National Sweetheart

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Miss National Sweetheart is a United States beauty pageant created in 1941 where runners-up from the Miss America state pageants are invited to Hoopeston, Illinois to compete for the title of Miss National Sweetheart, and the name of the title held by the winner of that pageant. [1]

Contents

The event, which has no official ties to the Miss America Organization, is sponsored by the Hoopeston Jaycees and is held on Labor Day weekend in conjunction with the town's revered annual Sweetcorn Festival. [2] [3] Most contestants placed first runner-up in their state pageant, however second and other runners-up are invited if the first runner-up chooses not to attend. [4] The winner of the Miss National Sweetheart title receives a $1,200 scholarship and a pendant shaped like an ear of corn. [4]

Winning this title does not guarantee that a contestant will win a Miss America state title, but since 1980, five Miss National Sweetheart winners have gone on to win both their state and the Miss America title. [4] Since 1970 there have been nine Miss America titleholders who have competed in the National Sweetheart pageant. [5]

In 2016, the Miss America organization officially disassociated itself with the Miss National Sweetheart Organization. Miss America state pageant contestants were prohibited from competing. [6]

The 2024 Miss National Sweetheart pageant was held on September 1, 2024, and was won by Miss Alabama Sweetheart, Kaitlyn Funk. She is the first from Alabama to win the title. The 2025 pageant will be held on August 31, 2025.

Winners

YearNameStateLater Miss America state titlePlacement at Miss AmericaNotes
2024Kaitlyn Mackenzie FunkAlabamaPreviously 2nd Runner-Up to Miss Alabama Volunteer 2024
2023Jireh GerryCaliforniaPreviously Miss Los Angeles Volunteer 2023
2022Savannah Jo StevensGeorgia
2021Ashley EhrhartOklahomaPreviously 3rd Runner-Up to Miss Oklahoma 2021; Later Miss Oklahoma USA 2022
2020No pageant held due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019Jane KennedyCaliforniaPreviously 4th Runner-Up to Miss California 2018 and 1st Runner-Up to Miss California 2019
2018Kaitryana Michelle LeinbachLouisianaLater Miss Louisiana Volunteer 2022 and Top 10 at Miss Volunteer America 2022. Previously Miss U.S. International 2016 and 4th Runner-Up to Miss International, 1st Runner-Up to Miss Louisiana 2021; 4th Runner-Up to Miss Louisiana 2019; Top 10 at Miss Louisiana 2018 [7]
2017Lauren CabanissSouth Carolina
In 2016, the Miss America Organization disassociated itself with the National Sweetheart pageant. [6]
2016Victoria HumphreyFlorida
2015Kylee SolbergIdaho Miss Idaho 2016Top 15
2014 Kalie Wright [8] Miss Idaho 2015Later Miss Minnesota USA 2018 [8]
2013Jordan Krinke California Previously Miss California's Outstanding Teen 2007
2012Desiree Williams Virginia Miss Virginia 2013Later Miss Virginia USA 2016, Top 10 at Miss USA 2016, contestant on Survivor 35
2011Simone Mullinax [9] Arkansas
2010Brittany Hagan [10] Indiana
2009Shannon Beam Virginia
2008Rachelle Gurule Arizona
2007Erica Gelhaus Ohio Miss Ohio 2009
2006Kelley Bradshaw [11] Georgia
2005Adrielle Churchill Arkansas Later Miss Arkansas USA 2010, Top 15 at Miss USA 2010
2004Monica Pang Georgia Miss Georgia 20051st Runner-Up
2003 Kandice Pelletier Miss New York 2005 The Amazing Race 10 and All-Stars Contestant
2002Madonna Kimberly Emond Michigan Miss Michigan 2003Top 15
2001Melissa Elise Clark Louisiana Miss Louisiana 2003
2000MacKenzie Mayes Kentucky Miss Kentucky 2003
1999Andrea Lee Bailey Georgia Miss Georgia 2003Top 15
1998Keri Lynn Shrader Florida Miss Maryland 19993rd Runner-Up
1997 Chera-Lyn Cook Kentucky Miss Kentucky 19984th Runner-Up
1996Stacey Momeyer Arizona Miss Arizona 19973rd Runner-Up
1995 Tara Dawn Holland Florida Miss Kansas 1996Winner
1994Heather Rae Geery Oklahoma
1993Megan Welch Florida Miss Florida 1994Non-Finalist Interview Award
1992Elizabeth Simmons Oregon Miss Oregon 19933rd Runner-Up
1991 Leanza Cornett Florida Miss Florida 1992WinnerEva Leanza Cornett died at 49 on October 28, 2020, after falling in her kitchen at home on Oct. 12, 2020.
1990 Carolyn Suzanne Sapp Hawaii Miss Hawaii 1991
1989Mairead O'Connor Connecticut
1988 Debbye Turner Arkansas Miss Missouri 1989Winner [1]
1987Melissa Aggeles Florida Miss Florida 1988Top 10
1986Carole Lynn Lawson Arkansas Miss Arkansas 1987
1985Catherine Breslin Illinois
1984Judy Anderson Arizona
1983Margaret Marie O'Brien Massachusetts Miss Massachusetts 1984Top 10
1982Holly Mayer Miss Massachusetts 1983Mother of Miss New York's Outstanding Teen 2011 and Miss New York 2019, Lauren Molella; Sister-in-law of Miss New York 1989, Lisa Molella [12]
1981Gloria Gilbert Texas Miss Texas 1982
1980Elizabeth Grace Ward Arkansas Miss Arkansas 1981Winner
1979Bobbie Candler Texas Miss Louisiana 1982
1978Michelle Whitson Kansas Miss Kansas 19792nd Runner-Up
1977Carolyn Jones Kentucky
1976Guylyn Remmenga [13] Nebraska Miss Nebraska 1978Top 10
1975Carlene McGinnis Georgia
1974Linda Hodges
1973Rebecca Bloomer Texas
1972Jacqueline Barret [14]
1971Constance (Connie) Susan Hays Wisconsin
1970Linda Brownfield Kentucky
1969Mary Lee Nordby North Dakota
1968Diana Barker [15] Kentucky
1967Sidney Becker [16] Utah
1966Vicki Lynn Hurd Tennessee Miss Tennessee 19662nd Runner-Up
1965Diana Bateman Washington Later Miss Washington USA 1967
1964Judy Duncan Ohio
1963Colleen Thacker [17] Washington
1962Linda Kay Rogers Texas
1961Nancy McCelvey
1960Marjorie Koehler Illinois
1959Rita Wilson Tennessee Miss Tennessee 1961
1958Janice Hansen Iowa
1957Irene Meyer Ohio
1956Joyce Riding Iowa
1955Kerin Kae Okerlin
1954Joyce Brown Illinois
1953Sandra Porter Indiana
1952Corine Javaag Minnesota
1951Patricia Baker Wisconsin
1950Janet Rainier Indiana
1949Joyce Cisco Wisconsin
1948Joan Edwards
1941Alice Priscilla Baker

