Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler from Kenosha, Wisconsin was crowned Miss America 2012 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The final night of the 2012 Miss America Pageant was broadcast live from Las Vegas on ABC.
The first runner-up was Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson who earned a $25,000 scholarship. For her talent, she performed an Irish Step Dance to “Warriors” and her personal platform is MILK, It Really Does a Body Good! Betty was also the winner of ABC’s America’s Choice an online competition where viewers got the opportunity to vote for their favorite Miss America contestant. The contestant was announced at the beginning of the Miss America broadcast and became the 1st finalist to compete in the live finale.
As the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women and one of the nation’s leading achievement programs, the Miss America Organization last year made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. The Miss America Organization provides young women with a vehicle to further their personal and professional goals and instills a spirit of community service through a variety of nationwide community-based programs.
