Madison Riley Eisenhart, 11, of Northampton, has been chosen as a state finalist in the National American Miss Pennsylvania Pageant to be held the weekend of Aug. 9 in Harrisburg.

The National American Miss pageants are held for girls ages 4-18, and have five different age divisions. Madison will be participating in the pre-teen (10-12) age division, along with outstanding young ladies from across Pennsylvania.

Her community service project will be "Donate for Dance."

Madison is a two-time Little Miss Community Days Queen. She plays softball for NAA and has been a player on the Pixie Dolls, 2012 undefeated league champions. She also is a member of the Tri-Boro Soccer club and plays for the U12 level where her team is currently undefeated. She also enjoys playing with her friends, being a role model for her two younger brothers who attend Siegfried Elementary, and having fun with whatever she is doing.

Her biggest accomplishment is in dance. She takes lessons at Miss Jeanne's School of Dance Arts in Bethlehem and is currently a member of its Petite Elite Dance Competition team. This team placed first in its last two competitions and earned the Outstanding Performance Award at Bravo! The team will be performing for the national title in July.

The winner of the pageant will receive a $1,000 cash award, the official crown and banner, a bouquet of roses and air transportation to compete in the National Pageant in California where she will receive a complimentary Tour of Hollywood and two V.I.P. tickets to Disneyland.

The National American Miss Pageants are dedicated to celebrating America's future leaders and equipping them with life-long skills.

Each year the pageant nationally awards $1.5 million in cash, scholarships and other prizes, including a new Ford Mustang convertible.

All activities in the National American Miss Pageants are kept age appropriate. Girls under the age of 12 are not allowed to wear makeup, and there is no swimsuit competition.

The pageant program is based on inner-beauty, as well as poise and presentation, and offers an "All-American spirit of fun for family and friends." Emphasis is put on the importance of developing self confidence, learning good sportsmanship, as well as setting and achieving personal goals. The pageant recognizes the accomplishments of each girl while encouraging her to set goals for her future.

Families interested in learning more about this program may visit www.namiss.com.

Madison's sponsors include her parents, Jen and Wally Eisenhart of Northampton, grandparents Debbie and Chuck Achenzi of Bethlehem, D'Aprile Salon in Coplay and Sungard Pentamation in Bethlehem.

Anyone else interested in sponsoring Madison in this upcoming state pageant is asked to contact Jennifer Eisenhart at jeisenhart@bethsd.org.