10:42: Miss America 2023 is Miss Wisconsin, Grace Stanke. She receives a $50K scholarship. Learn more about the new Miss America here.
First runner-up, who gets a $25K scholarship: Miss New York, Taryn Delanie Smith.
$20K scholarship winner, second runner-up, is Miss Texas, Averie Bishop.
$15K scholarship goes to Miss West Virginia, Elizabeth Lynch — third runner-up.
$10K scholarship goes to Miss Georgia, Kelsey Hollis — fourth runner-up.
Miss America 2023 winner is Grace Stanke, Miss Wisconsin. Nuclear engineering student advocates for clean energy.
10:27: Evening gown struts as we approach the crowning. Contestants were given a choice to wear something else besides a gown, but rarely has anyone opted for a gown alternative over these past few years.
10:15: Why did Miss New York get the question about lost luggage? Random. Wait, is this LaGuardia, JFK or Newark?
10:13: Now the reigning Miss America, Emma Broyles, is asking contestants how they would handle various situations in the role. (Mostly press/PR/public events-related queries.)
Ooh, first question is all about what they would do if their personal stance on an issue differs from the Miss America Organization and they are asked to comment. Stanke (Wisconsin) says she’d make it clear an opinion was hers, not the organization’s.
10:10:
Here’s the Top 5:
Miss Wisconsin, Grace Stanke
Miss Georgia, Kelsey Hollis
Miss West Virginia, Elizabeth Lynch
Miss New York, Taryn Delanie Smith (told you)
Miss Texas, Averie Bishop
9:56: Averie Bishop, Miss Texas, has a pageant social impact initiative called “Y’all Means All.”
Miss New York, Taryn Delanie Smith, still sounding strong, you guys ... she could take it. Top 5 next.
9:42: OK, we’re back after another segment with contestants wearing athletic apparel, this time talking about standing up against bullying?
Anyway, the top 7: Georgia, Wisconsin, Nevada, Texas, West Virginia, Indiana and New York (told ya).
9:20: Miss Hawaii, Lauren Teruya, is dancing to “Cabaret,” noting her grandmother was a Radio City Rockette.
9:15: Miss West Virginia, Elizabeth Lynch, is delivering a monologue about soil.
Her social impact initiative: “Growing Up, Growing Ag: Advocating for American Agriculture.”
9:10: Miss Illinois, Monica Nia Jones, is asked if they should bring back the swimsuit competition, officially called “lifestyle and fitness ... in swimsuit.”
She’s all for it. A lot of Miss America traditionalists out there, even young ones. And they usually talk about body positivity as a reason for why they support it — taking pride in ... fit bodies? (Fit doesn’t necessarily mean slim, however.)
9:00: “I feel like I just won the Powerball, it feels like a dream!” — Elizabetta Nies, Miss Ohio.
8:55: We’re on to the red carpet interview questions, which are paired with evening gowns. Should marijuana be legalized nationally? How can we encourage schools to keep their performing arts programs?
Should there be equitable pay for women’s sports? It’s something CNN’s Don Lemon sounded off on recently — he thinks you can’t compare the salaries because men’s sports bring in more money.
Miss New York, Taryn Delanie Smith, could be one to watch. She points out that WNBA players aren’t asking for the same pay as, say, LeBron James.
“They’re asking for a fair and equitable ratio,” she says.
“Pay women what they’re worth ... pay women what they deserve.”
8:50: In 2018, Miss America got rid of the swimsuit competition.
Now, contestants march around the stage holding signs that announce their state and advocacy interest while wearing glittery athletic apparel from the pageant sponsor.
8:35: Here’s your top 11:
West Virginia, Nevada, New York, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Oregon, Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana.
And Illinois (America’s Choice winner).
Looks like Jersey’s already out of contention. (We never win. It used to be home-field disadvantage ... now it’s Connecticut, so ... )
8:25 p.m.: What says “December” more than paying $32.99 for a livestream to see if your state’s representative bests the other 50 “candidates” for Miss America 2023?
We can think of a few things, but here we go!
Miss New Jersey, Augostina Mallous, is advocating for “human trafficking awareness and eradication” at the competition, being hosted at Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Connecticut.
Hazel Homer-Wambeam, Miss Wyoming, announces herself as the first Jewish ... Miss Wyoming. Happy Hanukkah, Hazel!
The top 11 finalists are already being announced soon.
But first, Emma Broyles, the reigning Miss America, formerly Miss Alaska, says she’s headed back to undergrad after this, then on to medical school to become a dermatologist.
Broyles, who made history as the first Miss Alaska to win and the first Korean American Miss America, is wearing a gown designed by “Project Runway” talent Aaron Michael that has all the Miss America faces on it (see above).
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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter.
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