| Miss America 1988 | |
|---|---|
| Date | September 19, 1987 |
| Presenters | Gary Collins |
| Venue | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| Broadcaster | NBC |
| Winner | Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Michigan |
Miss America 1988, the 61st Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 19, 1987, on NBC Network. [1]
Pageant winner Kaye Lani Rae Rafko of Michigan became a registered nurse, and has done many years of volunteer work for medical charities and hospices. She co-hosts a public access television series called Only In Monroe for MPACT.
Among the contestants was Miss South Carolina, television personality Nancy O'Dell, entered as Nancy Humphries.
| Placement | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss America 1988 | |
| 1st Runner-Up |
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| 2nd Runner-Up |
|
| 3rd Runner-Up |
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| 4th Runner-Up |
|
| Top 10 |
Top 10
|
| Awards | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Lifestyle and Fitness |
|
| Talent |
| Awards | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Talent |
|
 |
| State | Name | Age | Hometown | Local Title | Talent | Placement | Special Awards | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Alabama | Kym Williams | 22 | Birmingham | Miss All-American Bowl | Vocal, "If We Only Have Love" | |||
 Alaska | Teresa Murton | 25 | Anchorage | Miss Anchorage | Vocal, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" | |||
 Arizona | Theresa Light | 18 | Tucson | Miss Western Maricopa | Vocal, "Somewhere" | |||
 Arkansas | Carole Lawson | 21 | Paragould | Miss University of Arkansas | Flute/Piccolo, Medley from Carmen | Previously National Sweetheart 1986 | ||
 California | Simone Stephens | 25 | Cerritos | Miss El Camino | Stand-up Comedy | |||
 Colorado | LaTanya Hall | 22 | Boulder | Miss Boulder Valley | Vocal, "I Am Changing" | 3rd runner-up | ||
 Connecticut | Michele Dawn Eaton | 21 | Shelton | Miss Fairfield County | Baton Twirling, "They're Playing Our Song" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
 Delaware | Anne Marie Jarka | 21 | Newark | Miss University | Vocal/Piano, "Almost Over You" | George Cavalier Talent Award | ||
 District of Columbia | Cheryl Chapman | 21 | Arlington, VA | Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine" | ||||
 Florida | Jennifer Anne Sauder | 22 | Homestead | Miss Homestead | Semi-classical Vocal, "If We Were in Love" from Yes, Giorgio | Top 10 | ||
 Georgia | Kelly Jerles | 20 | Perry | Miss Cobb County | Vocal, "Where the Boys Are" | Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Previously Miss Georgia Teen USA 1983 3rd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 1983 | |
 Hawaii | Luana Alapa | 26 | Honolulu | Miss Island International | Vocal, "South Sea Sadie" | Mother of Miss Hawaii Teen USA 2015, Kyla Hee | ||
 Idaho | Holly Hill | 20 | Meridian | Miss Meridian | Vocal, "The Music and the Mirror" from A Chorus Line | |||
 Illinois | Cindi Hodgkins | 22 | Schaumburg | Miss Chicago | Vocal Medley, "My Man" & "But the World Goes Round" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
 Indiana | Sheila Stephen | 23 | Unionville | Miss Hoosier Hills | Country Vocal, "Only You" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
 Iowa | Robin Wolfram | 24 | Davenport | Miss Scott County | Popular Vocal, "Only You" | |||
 Kansas | Sherri Lee Mayer | 26 | Brewster | Miss Harvey County | Dramatic Interpretation, "Clear Glass Marbles" from Talking With... | |||
 Kentucky | Elizabeth McDowell | 21 | Prospect | Miss Jefferson County | Semi-classical Vocal, "Falling in Love with Love" | |||
 Louisiana | Patricia Brant | 23 | Monroe | Miss Red River Valley | Ventriloquism, "Arizona Yodeler" & "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
 Maine | Laurie Wathen | 25 | Fort Fairfield | Miss Northern Aroostook | Piano, "Symphony No. 9" by Ludwig van Beethoven | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
