Tears and tiaras: Opera singing Wisconsin beauty crowned Miss America (after dodging politics question)
By Daily Mail Reporter
A 23-year-old beauty queen from Kenosha, Wisconsin, won the Miss America pageant on Saturday in Las Vegas after singing opera and strutting in a white bikini and black beaded evening gown.
Laura Kaeppeler also had to answer a question about whether beauty queens should declare their politics.
'Miss America represents everyone, so I think the message to political candidates is that they represent everyone as well,' she said.
Roses and tears: Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler is crowned
Miss America in Las Vegas on Saturday night
Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson came in second, while Miss New York Kaitlyn Monte placed third, the Associated Press reports.
Kaeppeler wins a $50,000 scholarship and gets the title for one year.
Her platform during the competition was supporting and mentoring children of incarcerated parents.
Kaeppeler was crowned the winner by a panel of seven judges during a live telecast on ABC.
The event was the culmination of a week of preliminary competitions and months of preparations for the titleholders from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Leader of the pack: Other contestants congratulate Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler on her Miss America victoryAs the new Miss America, Kaeppeler will spend the next year touring the country to speak to different groups and raising money for the Children's Miracle Network, the Miss America Organization's official charity.
Teresa Scanlan of Nebraska won Miss America last year at age 17 to become the pageant's youngest winner ever.
She said contestants' nerves likely were at their highest point just before the pageant.
Stunning: Laura Kaeppeler dazzles in her white swimsuit
Laura Kaeppeler shimmers in her black beaded evening gown and, gets a hugn from second-placed Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson'You can always breathe a sigh of relief' once the live pageant begins, Scanlan said.
Pageant officials earlier announced the winners of preliminary competitions, including Kaeppeler, Thompson and Miss Hawaii Lauren Cheape for talent; and Miss New York Kaitlin Monte, Miss Texas Kendall Morris and Miss Utah Danica Olsen for swimsuit.
Kaeppeler took home a $2,000 scholarship for her opera performance of "Il Bacio" in the talent competition.
Laura also won the talent section, receiving a $2,000 scholarship for her opera performance, plus a $50,000 scholarship for the overall title
It's me: Laura throws her hands in the air on hearing the
seven-person panel had voted in her favourOfficials also said Miss Idaho Genevieve Nutting won the $2,000 Fourpoints Award, while Miss Kentucky Ann-Blair Thornton won the $6,000 Quality of Life scholarship.
The Miss America Organization touts itself as the world's largest giver of scholarships to women, with about $350,000 to be given this year at the national level.
Scanlan said she planned to use her scholarship to help pay for law school en route to a life in politics.
The tricky part: Laura takes questions from hosts Chris Harrison and Brooke Burke
Oh my gosh: A look of disbelief at the end of the night
Final five: Miss Wisconsin, far left with, from left: Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson, Miss Arizona Jennifer Sedler, Miss New York Kaitlin Monte and Miss California Noelle Freeman
Miss New York Kaitlin Monte belts out a number and Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson dances during the talent section of the competition
Laura Kaeppeler impressed the judges with her version of Il Bacio
By Daily Mail Reporter
A 23-year-old beauty queen from Kenosha, Wisconsin, won the Miss America pageant on Saturday in Las Vegas after singing opera and strutting in a white bikini and black beaded evening gown.
Laura Kaeppeler also had to answer a question about whether beauty queens should declare their politics.
'Miss America represents everyone, so I think the message to political candidates is that they represent everyone as well,' she said.
Roses and tears: Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler is crowned
Miss America in Las Vegas on Saturday night
'And so in these economic times, we need to be looking forward to what America needs, and I think Miss America needs to represent all.'
Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson came in second, while Miss New York Kaitlyn Monte placed third, the Associated Press reports.
Kaeppeler wins a $50,000 scholarship and gets the title for one year.
Her platform during the competition was supporting and mentoring children of incarcerated parents.
Kaeppeler was crowned the winner by a panel of seven judges during a live telecast on ABC.
The event was the culmination of a week of preliminary competitions and months of preparations for the titleholders from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Leader of the pack: Other contestants congratulate Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler on her Miss America victory
Teresa Scanlan of Nebraska won Miss America last year at age 17 to become the pageant's youngest winner ever.
She said contestants' nerves likely were at their highest point just before the pageant.
Stunning: Laura Kaeppeler dazzles in her white swimsuit
Laura Kaeppeler shimmers in her black beaded evening gown and, gets a hugn from second-placed Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson
Pageant officials earlier announced the winners of preliminary competitions, including Kaeppeler, Thompson and Miss Hawaii Lauren Cheape for talent; and Miss New York Kaitlin Monte, Miss Texas Kendall Morris and Miss Utah Danica Olsen for swimsuit.
Kaeppeler took home a $2,000 scholarship for her opera performance of "Il Bacio" in the talent competition.
Laura also won the talent section, receiving a $2,000 scholarship for her opera performance, plus a $50,000 scholarship for the overall title
It's me: Laura throws her hands in the air on hearing the
seven-person panel had voted in her favour
The Miss America Organization touts itself as the world's largest giver of scholarships to women, with about $350,000 to be given this year at the national level.
Scanlan said she planned to use her scholarship to help pay for law school en route to a life in politics.
The tricky part: Laura takes questions from hosts Chris Harrison and Brooke Burke
Oh my gosh: A look of disbelief at the end of the night
Final five: Miss Wisconsin, far left with, from left: Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson, Miss Arizona Jennifer Sedler, Miss New York Kaitlin Monte and Miss California Noelle Freeman
Miss New York Kaitlin Monte belts out a number and Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson dances during the talent section of the competition
Laura Kaeppeler impressed the judges with her version of Il Bacio