A new era for Miss America
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Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund, a 19-year-old aspiring Broadway star, was crowned Miss America 2008 in a show billed as the unveiling of the 87-year-old pageant’s updated look.
Haglund sang “Over the Rainbow” and walked a crowd-pleasing strut in a black-and-gold bikini to clinch the title. She beat Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash, the first runner-up, and Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto, the second runner-up, for the $50,000 scholarship and year of travel that comes with the crown.
Haglund, who studies music at the University of Cincinnati, grew up in a pageant family.
As her platform issue, Haglund promised to advocate for awareness of eating disorders, from which she has recovered.
The crowning at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip was aired for the first time on TLC. It capped a four-week reality series, “Miss America: Reality Check,” which followed the contestants as they were pushed to shed the dated look of Miss Americas past and adopt a more updated style.
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