Miss Teen USA

Meet the naturally confident Kaliegh Garris

 

The Biggest Little City in the World, Reno, Nevada, and the Grand Sierra Resort welcomed the fifty-one state representatives vying for the Miss Teen USA 2019 title. Hosted by Tim Tialdo and Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez, the exciting night would showcase these confident and beautiful young women to a worldwide viewing audience via the Miss Teen USA webcast.

As the live theater audience rose to their feet with applause and support of each delegate, the show commenced with the Miss Teen USA state introductions, followed by the announcement of the Top 15 who would vie for the title and crown: Miss Oklahoma Teen USA Abigail Billings, Miss Kansas Teen USA Hannah Debok, Miss Illinois Teen USA AíMaiya Allen, Miss Arkansas Teen USA Maggie Williams, Miss Nebraska Teen USA Erin Shae Swanson, Miss Mississippi Teen USA Kaylee Brooke McCollum, Miss South Carolina Teen USA Allie Richardson, Miss Maryland Teen USA Amalia Sanches, Miss North Dakota Teen USA Caitlyn Vogel, Miss Alabama Teen USA Kalin Burt, Miss Massachusetts Teen USA Annie Lu, Miss Nevada Teen USA Erica Yvette Bonilla, Miss Connecticut Teen USA Kaliegh Garris, Miss Wyoming Teen USA Grace Turner, and Miss Tennessee Teen USA Bailey Guy.

With worldwide keyboard enthusiasts providing commentary and competition opinions during the live-stream, the Miss Teen USA 2019 stage presentations kicked off with the boundless energy of the Active Wear Competition, whereby each finalist confirmed her commitment to a fit and healthy lifestyle.

Next, the Miss Teen USA Evening Gown Parade and Competition would help narrow the field of the Top 15. Elegance, poise, and grace were displayed in abundance and the difficult decisions presented to the Selection Committee were apparent. However, the judgements were cast and the finalist were narrowed to a Top 5 representing the states of Mississippi, North Dakota, Nevada, Connecticut, and Alabama who would advance to the Question Round.

Fielding questions from the Selection Committee, the Top 5 addressed questions such as Why does anxiety and depression seem to affect their generation more than any other?; Do they agree or disagree with the proposal of Senator Elizabeth Warren to cancel or reduce college debt of some Americans?; Should community service be mandatory for 18 year olds as proposed by Mayor Pete Buttigieg?; Why they felt young women seem less motived by money than their male peers?; and Did they feel that our current political system is working or not? These were extremely pertinent and thought-provoking questions which many adults would have a hard time addressing, much less in front of a worldwide audience and with a time limit imposed to answer succinctly and eloquently.

sed to answer succinctly and eloquently. As the votes of the Selection Committee were tallied and verified, words of encouragement were expressed both from the live venue and from viewers following the live-stream Miss Teen USA broadcast. As the world awaited the announcement, one special award was given to a delegate voted upon by her peers. As one of their own, Miss Minnesota Teen USA was welcomed and applauded as Miss Congeniality.

After the major competitions of Active Wear, Evening Gown and the Final Question were impressed upon the Selection Committee, the Miss Teen USA results were proclaimed: 4th Runner-up Miss Teen USA Alabama, 3rd Runner-up Miss Teen USA Mississippi, and 2nd Runner-up Miss Teen USA Nevada.

In true pageantry style, the two remaining delegates stood center stage awaiting the announcement. With the decibel levels reaching an all-time high, Miss North Dakota Teen USA became 1st runner-up as Miss Connecticut USA Kaliegh Garris was presented as Miss Teen USA 2019, only the second woman from Connecticut to capture the Miss Teen USA title.