*Pageant Hour* Miss America Teresa Scanlan

Teresa Scanlan was crowned Miss America 2011 on January 15, 2011 at the 90Anniversary of the Miss America Pageant on ABC.  Since her crowning, she has been traveling the country appearing on numerous national and local television programs, making corporate appearances, and talking about MAO’s national platform, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and  her personal platform of Eating Disorders: A Generation at Risk.

As Miss America 2011, Teresa has the special honor of serving as the National Goodwill Ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals throughout her year of service.  As the Goodwill Ambassador, Teresa will help to raise funds and awareness for the over 170 CMN hospitals across the country.

As the youngest Miss America in over 70 years, Teresa is showing the country she is a leader and a role model for youth today. Teresa was home-schooled until her junior year of high school, before attending Gering High School for half of her junior year. She graduated early from Scottsbluff High School in the spring of 2010 after taking a double load of classes throughout high school.

Teresa’s passion for her platform, to combat eating disorders, stems from a friend who struggled with bulimia. She did research about eating disorders for her friend and discovered how rampant it was across the nation. Teresa hopes to educate children and adults alike as to the signs and risks of eating disorders, as well as how and where to get help for themselves or a loved one.

During 2011 pageant week, Teresa’s piano performance of “White Water Chopped Sticks” won her the Talent Award on the third preliminary night.

When her year is over, Teresa plans to attend Patrick Henry College to study Government. Her dream is to become an attorney and eventually a judge or President of the United States of America.