Miss America 2025: Miss Alabama Abbie Stockard wins the crown – AL.com

Abbie Stockard, Miss Alabama 2024, was crowned Miss America 2025 on Sunday night at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Florida.Stockard, 22, will receive a $50,000 in scholarship money as Miss America and immediately start a yearlong reign. Stockard, from Birmingham, is a student at Auburn University, where she majors in nursing. Her goal is to earn an advanced degree, a doctorate of nurse anesthesia practice, and specialize in pediatrics.READ: Miss Alabama thanks her home state before Miss America finals: ‘Your support means the world’Stockard is the fourth Miss Alabama to win Miss America, following in the footsteps of previous winners Deidre Downs, Miss America 2005; Heather Whitestone, Miss America 1995; and Yolande Betbeze, Miss America 1951.Miss America 2024, Madison Marsh, crowned her successor at Sunday’s finals competition, which streamed on the Miss America YouTube channel and PageantVision.com.Stockard received a glittering crown and a bouquet of roses at the end of the ceremony. She also received hugs from her fellow contestants and took her first walk on stage as Miss America 2025.Stockard was prominently featured throughout the finals on Sunday, competing in evening gown, talent, fitness and “Hot Topics” segments. (The “Hot Topics” questions focused on technology, immigration, health care, climate change, censorship and more.) For talent, Stockard performed a contemporary dance to Lauren Daigle’s “You Say.”Also, Miss Alabama was one of six women who earned the AHA Go Red for Women Leadership Award at Miss America, in affiliation with the American Heart Association. These awards go to contestants who promote women’s heart health in their communities.“As I step into this evening, I am filled with excitement, honor, and gratitude,” Stockard said in an Instagram post before the finals. “Thanking the Lord for placing me here this week and giving me one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Regardless of the outcome, I want to express my deepest thanks to my friends, family, the amazing Miss Alabama board, and the wonderful people of Alabama for making me feel so appreciated and loved. I hope I’ve made you proud and represented you well.”A post shared by Miss Alabama (@missamericaal)A total of 52 women competed in the Miss America finals, from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Aside from Stockard, the top five finalists were:The runners-up each received $10,000 in scholarship money, according to the Miss America organization.A post shared by Miss America (@missamerica)The top 11 were:A post shared by Miss America (@missamerica)Terrence Jenkins, an actor and TV personality known as “Terrence J,” was the host of Sunday’s finals ceremony, along with model and actress Nikki Novak.Judges for the Miss America finals included Heather Whitestone McCallum, the Dothan native who was named Miss America 1995. She moved on to the national pageant in September 1994, after winning the title of Miss Alabama earlier that year. Whitestone McCallum lost her hearing in early childhood due to a severe ear infection, and was the first deaf woman to win Miss America. She became a strong advocate for people with disabilities, regained her hearing in 2002 through a cochlear implant and lives in Georgia with her husband and four sons.Other judges for the Miss America finals were Olympic medalist Carl Lewis, retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Stayce D. Harris, Miss America 1985 Sharlene Wells Hawkes and “Cheer” star Gabi Butler.The past week has been a busy one for the Miss America organization. Miss America’s Teen, a sister pageant to Miss America, announced its 2025 winner on Saturday, also at the Walt Disney Theater. Peyton Bolling took the national crown, competing as Miss Arkansas’ Teen. Ali Mims, Miss Alabama’s Teen, was named first runner-up.READ: Miss Arkansas wins Miss America’s Teen 2025; Miss Alabama is first runner-upIf you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025).© 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.YouTube’s privacy policy is available here and YouTube’s terms of service is available here.Ad Choices

Source: https://www.al.com/life/2025/01/miss-america-2025-miss-alabama-wins-the-crown.html