Miss America 2009

Miss America 2009
Date	January 24, 2009[1]
Presenters	Mario Lopez
Venue	Planet Hollywood Performing Arts Center, Paradise, Nevada
Broadcaster	TLC
Entrants	52
Placements	15
Winner	Katie Stam Indiana

Miss America 2009, the 88th Miss America pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada on January 24, 2009. The winner was Katie Stam from Indiana.

The pageant was broadcast live on TLC from the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, only the fourth time that the pageant has been held outside Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Selection of contestants

One delegate from each state was chosen in state pageants held in mid 2008. 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 2008, for example Amanda Tapley is "Miss Alabama 2008" rather than "Miss Alabama 2009".

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.

Competitions

All delegates competed 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 participated in three nights of preliminary competition, where preliminary award winners were chosen in each category.

During the final telecast, following the announcement of the semi-finalists, the top fifteen competed in swimsuit competition. The top twelve competed in evening gown competition. The top ten went on to compete in the talent competition, and the top seven each faced a random question from an American viewer.

Results

Placements

Final Results	Contestant
Miss America 2009	Indiana - Katie Stam
1st runner-up	Georgia - Chasity Hardman
2nd runner-up	Iowa - Olivia Myers
3rd runner-up	New York - Leigh-Taylor Smith
4th runner-up	Florida - Sierra Minott
Top 7	California - Jackie Geist Tennessee - Ellen Carrington
Top 10	District of Columbia - Kate Grinold Hawaii - Nicole Fox Michigan - Ashlee Baracy
Top 12	Arkansas - Ashlen Batson Kentucky - Emily Cox
Top 15	Alabama - Amanda Tapley Delaware - Galen Giaccone South Dakota - Alexandra Hoffman

Awards

Preliminary Awards

Awards	Contestant
Preliminary Swimsuit	Indiana - Katie Stam Mississippi - Christine Kozlowski New York - Leigh-Taylor Smith
Preliminary Talent	Delaware - Galen Giaccone Georgia - Chastity Hardman Vermont - Ashley Wheeler

Quality of Life Award

Results	Contestant
Winner	Kentucky - Emily Cox
First runner-up	Michigan - Ashlee Baracy
Second runner-up	Alabama - Amanda Tapley
Finalists	Hawaii - Nicole Fox Indiana - Katie Stam North Carolina - Amanda Watson Rhode Island - Francesca Simone Virginia - Tara Wheeler

Other Awards

Results	Contestant
Non-Finalist Talent	Arizona - Erin Nurss Pennsylvania - Kendria Perry South Carolina - Anna Perry Utah - Kayla Barclay Vermont - Ashley Wheeler
Miss Congeniality	Texas - Rebecca Robinson[2]

Delegates

The Miss America 2009 delegates are:

