Miss America Hits Her Stride at the 139th Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby week was full of exciting activities and pre-derby events for Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan, sponsored by Miss America's wardrobe provider, Joseph Ribkoff. Some of the fashion events and special highlights included Mallory stepping into the spotlight, walking the red carpets and conducting media interviews along with her Miss America sister Heather French Henry, Miss America 2000. Miss America, joined by many other celebrities, was in Louisville, Kentucky for a very special week that kicked off with the Derby Festival’s oldest tradition, the Pegasus Parade. Mallory was greeted by Kentucky Governor Beshear and joined TV stars who shared the spotlight with distinguished military veterans on floats and inflatable characters. Over 275,000 fans lined the parade route and were thrilled to see Miss America! The week was topped off by Mallory attending the renowned Julep Ball, a fundraiser that supports local Louisville communities and on Saturday she celebrated one of the country's most cherished traditions, the Kentucky Derby, at the beloved Churchill Downs. She mingled with stars and had an opportunity to enjoy the festivities that captured the spirit of this great tradition. In keeping with Miss America’s altruistic mission, Miss America made time to give back to the community. In support of Mallory’s personal platform, she visited Boys and Girls Haven who transform the lives of abandoned, abused and neglected children. On behalf of Joseph Ribkoff, Miss America presented the nonprofit with a donation and in honor of Mallory's visit, Boys and Girls Haven also held a fundraising breakfast, “Save the Day 4 Kids” which raised over $27,000. Capping off the event was a special presentation of the Boys and Girls Haven’s Hero Award to the Miss America Organization for our efforts in child advocacy. Mallory is now off to another whirlwind week with her next stop in Dallas, Texas for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and then off to New York City for the Forbes Woman's Summit where she will focus on STEM education

Rosen Centre Hotel Named Host Hotel and Award Sponsor for 2013 Competition

Miss America's Outstanding Teen is pleased to announce the Rosen Centre Hotel as the official hotel sponsor for the 2013 Miss America's Outstanding Teen competition. The Rosen Centre and the Harris Rosen Foundation will also be awarding a $10,000 scholarship to the winner of the Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2014 title. The competition will be held August 13 - 17, 2013.

  

The Rosen Centre, featuring 1,334 award-winning rooms, has been a supporter since MAOTeen's inaugural year in 2005. The hotel is located on International Drive, adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center, where the 2013 MAOTeen competition will be held. The Rosen Centre is at the center of Orlando's famous theme parks, only 15 minutes from downtown Orlando and just a short distance from the Pointe Orlando shopping, dining and entertainment complex. The hotel is also located near the Orlando International Airport.

  

The Rosen Centre is offering a special price of $110/night. To make reservations, please call 1-888-800-2174 (mention MAOTeen for the discount) or click here to book online.

As a guest of MAOTeen you will receive free self-parking and 10% off at various restaurants inside the hotel during your stay. Pageant related activities will take place all week at the hotel, and we strongly urge you to support MAOTeen by staying at our host hotel.

A MISS AMERICA TRADITION RETURNS TO THE ATLANTIC CITY BOARDWALK “THE MISS AMERICA SHOW US YOUR SHOES PARADE”

The Miss America Organization announced today the official start of their Show Us Your Shoes Parade planning.  Preparations are now underway for the return of this spectacular event that will feature the current Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan on a grand float, plus the 53 Miss America Contestants driven in convertibles.  The Parade will also include beloved Miss Americas throughout the decades, along with live entertainment and special performances. 

This year, The Parade will be produced by two time EMMY Award winning producer John M Best and his team from JM Best Entertainment and Under the Sun Productions.  The team successfully produces The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in D.C., The National Memorial & July 4^th Parades in D.C., The Chicago Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and the beloved 6ABC Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade.  JM Best Entertainment along with the Parade Committee is currently accepting applications for the Miss America Show Us Your Shoes Parade.

Please go to http://www.missamerica.org/news/parade.aspx  for information and applications to participate. Corporations, community groups, marching bands, and other parade groups are invited to complete and submit an application for consideration.   

  

The Parade form deadline is June 15, 2013.

