A Miss America Primer

By Zach Tropf (@jericho6) on January 22nd, 2009

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On Saturday, January 24th, the 84th annual Miss America pageant will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. It will be broadcast on TLC for those interested.

The pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the fifty states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All the women complete an interview, plus battle in swimsuit, evening gown, and talent competitions. The overall winner is crowned “Miss America” until the next year. The 2008 Miss America, Kirsten Haglund, is pictured to the right. Who will she cede her crown to?

To give you all a preview of what to expect, here are all 52 candidates, complete with a head shot and a swimsuit photo. You can pick out your favorites, and see if you can predict who will take home the crown:

		Miss Alabama Amanda Tapley Birmingham, Alabama Age: 20

		Miss Alaska Stephany Jeffers Anchorage, Alaska Age: 23

		Miss Arizona Erin Brittany Sierra Vista, Arizona Age: 23

		Miss Arkansas Ashlen Batson Newark, Arkansas Age: 21

		Miss California Jackie Geist Vacaville, California Age: 22

		Miss Colorado Jamie Dukehart-Conti Arvada, Colorado Age: 23

		Miss Connecticut Ashley Christina Glenn Hamden, Connecticut Age: 23

		Miss Delaware Galen Giaccone Wyoming, Delaware Age: 20

		Miss District of Columbia Kate Marie Grinold Washington, District of Columbia Age: 23

		Miss Florida Sierra Minott Fort Myers, Florida Age: 20

		Miss Georgia Chasity Hardman Columbus, Georgia Age: 24

		Miss Hawaii Nicole Fox Honolulu, Hawaii Age: 23

		Miss Idaho Elise Davis Idaho Falls, Idaho Age: 20

		Miss Illinois Katie Lorenz Chicago, Illinois Age: 24

		Miss Indiana Katie R. Stam Seymour, Indiana Age: 22

		Miss Iowa Olivia Myers Sperry, Iowa Age: 22

		Miss Kansas Emily Deaver Augusta, Kansas Age: 19

		Miss Kentucky Emily Ann Cox Campbellsville, Kentucky Age: 22

		Miss Louisiana Blair Abene Hammond, Louisiana Age: 22

		Miss Maine Adrienne Leigh Watkinson Topsham, Maine Age: 23

		Miss Maryland Louise Schlegel Silver Spring, Maryland Age: 20

		Miss Massachusetts Alicia Zitka West Springfield, Massachusetts Age: 22

		Miss Michigan Ashlee Baracy Westland, Michigan Age: 23

		Miss Minnesota Angela McDermott Austin, Minnesota Age: 24

		Miss Mississippi Christine Kozlowski D’lberville, Mississippi Age: 19

		Miss Missouri Lacey Fitzgerald Richmond, Missouri Age: 24

		Miss Montana Jennifer Lynn Hepner Great Falls, Montana Age: 23

		Miss Nebraska Gretchen Bergquist Oxford, Nebraska Age: 22

		Miss Nevada Julianna Erdesz Reno, Nevada Age: 24

		Miss New Hampshire Natalie C. Shaw Manchester, New Hampshire Age: 23

		Miss New Jersey Ashley Fairfield Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey Age: 22

		Miss New Mexico Christina Olmi Albuquerque, New Mexico Age: 24

		Miss New York Leigh-Taylor Smith New York City, New York Age: 22

		Miss North Carolina Amanda Lauren Watson Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 21

		Miss North Dakota Tessie Jones West Fargo, North Dakota Age: 21

		Miss Ohio Karissa Renee’ Martin Woodsfield, Ohio Age: 20

		Miss Oklahoma Kelsey Cartwright Collinsville, Oklahoma Age: 21

		Miss Oregon Danijela Krstic Beaverton, Oregon Age: 24

		Miss Pennsylvania Kendria Perry Nazareth, Pennsylvania Age: 23

		Miss Rhode Island Francesca Simone North Smithfield, Rhode Island Age: 22

		Miss South Carolina Anna Perry Florence, South Carolina Age: 23

		Miss South Dakota Alexandra Hoffman Eureka, South Dakota Age: 20

		Miss Tennessee Ellen Carrington Jackson, Tennessee Age: 21

		Miss Texas Rebecca Robinson Buffalo, Texas Age: 24

		Miss Utah Kayla Barclay Manti, Utah Age: 18

		Miss Vermont Ashley Ruth Wheeler Lyndon, Vermont Age: 21

		Miss Virgin Islands Shamika K. Thomas St. Thomas, Virgin Islands Age: 23

		Miss Virginia Tara Wheeler Woodbridge, Virginia Age: 24

		Miss Washington Janet Harding Yelm, Washington Age: 21

		Miss West Virginia Kayla Lynam Short Gap, West Virginia Age: 21

		Miss Wisconsin Briana Lipor Racine, Wisconsin Age: 22

		Miss Wyoming Courtney Gifford Sheridan, Wyoming Age: 19