Miss America pageant

Miss America pageant

Miss America pageant, The Miss America pageant is celebrating its 93rd anniversary this year, and many former winners will be attending the festivities. We're taking a look all the way back to 1980 to find out what happened to pageant queens of the past.

Miss America 1980

Then: Cheryl Prewitt overcame a childhood tragedy to become Miss America.

Now: She's married with two sons and also had a daughter who passed away. She also owns her own business.

Miss America 1981

Then: Susan Powell  was an opera singer who also reigned as Miss Oklahoma before she took the Miss America crown.

Now: She's since found fame in television and became the co-host of a reality TV show

Miss America 1982

Then: Elizabeth Ward  reportedly wore a gown made from a tablecloth and used her pageant money to study acting.

Now: She went on to have an acting career, appeared on the cover of Playboy and claimed she had a one-night stand with a future U.S. president. Who was it?

Miss America 1983

Then: Debra Maffett  competed in several Miss Texas pageants but eventually represented California when she won the Miss America crown.

Now: She's worked as a TV host for a few shows.Find out her most recent known job.

Miss America 1984

Then: Vanessa Williams became the first black Miss America before losing her crown due to a nude photo scandal.

Now: She married an NBA star  and became a successful TV and movie actress and singer .

Miss America 1984

Then: Suzette Charles  took over Miss America duties after Vanessa Williams relinquished her crown.

Now: She became an actress and singer and began a friendship with a controversial boxer. Who was it?

Miss America 1985

Then: Sharlene Wells  was the only foreign-born Miss America  and played the harp.

Now: She later became a sports reporter , but now she has a different career.

Miss America 1986

Then: Miss Mississippi Susan Akin  had to contend with her family's connection to an infamous civil rights murder case. The case was turned into a movie.

Now: She has since moved back to her hometown  and has been very active in politics. She's also served as a spokesperson for this group.

Miss America 1987

Then: Kellye Cash , the grandniece of a famous country singer, was a singer like her great-uncle.

Now: She portrayed another famous singer on tour and is active in politics. She performed at an event for this presidential candidate in 1996.

Miss America 1988

Then: Kaye Lani Rae Rafko  used her reign to advocate for hospice programs.

Now: Besides appearing in a Michael Moore documentary, Rafko is married with three kids and works as a registered nurse. She also heads a program for children.

Miss America 1989

Then: Gretchen Carlson  was the first classical violinist to win the Miss America crown.

Now: She has been a longtime co-host on a popular cable news show , but she recently made a big announcement about a change in her career.

Miss America 1990

Then: Debbye Turner  was the first Miss Missouri to win the title and played the marimba.

Now: Turner went on to pursue a career in this field before switching gears and going into television .

Miss America 1991

Then: Marjorie Vincent  played the piano for her talent  and campaigned against domestic violence.

Now: She became a news anchor for several TV stations for a while and reportedly went back to law school.

Miss America 1992

Then: Carolyn Sapp , the first Miss Hawaii to wear the crown, starred in a TV movie about her relationship with an abusive boyfriend.

Now: She has worked as a motivational speaker and has written on contemporary issues for dozens of newspapers across the U.S. She also founded a nonprofit organization.

Miss America 1993

Then: Leanza Cornett  was the first Miss America to campaign for awareness of this illness and refused to wear her crown in public.

Now: She became an entertainment correspondent and married a fellow entertainment reporter .

Miss America 1994

Then: Kimberly Aiken  won when she was only 18 years old and advocated for the homeless.

Now: Aiken pursued a career in public accounting but decided to work another full-time job instead. She's married and has two children .

Miss America 1995

Then: Heather Whitestone  became the first deaf Miss America.

Now: She has written several books and underwent a controversial procedure in 2002.

Miss America 1996

Then: Shawntel Smith was Miss Oklahoma, and her platform was getting high school students to work after graduation.

Now: Since her pageant days, she has followed the path of many other past-winners and taken on a very public career.

Miss America 1997

Then: Tara Dawn Holland  was an advocate for literacy and a singer.

Now: She's married , and her public appearances focus on a controversial topic. What is it?

Miss America 1998

Then: Kate Shindle  used her platform to advocate for AIDS prevention around the world.

Now: She went on to have a successful Broadway career and also landed a big role in another classic show.

Miss America 1999

Then: Nicole Johnson , who has diabetes, advocated for diabetes education during her time as Miss America.

Now: She has helped raise millions for diabetes research  and wrote a book about living with the disease.

Miss America 2000

Then: Heather French , the first Miss Kentucky to win the crown, advocated for homeless veterans.

Now: She married a controversial Kentucky politician , spoke to Oprah Winfrey about a personal tragedy and continues to work for veterans.

Miss America 2001

Then: Angela Perez Baraquio  was the first Asian-American to wear the crown.

Now: Shortly after her win, she married her high school sweetheart and the two of them started an entertainment company together. She's also writing her first book.

Miss America 2002

Then: Katie Harman  was earned her title shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Now: She went on to perform with different opera houses across the U.S. – and also appeared on this funny show. She's married to an Oregon Air National Guard pilot with two children.

Miss America 2003

Then: Erika Harold  stirred up controversy when she announced a new platform after she won.

Now: Harold graduated from law school  in 2007 and currently works for a law firm in Illinois.  She's also running for political office.

Miss America 2004

Then: Ericka Dunlap , the first black Miss Florida, used her platform to celebrate diversity.

Now: She is pursuing a country music career, and she and her husband competed on a popular reality show.

Miss America 2005

Then: Deidre Downs  advocated for a cure for childhood cancer during her extra-long reign.

Now: She got married in 2008 and recently graduated from medical school. Find pictures and details of her wedding.

Miss America 2006

Then: Jennifer Berry  was a ballet dancer and an advocate for an anti-drunken-driving group.

Now: She got married in 2007 and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Miss America 2007

Then: Lauren Nelson used her platform to bring awareness to protecting children from online dangers.

Now: She posed as a teen to help catch sexual predators and she currently works as a TV news co-anchor .

Miss America 2008

Then: Kirsten Haglund used her own struggles to bring awareness to eating disorders.

Now: She founded a group to help people with eating disorders and has made several appearances on a Fox News talk show.

Miss America 2009

Then: Katie Stam , the first Miss Indiana to win the title, appeared with her fellow contestants on a reality show.

Now: She is now married and released her first children's book in 2010.

Miss America 2010

Then: Caressa Cameron  sang a Beyoncé tune  on her way to winning the crown.

Now: Since her days as Miss America, Caressa married her high school sweetheart  and is now pursuing a career in entertainment.

Miss America 2011

Then: Teresa Scanlon  was just 17 when she was crowned Miss America, making her the youngest holder of the crown since this woman in 1937.

Now: She's studying at a Virginia college  and aims to enroll in this prestigious law school to become a criminal prosecutor. Teresa also recently released an album .

Miss America 2012

Then: Laura Kaeppeler  won the crown with her platform of supporting and mentoring children with parents behind bars. Find out why that issue is close to her heart.

Now: The beauty queen's reign ended at the Miss America pageant in January. She apparently has plans to go back to school.

Miss America 2013

Now: Mallory Hagan is the current title holder but will get to keep the coveted crown for only eight months instead of a full year. She'll pass it on to the next winner at the 2014 Miss America pageant.