2011 Miss America Pageant: Here She Is...Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska

Since the 21^st century the Miss America Pageant has gone through some growing pains with its evolution. However, it has persevered into its 90^th anniversary Saturday night. It paid homage throughout the pageant's years including its first winner in 1921. Each of the 9 decades was highlighted with certain winners. Many of the former Miss America winners were in attendance. The only difference now the pageant is no longer held in Atlantic City, but in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. This was the first time in a number of years the pageant has been presented on network television. ABC TV broadcast the 2011 Miss America Pageant live with hosts Chris Harrison of "The Bachelor" and Brook Burke of "Dancing with the Stars."

After we were introduced to all 53 contestants that included Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia all of the Top 15 semifinalists wore the same styled black two-piece swimsuit. This year they broke down the first set of contestants who would be in contention for the crown.

Judges Top 11 - Swimsuit Competition

Miss Oklahoma
Miss Nebraska
Miss Texas
Miss Rhode Island
Miss Utah
Miss Washington
Miss Arizona
Miss Hawaii
Miss Virginia
Miss Arkansas
Miss California

ABC's America's Choice Top 2

These were chosen by voters online prior to the pageant's telecast:

Miss New York
Miss Delaware

Contestant's Top 2

During the broadcast the contestants could vote on who they felt deserved to be in the semifinals. They could not vote on themselves:

Miss Kentucky
Miss Oregon

Three of them would not move on to the evening gown competition and they were:

Miss Rhode Island
Miss Utah
Miss Oregon

Top 12 - Evening Gown

Most of the gowns they wore I thought were beautiful. Miss Texas wore lots of bling. Miss California had the only red ball gown. One of my favorites was Miss Arkansas sleek long dress with an interesting one shoulder strap ornamentation. The one single sleeve on Miss Nebraska was stylish. However, the worst dress came from Miss New York.

Top 10 - Talent Competition

One of the main reasons I watch the Miss America Pageant is for the talent portion. Some of it is very entertaining while others are a tad bit cringe-worthy. Granted, this is not a full scale talent show. Here are some of the best and worst highlights. Miss Nebraska performed first playing a classical piano piece of "White Water Chopped Sticks." This is the famous chopsticks anyone can play on piano. She did an outstanding job. Miss Arizona performed an operatic aria while Miss California belted it out with a torch song titled "I Who Have Nothing."

During the performances there was a box shown off to the left of the television screen with noted trivia about each contestant. When Miss Kentucky sang Sam Cooke's Civil Rights song "A Change is Gonna Come" it stated her grandparents wrote it. My favorite talent of the entire night came from Miss Arkansas. She sang and had to do not one, but two ventriloquist voices. I thought she had the best singing voice of the night.

The worst performances were Miss Oklahoma's ballet on pointe routine that looked like she just put it together in the last minute. Talk about a wrong song choice when Miss Washington took on The Temptations "Papa Was a Rolling Stone." You had to see it to believe it. That left two other contestants out who did not perform in the Talent competition and who would not move on: Miss Texas and Miss New York .

Top 5 - Questions from Vegas' Natives, Residents and Tourists

Now that it was down to the Top 10 only five would move further on to becoming Miss America. The Miss America Organization went out onto The Strip to ask people to be filmed with a question for the contestants. These five were chosen and gave excellence responses:

Miss Hawaii
Miss Washington
Miss Nebraska
Miss Oklahoma
Miss Arkansas

After two hours of waiting the time had come for the crowning of Miss America 2011. It is 17-year old Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska. According to the Miss America official website she won the preliminary Talent competition. Oftentimes those who win the Talent win Miss America. I knew someone who was in the Miss America Pageant back in the '70s. She said it's all about talent. Teresa Scanlan also made history by becoming the youngest winner of the crown. Miss America 2011 will defer her college education at Patrick Henry College. She also receives a $50,000 scholarship. In less than ten years the Miss America Pageant will reach 100 years.

SOURCES:

2011 Miss America Pageant, ABC.com

Miss America Pageant - Celebrating 90 Years 1921-2011, Miss America.org

HIlton Hater, "Teresa Scanlan Crowned Miss America 2011", The Hollywood Gossip