Miss America 2008
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| Miss America 2008 | |
|---|---|
| Date: | January 26, 2008 |
| Presenters: | Mark Steines |
| Venue: | Planet Hollywood Performing Arts Center, Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Broadcaster: | TLC |
| Winner: | Kirsten Haglund |
| Represented: |  Michigan |
Miss America 2008, the 83rd Miss America pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada on January 26, 2008.
The pageant was broadcast live on TLC from the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, only the third time that the pageant has been held outside Atlantic City.
Kirsten Haglund (Michigan) was crowned Miss America 2008 by Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson.
Contents |
[edit] Selection of contestants
One delegate from each state was chosen in state pageants held in mid 2007. 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 2007, for example Jamie Langley is "Miss Alabama 2007" rather than "Miss Alabama 2008".
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.
[edit] 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.
For the first time, sixteen semi-finalists were chosen (fifteen based on the judges vote and one extra "People's Choice" contestant based on internet voting). The top sixteen competed in the swimsuit competition, after which six contestants were eliminated. This was the first time that the eliminated contestants were called, rather than contestants called to progress to the next round. The top ten contestants competed in the evening gown competition, and then prepared for the talent competition. Eight contestants participated in Talent, and two were eliminated in the midst of the competition. The top eight then participated in a quickfire interview competition. In a return to past proceedings, the runners-up and winner were called out of the top five.
[edit] Results
[edit] Placements
- Miss America 2008: Kirsten Haglund (Miss Michigan)
- First runner-up: Nicole Rash (Miss Indiana)
- Second runner-up: Elyse Umemoto (Miss Washington)
- Third runner-up: Hannah Kiefer (Miss Virginia)
- Fourth runner-up: Jessica Jacobs (Miss North Carolina)
- Top 8: Melissa Chaty (Miss California), Christina Thompson (Miss Wisconsin), Molly Hazlett (Miss Texas)
- Top 10: Diana Reed (Miss Iowa), Leah Massee (Miss Georgia)
- Top 16: Crystal Garrett (Miss South Carolina), Grace Gore (Miss Tennessee), Katie Bailey (Miss Arkansas), Kylie Williams (Miss Florida), Jill Stevens (Miss Utah - "People's Choice" semifinalist), Kimberly Morgan (Miss Mississippi)
[edit] Awards
[edit] Preliminary Awards
- Preliminary Swimsuit: Ashley Bickford (Miss Rhode Island), Kirsten Haglund (Miss Michigan), Molly Hazlett (Miss Texas)
- Preliminary Talent: Diana Reed (Miss Iowa), Valerie Amaral (Miss Massachusetts), Dana Daunis (Miss Connecticut)
[edit] Quality of Life Award
- Winner: Caleche Manos (Miss Nevada)[1]
- 1st runner-up: Kylie Williams (Miss Florida)
- 2nd runner-up: Makenna Smith (Miss Oklahoma)
- Finalists: Jamie Langley (Miss Alabama), Kylie Williams (Miss Florida), Valerie Amaral (Miss Massachusetts), Jennifer Hudspeth (Miss Minnesota), Ashley Bickford (Miss Rhode Island), Grace Gore (Miss Tennessee)
[edit] Delegates
The Miss America 2008 delegates are:
| State | Name | Hometown | Age1 | Talent | Placement | Special awards | Previous State pageant experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Jamie Langley | Wadley, AL | 23 | Vocal | |||
| Alaska | Cari Leyva | Anchorage, AK | 23 | Vocal | Former Miss Alaska USA 2004 | ||
| Arizona | Nicole Turner | Phoenix, AZ | 24 | Jazz Dance | |||
| Arkansas | Katie Bailey | Conway, AR | 25 | Vocal | Top 16 | ||
| California | Melissa Chaty | Redwood Valley, CA | 23 | Classical Vocal | Top 8 | ||
| Colorado | Maggie Ireland | Littleton, CO | 22 | Irish Step Dance | |||
| Connecticut | Dana Daunis | Watertown, CT | 22 | Vocal | Preliminary Talent | ||
| Delaware | Brittany Dempsey | Dover, DE | 19 | Jazz Dance | |||
| District of Columbia | Shayna Rudd | Philadelphia, PA | 22 | Jazz Dance | |||
| Florida | Kylie Williams | Jasper, FL | 24 | Country Vocal | Top 16 | Quality of Life 1st runner-up | |
| Georgia | Leah Massee | Fitzgerald, GA | 22 | Vocal | Top 10 | ||
| Hawaii | Ashley Layfield | Kane'ohe, HI | 21 | Lyrical Dance | Sister of Janelle Layfield, Miss Hawaii USA 2008 | ||
| Idaho | Sadie Quigley | Idaho Falls, ID | 19 | Piano | |||
| Illinois | Ashley Hatfield | Anna, IL | 24 | Vocal | |||
