Securing victory at the 2024 Miss America pageant in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday night, Madison Marsh, a 22-year-old second lieutenant in the U.S.
Air Force and a master’s student at the Harvard Kennedy School’s public policy program, made history as the first active-duty Air Force officer to claim the national title.
Representing Colorado, Marsh’s triumph followed three nights of preliminary competitions.
The main event commenced with 11 semi-finalists, with 10 selected by preliminary judges and one chosen through a public vote open to pageant enthusiasts nationwide.
These finalists engaged in a series of competitions, including a fitness showcase featuring a runway walk in rhinestone-embellished athleisure, a “hot topics” discussion round replacing the traditional Q&A, a talent performance, and an evening gown presentation.
The top five finalists, including Marsh and Breaux, were announced following these rounds.
During the unconventional discussion round, covering diverse topics such as terrorism, technology, nutrition, and climate change, Marsh addressed the subject of “drugs in America” by sharing her personal connection to her late mother’s battle with pancreatic cancer.
For the talent segment, she delivered a powerful spoken-word piece centered on the experience of obtaining a pilot’s license at the age of 16.
