# Miss America 1988

Miss America 1988, the 61st Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 19, 1987, on NBC Network.
Pageant winner Kaye Lani Rae Rafko of Michigan became a registered nurse, and has done many years of volunteer work for medical charities and hospices. She co-hosts a public access television series called Only In Monroe for MPACT.
Among the contestants was Miss South Carolina, television personality Nancy O'Dell, entered as Nancy Humphries.

## Results
### Placements

| Placement | Contestant |
| Miss America 1988 | Michigan – Kaye Lani Rae Rafko |
| 1st Runner-Up | Louisiana – Patricia Brant |
| 2nd Runner-Up | Nevada – Stacie James |
| 3rd Runner-Up | Colorado – LaTanya Hall |
| 4th Runner-Up | Mississippi – Toni Seawright |
| Top 10 | Florida – Jennifer Anne Sauder  Maryland – Tamara Alaine Walker  Missouri – Robin Elizabeth Riley  Texas – Jo Thompson  Virginia – Heidi Lammi |

### Awards
#### Preliminary awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Lifestyle and Fitness | Georgia – Kelly Jerles Michigan – Kaye Lani Rae Rafko South Carolina – Nancy Evelyn Humphries |
| Talent | Louisiana – Patricia Brant Nevada – Stacie James Wisconsin – Maria Kim |

#### Non-finalist awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Talent | Connecticut – Michele Dawn Eaton Georgia – Kelly Jerles Illinois – Cindi Hodgkins Indiana – Sheila Renee Stephen Maine – Laurie Wathen Massachusetts – Aurelie McCarthy Oklahoma – Leesa Cornett Wisconsin – Maria Kim |

