# Miss America 2006

Miss America 2006, the 79th Miss America pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada on Saturday, January 21, 2006.
The pageant was broadcast live on CMT from the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Aladdin Resort and Casino, the first time that the pageant was held outside Atlantic City. The pageant was held four months later than usual.
At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Deidre Downs, Miss America 2005, crowned Jennifer Berry of Oklahoma as her successor. This was the first time since 2001 that the pageant winner was not a vocalist; Berry was also the first titleholder since to also win a preliminary talent award.

## Selection of contestants

One delegate from each state was chosen in state pageants held in mid-2005. Prior to competing in state pageants, the majority of delegates first were required to win a local title. Each delegates title is pre-dated to 2005, for example Alexa Jones was Miss Alabama 2005 rather than Miss Alabama 2006. Many contestants competed in state pageants in both the Miss America and Miss USA systems numerous times before winning titles, and some had previously in states other than those where they won a state title.
All contestants were required to be between the ages of 17–24, unmarried and a citizen of the United States. They were also required to meet residency and education requirements.

## Competition

All delegates compete in an interview competition with the judges, based on their platform issue, and also in the swimsuit, evening gown and talent competitions.
Prior to the nationally televised competition, the delegates participate in three nights of preliminary competition, where preliminary award winners are chosen in each category.
During the final telecast, following the announcement of the semi-finalists, the top ten compete in swimsuit and evening gown. The top five go on to compete in the talent competition, and the top three face a final interview round.

## Results
### Placements

| Final results | Contestant |
| Miss America 2006 | Oklahoma - Jennifer Berry |
| 1st runner-up | Georgia - Monica Pang |
| 2nd runner-up | Alabama - Alexa Jones |
| 3rd runner-up | Virginia - Kristi Lauren Glakas |
| 4th runner-up | District of Columbia - Shannon Schambeau |
| Top 10 | Arkansas - Eudora Moseby Florida - Mari Wilensky Pennsylvania - Nicole Brewer South Carolina - Erika Powell Texas - Morgan Matlock |

### Awards
#### Preliminary awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Lifestyle and Fitness | District of Columbia - Shannon Schambeau Virginia - Kristi Lauren Glakas Utah - Julia Bachison |
| Talent | South Carolina - Erika Grace Powell Oklahoma - Jennifer Berry California - Dustin-Leigh Konzelman |

#### Quality of Life awards

| Results | Contestant | Platform |
| Winner | Idaho - Tracey Brown | Breast Cancer Awareness: Education, Support and Research |
| 1st runner-up | Oklahoma - Jennifer Berry | Building Intolerance to Drunk Driving and Underage Drinking |
| 2nd runner-up | Alabama - Alexa Jones | Arts Education |

#### Other awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Miss Congeniality | Hawaii - Malika Dudley |
| Bernie Wayne Scholarship Award for the Performing Arts | South Carolina - Erika Grace Powell |
| Non-finalist Talent Awards | California - Dustin-Leigh Konzelman Delaware - Rebecca Bledsoe Minnesota - Karyn Stordahl Tennessee - Tara Burns |