References

  1. 1 2 Guebert, Alan (6 September 2000). "Illinois town takes the title for corniest festival". Fort Myers News-Press.
  2. ↑ Dempsey, Pam (2007-09-03). "Hoopeston festival a rich, and corny, tradition". The News-Gazette.
  3. ↑ "Pretty Losers Vie for National Sweetheart Title". The News-Messenger. 25 August 1967.
  4. 1 2 3 "Still Dreaming of Miss America Crown?". The Island Packet. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ Crane, Tracy (1 September 2006). "National Sweetheart Pageant soldiers on with 28 contestants". News-Gazette.
  6. 1 2 Huba, Nicolas (February 28, 2016). "Miss America hopefuls can't do National Sweetheart pageant, report says". Press of Atlantic City.
  7. ↑ Bolden, Bonnie (June 22, 2019). "Meagan Crews wins Miss Louisiana 2019". The News Star.
  8. 1 2 Johnson, Marie (6 December 2017). "The local royal: Eagle Bend's Kalie Wright crowned Miss Minnesota USA". Wadena Pioneer-Journal.
  9. ↑ "National Sweetheart 2011 Crowned in Illinois". FourPoints Magazine. September 8, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
  10. ↑ Bollenbacher, Abby (September 6, 2010). "National Sweetheart 2010 Results!". MISScellanea. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  11. ↑ King, Wendy (2006-09-04). "Georgia's Kelley Bradshaw Wins National Sweetheart". The Chattanoogan. Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
  12. ↑ "Lauren Molella named Miss New York Outstanding Teen". SI Live. June 19, 2011.
  13. ↑ "UNL Sophomore chosen new national sweetheart". The Lincoln Star. 8 September 1976.
  14. ↑ "Jackie Barret new National Sweetheart". Brownville Bulletin. 6 September 1972.
  15. ↑ "Corn festival queen". Kokomo Tribune. 3 September 1968.
  16. ↑ "U of U Student Wins National Sweetheart Title". The Salt Lake Tribute. 6 September 1967.
  17. ↑ "Brunette wins 1963 title of Miss Sweetheart". Galesburg Register-Mail. 3 September 1963.
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