 Maryland | Tamara Walker | 21 | Kingsville | Miss Montgomery County | Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" | Top 10 | ||
 Massachusetts | Aurelie McCarthy | 24 | East Boston | Miss East Boston | Marimba, "Hava Nagila," "William Tell Overture," & "Joplin on Wood" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
 Michigan | Kaye Lani Rae Rafko | 23 | Monroe | Miss Monroe County | Hawaiian-Tahitian Dance | Winner | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
 Minnesota | Katherine Killen | 20 | Owatonna | Miss Owatonna | Vocal, "Tonight" | |||
 Mississippi | Toni Seawright | 23 | Moss Point | Miss Mississippi University for Women | Popular Vocal, "I'm Going All the Way" | 4th runner-up | First African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi | |
 Missouri | Robin Riley | 25 | Columbia | Miss Columbia | Ballet, "Overture" from Funny Girl | Top 10 | Previously Miss Missouri USA 1983 | |
 Montana | Julie Reil | 19 | Miles City | Miss Missoula County | Vocal, "Being Alive" from Company | Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship | ||
 Nebraska | Mindee Zimmerman | 23 | Norfolk | Miss Platte Valley | Vocal, "People" | |||
 Nevada | Stacie James | 23 | Las Vegas | Miss Las Vegas | Vocal, "On My Own" from Les Miserables | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
 New Hampshire | Kristen Gamans | 23 | Manchester | Miss New Hampshire College | Gymnastics Character Dance | |||
 New Jersey | Robin Lange | 22 | Medford | Miss Burlington County | Dramatic Monologue | |||
 New Mexico | Becky Birdwell | 25 | Hobbs | Miss Tucumcari | Ballet | |||
 New York | Alice Knisley | 21 | Staten Island | Miss Metropolitan New York City | Vocal Medley | |||
 North Carolina | Lori Boggs | 26 | Kannapolis | Miss Cabarrus County | Popular Vocal, "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" | Previously Miss North Carolina USA 1980 | ||
 North Dakota | Susan Campbell | 20 | Grand Forks | Miss Grand Forks | Lyrical Dance | |||
 Ohio | Susan Kay Johnson | 22 | Columbus | Miss Canton | Vocal, "Believe" | |||
 Oklahoma | Leesa Cornett | 20 | Newcastle | Miss Norman | Vocal, "If He Walked Into My Life" from Mame | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
 Oregon | Tamara Fazzolari | 21 | Portland | Miss Portland | Tap Dance | Mother of Miss Oregon 2015, Ali Wallace | ||
 Pennsylvania | Katarina Sitaris | 24 | Wilkes-Barre | Miss Wilkes-Barre/Scranton | Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo" from La boheme | Cavalier Scholarship | ||
 Rhode Island | Cherilynn Cusick | 21 | Providence | Miss Providence County | Contemporary Ballet | |||
 South Carolina | Nancy Humphries | 21 | Myrtle Beach | Miss Myrtle Beach | Piano, "The Stars and Stripes Forever" | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Former co-host of Access Hollywood Current co-anchor of Entertainment Tonight | |
 South Dakota | Najla Ghazi | 19 | Brookings | Miss South Dakota State University | Oral Interpretations | |||
 Tennessee | Regina Athnos | 23 | Clarksville | Miss Tennessee Peach Festival | Flute Medley, "I'll Fly Away" & "Amazing Grace" | |||
 Texas | Rita Jo Thompson | 22 | Lufkin | Miss Greenville | Jazz Dance, "An American Trilogy" | Top 10 | ||
 Utah | Marianne Bales | 21 | Orem | Miss Orem | Lyrical Dance & Vocal, "Let Me Dance For You" | |||
 Vermont | Susan Bora | 26 | Colchester | Percussion, "Opus D Opus - The Tonight Show Theme" | ||||
 Virginia | Heidi Lammi | 26 | Alexandria | Miss Northern Virginia | Ballet en Pointe, Grande Tarantelle | Top 10 | ||
 Washington | Sharon Dean | 21 | Issaquah | Miss Issaquah | Vocal Medley | |||
 West Virginia | Saundra Patton | 22 | Morgantown | Miss North Central | Variety Act | |||
 Wisconsin | Maria Kim | 20 | Shorewood | Miss Madison | Classical Piano, "Fantaisie-Impromptu" | Preliminary Talent Award Non-finalist Talent Award | Previously Miss Wisconsin National Teenager 1983 Previously Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 1985 | |
 Wyoming | Terrilynn Hove | 21 | Casper | Miss Laramie | Vocal Medley |