State	Name	Hometown	Age	Talent	Placement	Awards	Notes
Alabama	Amanda Tapley	Birmingham	20	Piano	Top 15	Quality of Life 2nd runner-up
Alaska	Stephany Jeffers	Anchorage	23	Vocal
Arizona	Erin Brittany Nurss	Sierra Vista	23	Dance		Non-Finalist Talent
Arkansas	Ashlen Batson	Newark	21	Flute	Top 12
California	Jackie Geist	Vacaville	22	Ballet	Top 7		1st runner up Miss California Teen USA 2002, 3rd runner up Miss Teenage California 2004, Miss Teen of the Nation 2004, Miss Teen Paradise Valley 2000, Miss Teen Vacaville 2002, Miss Vaca Valley 2006[3]
Colorado	Jamie Dukehart-Conti	Arvada	23	Jazz Dance			Broncos Cheerleader
Connecticut	Ashley Glenn	Hamden	23	Lyrical Dance
Delaware	Galen Giaccone	Wyoming	20	Piano	Top 15	Preliminary Talent	Delaware Junior Miss 2006
District of Columbia	Kate Marie Grinold	Washington, D.C.	22	Ballet	Top 10
Florida	Sierra Minott	Fort Myers	20	Jazz Dance	4th runner-up		Miss Florida Outstanding Teen 2005
Georgia	Chastity Hardman	Columbus	24	Vocal	1st runner-up	Preliminary Talent	Second African-American to represent the state in the Miss America Pageant, Sherri Hill Model
Hawaii	Nicole Fox[4]	Honolulu		Traditional Hawaiian Dance	Top 10	Quality of Life Finalist
Idaho	Elise Davis[5]	Idaho Falls	20	Vocal
Illinois	Katie Lorenz	Plymouth	24	Lyrical Dance
Indiana	Katie Stam	Seymour	21	Vocal	Miss America 2009	Quality of Life Finalist, Preliminary Swimsuit	Miss Kentuckiana Teen 2002, Indiana's Junior Miss 2005, 2nd runner up at America's Junior Miss 2005
Iowa	Olivia Myers[6]	Sperry	22	Tap Dance	2nd runner-up		Can speak backwards
Kansas	Emily Deaver	Augusta	19	Vocal/Piano
Kentucky	Emily Cox	Campbellsville	22	Piano	Top 12	Quality of Life Award Winner	Niece of Nancy Jane Cox, Miss Kentucky 1990 (Both won same local title (Miss Bowling Green) before winning state title)
Louisiana	Blair Abene	Hammond	22	Vocal			Miss Teen Louisiana 2002
Maine	Adrienne Watkinson	Topsham	23	Violin
Maryland	Louise Schlegel	Silver Spring	20	Vocal			Attends the University of Maryland, Baltimore County[7]
Massachusetts	Alicia Zitka	West Springfield	22	Lyrical Dance			Graduate of University of Massachusetts Amherst, Won national online K-mart Style competition
Michigan	Ashlee Baracy	Westland	23	Jazz Dance	Top 10	Quality of Life 1st runner-up	Michigan's Junior Miss 2003, Danced with Mario Lopez from "Dancing with the Stars", 1st runner-up at National Sweetheart pageant 2007
Minnesota	Angela McDermott[8]	Austin	24	Vocal			Performed the National Anthem at the Opening of the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minnesota
Mississippi	Christine Kozlowski	D'Iberville	19	Jazz Dance		Preliminary Swimsuit
Missouri	Lacey Fitzgerald	Kansas City	24	Vocal
Montana	Jennifer Hepner[9]	Great Falls	23	Belly Dancing
Nebraska	Gretchen Bergquist[10]	Alliance	24	Vocal
Nevada	Julianna Erdesz	Reno	24	Vocal			Later Miss Nevada USA 2010
New Hampshire	Natalie C. Shaw	Hooksett	23	Vocal
New Jersey	Ashley Fairfield	Egg Harbor Township	22	Jazz Dance
New Mexico	Christina Olmi	Albuquerque	23	Vocal
New York	Leigh-Taylor Smith	New York City	22	Vocal	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit
North Carolina	Amanda Watson	Raleigh	21	Vocal		Quality of Life Finalist
North Dakota	Tessie Jones	West Fargo	21	Piano
Ohio	Karissa Renee Martin	Woodsfield	21	Vocal
Oklahoma	Kelsey Cartwright	Collinsville	20	Lyrical Dance
Oregon	Danijela Krstić	Beaverton	24	Belly Dancing
Pennsylvania	Kendria Perry	Nazareth	23	Piano		Non-Finalist Talent
Rhode Island	Francesca Simone	North Smithfield	23	Vocal		Quality of Life Finalist
South Carolina	Anna Perry	Florence	23	Piano		Non-Finalist Talent
South Dakota	Alexandra Hoffman	Eureka	20	Vocal	Top 15		Previously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2006
Tennessee	Ellen Carrington	Jackson	21	Classical Vocal	Top 7
Texas	Rebecca Robinson	Buffalo	24	Tap Dance		Miss Congeniality
Utah	Kayla Barclay	Manti	18	Piano		Non-Finalist Talent
Vermont	Ashley Ruth Wheeler	Lyndonville	21	Vocal		Preliminary Talent, Non-Finalist Talent
Virgin Islands	Shamika K. Thomas	St. Thomas	23	Vocal
Virginia	Tara Wheeler	Woodbridge	24	Vocal		Quality of Life Finalist
Washington	Janet Harding	Yelm	21	Piano
West Virginia	Kayla Lynam	Short Gap	21	Piano
Wisconsin	Briana Lipor	Racine	22	Vocal
Wyoming	Courtney Gifford	Sheridan	19	Comedic Vocal			Miss Wyoming's Outstanding Teen 2005; first Miss America's Outstanding Teen contestant to win a Miss America state title

     This contestant made it to the Top 15

     This contestant made it to the Top 12

     This contestant made it to the Top 10

     This contestant made it to the Top 7

     This contestant was the 4th runner-up

     This contestant was the 3rd runner-up

     This contestant was the 2nd runner-up

     This contestant was the 1st runner-up

     This is Miss America 2009

References

1. ^ Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino to host 2009 Miss America Live! on TLC
2. ^ "2009 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS". Miss America Organization. http://www.missamerica.org/scholarships/recipients-2009.aspx. Retrieved July 25, 2010. 
3. ^ "Making her way to the top". WQAD. 2008-07-04. http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_9786635. Retrieved 2008-07-04. 
4. ^ http://tv.yahoo.com/show/44013/photos/13#goto_13
5. ^ Associated Press (2008-06-16). "Idaho Falls woman wins Miss Idaho pageant". Local News 8. http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8498636&nav=menu554_2. Retrieved 2008-06-16. ^{[dead link]}
6. ^ "Miss Burlington becomes Miss Iowa 2008". WQAD. 2008-06-15. http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=8493280. Retrieved 2008-06-15. 
7. ^ "Winner hopes to launch film career". Baltimore Sun (Timothy E. Ryan). 2008-06-23. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.briefs233jun23,0,1744201.story. Retrieved 2008-07-09. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ Ruzek, Tim (2008-06-16). "Austin native wins Miss Minnesota pageant". Post-Bulletin. http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=347757. Retrieved 2008-06-17. 
9. ^ Cates, Kristen (2008-06-16). "Great Falls woman wins elusive title". Great Falls Tribune. http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080616/NEWS01/806160301/1002. Retrieved 2008-06-16. ^{[dead link]}
10. ^ Wetzel, Dianne (2008-06-08). "It's Miss Panhandle!". North Platte Telegraph. http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2008/06/08/news/60000244.txt. Retrieved 2008-06-08. 

External links

• Miss America official website