924	Freida Leamon	Providence		Miss Providence			Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1923	Loretta La Flamme
1922	No Rhode Island representative at Miss America pageant
1921

;Notes

References

Nagle, Kate. "NEW: Miss Rhode Island 2022 Crowned".
(2021-06-14). "Leigh Payne Crowned Miss Rhode Island 2021; Alexa Johnsen new Miss RI Outstanding Teen".
Kuperinksy, Amy. (May 8, 2020). "Miss America postpones pageant until 2021, N.J. pageant still set for September". Press of Atlantic City.
Thatcher, Rachael. "Middletown resident crowned Miss Rhode Island".
(May 7, 2018). "Brown Grad Coppa Crowned Miss RI 2018". GoLocalProv.
Cowart, Jen. (August 8, 2012). "Coppa represents RI for Miss Outstanding Teen". Cranston Herald.
Tefft, Artie. (May 29, 2017). "A new Miss Rhode Island is crowned". Turnto10.com.
(May 29, 2017). "Salve Regina student, East Greenwich teen crowned in Miss Rhode Island Pageant". Providence Journal.
(April 7, 2018). "Patriots Cheerleaders announce 2018 Squad". Patriots.com.
(May 23, 2016). "Brown Grad Shruti Nagarajan Crowned Miss RI 2016". Go Local Prov.
Torrens, Alexa. (May 30, 2015). "Former SA President Allie Curtis crowned Miss Rhode Island". [[The Daily Orange]].
(June 16, 2014). "Brown Grad Ivy DePew Crowned Miss RI 2014". Go Local Prov.
(June 1, 2013). "Jessica Marfeo crowned Miss Rhode Island 2013".
(January 3, 2013). "Former Patriots Cheerleader to compete for the title of Miss America". Patriots.com.
(May 23, 2011). "Rhode Island Welcomes 2011 State Titleholder". Four Points.
Barker, Olivia. (September 16, 2003). "Harvard grads' next goal: Miss America". [[USA Today]].
(October 31, 1999}}{{dead link). "Coke becomes drug of choice in Rhode Island during the 1980s". The Providence Journal Company.
"1952 Candidates".
"1951 Candidates".
"1949 Candidates".
"1948 Candidates".
"Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950". [[PBS]].
"1933 Candidates".
Schnitzspahn, Karen. (September 8, 1997). "There She Was – Miss Long Branch". Asbury Park Press.
"1926 Candidates".
(September 6, 1923). "Half a Dozen America Beauties, Please". The Daily News.
"1921 Candidates".
"1922 Candidates".

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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