## Candidates

| State | Name | Age | Hometown | Local Title | Talent | Placement | Special Awards | Notes |
| Alabama | Kym Williams | 22 | Birmingham | Miss All-American Bowl | Vocal, "If We Only Have Love" | | | |
| Alaska | Teresa Murton | 25 | Anchorage | Miss Anchorage | Vocal, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" | | | |
| Arizona | Theresa Light | 18 | Tucson | Miss Western Maricopa | Vocal, "Somewhere" | | | |
| Arkansas | Carole Lawson | 21 | Paragould | Miss University of Arkansas | Flute/Piccolo, Medley from Carmen | | | Previously National Sweetheart 1986 |
| California | Simone Stephens | 25 | Cerritos | Miss El Camino | Stand-up Comedy | | | |
| Colorado | LaTanya Hall | 22 | Boulder | Miss Boulder Valley | Vocal, "I Am Changing" | 3rd runner-up | | |
| Connecticut | Michele Dawn Eaton | 21 | Shelton | Miss Fairfield County | Baton Twirling, "They're Playing Our Song" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| Delaware | Anne Marie Jarka | 21 | Newark | Miss University | Vocal/Piano, "Almost Over You" | | George Cavalier Talent Award | |
| District of Columbia | Cheryl Chapman | 21 | Arlington, VA | | Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine" | | | |
| Florida | Jennifer Anne Sauder | 22 | Homestead | Miss Homestead | Semi-classical Vocal, "If We Were in Love" from Yes, Giorgio | Top 10 | | |
| Georgia | Kelly Jerles | 20 | Perry | Miss Cobb County | Vocal, "Where the Boys Are" | | Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Previously Miss Georgia Teen USA 1983 3rd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 1983 |
| Hawaii | Luana Alapa | 26 | Honolulu | Miss Island International | Vocal, "South Sea Sadie" | | | Mother of Miss Hawaii Teen USA 2015, Kyla Hee |
| Idaho | Holly Hill | 20 | Meridian | Miss Meridian | Vocal, "The Music and the Mirror" from A Chorus Line | | | |
| Illinois | Cindi Hodgkins | 22 | Schaumburg | Miss Chicago | Vocal Medley, "My Man" & "But the World Goes Round" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| Indiana | Sheila Stephen | 23 | Unionville | Miss Hoosier Hills | Country Vocal, "Only You" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| Iowa | Robin Wolfram | 24 | Davenport | Miss Scott County | Popular Vocal, "Only You" | | |
| Kansas | Sherri Lee Mayer | 26 | Brewster | Miss Harvey County | Dramatic Interpretation, "Clear Glass Marbles" from Talking With... | | | |
| Kentucky | Elizabeth McDowell | 21 | Prospect | Miss Jefferson County | Semi-classical Vocal, "Falling in Love with Love" | | | |
| Louisiana | Patricia Brant | 23 | Monroe | Miss Red River Valley | Ventriloquism, "Arizona Yodeler" & "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| Maine | Laurie Wathen | 25 | Fort Fairfield | Miss Northern Aroostook | Piano, "Symphony No. 9" by Ludwig van Beethoven | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| Maryland | Tamara Walker | 21 | Kingsville | Miss Montgomery County | Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" | Top 10 | | |
| Massachusetts | Aurelie McCarthy | 24 | East Boston | Miss East Boston | Marimba, "Hava Nagila," "William Tell Overture," & "Joplin on Wood" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| Michigan | Kaye Lani Rae Rafko | 23 | Monroe | Miss Monroe County | Hawaiian-Tahitian Dance | Winner | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
| Minnesota | Katherine Killen | 20 | Owatonna | Miss Owatonna | Vocal, "Tonight" | | | |
| Mississippi | Toni Seawright | 23 | Moss Point | Miss Mississippi University for Women | Popular Vocal, "I'm Going All the Way" | 4th runner-up | | First African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi |
| Missouri | Robin Riley | 25 | Columbia | Miss Columbia | Ballet, "Overture" from Funny Girl | Top 10 | | Previously Miss Missouri USA 1983 |
| Montana | Julie Reil | 19 | Miles City | Miss Missoula County | Vocal, "Being Alive" from Company | | Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship | |
| Nebraska | Mindee Zimmerman | 23 | Norfolk | Miss Platte Valley | Vocal, "People" | | | |
| Nevada | Stacie James | 23 | Las Vegas | Miss Las Vegas | Vocal, "On My Own" from Les Miserables | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| New Hampshire | Kristen Gamans | 23 | Manchester | Miss New Hampshire College | Gymnastics Character Dance | | | |
| New Jersey | Robin Lange | 22 | Medford | Miss Burlington County | Dramatic Monologue | | | |
| New Mexico | Becky Birdwell | 25 | Hobbs | Miss Tucumcari | Ballet | | | |
| New York | Alice Knisley | 21 | Staten Island | Miss Metropolitan New York City | Vocal Medley | | | |
| North Carolina | Lori Boggs | 26 | Kannapolis | Miss Cabarrus County | Popular Vocal, "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" | | | Previously Miss North Carolina USA 1980 |
| North Dakota | Susan Campbell | 20 | Grand Forks | Miss Grand Forks | Lyrical Dance | | | |
| Ohio | Susan Kay Johnson | 22 | Columbus | Miss Canton | Vocal, "Believe" | | | |
| Oklahoma | Leesa Cornett | 20 | Newcastle | Miss Norman | Vocal, "If He Walked Into My Life" from Mame | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| Oregon | Tamara Fazzolari | 21 | Portland | Miss Portland | Tap Dance | | | Mother of Miss Oregon 2015, Ali Wallace |
| Pennsylvania | Katarina Sitaris | 24 | Wilkes-Barre | Miss Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo" from La boheme | | Cavalier Scholarship | |
| Rhode Island | Cherilynn Cusick | 21 | Providence | Miss Providence County | Contemporary Ballet | | | |
| South Carolina | Nancy Humphries | 21 | Myrtle Beach | Miss Myrtle Beach | Piano, "The Stars and Stripes Forever" | | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Former co-host of Access Hollywood Current co-anchor of Entertainment Tonight |
| South Dakota | Najla Ghazi | 19 | Brookings | Miss South Dakota State University | Oral Interpretations | | | |
| Tennessee | Regina Athnos | 23 | Clarksville | Miss Tennessee Peach Festival | Flute Medley, "I'll Fly Away" & "Amazing Grace" | | | |
| Texas | Rita Jo Thompson | 22 | Lufkin | Miss Greenville | Jazz Dance, "An American Trilogy" | Top 10 | | |
| Utah | Marianne Bales | 21 | Orem | Miss Orem | Lyrical Dance & Vocal, "Let Me Dance For You" | | | |
| Vermont | Susan Bora | 26 | Colchester | | Percussion, "Opus D Opus - The Tonight Show Theme" | | | |
| Virginia | Heidi Lammi | 26 | Alexandria | Miss Northern Virginia | Ballet en Pointe, Grande Tarantelle | Top 10 | | |
| Washington | Sharon Dean | 21 | Issaquah | Miss Issaquah | Vocal Medley | | | |
| West Virginia | Saundra Patton | 22 | Morgantown | Miss North Central | Variety Act | | | |
| Wisconsin | Maria Kim | 20 | Shorewood | Miss Madison | Classical Piano, "Fantaisie-Impromptu" | | Preliminary Talent Award Non-finalist Talent Award | Previously Miss Wisconsin National Teenager 1983 Previously Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 1985 |
| Wyoming | Terrilynn Hove | 21 | Casper | Miss Laramie | Vocal Medley | | | |