| Indiana | Nicole Rash | Plymouth, IN | 23 | Vocal | 1st runner up | ||
| Iowa | Diana Reed | Norwalk, IA | 23 | Baton | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent | |
| Kansas | Alyssa George | Minneapolis, KS | 21 | Classical Piano | |||
| Kentucky | Kaitlynne Postel | Lexington, KY | 21 | Vocal | |||
| Louisiana | Amanda Joseph | Pineville, LA | 21 | Ballet en Pointe | |||
| Maine | Tara Allain | Biddeford, ME | 22 | Dance | |||
| Maryland | Shana Powell | Bowie, MD | 22 | Operatic Vocal | |||
| Massachusetts | Valerie Amaral | Acushnet, MA | 22 | Vocal | Preliminary Talent | ||
| Michigan | Kirsten Haglund | Farmington Hills, MI | 19 | Vocal | Winner | Preliminary Swimsuit | |
| Minnesota | Jennifer Hudspeth | Apple Valley, MN | 23 | Vocal | |||
| Mississippi | Kimberly Morgan | Taylor, MS | 24 | Vocal | Top 16 | ||
| Missouri | Lindsay Casmaer | Hazelwood, MO | 23 | Ballet en Pointe | |||
| Montana | Kristen Mantooth | Lewistown, NE | 22 | Lyrical Dance | |||
| Nebraska | Ashley Bauer | Scottsbluff, NE | 21 | Vocal | |||
| Nevada | Caleche Manos | Reno, NV | 23 | Vocal | Quality of Life award | ||
| New Hampshire | Rachel Barker | Amherst, NH | 19 | Ballet en Pointe | |||
| New Jersey | Amy Polumbo | Howell, NJ | 22 | Vocal | |||
| New Mexico | Jenny Marlowe | Albuquerque, NM | 23 | Vocal | |||
| New York | Elisabeth Baldanza | Oneonta, NY | 23 | Contemporary Ballet | |||
| North Carolina | Jessica Jacobs | High Point, NC | 23 | Ballet en Pointe | 4th runner up | ||
| North Dakota | Ashley Young | Grand Forks, ND | 20 | Vocal Opera | Miss Congeniality 2008 | First Runner-Up: Miss North Dakota's Outstanding Teen 2005 | |
| Ohio | Roberta Camp | Grove City, OH | 23 | Vocal | |||
| Oklahoma | Makenna Smith | Oklahoma City, OK | 24 | Vocal | Quality of Life 2nd runner-up | ||
| Oregon | Kari Virding | Tigard, OR | 24 | Vocal | Non-Finalist Talent | Former Miss Oregon Teen USA 2000 | |
| Pennsylvania | Rachel Brooks | Broomall, PA | 24 | Vocal | |||
| Rhode Island | Ashley Bickford | Newport, RI | 22 | Ballet en Pointe | Preliminary Swimsuit | Former Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2002, top 10 at Miss Teen USA 2002 | |
| South Carolina | Crystal Garrett | Columbia, SC | 21 | Vocal | Top 16 | ||
| South Dakota | Kate Wismer | Britton, SD | 22 | Classical Vocal | |||
| Tennessee | Grace Gore | Nashville, TN | 24 | Vocal | Top 16 | Former Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2002 | |
| Texas | Molly Hazlett | Centerville, TX | 21 | Jazz on Pointe | Top 8 | Preliminary Swimsuit | |
| Utah | Jill Stevens | Kaysville, UT | 24 | Vocal | Top 16 | America's Choice | |
| Vermont | Rachel Ann Cole | Middlebury, VT | 21 | Monologue | |||
| Virginia | Hannah Kiefer | Roanoke, VA | 21 | Ballet en Pointe | 3rd runner up | ||
| Virgin Islands | Janeisha John | St. Croix, USVI | 20 | Jazz Dance | |||
| Washington | Elyse Umemoto | Wapato, WA | 23 | Vocal | 2nd runner up | ||
| West Virginia | Summer Wyatt | Princeton, WV | 21 | Vocal | |||
| Wisconsin | Christina Thompson | Kenosha, WI | 23 | Classical Violin | Top 8 | ||
| Wyoming | Jennifer McCafferty | Scottsbluff, NE | 23 | Vocal |
1 Age as at January 2008
[edit] Miss America Reality Check
A show on the pageant's new network, TLC, premiered on January 4th, 2008, hosted by Michael Urie (of Ugly Betty fame). The premise of the show is to update the image of the Miss America pageant, which has seen a decline in popularity over the last few decades. In addition, viewers will be able to vote online and choose one of the delegates to be a finalist in the pageant.
[edit] Crossovers
For the first time since Miss America 2003, four former Miss Universe Organization titleholders will compete at Miss America. They are:
- Kari Virding (Oregon) - Miss Oregon Teen USA 2000
- Ashley Bickford (Rhode Island) - Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2002, top 10 at Miss Teen USA 2002[2]
- Grace Gore (Tennessee) - Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2002[3]
- Cari Leyva (Alaska) - Miss Alaska USA 2004
[edit] References
- ^ Miss America Organization (2008-01-24). "2008 MISS AMERICA "QUALITY OF LIFE" WINNER ANNOUNCED". Press release.
- ^ Ashley Bickford Biography. Miss Rhode Island. Retrieved on 2008-01-24.
- ^ Willenburg, Brandy. "New Miss Tennessee plans to maintain strong Vanderbilt ties", The Reporter (Vanderbilt Medical Center), 2007-07-20. Retrieved on 2008-01-24.
[edit] External links
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