## Delegates

| State | Name | Hometown | Age | Talent | Placement | Awards | Notes$^1$ |
| Alabama | Alexa Jones | Andalusia | 24 | Ballet en Pointe | 2nd runner-up | Quality of Life 2nd runner-up | |
| Alaska | Rebecca Hayes | Anchorage | 24 | Ballet en Pointe | | | |
| Arizona | Audrey Sibley | Sierra Vista | 20 | Vocal | | | |
| Arkansas | Eudora Moseby | Hazen | 23 | Vocal | Top 10 | | |
| California | Dustin-Leigh Konzelman | Carlsbad | 23 | Fiddle | | Preliminary Talent, Non-finalist Talent | Contestant on The Amazing Race 10 and The Amazing Race 11 |
| Colorado | Jessica Urban | Colorado Springs | 24 | Vocal & Harp | | | |
| Connecticut | Dianna Baitinger | Norwich | 23 | Vocal | | | |
| Delaware | Rebecca Bledsoe | Newark | 23 | Vocal | | Non-finalist Talent | |
| District of Columbia | Shannon Schambeau | Washington, D.C. | 25 | Tap Dance | 4th runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit | 1st RU at Miss DC USA 2007 |
| Florida | Mari Wilensky | Jacksonville | 21 | Vocal | Top 10 | | |
| Georgia | Monica Pang | Atlanta | 25 | Piano | 1st runner-up | | |
| Hawaii | Malika Dudley | Papaikou | 23 | Vocal | | Miss Congeniality | |
| Idaho | Tracey Brown | Post Falls | 19 | Ballet en Pointe | | | Miss Idaho USA 2008 |
| Illinois | Lauren Allen | Batavia | 21 | Freestyle Gymnastics | | | |
| Indiana | Susan Guilkey | Noblesville | 22 | Vocal | | | Later married Micah Beckwith |
| Iowa | Kay Pauszek | Bettendorf | 23 | Irish Step Dance | | | |
| Kansas | Adrienne Rosel | Liberal | 23 | Vocal | | | |
| Kentucky | Kerri Mitchell | Barbourville | 21 | Vocal | | | |
| Louisiana | Molly Causey | Ruston | 22 | Piano | | | |
| Maine | Megan Beals | Ludlow | 22 | Vocal | | | |
| Maryland | Rachel Ellsworth | Fort Ashby, WV | 21 | Tap Dance | | | |
| Massachusetts | Kristin Gauvin | Worcester | 23 | Tap Dance | | | |
| Michigan | Octavia Reese | Detroit | 23 | Cello | | | |
| Minnesota | Karyn Stordahl | Owatonna | 22 | Classical Piano | | Non-finalist Talent | |
| Mississippi | Kristian Dambrino | Grenada | 20 | Piano / Vocal | | | |
| Missouri | Stacie Cooley | Liberty | 22 | Jazz Dance | | | |
| Montana | Sophia Steinbeisser | Sidney | 21 | Tap Dance | | | |
| Nebraska | Kelly Keiser | Gothenburg | 21 | Piano | | | |
| Nevada | Crystal Wosik | Las Vegas | 23 | Lyrical Dance | | | |
| New Hampshire | Audra Paquette | Merrimack | 24 | Lyrical Ballet | | | Miss New Hampshire USA 2002 |
| New Jersey | Julie Robenhymer | Moorestown | 24 | Dance | | | |
| New Mexico | Ane Cristal Romero | Las Vegas | 25 | Vocal | | | |
| New York | Kandice Pelletier | New York City | 24 | Musical Theatre Dance | | | National Sweetheart 2003, Contestant on The Amazing Race 10 and The Amazing Race 11 |
| North Carolina | Brooke McLaurin | Fayetteville | 24 | Vocal | | | |
| North Dakota | Jacqueline Johnson | Fargo | 20 | Cello | | | |
| Ohio | Marlia Fontaine | Massillon | 23 | Vocal | | | T10 05 |
| Oklahoma | Jennifer Berry | Tulsa | 22 | Ballet en Pointe | Winner | Preliminary Talent | |
| Oregon | Lucy Fleck | Portland | 20 | Tap Dance | | | T10 04, NF 05 |
| Pennsylvania | Nicole Brewer | Philadelphia | 22 | Vocal | Top 10 | | |
| Rhode Island | Jessica Samson | Newport | 23 | Vocal | | | |
| South Carolina | Erika Powell | Easley | 20 | Vocal | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent | Miss South Carolina USA 2012 |
| South Dakota | Nikki Grandpre | Pierre | 23 | Vocal | | | |
| Tennessee | Tara Burns | Nashville | 22 | Classical Vocal | | Non-finalist Talent | |
| Texas | Morgan Matlock | Lamesa | 24 | Vocal | Top 10 | | |
| Utah | Julia Bachison | North Ogden | 22 | Vocal | | Preliminary Swimsuit | Miss Utah USA 2008 |
| Vermont | Megan Plebani | Weybridge | 24 | Jazz Dance / Gymnastics | | | |
| Virginia | Kristi Lauren Glakas | Centreville | 24 | Vocal | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit | Miss Virginia USA 2004 |
| Virgin Islands | Allison Bourne-Vanneck | Saint Thomas | 22 | Steel Pan | | | |
| Washington | Tina Marie Mares | Lynnwood | 25 | Piano | | | |
| West Virginia | Kimberly Goodwin | Morgantown | 21 | Tap Dance | | | |
| Wisconsin | Tracy Gest | Menomonee Falls | 20 | Piano | | | |
| Wyoming | Heather Jackelen | Jackson | 24 | Acrobatic Dance | | | Miss Wyoming USA 2001 |
$^1$ Abbrevs: NF = Non-finalist, RU = Runner-up, T = Top, Nat Sweetheart = National Sweetheart (competition for Miss America runners-up)