Miss America 2007

Miss America 2007
Date	January 29, 2007
Presenters	Mario Lopez
Venue	Aladdin Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Broadcaster	CMT
Winner	Lauren Nelson Oklahoma

Miss America 2007, the 86th Miss America, pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada on January 29, 2007, which was a Monday, making it the first time that the pageant was held on a weekday, rather than the traditional Saturday.

The pageant was broadcast live on CMT from the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Aladdin Resort and Casino, only the second time that the pageant has been held outside Atlantic City.

At the conclusion of the final night of competition, outgoing titleholder Jennifer Berry crowned Lauren Nelson as her successor. Both titleholders are from Oklahoma, only the second occurrence of two consecutive winners from one state. The last time that two titleholders from the same state won in consecutive years was 1959-1960, when Mississippi did the honor.

Selection of contestants

One delegate from each state was chosen in state pageants held in mid 2006. Prior to competing in state pageants, the majority of delegates first were required to win a local title. Each delegates title is pre-dated to 2006, for example Melinda Toole is "Miss Alabama 2006" rather than "Miss Alabama 2007".

Many contestants competed in state pageants in both the Miss America and Miss USA systems numerous times before winning titles, and some had previously in other states to those which they won their state title.

All contestants were required to be between the ages of 17-24, unmarried and a citizen of the United States. They were also required to meet residency and education requirements.

Competition

All delegates compete in an interview competition with the judges, based on their platform issue, and also in the swimsuit, evening gown and talent competitions.

Prior to the nationally televised competition, the delegates participate in three nights of preliminary competition, where preliminary award winners are chosen in each category.

During the final telecast, following the announcement of the semi-finalists, the top ten compete in swimsuit and evening gown. The top five go on to compete in the talent competition, and the top three face a final interview round.

Results

Placements

• Miss America 2007: Lauren Nelson (Oklahoma)
• First runner-up: Shilah Phillips (Texas)
• Second runner-up: Amanda Kozak (Georgia)
• Third runner-up: Taryn Foshee (Mississippi)
• Fourth runner-up: Melinda Toole (Alabama)

• Top 10: Jacquelynne Fontaine (California), Pilialoha Gaison (Hawaii), Emily Wills (Pennsylvania), Katie Millar (Utah), Kristen Eddings (Washington)

Special awards

Quality of Life

• Winner: Allison Rogers (Rhode Island) - "Go Green! Global Warming Awareness"
• 1st runner-up: Hilary Griffiths (Arizona) - "Strength Over Silence: Rape Awareness And Recovery"
• 2nd runner-up: Melinda Toole (Alabama) - "Character Education"
• Finalists: Amanda Kozak (Georgia), Betsy Uschkrat (Indiana), Angela Corsi (Michigan), Allison Rogers (Rhode Island), Adrianna Sgarlata (Virginia)

Preliminary Awards

Talent

• Shilah Phillips (Texas)
• Pilialoha Gaison (Hawaii)
• Jacquelynne Fontaine (California)

Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit

• Lauren Nelson (Oklahoma)
• Molly McGrath (Nebraska)
• Emily Wills (Pennsylvania)

Other Awards

Non-Finalist Talent

• Nicole Swanson (Minnesota)
• Bethlene Pancoast (New York)
• Shelley Benthall (South Carolina)
• Sarah Watson (Vermont)

Delegates

The Miss America 2007 delegates were:

