Allison Tietjen’s life changed on Saturday as she was presented as Miss Nebraska 2017. She will travel Nebraska over the next year to help promote programs for veterans and military families unless she is crowned Miss America in September. The national crown would increase her activities to include a national audience, and she would also serve as goodwill ambassador for Children’s Network of Hospitals. Tietjen, 21, is a student at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
Prizes and scholarships
With her state pageant victory comes about $13,000 in scholarships and about an equal amount in gifts, wardrobe and a variety of other prizes.
In addition to the final night of pageantry, Tietjen excelled in preliminary competitions earlier in the week. She was a top scorer in talent, evening gown and interview categories during early competition.
Other top scorers
Among others finishing well at the pageant were Wellesley Michael, first runner-up; Jessica Shultis, second runner-up; Lianna Prill, third runner-up; and Kogan Murphy, fourth runner-up. Pageant officials announced that $40,000 in scholarships and $25,000 in gifts were awarded to contestants in a variety of categories during the event. The competition was held at North Platte.
Miss America 2018
This year’s Miss America pageant is set for September 6-10 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The first three nights will feature preliminary competitions. September 9 is set aside for participation in the annual Show Us Your Shoes parade. A new Miss America will be crowned after a final night of pageantry on September 10. The pageant will be broadcast live on the ABC television network. If Tietjen wins, she will become the second Nebraskan to reign as Miss America.
The first was Miss America 2010 Teresa Scanlan.
Teen pageant
The Miss Nebraska Scholarship Program also sponsors a teen pageant for girls ages 12-17 years. Carsyn Long is Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen 2017. She travels to Florida later this summer to compete in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen pageant. Contestants compete for scholarships and prizes in many of the same categories the older contestants do, one exception being there is no swimsuit competition for the teens. The teen state pageant was held in April at Omaha. If Carsyn wins the national title, she will become the first contestant from Nebraska to reign as Miss America's Outstanding Teen.
