Miss America 2024 Winner, Top 5 Contestants, Host, Runner Up List and Latest Updates
On Sunday, January 14, 2024, the 96th edition of the Miss America Competition took place at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Florida. The event was broadcasted live on NBC and Peacock, and featured 51 contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The competition was hosted by Mario Lopez and Vanessa Lachey, and the judges panel included celebrities such as Kelly Clarkson, Gabrielle Union, and Terry Crews.
The new Miss America 2024 is Madison Marsh (Miss Colorado) of Colorado, a 23-year-old graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder, where she majored in environmental engineering. She impressed the judges and the audience with her talent of playing the violin, and her speech on climate change and renewable energy. She also won the preliminary fitness award and the evening gown award. She received a $50,000 scholarship and a year-long contract with the Miss America Organization.
Miss America 2024 Winner – Madison Marsh
| Rank | Name | State | Talent/Speech | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison Marsh | Colorado | Violin | Climate change and renewable energy |
| 2 | Ellie Breaux | Texas | Tap dance | Free press and democracy |
| 3 | Cydney Bridges | Indiana | Singing | Eating disorder recovery |
| 4 | Mallory Hudson | Kentucky | Piano | Mental health awareness and suicide prevention |
| 5 | Caroline Parente | Rhode Island | Ballet | Empowering women and girls as a first-generation American |
Airpower, for the win!!!
— AETC – First Command (@AETCommand) January 15, 2024
From AFIT student, to center stage!
Congratulations, 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh – Miss America 2024!!!! 👑 🌹
(Photos courtesy of Miss America Pageant) @HQAirUniversity pic.twitter.com/y9kXJHqzr8
Miss America 2024 Top 5 Contestants
#1 Runner Up – Ellie Breaux (Miss Texas)
The first runner-up was Ellie Breaux of Texas, a 22-year-old student at the University of Texas at Austin, where she is studying journalism and political science. She performed a tap dance routine and gave a speech on the importance of free press and democracy. She received a $25,000 scholarship.
#2 Runner Up – Cydney Bridges (Miss Indiana)
The second runner-up was Cydney Bridges of Indiana, a 24-year-old graduate of Indiana University, where she earned a degree in public health. She sang “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston and spoke about her personal experience of overcoming an eating disorder. She received a $15,000 scholarship and the Miss Congeniality award.
#3 Runner Up – Mallory Hudson (Miss Kentucky)
The third runner-up was Mallory Hudson of Kentucky, a 21-year-old student at the University of Kentucky, where she is pursuing a degree in nursing. She played the piano and talked about her advocacy for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. She received a $10,000 scholarship.
#4 Runner Up – Caroline Parente (Miss Rhode Island)
The fourth runner-up was Caroline Parente of Rhode Island, a 20-year-old student at Brown University, where she is majoring in international relations and economics. She performed a ballet en pointe and shared her story of being a first-generation American and a daughter of immigrants. She received a $5,000 scholarship.
The Other Top 11 Finalists
The other six finalists who made it to the top 11 were:
- Cori Keller of Arkansas, who did a tap dance and spoke about her initiative to combat hunger and food insecurity.
- Juliette Valle of Florida, who sang “Don’t Rain on My Parade” by Barbra Streisand and discussed her passion for animal welfare and rescue.
- Courtney Wages of Kansas, who played the guitar and sang “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town and talked about her involvement in the Special Olympics.
- Kennedy Taylor of Maryland, who performed a jazz dance and gave a speech on racial justice and equality.
- Amelia Collins of New York, who did a contemporary dance and shared her vision of empowering women and girls through education and leadership.
- Taylor Loyd of North Carolina, who played the cello and spoke about her platform of promoting STEM education and careers for young women.
The Changes and Challenges
The Miss America 2024 competition was the first one since 2018 to include a fitness category, which replaced the controversial swimsuit competition that was eliminated in 2019. The contestants showcased their physical strength and endurance in athletic wear of their choice.
Another change that was introduced in 2023 by the new CEO of the Miss America Organization, Robin Fleming, was the option for the contestants to choose between competing in the talent category or a speech category called “HER Story”. The talent category has been a staple of the competition since 1938, but Fleming wanted to give the contestants more flexibility and diversity in expressing themselves and their passions.
The competition also faced some challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the postponement of the event from December 2023 to January 2024, and the relocation of the venue from Connecticut to Florida. The contestants and the staff had to follow strict health and safety protocols, such as wearing masks, social distancing, and testing. The audience capacity was also limited to 50% of the theater’s normal capacity.
The History and the Future
The Miss America Competition is one of the oldest and most prestigious scholarship programs for young women in the United States. It was founded in 1921 as a beauty pageant, but has evolved over the years to focus on education, service, and empowerment. The competition awards more than $2 million in scholarships annually to the contestants and the state organizations.
The Miss America Organization also supports several social causes and partners with various organizations, such as the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, the USO, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Miss America titleholders serve as ambassadors and advocates for these causes and their own personal platforms throughout their reign.
The next Miss America Competition will be held in December 2024, and will mark the 100th anniversary of the Miss America Organization. The location and the date of the event have not been announced yet, but it is expected to be a grand celebration of the past, present, and future of the Miss America legacy.
