On Sept. 11, 52 pageant queens from around the country will represent their home state (and, in the case of Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, United States territory) in the hopes of being crowned Miss America 2017.
Each contestant will take the stage to showcase their talents, share their stances on important issues, show off their physical beauty and fashion sense at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. With less than two weeks until the highly anticipated competition, it’s anyone’s guess which state will win big and who will be sent packing during the 96th annual Miss America pageant.
In an interview with Yahoo News, Betty Cantrell — who took home the title in the 2016 pageant as Miss Georgia — suggested that the best way to stand out in the competition is to let your true self shine through. She noted that it’s easy to get lost in the crowd with 52 equally beautiful, smart and talented women competing for one title.
“It seems like you’re so small,” she said. “You’re one of 52 girls: how are you going to be noticed? The best thing you can do is just be yourself.”
So who is competing to take the title away from Cantrell? Check out photos and social channels of the 52 ladies vying for the title of Miss America 2017:
Miss Arkansas, Savvy Shields
Miss Alabama, Hayley Barber
Miss Alaska, Kendall Bautista
Miss Arizona, Katelyn Niemiec
Miss Delaware, Amanda Debus
Miss Connecticut, Alyssa Rae Taglia
Miss Colorado, Shannon Patilla
Miss California, Jessa Carmack
Miss District of Columbia, Cierra Jackson
Miss Florida, Courtney Sexton
Miss Georgia, Patricia Ford
Miss Hawaii, Allison Carol Nanea Chu
Miss Iowa, Kelly Koch
Miss Indiana, Brianna DeCamp
Miss Illinois, Jaryn Franklin
Miss Idaho, Kylee Solberg
Miss Kansas, Kendall Schoenekase
Miss Louisiana, Justine Ker
Miss Maine, Marybeth Noonan
Miss Massachusetts, Alissa Musto
Miss Minnesota,  Madeline Van Ert
Miss Mississippi, Laura Lee Lewis
Miss Montana, Lauren Scofield
Miss Nevada, Bailey Gumm
Miss New Jersey, Brenna Weick
Miss New Mexico, Stephanie Chavez
Miss New York, Camille Sims
Miss North Carolina, McKenzie Faggart
Miss North Dakota, Macy Christianson
Miss Ohio, Alice Magoto
Miss Oklahoma, Sarah Klein
Miss Oregon, Alexis Mather
Miss Pennsylvania, Samantha Lambert
Miss Puerto Rico, Carole Rigual
Miss Rhode Island, Shruti Nagarajan
Miss South Carolina, Rachel Wyatt
Miss South Dakota, Julia Olson
Miss Tennessee, Grace Burgess
Miss Texas, Caroline Carothers
Miss Utah, Lauren Wilson
Miss Vermont, Rylee Field
Miss Virginia, Michaela Gabriella Sigmon
Miss Washington, Alicia Cooper
Miss West Virginia, Morgan Breeden
Miss Wisconsin, Courtney Pelot
Miss Wyoming, Jordyn Hall
Miss New Hampshire, Caroline Carter
Miss Nebraska, Aleah Peters
Miss Missouri, Erin O'Flaherty
Miss Michigan, Arianna Quan
Miss Kentucky, Laura Jones
http://www.ibtimes.com/miss-america-2017-meet-52-ladies-around-nation-competing-crown-photos-2409953
Miss Maryland, Hanna Brewer