Miss America 2011 was named last night after days of competition for scholarships and the title. Miss Nebraska, a 17-year-old Teresa Scanlan won the title. She is officially the youngest contestant to win the title since the first 1921 pageant, where a 15-year-old Margarate Gorman won before age restrictions applied.
Miss Nebraska only saw her age as something that could hinder her from winning the crown, though when interviewed about it said, “we were on an even playing field. From 17 to 24, that can be a huge age range. But with these girls, they are all at the highest level imaginable.”
Scanlan’s platform issue was about eating disorders, aptly named “Eating Disorders: A Generation at Risk.” She also displayed her goals for her future. Teresa Scanlan wants to attend law school and pursue politics.
When discussing current issues, Teresa said she regularly discussed them with her family. In the question portion of the pageant, Teresa was asked about her thoughts on the Wikileaks website.
“You know when it came to that situation, it was actually based on espionage, and when it comes to the security of our nation, we have to focus on security first and then people’s right to know, because it’s so important that everybody who’s in our borders is safe and so we can’t let things like that happen, and they must be handled properly,” she responded.
This is the first time a contestant from Nebraska has won the title of Miss America in the pageant’s history.
From: http://www.thirdage.com/

17-year-old Teresa Scanlan of Nebraska has become the youngest winner of the Miss America crown in 90 years. She won a $50,000 scholarship and a year-long rein with the crown after beating out 52 other contestants at Planet Hollywood casino and resort in Las Vegas. She is the youngest Miss America since the pageant’s first competition in 1921, which Margaret Gorman of the District of Columbia won at age 15.
First runner-up Miss Arkansas Alyse Eady won $25,000, while Miss Hawaii Jalee Fuselier won $20,000 for third place.
Caressa Cameron, who was crowned Miss America last year, handed off the coveted crown to the new winner after a two-hour competition. Contestants hailed from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The pageant, which has not aired on ABC since 2004, began with an opening number, after which hosts Brooke Burke from “Dancing with the Stars” and Chris Harrison of “The Bachelor” announced 16 finalists, which included one finalist chosen by fans through online and mobile phone voting.
The 16 finalists competed in four categories: categories: swimsuit, evening gown, talent and interview competitions.
Saturday’s finale was the culmination of a week of build-up competitions that have seen several contestants take cash prizes after winning preliminary swimsuit and talent competitions.
From: http://abcnews.go.com/

Cornhuskers everywhere will want to ring in midnight with a toast of family-friendly “Cornhusker Champagne” (recipe below). For the first time in history, their state took home a win for the Miss American pageant.
With plans study American politics at Patrick Henry College in Virginia and become a judge after earning her degree, 17-year old Teresa Scanlan, the representative from Nebraska took home the $50,000 Miss America scholarship tonight. Scanlan made marks during the competition as she played “White Water Chopped Sticks” on the piano, strutted her stuff on a black bikini, and offered a passionate response on the topic of Wikileaks security.
Also crowned tonight were first runner-up, Alyse Eady (Miss Arkansas), and Miss Hawaii Jalee Fuselier took second runner-up.
Whether or not your state was crowned a winner tonight, celebrate the fun with this All-American, non-alcholic “Cornhusker Champagne” aka, a down-home delicious Cream Soda Float.
2 liters cream soda
1 teaspoon vanilla ice cream Pour half a glass full of cream soda. Scoop spoonfuls of ice cream into the cup until full. Serve with a spoon and straw. Enjoy!
From: http://blogs.babble.com/

 
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