 

The Parade will be a two hour event on the two mile long famed Atlantic City Boardwalk.  The Parade will be a celebration that will lead into the final night of the  Miss America 2014 Competition live on ABC in Atlantic City in the historic Boardwalk Hall on Sunday, September 15.

 

Tickets will go on sale later this spring for both events. Please visit our website for the announcements.

Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2013 Rachel Wyatt Named New Spokesperson for KidsPeace

Miss America's Outstanding Teen organization is pleased to announce that Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2013 Rachel Wyatt has been named the official spokesperson for KidsPeace (a not-for-profit charity) and TeenCentral.net. 

To kick-off National Foster Care Awareness Month next month, KidsPeace launched a new web portal to provide foster care teens with a dedicated online resource to discuss and cope with issues relevant to their unique experiences. Rachel will be the spokesperson for the new portal that launched yesterday. The portal, www.teencentral.net/fostercare, provides information, advice, gaming interaction, peer support and access to counseling services for children ages 11-18 displaced from their familiar environments and social support.

  

"For foster teens, I imagine developing a sense of community or place offers unique challenges," said Wyatt. "Given the many issues most teens face, having a safe place you can identify with and where you can ask questions is important. For foster children displaced from their home and school environments, I think this online community is a wonderful step in the right direction and I'm proud to support the efforts of KidsPeace."

In 1998, KidsPeace helped pioneer online support services for teens by launching TeenCentral.Net to provide a safe and accessible place for kids. The site is free, anonymous and allows teens to log on, submit their stories and receive professional counseling within 24 hours, along with advice from their peers. The foster care portal is the first of several new channels designed to serve the needs of specific teen groups.

For 130 years, KidsPeace has been building on its expertise to give hope, help and healing to children, families and communities throughout the United States. Through its comprehensive range of residential treatment programs; accredited educational services; unique psychiatric hospital and foster care and community-based programs, KidsPeace is dedicated to helping people connect, transform and overcome their challenges to ensure a stable future, transition to adulthood and gain independence. Since its doors opened in 1882, more than 200,000 children have participated in one of the multitude of programs KidsPeace offers. For additional resources or more information on how to get involved, please visit www.kidspeace.org.

Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan To Perform at the National Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C.

Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan will perform at one of Washington D.C's fondest traditions, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade this Saturday, April 13. The parade march travels along Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets NW, passing the Washington Monument and The White House.

Mallory will be among the celebrities to greet over 100,000 spectators. Loved by all ages, this parade is in its 101st year and celebrates the 3,000 Cherry Trees in full bloom that were a gift to the people of Washington from Tokyo in 1912.

Mallory will be singing "God Bless America" and will be accompanied by Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2013 Rachel Wyatt.

Giant inflatable balloons, marching bands, and performers will burst down Constitution Avenue in an energy-filled spectacle of music and showmanship seen only once a year during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

The 2013 Parade of the National Cherry Blossom Festival will be broadcast on WUSA 9 and will air  in a delayed telecast from Noon to 2:00pm.

For more info please visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival Website.

Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan Will Be Featured on FOX & Friends To Support Prevent Child Abuse America!

 

Monday, April 15
7:30 a.m.* on FOX News Channel
 

Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan will be interviewed by co-host and Miss America 1989 Gretchen Carlson on FOX & Friends Monday morning on FOX News Channel to promote her event on Tuesday, April 16 to support Prevent Child Abuse America. Mallory will  introduce a pinwheel as the national symbol for child abuse prevention and will help to create a Big Pinwheel Garden in Times Square!

Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan and Prevent Child Abuse America will turn the "Big Apple" into the "Big Pinwheel" to promote healthy child development! Watch for a massive display of up to 5,000 pinwheels, the new national child abuse prevention symbol, in Times Square on April 16th!

To do your part to support Prevent Child Abuse America and "sponsor" part of the Big Pinwheel Garden, visit www.pinwheelsforprevention.org/give.

Tereza Led Mauritius' National Day of Mourning

Miss Earth 2012 Tereza Fajksova along with the President of the Republic of Mauritius Kailash Purryag (extreme left) and the Miss Earth Reunion Team offered flowers and prayers to the people who died in flash floods on March 30th.