By Laura Lordi, Arianna Otero and Thomas Cordy, Palm Beach Post
September 1, 2026
On Monday, Aug. 31, both groups of women, in the Miss America and Miss America’s Teen pageants, made their debut in front of family and friends at the Hilton West Palm Beach ahead of competitions this week. All 104 contestants took part in the longstanding tradition of signing the map of America.
The event was topped off with the unveiling of the top 20 finalists, 10 in the Teens and 10 in the Miss America groups, for the Quality of Life Scholarship.
Tess Ferm, Miss America’s Teen 2026, welcomed all as they came state by state on stage to sign the map cementing their place as the 2026 class of delegates.
Once the map was filled with signatures, Wesley Miller Smith, Miss America’s director of partnership development and this years chairman for the Quality of Life Awards, announced the finalists.
The names are listed in the order the contestants were called.
- Miss Georgia, Sophia Wootten.
- Miss Oregon, Allyssa Defillipo.
- Miss Pennsylvania, Stephanie Skinner.
- Miss Tennessee, Makalyn Heaslett.
- Miss Arizona, Victoria Vredevoogd.
- Miss Illinois, Kate Dimmett.
- Miss Florida, Alexandra de Roos.
- Miss Alabama, Ruby Tilghman.
- Miss South Carolina, Lindsay Jones.
- Miss Missouri, Tabitha Crain.
The names are listed in the order the contestants were called.
- Miss Nebraska Teen, Ella-Kathryn Anderson.
- Miss Maryland Teen, Aryani Odie.
- Miss Wisconsin Teen, Meredith Rosemurgy.
- Miss New Jersey Teen, Natalie Troyer-Kulstad.
- Miss Arkansas Teen, Presley Bennett.
- Miss South Carolina Teen, Logan Wells.
- Miss Indiana Teen, Lily Bauer.
- Miss Pennsylvania Teen, Anna Rinnier.
- Miss Mississippi Teen, Madalyn Sullivan
- Miss Colorado Teen, Michelle Mann
This week’s Miss America pageant calendar in West Palm Beach
- Tuesday, Sept. 1: Miss America’s Teen Preliminary Competition, Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, Sept. 2: Miss America Preliminary Competition, Kravis Center, 7 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 3: Miss America’s Got Talent Competition, Kravis Center, 5 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 4: Pre-Gala Red Carpet, Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd., 5:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 5: Miss America’s Teen Final, Kravis Center, 7 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 6: Miss America Final, Palm Beach County Convention Center, 7 p.m.
The pageant called Atlantic City its home for decades before moving to locations such as Las Vegas and Florida. Last year, it took place at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando.
The pageant called Atlantic City its home for decades before moving to locations such as Las Vegas and Florida. Last year, it took place at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando.
Its events will be livestreamed on pageantvision.tv.
Read the article HERE: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/see-top-10-miss-america-155403464.html