Kansan Crowned Miss America; Callers Help Judges Make Choice

Miss Kansas Tara Dawn Holland was crowned Miss America on Saturday night in a nationally televised ceremony where viewers got to help select the winner.

For the first time, viewers could call in and vote on which of the 10 semifinalists they liked to narrow the field to five finalists. The final decision on the winner was solely up to the seven celebrity judges.

When the name of first runner-up Miss Louisiana Erika Schwarz was called, Holland’s jaw dropped in disbelief. She then received the crown from outgoing winner Shawntel Smith before giving giant waves to the crowd - mouthing “I love you” in between.

Holland, a tall brunette, said afterward that she wanted to be Miss America since she was a child, but couldn’t believe her fairy tale had come true.

“I don’t feel like Miss America yet,” she said at a news conference. “I know that’s going to sink in once I have time for it to.”

She’s the third Miss Kansas to win the crown, following Deborah Bryant also of Overland Park (1966) and Debra Barnes of Pittsburg (1968).

Holland, 23, of Overland Park, won the Miss Kansas title on her first try after moving from Florida, where she unsuccessfully sought the state crown three times.

A 1994 music education graduate of Florida State University, she is a graduate student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She hopes to teach music some day.

Holland’s platform - the issue she will speak on during her reign - is illiteracy prevention.

She sang opera, “Ou va le jeune Indoue,” for her talent segment.

Miss Oregon Patricia Leines was second runner-up, Miss Alabama Alison McCreary third runner-up and Miss Missouri Kimberly Massaro fourth runner-up.

The call-in poll was the latest innovation for the contest.

The viewers, in effect, sat as the eighth judge in picking the finalists. Their collective votes were added to those of the seven celebrity judges, who picked the winner.