State	Name	Hometown	Age1	Talent	Placement	Special awards	Other State pageant experience 2
Alabama	Melinda Toole	Birmingham	23	Vocal	4th runner-up	Quality of Life 2nd runner-up	NF 2004, Top 10 2005
Alaska	Stephanie Wonchala	Eagle River	21	Piano			1st RU 2003, 2005
Arizona	Hilary Griffith	Glendale	21	Vocal		Quality of Life 1st runner-up	NF 2003, T10 2004, 1st RU 2005; T10 Nat Sweetheart 05
Arkansas	Amber Bennett	Carlisle	23	Vocal			T10 2005
California	Jacquelynne Fontaine	Moorpark	24	Operatic Vocal	Top 10	Preliminary Talent	T10 2004
Colorado	Janie Allen	Arvada	23	Piano
Connecticut	Heidi Alice Voight	New Haven	24	Vocal			4th RU 2003, T10 2004, 2nd RU 2005
Delaware	Jamie Ginn	Wilmington	25	Dance			NJ: T10 01, NF 02, 3RU 03, 1RU 05; 4th RU Nat Sweetheart 05
District of Columbia	Kate Michael	Washington, D.C.	24	Dance			2nd RU at DC USA 2008
Florida	Allison Kreiger	Miami	23	Dance/Twirl			T10 02, T10 03, T15 04; NF FL USA 06
Georgia	Amanda Kozak	Warner Robins	22	Tap Dance	2nd runner-up	Quality of Life finalist	T11 04, 1st RU 05; 1st RU Nat Sweetheart 05, Later Miss Georgia USA 2008
Hawaii	Pilialoha Gaison	Kaneohe	23	Tahitian Dance	Top 10	Preliminary Talent	NF 05
Idaho	Katherine Crouch	Rexburg	19	Piano
Illinois	Heidi Ekstrom	Mundelein	22	Ballet			4th RU 03, NF 04, Top 10 05
Indiana	Betsy Uschkrat	Bloomington	24	Classical Opera		Quality of Life finalist	TX: NF 02, T10 03, T10 05
Iowa	Emily Nicholas	Clear Lake	21	Vocal
Kansas	Michelle Walthers	Towanda	21	Vocal			3rd RU 05
Kentucky	Rachelle Phillips	Princeton	24	Vocal			TN: NF 01, 02, 04
Louisiana	Jamie Wilson	Minden	23	Vocal			NF 02-03, T10 04, 1RU 05
Maine	Karissa Staples	Biddeford	19	Vocal
Maryland	Brittany Lietz	Edgewater	21	Dance
Massachusetts	Michaela Gagne	Fall River	24	Vocal			NF 03-04, 2nd RU 05
Michigan	Angela Corsi	Farmington Hills	24	Contemporary Ballet En Pointe		Quality of Life finalist	NF 02, 3rd RU 03, 1st RU 04-05; 3rd RU Nat Sweetheart 05, 4RU NS 04
Minnesota	Nicole Swanson	Lakeville	24	Classical Viola		Non-Finalist Talent
Mississippi	Taryn Foshee	Clinton	21	Piano	3rd runner-up
Missouri	Sarah French	Columbia	21	Vocal			Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2004
Montana	Christie Hageman	Billings	23	Vocal
Nebraska	Molly McGrath	Omaha	23	Dance		Preliminary Swimsuit	T10 03, Nebraska Junior Miss 2001
Nevada	Caydi Cole	Las Vegas	22	Vocal			Nevada Junior Miss 2003
New Hampshire	Emily Hughes	Gilmanton	23	Tap Dance			3rd RU 02, 2nd RU 03, 4th RU 04, 1st RU 05
New Jersey	Georgine DiMaria	New Jersey	22	Violin			NF 02, 3rd RU 03, 1st RU 04, T10 05
New Mexico	Christina Hall	Albuquerque	23	Vocal			2nd RU 04, 1RU 05
New York	Bethlene Pancoast	Brooklyn	24	Dance		Non-Finalist Talent	PA: T10 02, 3rd RU 03, T10 04, T10 05
North Carolina	Elizabeth Horton	High Point	23	Vocal			T10 03
North Dakota	Annette Olson	Baldwin	23	Vocal			1RU 04
Ohio	Melanie Murphy	Brook Park	20	Dance			T10 05
Oklahoma	Lauren Nelson	Lawton	20	Vocal	Winner	Preliminary Swimsuit	Oklahoma Teen 2004
Oregon	Donilee McGinnis	Scappoose	24	Tap Dance			T10 04, NF 05
Pennsylvania	Emily Wills	Beaver	24	Vocal	Top 10	Preliminary Swimsuit	2nd RU 02, T10 04, 1RU 05; 3rd RU Nat Sweetheart 05
Rhode Island	Allison Rogers	Providence	25	Piano		Quality of Life Winner	3rd RU 05
South Carolina	Shelley Benthall	Florence	21	Vocal	Top 3 Miss Congeniality	Non-Finalist Talent	Miss SC Teen 2003
South Dakota	Callee Bauman	Huron	21	Vocal			NF 04, NF 05
Tennessee	Blaire Pancake	Chattanooga	24	Vocal
Texas	Shilah Phillips	Plano	25	Vocal	1st runner-up	Preliminary Talent
Utah	Katie Millar	Highland	20	Violin	Top 10
Vermont	Sarah Watson	Enosburgh	20	Piano		Non-Finalist Talent
Virginia	Adrianna Sgarlata	Fairfax Station	24	Vocal		Quality of Life finalist	2nd RU 05, NF 04
Virgin Islands	Stacy Smith		24	Steel Pan/ Vocal
Washington	Kristen Eddings	Silverdale	20	Vocal	Top 10		NF 02
West Virginia	Tiffany Lawrence	Shepherdstown	24	Vocal			NF 01, T8 02, T10 03, T10 05; WV USA: T10 06
Wisconsin	Meghan Coffey	New Berlin	22	Dance			4th RU 05
Wyoming	Jenileigh Sawatzke	Cheyenne	24	Aerial Artist			CA: NF 04-5

• ¹ Age as at January 2007
• ² Abbrevs: NF = Non-finalist, RU = Runner-up, T = Top, Nat Sweetheart = National Sweetheart (competition for Miss America runners-up)

Crossovers

Unusually, no former Miss USA delegates competed in this pageant, although Sarah French, formerly Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2004 (and Miss Photogenic at Miss Teen USA) competed as Miss Missouri. Later on Amanda Kozak, Miss Georgia won the Miss Georgia USA 2008 title and competed at Miss USA 2008.

External links

• Miss America official website