The 2012 Miss America Pageant received its highest ratings in eight years Saturday. The ABC broadcast of the pageant was the number one non-sports network program Saturday from 9-11 p.m. 

The viewing audience increased 47 percent, 2.8 million viewers from the time the pageant began at 9 p.m. through the first half hour. During the final half hour, 10:30-11 p.m., the telecast totaled 8.0 million viewers and earned a 2.2 rating. Aside from the 2011 New Year's Even programming, ABC scored the pageant as the best non-sports Adult 18-49 rating in the time the pageant aired since December 2010.

Although the pageant aired at the same time as an NFL playoff game, The Miss America Pageant increased its overall audience in adults 18-49 more than 13 percent from last year's broadcast. The 2012 pageant scores were the best it has received since 2004. 

Source: MAO

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For more photos in the gallery click here.

This weekend, Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan visited Omaha to support the American Heart Association. Click in to read more!

by Valerie Clemens

What do 235 individuals who have donated 1,175 hours of their time and talents over the last five years have in common?

The answer is: They have volunteered for a "Day Of Service".

Since 2007, a day has been set aside by a group of Miss America volunteers to work with the Las Vegas Habitat for Humanity and with the support of Lowe's "Let's Build Something Together" held during the week of the Miss America Pageant. These individuals dedicate a "Day of Service"in honor of our 53 Miss America contestants for their "Year of Service" to our states. Over the years we have had three formers Miss America's, Ericka Dunlap 2004, BeBe Shopp,1948 and Kate Shindle,1998 and "The 2010 Amazing Race Contestants "  join along with our Miss America family and friends from around the country to gather for fun and a sense of accomplishment by working together to help others begin a new life with a helping hand. President and CEO at Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas Guy Amato, stopped by the site again this year to welcome us and thank us for supporting the Habitat for Humanity mission which is to contribute and provide safe affordable homes for the people of Las Vegas and the world.

This January 13, 2011, marked the 5th annual event with 53 Miss America volunteers from around the country, traveling to Clark County to paint, clean and spackle, working side by side with Lowe's "Let's Build Something Together" and Habitat for Humanity "Women's Build" volunteers. This project has been lead by Valerie Clemens from the Miss Maine Scholarship Pageant for the past five years. This year's event couldn't have been better, weather in the high 60's, not a cloud in the sky! The group gathered in the lobby at 7:15 am at Planet Hollywood to check in and meet old and new friends. We climbed onto our Greyhound Bus and headed for Henderson.

When the volunteers arrived at the site, signed waivers, they enjoyed a special surprise breakfast of "Starbucks coffee and treats." What an eye opener!  Again this year as she has for the past five years, our "Habitat Angel", Miss America 2004, Ericka Dunlap greeted the volunteers and reflected on her every first Habitat "Day of Service" then she warmed the group up with her popular morning stretching exercises.Her spark and spirit always is a bright part of our day! The Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas Volunteer coordinator, Bobbi Hardy, Project Manager, Roger Cooper and our Site Superintendent, Mike Biddle made us feel like it was "ole home week" and explained how they appreciated our involvement and that this is a very special annual event that they look forward to with the Miss America volunteers. Paul Brown from the Miss New York Organization shared with the morning participants about his "Day of Service"experience in Las Vegas last year and how the Miss New York pageant family became involved with Habitat for Humanity during pageant season last summer and encouraged all of us to share this experience and take it to the next level by becoming Habitat volunteers in our home states. I acknowledged and dedicated this year's  "Day Of Service" to three of our Miss America volunteers who passed away last year with a moment of silence and "confetti toss" to Robert Towle from the Miss Maine Pageant, Louanne Gamba from the Miss Rhode Island Pageant and Ric Frentz from New York and The Official Miss America Pageant Historian. Our friends, gone but not forgotten.

With motivated volunteers, we were divided into 4 groups,  painting, taping, washing windows  and moving roofing materials via assembly line. We went about our work with pride. Camara's snapping, people laughing and a few tears were shed throughout the morning, along with a lot of the work being accomplished, it was a very productive day. Vicki Morrison, the event's  "Lollipop hostess" from Pennsylvania passed out the anticipated treats for a midmorning snack to everyone' delight.

With most of our work accomplished by 11:30 am, the lunch break came just in time with a special on site, "Taco Party" by Qdoba, Mexican Grill and all the fixin's!

After lunch we regrouped for sweep and clean up before returning to Planet Hollywood, host hotel for the Miss America pageant, to get ready for the next pageant dinner, alumni reception and pageant preliminary. But just before we left, a brightly painted hot pink ice cream van pulled up to the site with music blasting. Inside a very sweet lady asked where we were from and wondered if we would care for some dessert? Having enjoyed our delicious tacos, ice cream sounded like a great idea! After some of us (not on pageant diets) placed our orders, ordering everything from popsicles to ice cream sandwiches, I went to pay the ice cream lady, she said, "Oh, I don't want your money, look at what you are doing for my community. I want you to enjoy it and the ice cream is my gift to you!" After some coaxing, I brought our new friend out of the van, to meet our team of pageant volunteers, so we could thank her properly with hugs and high fives. On the ride home we fondly recalled the day's events and enjoyed our time together before heading our separate ways. 

