Miss America

The Miss America pageant (not to be confused with the similar Miss USA pageant) is a long-standing competition which awards prizes to young female contestants from the states of the United States of America. The first prize winner of the national pageant is awarded the title of "Miss America" for one year.

Competition

Miss America is connected to various subsidiary programs throughout the U.S.A. Local contests select local representatives (e.g., "Miss Mobile, Alabama") who go on to participate in state pageants (e.g., for "Miss Alabama"). The winners of the various state pageants (plus a pageant for "Miss District of Columbia") go on to compete for the title of "Miss America" at an annual competition held in Atlantic City. Miss Virgin Islands competed for the first time in the 2004 pageant.

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Contestants for Miss America and the various state and local pageants are selected by panels of judges based on a set of four competitions:

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: 1) Interview Each contestant converses with the judges on a variety of topics, from frivolous trivia to serious political and social issues. The contestant is awarded points for being well spoken, polite, articulate, and confident. This competition is less known by the general public than other aspects of the pageant, since unlike the other three does not take place on a theater stage nor is it usually televised.

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: 2) Talent The contestant performs on stage before the judges and an audience. The most common talents are singing or dancing, but a variety of other talents may be exhibited at the contestant's choosing; some have demonstrated juggling or playing musical instruments; one even chose to demonstrate the proper way to pack a suitcase.

Related Topics:
Sing - Dancing - Juggling - Musical instrument - Suitcase

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: 3) Swimsuit In the famous swimsuit competition contestants rapidly walk on and off stage in swimsuits and high-heeled shoes. The Miss America pageant regulates certain minimum standards of modesty the swimwear must comply with. Judging for this portion of the competition focuses on overall physical fitness, poise and posture. Until recently, the contestants were required to wear identical, somewhat dated, one-piece suits. Recently, the organization has allowed contestants to choose conservative two-piece suits (bikinis) or more modern one-piece suits.

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: 4) Evening gown Similar to the swimsuit competiton, but the contestants walk slowly in formal evening gowns.

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A casual wear section was added to the Miss America competition in 2003, and is filtering down to state and local competitions.

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A community service platform became a requirement of Miss America contestants beginning with the 1989 pageant. Platforms promoted by previous Miss Americas have included AIDS awareness and prevention, diabetes awareness, outreach for homeless veterans, domestic violence awareness and support for terminal breast cancer patients.

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Prizes are given at local, state, and national level, consisting most commonly of scholarships for use in higher education, sometimes suplimented with money and merchandise donated by sponsors.

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