Las Vegas, NV - January 22 -- This year's Evelyn Ay Sempier Quality of Life Award winner was announced today and the winner is Miss Kentucky Emily Cox . Emily was recognized for her work on her platform, "Uniquely Me - Promoting Self Esteem in Adolescent Girls" and she will receive a $6,000 scholarship. The announcement was made at Planet Hollywood during Thursday's Miss America press conference, and marks the last day of preliminary competition for the 2009 Miss America Pageant.
Through Emily's own struggle with issues of low self esteem, she came to the realization that regardless of socio-economic status, race, or academic ability, kids are constantly pressured to meet expectations they can't even define. With this in mind, Emily began work on her service project nearly two years ago. Her goal has been to promote a sense of self worth amongst young girls and boys so that they might realize the heights of life they aspire to. She has involved others by creating and implementing Self Esteem Workshops for kids in the classroom setting, Girl Scout troops and church groups. Through these workshops Emily has been able to reach approximately 27,829 young people in Kentucky and spread her message.
The first-runner up is Miss Michigan Ashlee Baracy whose personal platform issue is "Breast Cancer Awareness and Education". Ashlee is an advocate for breast cancer awareness and has been a caregiver for her mother who is a breast cancer survivor of five years. It has become her mission to create an online support network that went live on the Internet in 2007; she is a founder of BCDaughters.com which is an international website that serves as an outlet to support Breast Cancer victims. She has worked on fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society and has also become a legislative ambassador and has lobbied in DC for cancer research.
The second runner-up is Miss Alabama Amanda Tapley, whose personal platform is "Music For a Cure." Amanda worked with her brother to create a CD with some of her favorite piano pieces and all proceeds were donated to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. She created a CD with a music software program and raised over $4,000 for their pediatric research. Amanda also performed a benefit with family members that raised another $13,000 for research. She has been able to support our national partner, Children's Miracle Network, and use that platform as an umbrella to her personal mission. Amanda continued to show her passion for helping children as she performed a unique event for CMN that raised over $8,000 for the Children's Hospital of Alabama. To date, Amanda has raised over $27,000 for both children's hospitals and continues to use her music for a cure.
This year, the newly renamed "Evelyn Ay Sempier Quality of Life Awards" were funded through the generosity of our Miss Americas. In honor of Miss America 1954 Evelyn Ay Sempier, the Miss America sisters funded three Quality of Life awards with special attention paid to depth of service, creativity of the project and the significant effects upon the lives of others.
Quality of Life Awards were introduced in 1988 to recognize contestants who excel in their commitment to community service. The awards are available to each of the 52 contestants competing for the title of Miss America. In order to be considered for the Quality of Life Award, contestants must have submitted an application describing their involvement with Children's Miracle Network, the national platform of the Miss America Organization, and their own personal platform issue.
An honorable mention goes to the remaining six finalists: Miss Hawaii Nicole Fox , whose platform is "The Adopt A College Program;" Miss Indiana Katie Stam, whose platform is "Super Saturday of Service;" Miss North Carolina Amanda Watson, whose platform is "Making ALS History, One Person At A Time;" Miss Rhode Island Francesa Simone, whose platform is "F.A.C.T - Families of Alzheimers Carrying the Torch;" and Miss Virginia Tara Wheeler, whose platform is Empowering America's Youth."
Be sure to watch as a new Miss America is crowned at the 2009 Miss America Pageant airing live on TLC, Saturday, January 24, at 8 p.m. EST and 7 p.m. Central. The 2009 Miss America Pageant will be tape delayed to air at 8 p.m. PST and 9 p.m. Mountain.
Additional information about the Miss America Organization can be found at www.MissAmerica.org.
For up-to-the-minute competition news and information, as well as downloadable high-resolution images of Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund and the 2009 contestants, visit the 24-hour online pressroom at www.MissAmericaPressRoom.com.
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