Air Force Officer Wins 2024 Miss America
Apr
Colorado native Madison Marsh, a 22-year-old second lieutenant in the US Air Force and currently pursuing a master’s degree at Harvard Kennedy School’s public policy program, clinched the coveted title of Miss America 2024 during Sunday evening’s grand finale in Orlando, Florida. This historic win marks the first time an active-duty Air Force officer has been crowned Miss America.
In a closely contested competition, Ellie Breaux from Texas secured the first-runner-up position. The pageant featured participants from all 50 US states along with representation from the District of Columbia, totaling fifty-one contestants.
The rigorous competition spanned three nights of preliminaries, culminating in the main event where the initial pool of contestants was narrowed down to 11 semi-finalists. Ten were selected by preliminary judges, with an additional spot determined by a public vote open to enthusiasts nationwide.
The semi-finalists engaged in various rounds of competition, including a fitness showcase, a contemporary “hot topics” discussion segment, a showcase of individual talents, and an elegant evening gown presentation. From this cohort, the top five finalists emerged, with Marsh and Breaux leading the pack.
In the discussion segment, which delved into diverse subjects such as terrorism, technology, and climate change, Marsh shared a poignant personal anecdote about her mother’s battle with pancreatic cancer when addressing the topic of “drugs in America.” For her talent presentation, Marsh delivered a compelling spoken-word performance centered on her experience obtaining a pilot’s license at the age of 16.
During the final question round, Marsh underscored her military background as a testament to her dedication to lifelong learning and leadership. She takes over the prestigious title from the reigning 2023 Miss America, Grace Stanke of Wisconsin.
In a parallel event, the 2024 Miss America’s Teen pageant crowned 16-year-old Hanley House from North Carolina during Saturday night’s proceedings.