Miss America 2024: US Air Force officer wins the crown

Miss Colorado Madison Marsh, a private pilot and officer in the US Air Force, was crowned Miss America 2024 on Sunday night at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Florida.

With the winning, Madison Marsh succeeds the 2023 Miss America, Grace Stanke of Wisconsin.

Marsh, 22, a master’s student at the Harvard Kennedy School’s public policy program, is the first active-duty Air Force officer ever to receive the national title, reports CNN.

She said in an interview shared via Miss America’s Instagram story, “You can achieve anything and the sky is not the limit.”

The event had 51 contestants from all 50 US states as well as the District of Columbia while Ellie Breaux from Texas placed as first-runner-up.

Marsh, a second lieutenant in the US Air Force, will receive a $50,000 scholarship as Miss America and will begin her year-long reign immediately.

Three nights of preliminary competitions preceded the pageant. The field was narrowed to 11 semi-finalists at the beginning of the main event. Of them, the preliminary judges chose ten while pageant fans and followers across the United States selected one through a public vote.

The semi-finalists took part in four rounds of competitions before narrowing them down to five finalists. The rounds included a fitness runway walk, a “hot topics” discussion, a talent show, and an evening gown presentation.

The finalists were then asked to speak about their hopes and goals as Miss America.

In her response, Marsh highlighted her military credentials as evidence of her commitment to learning and leading “with passion.”

The 2024 Miss America’s Teen pageant crowned 16-year-old Hanley House, of North Carolina.