A couple of our volunteers summed up the Day of Service this way:  

"Memories of that day include the grandmother with her little granddaughter who walked to the site to say "Thank You" for their house (from our work and other volunteers in past years)...and were so happy to see us there!   There was the woman who drove by the site in her "pink bus" and could not thank us enough for what we were doing!  She had finally saved enough to get her work permit and her bus that would house her business...but she was thanking us!!!  Those were just heartwarming minutes to us.......and times when we realize just how fortunate we really are and how much we have!  Coming in contact with some of the actual people that live there and are affected by what we do really made it so much more real for all of us." Vicki Morrison-Pennsylvania

WHAT: Miss Arizona has a cactus-themed ensemble, The famous Hollywood sign adorns Miss California’s shoes and since Virginia is for lovers, Miss Virginia will be dressed as Cupid. The Miss America Organization has announced the highly-anticipated return of a beloved tradition, the Miss America Parade, renamed the “DSW Show Us Your Shoes Parade” presented by DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse!  The parade will be hosted by the incomparable Robin Leach, who will serve as Master of Ceremonies and will feature the 53 current Miss America contestants showcasing their own unique shoe and costume creations along with a number of former Miss Americas.  In addition, to commemorate the pageant’s 90th anniversary, it will be announced that the following day, Saturday, Jan. 15 will officially be “Miss America Day” in Las Vegas.  The proclamation was designated by the office of Mayor Oscar B. Goodman. For the first time since 2005, the 2011 Miss America Pageant festivities will include this unique tradition in the host city of Las Vegas.  The event is open to the public.
WHEN: Friday, Jan. 14, 2011 12 p.m. Media call time: 11:30 a.m* *Media and camera coverage is encouraged. Participating media are required to have media identification and RSVP to either Marina Nicola at marina@wjagency.com or Deanna Pettit at dpettit@caesars.com Media can park in the self-parking lot at Paris Las Vegas.
WHERE: Arc de Triomphe at Paris Las Vegas – located at the main entrance porte cochere 3655 Las Vegas Blvd, South Las Vegas, NV 89109

Tune in to Inside Edition* and Extra* tonight to watch as Miss Arizona 2010 Kathryn Bulkley expresses her feelings about Congresswoman Giffords and shares her personal story on how the Congresswoman was Kathryn's mentor. Kathryn was interviewed by both TV outlets today in between rehearsing for the 2011 Miss America Pageant presented by DSW, which airs on ABC this Saturday, Jan. 15, live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

* Check your local listings

You are tnvited to the 4th Annual Alumni Reception Thursday, January 13, 2011 3:00 to 5:00PM in the beautiful Eiffel Tower Restaurant in the Paris Resort & Casino in LasVegas during the Miss America week. All State & Local Pageant Alums, volunteers, Miss Americas, past titleholders and contestants plus guests are invited!

The Alumni Committee will be recognizing several longtime leaders from State Organizations for their many years of service and generous contributions to the Miss America Program. This year those honored are from Mississippi, Utah and Maine. Bring your memorabilia and photos to share with others.

Walk next door (north) from the Planet Hollywood to the front door of the Paris Hotel (next to the fountain on Las Vegas Blvd) and walk straight ahead to the base of the Tower where you will find the reservation desk at the opening of the elevator.  Tell them you are attending the Alumni Reception. (The Eiffel Tower rises above the Paris Casino) We hope to see you at the Alumni Reception, Thursday afternoon, 3:00pm to 5:00pm!

MAO Contestants show off their Joseph Ribkoff opening number dresses.

For the sixth consecutive year, the 53 Miss America contestants walked the runway at the Fashion Mall.

Miss South Dakota Loren Vallaincourt is passionate about spreading the word about distracted driving and reducing the number of accidents related to this phenomenon. Her efforts were recently recognized by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. He personally called Loren last week to thank her for her efforts and even spoke about her work in a blog post. 

" To help spread the word in South Dakota about distracted driving, Loren has teamed up with State Farm to offer a new grant program that rewards the two South Dakota schools with the best anti-distracted driving campaigns.

But this program also has an innovative twist. From now until January 15, Loren's video diary will be posted on the State Farm Teen Driver Safety Facebook page. For every time viewers click "like" on one of Loren's diary posts, State Farm will add one dollar to the grant amount.

That's right; the amount awarded, up to $10,000, depends on the number of Facebook users who "like"Loren's entries. If that's what it takes to get America's webizens to see and hear Loren's message, I am all for it!

Congratulations, Loren! I wish you the best in next week's pageant, and I thank you for your important service," said LaHood in a recent blog post.