Miss America 2009 has been crowned, and it's a Hoosier: 22-year-old Katie Stam of Indiana.
Miss Indiana Katie Stam also won Tuesday night’s swimsuit preliminary round.
In fact, Katie Stam had to battle a throat infection and laryngitis throughout the week. Despite that, she still drew loud applause for her rendition of "Via Dolorosa" during the talent round.
Additionally, she was one of the four People's Choice contestants voted on by viewers of the TLC reality series, "Miss America: Countdown to the Crown." The 2009 Miss America pageant itself was also broadcast on TLC.
Katie Stam is a communications major at the University of Indianapolis who plans to work in television news. She began competing in pageants at age 15.
Stam takes home a $50,000 scholarship and will be embarking on a year of travel and public appearances.
The first runner-up was Miss Georgia Chasity Hardman.
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