Miss America 2023 winner, Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke, reflects on her shocking win: ‘Just absolute chaos’

Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke, a nuclear engineering pupil, was topped Miss America 2023.

The ceremony came about Thursday evening on the Mohegan Solar Enviornment in Uncasville, Connecticut. Miss New York Taryn Delanie Smith was topped first runner-up and Miss Texas Averie Bishop was named second runner-up.

“[It was] simply absolute chaos,” the Wausau native advised Fox Information Digital about listening to her house state known as. “There [were] no ideas, simply screaming and pleasure. After which after it form of sunk in a little bit bit as a result of I nonetheless assume it hasn’t totally sunk in… it’s the glory of being the consultant of these… unbelievable ladies that I stood on that stage with.”

“Each single a kind of ladies is doing one thing highly effective of their group,” the 20-year-old shared. “Some are going to go on to change into trauma surgeons, some are attorneys, some are simply making an enormous distinction of their communities. And being chosen as Miss America 2023 is simply an enormous honor.”

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The highest 11 finalists had been 10 ladies chosen by the judges and one chosen by America’s vote. They included Miss Nevada Heather Renner, Miss Hawaii Lauren Teruya, Miss Oregon Sophia Takla, Miss Ohio Elizabette Nies, Miss Indiana Elizabeth Hallal and Miss Illinois Monica Mia Jones, who was chosen by voters because the eleventh contestant to make the minimize.

Stanke succeeds Emma Broyles, the primary Miss Alaska contestant to win the Miss America title within the competitors’s 100-year historical past. Together with the crown, Stanke was awarded a $50,000 money scholarship, in addition to a $2,500 scholarship she obtained as a preliminary expertise winner for her classical violin efficiency.

“I began in Miss America’s Excellent Teen group after I was 13 years previous,” Stanke defined. “I used to be a violinist and I had simply began competing in native violin competitions. On the time, I used to be shaking, I forgot my music — total, all the pieces that would have gone mistaken went mistaken. So 13-year-old me wished to seek out different methods to enhance my efficiency capabilities. And I discovered the Miss America’s Excellent Teen group, which has the expertise portion of the competitors. And I additionally discovered interviewing abilities. I gained lifelong mates, I earned scholarship {dollars} and I may stick to the group. … And now right here I’m as Miss America 2023!”

Stanke, a pupil on the College of Wisconsin, impressed the panel of judges along with her classical violin abilities. She performed “Storm” from Vivaldi’s “4 Seasons.” Stanke revealed she was wanting to observe in her sister’s musical footsteps.

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Grace Stanke, who comes from a musical household, impressed judges on the Miss America competitors along with her classical violin efficiency.
(Miss America Group)

“My childhood factor was I did gymnastics, however then I give up in second grade after I was 8 years previous,” she stated. “After which my mother and father inspired us to have a passion as a result of each my sister and I give up on the similar time from gymnastics. So she picked the viola, an orchestral instrument… And my brother performed trombone on the time… I had narrowed it all the way down to both flute or violin. And naturally, I adopted my sister as a result of I used to be 8 years previous. And that’s actually how I began with violin… As I continued to develop and study extra about it, I liked studying how a classical instrument will be taken with a contemporary twist and create some actually unbelievable music.”

“I all the time thought a violin would simply be Vivaldi or Beethoven, like all of these classical items,” Stanke continued. “However I’ve additionally performed ‘Thunderstruck’ by AC/DC and I’ve performed ‘Clean Prison’ by Michael Jackson. I’ve performed so many enjoyable items on the violin that it simply goes to indicate the unbelievable energy of the humanities.”

The glitzy competitors was born from a 1921 Atlantic Metropolis magnificence contest only a yr after ladies got the suitable to vote. Devoted Miss America organizers and lovers contend the annual ritual is right here to remain and can preserve altering with the occasions. Many contributors say the group — a big supplier of scholarship help to younger ladies — has been life-altering, opening doorways for them professionally and personally.

Stanke is conscious that many critics insist the competitors is outdated. Nevertheless, she identified that the present, extra of a sisterhood, celebrates management and expertise.

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Grace Stanke desires to boost consciousness of fresh power throughout her reign.
(Miss America Group)

“I might say as a nuclear engineer… any person who’s right here to make a distinction, are the each single a kind of 51 ladies standing on that stage there to simply compete in a magnificence pageant? No, we’re right here to alter the world. We’re right here to be the very best model of ourselves that we will be. The Miss America group helped form me to be who I’m at this time. And I’m positive lots of the ladies up on that stage, if not all of them, would say the identical factor,” she asserted.

The competitors additionally makes her much more proud to be an American, stated Stanke.

“I’m simply proud… of how a lot help and creativity that comes from the American individuals,” she stated. “The quantity of united feeling that we get actually is simply superior… Miss America is a chance to talk to individuals all throughout the nation. And it’s one factor that everybody can get behind. And that’s what’s actually superior about America.”

Within the new yr, Stanke desires to make use of her platform to boost consciousness of fresh power.

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Grace Stanke succeeds Emma Broyles, the primary Miss Alaska contestant to win the Miss America title within the competitors’s 100-year historical past.
(Araya Doheny/Getty Photos)

“Proper now, America is transitioning to zero-carbon power for a wide range of causes,” Stanke defined. “One, local weather change is a scientifically confirmed, actual factor that we have to begin addressing as one of many world’s main carbon emission nations. However then additionally proper now, the globe is working out of fossil fuels. That’s simply an inevitable reality. So we have to begin discovering different choices for our electrical energy as our inhabitants continues to develop. So with that, transferring over to zero-carbon power goes to be a vital factor. I’m excited to speak about… all these various kinds of power choices that we’ve got and the way our houses may help make a distinction within the globe.”

Stanke can also be wanting to share her love for the Midwest as she embarks on touring the nation.

“The ‘Midwest good’ may be very actual,” she stated. “That is one factor that I really like about my house state. One factor I am excited to carry to the job of Miss America as I journey throughout the nation is sharing that little little bit of Wisconsin tradition, of simply saying, ‘Hey, let me maintain the door open for you.’ The little issues that may make… somebody’s day. It’s only a piece of Wisconsin that I really like.”

“I’m going to current one hundred pc of myself,” she added. “That’s an important factor. My household and mates know that as nicely. I’m Miss America, however I’m additionally simply me.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.