Ruby Brown-Bilyeu excited to be Miss Huntington Beach for 2024

When she heard her name called, it was music to Ruby Brown-Bilyeu’s ears.

Now the Huntington Beach High senior wants to use her platform to get the word out about the Save the Music Foundation.

Brown-Bilyeu, 18, was crowned Miss Huntington Beach for 2024 in a ceremony sponsored by the nonprofit Sand Dollars of Huntington Beach.

She is the city’s 111th queen and as such will represent the city at numerous events and functions over the next year. Her court includes Princesses Stella Scott, 19, and Lainie Shield, 18.

“It was super-exciting for me, just going through the process of the pageant as well and getting to know how everything works,” said Brown-Bilyeu, whose older sister, Roslyn, represented Surf City as a princess last year. “It was my first pageant, so it was a super-exhilarating process, especially with all of the other girls running as well.”

The contestants were judged on poise, grace and public speaking in the ceremony Oct. 14 at the Huntington Beach Central Library Theater, emceed by Wink Williams. They also shared their involvement with causes and community service groups.

Queen Ruby Brown-Bilyeu was crowned after festivities held Oct. 14 at the Huntington Beach Central Library Theater.

(Courtesy of Xiomara Escobar)

Ruby Brown-Bilyeu has a cumulative 4.1 grade-point average at Huntington Beach High and is involved in several extracurricular activities, including National Honor Society and the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts student council, where she is the director of leadership for the orchestra department.

She studies orchestra and dance at HPAPA and wants to spread awareness about the Save the Music Foundation, which has contributed instruments and support for music teachers over the past 25 years, advocating for music education for the younger generation.

“They’ve worked with hundreds of elementary schools across the United States implementing music programs,” said Brown-Bilyeu, who plans to major in music therapy in college. “And here, specifically, in Huntington Beach after COVID-19, there was a slowdown of reimplementing music programs in elementary schools here. So my goal as Miss Huntington Beach will be to definitely reimplement them because I went through them when I was in elementary school, and it’s just a super big part of learning music, and especially in our community.”

Scott is a Huntington Beach High graduate who served as a three-year varsity captain for the Oilers track team. She’s currently studying criminology, law and society at UC Irvine, where she’s the lead intern for the athletics department and served as social media manager for the men’s water polo team. She also works as a greeter at Duke’s Restaurant on the Huntington Beach Pier.

Shield also graduated from Huntington Beach High and served as not only the Mascot Club president but the actual mascot. She also attended multiple high school Regional Occupational Program classes and is currently studying criminal justice at Golden West and Rio Hondo colleges, before she pursues her bachelor’s degree at UC Irvine. Her goal is to become a police officer, and she currently serves as captain of the Huntington Beach Police Explorers.

The royal court has already represented at a few events, with the Light a Light of Love pier lighting ceremony up next on Sunday evening.

The Miss Huntington Beach Scholarship Program and Pageant is the Sand Dollars’ primary service project, awarding scholarships to the queen and her court to use toward tuition, books and other educational expenses. Those who would like to have Miss Huntington Beach royalty at their special event, grand opening or other activity are asked to go to misshuntingtonbeach.org and complete the appearance request form as soon as possible.