To become Miss America's Outstanding Teen, a contestant must first win a local competition and then compete to represent her state, a process requiring personal commitment, hard work and talent. To compete in the Miss America's Outstanding Teen program, you need commitment, perseverance, talent and ambition.

To compete for the coveted title of Miss Teen District of Columbia 2009, you must first meet several eligibility requirements:

		A contestant must be between the ages of 13-17. Specifically, a contestant must be 13 years of age before or on July 11, 2009 and no older than 17 before August 31, 2009.
		A contestant must reside in; be enrolled in and attending classes, on a full-time basis at an accredited public, private or home schooling program.
		A CONTESTANT CAN CLAIM ELIGIBILITY BASED UPON RESIDENCY OR AS A STUDENT.
		If the contestant is claiming eligibility based upon residency, she must be a resident of the District of Columbia at least six (6) months prior to state competition date (July 11, 2009).
		If the contestant is claiming eligibility based upon her status as a student, she must provide a copy of her registration form from her school proving enrollment. If she is home schooled, she must provide documentation demonstrating the District of Columbia’s current requirements with regards to home schooling. Whether enrolled in a public, private or home schooling program, a contestant must have passing scores as determined by the state accreditation scores in academic and citizenship grades..