LAS VEGAS — Mallory Hagan, Miss New York, was crowned Miss America in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Hagan, 23, a resident of Brooklyn, won after tap dancing to James Brown’s “Get Up Off of That Thing” and answering a question about whether armed guards belong in grade schools by saying we should not fight violence with violence.
Miss South Carolina Ali Rogers took second and Miss Oklahoma Alicia Clifton finished third. Miss Arkansas Sloane Roberts of Rison was not among the semifinalists Saturday night.
Hagan wins a $50,000 college scholarship and gets the crown for one year. Her platform was stopping child sexual abuse.
She is expected to spend her title reign on a nationwide speaking tour and raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network, the organization’s official charity.
Hagan defeated several other notable competitors who grabbed headlines this year because of their personal stories.
Miss District of Columbia plans to undergo a preventive double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer, which killed her mother and grandmother.
Miss Montana was the pageant’s first autistic contestant.
Miss Iowa has Tourette’s syndrome.
And Miss Maine lost more than 50 pounds before winning her state crown.
Front Section, Pages 2 on 01/13/2013