Visit the Miss America Shop to purchase the 2017 Miss America Contestant Interview DVD! The DVD includes judges interviews with Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields, Miss South Carolina Rachel Wyatt, Miss Washington Alicia Cooper, Miss Florida Courtney Sexton, Miss New York Camille Sims, Miss Mississippi Laura Lee Lewis, and Miss Nebraska Aleah Peters
ABOUT THE MISS AMERICA ORGANIZATION The Miss America Organization, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization, is the nation’s leading advocate for women’s education and the largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women in the United States, awarding millions of dollars annually. The Miss America Organization is comprised of 52 licensed organizations, including all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Miss America contestants contribute tens of thousands of community service hours annually and have raised over $14 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Miss America scholarships since 2007.
Atlantic City, NJ (October 26, 2016) – Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields returned home to Arkansas for a weekend-long celebration hosted by The Miss Arkansas Organization. Savvy’s homecoming events began on Thursday in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she had a photo shoot and luncheon with former Miss Arkansas’ and Miss America’s. She then rode in the 2017 Welcome Home Parade in downtown Little Rock before attending a concert at the Riverfront Amphitheater.
On Friday, Savvy met with the Arkansas delegates at the Capitol and attended a beautiful luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion hosted by Arkansas’ First Lady, Susan Hutchison. Following the luncheon, Savvy visited the Arkansas Children’s Hospital with her fellow Miss America contestants in town for the celebration. “Selfies with Savvy” took place at the KARK News studio where fans had the opportunity to take a photo with Savvy and make a donation to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Savvy wrapped up the evening at a beautiful black tie gala in her honor at the Chenal Country Club.
The celebration continued on Saturday when Savvy returned to her hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas. She attended a private reception at the University of Arkansas’ Chancellor’s residence, rode in the Welcome Home Parade, and met with fans for photos and autographs at the UofA’s Greek Theatre. Savvy was joined by Executive Chairman & CEO, Sam Haskell, and his wife, Mary Haskell, during the events.
The homecoming celebrations concluded on Sunday with a breakfast at the Kappa Kappa Gamma house on the University of Arkansas campus, where Savvy had the opportunity to meet and celebrate with her sisters during a breakfast in her honor.
Savvy will continue her year of service traveling the country to advocate for her personal platform, Eat Better, Live Better, while also supporting the Miss America Organization’s national platform partner, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The Miss America Organization would like to thank the Miss Arkansas Organization and State Executive Director Jessie Ward Bennett for their continued support and for all of their efforts in planning and hosting an incredible weekend of events for Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields!
SOURCE: The Miss America Organization
The Miss America Organization, a 501(c) 4 non-profit corporation, awards millions of dollars in annual college scholarship assistance making it the largest scholarship program for women in the United States. MAO is comprised of 52 licensed organizations which includes all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. MAO contestants contribute over 500,000 hours of community service annually and have raised over $14 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Miss America scholarships since 2007.
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Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields taking part in the traditional toe dip in Atlantic City wearing a dress by Joseph Ribkoff the morning after her crowning. (Miss America Organization/Bruce V. Boyajian)
Tune-in to catch Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields as she continues on her first media tour since capturing the crown!
9/20 KTLA – Live
Associated Press TV
The Insider
InStyle Facbeook Live @ 2:30 pm
9/21
Premiere / iheart Radio
Mario Lopez
Hollyscoop
Hallmark’s Home & Family
MISS ARKANSAS, SAVVY SHIELDS, CROWNED MISS AMERICA 2017
Photo: Miss America Organization/Bruce V. Boyajian
Atlantic City, NJ (September 12, 2016) – Miss Arkansas, Savvy Janine Shields, was crowned Miss America 2017 tonight at the birthplace of the legendary competition in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall for its 96th Anniversary broadcast on the ABC Television Network. Returning for his 8th time as host, Chris Harrison was joined by co-host Sage Steele and celebrity judges Ciara, Mark Cuban, Gabby Douglas, Sara Foster, Laura Marano, Cole Swindell and Miss America 1985 Sharlene Wells Hawkes. The evening included a 9/11 tribute in honor of the 15th anniversary.
Shields’ acceptance of the highly-coveted crown is just the beginning of a journey that will take her to every corner of the nation and around the world during her year of service as Miss America 2017. She will embark on her national speaking tour about her platform, Eat Better, Live Better and act as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for its 170 member hospitals, is the national platform partner of the Miss America Organization.
Shields is a student at the University of Arkansas. During her year as Miss America she will serve as a spokesperson for Eat Better, Live Better. Along with the coveted title of Miss America 2017, Shields won a $50,000 scholarship provided in part by Joseph Ribkoff Inc. and the Miss America Organization to continue her education. For the talent portion of the competition, Shields performed a jazz dance to “They Just Keep Moving The Line” from the American drama series Smash.
The first runner-up in the competition was Miss South Carolina Rachel Wyatt who earned a $25,000 scholarship. Her talent was dance and her personal platform is Autism Speaks. The second runner-up is Miss New York Camille Sims and received a $20,000 scholarship. Her talent was jazz vocal, and her personal platform is Encouraging Wellness and Fostering Food Justice. Third runner-up Miss Washington Alicia Nicole Cooper received a $15,000 scholarship. Her talent was tap dance and her platform is Live on Purpose: Defining Your Legacy. Fourth runner up Miss Mississippi Laura Lee Lewis was awarded a $10,000. Her talent was vocal and her platform is Mentoring Matters.
The 52 contestants, who represented all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, participated in preliminary competitions earlier in the week. Miss Kentucky Laura Katherine Jones was the winner of “America’s Choice,” an online competition where viewers were given the opportunity to vote for their favorite Miss America contestant entirely on social media. The winner of “America’s Choice” advanced to the Top 15 in the competition.
Founded in 1921, the Miss America Organization is one of the nation’s leading advocates for women’s education and the largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women. The Miss America Organization and its 52 state organizations award millions in cash and in-kind scholarships annually. The Miss America Organization also provides young women with a vehicle to further their personal and professional goals and instills within them a spirit of community service through a variety of nationwide community-based programs.
dick clark productions and the Miss America Organization collaborated on all creative, marketing, sponsorship, licensing, ticketing and distribution elements of this year’s show. Tony Eaton and Tall Pony Productions produced the “2017 Miss America Competition.”
