Miss Georgia is Miss America 2016

A new Miss America has been crowned but first things first.

The Miss America Pageant is different from the Miss USA Pageant. While both pageants started out as bathing suit spectacles, Miss USA hasn’t deviated from its original purpose; to showcase the female form through swimsuits and to select USA’s official candidate to the Miss Universe Pageant.

Miss America, on the other hand, selects its winners primarily on talent performances & interviews as well as fitness & physical appearance. 

 It took 62 years for Georgia to win its 2^nd Miss America crown

 Miss Georgia Betty Cantrell reacts
after she is named Miss America 2015

Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev crowns Betty Cantrell as Miss America 2016

Instead of fur coats, movie contracts & other glamorous prizes, Miss America titleholders receive educational scholarship grants.  Miss America may not be going to an international beauty search but her year of reign is kept busy with speaking engagements, personal appearances & implementing her advocacy projects.

MISS GEORGA IS MISS AMERICA 2016 Crowned Miss America 2016 is Georgia’s bet Baciliky "Betty" Cantrell. The 21 year old blonde Cantrell receives $ 50,000 in scholarship grants and will serve as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. The Mercer University student performed the operatic song "Tu Tu Piccolo Iddio" during the talent portion of her competition. She will tour the country promoting her platform, "Healthy Children, Strong America."

Additionally, to further promote her platform of "Healthy Children, Strong America," Cantrell and Team FNV announced a partnership to "promote fruits and vegetables" via Twitter shortly after Cantrell won Miss America 2016.

HER RUNNERS UP

 1^st RU, 2^nd RU, Miss America 2016, 3^rd RU & 4^th RU

1st Runner Up Miss Mississippi Hannah Roberts, 2nd Runner Up Miss Colorado Kelley Johnson, Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell, 3rd Runner Up Miss Louisiana April Nelson, 4th Runner Up Miss Alabama Meg McGuffin (hat title now belongs to 21-year-old Betty Cantrell of Georgia.

THE FINAL SEVEN

The following ladies made the Top 7: Miss Alabama Meg McGuffin, Miss Colorado Kelley Johnson, Miss Georgia Betty Cantrell, Miss Louisiana April Nelson, Miss Mississippi Hannah Roberts, Miss South Carolina Daja Dial and Miss Tennessee Hannah Robison.