Miss America 1988, the 61st Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 19, 1987, on NBC Network.[1]

Miss America 1988
DateSeptember 19, 1987
PresentersGary Collins
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterNBC
WinnerKaye Lani Rae Rafko
Michigan Michigan
← 1987
1989 →

Pageant winner Kaye Lani Rae Rafko of Michigan became a registered nurse, and has done many years of volunteer work for medical charities and hospices. She co-hosts a public access television series called Only In Monroe for MPACT.

Among the contestants was Miss South Carolina, television personality Nancy O'Dell, entered as Nancy Humphries.

Results

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Placements

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Placement Contestant
Miss America 1988
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10

Order of announcements

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Awards

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Preliminary awards

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Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Non-finalist awards

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Awards Contestant
Talent

Judges

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Candidates

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State Name Age Hometown Local Title Talent Placement Special Awards Notes
  Alabama Kym Williams 22 Birmingham Miss All-American Bowl Vocal, "If We Only Have Love"
  Alaska Teresa Murton 25 Anchorage Miss Anchorage Vocal, "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
  Arizona Theresa Light 18 Tucson Miss Western Maricopa Vocal, "Somewhere"
  Arkansas Carole Lawson 21 Paragould Miss University of Arkansas Flute/Piccolo, Medley from Carmen Previously National Sweetheart 1986
  California Simone Stephens 25 Cerritos Miss El Camino Stand-up Comedy
  Colorado LaTanya Hall 22 Boulder Miss Boulder Valley Vocal, "I Am Changing" 3rd runner-up
  Connecticut Michele Dawn Eaton 21 Shelton Miss Fairfield County Baton Twirling, "They're Playing Our Song" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Delaware Anne Marie Jarka 21 Newark Miss University Vocal/Piano, "Almost Over You" George Cavalier Talent Award
  District of Columbia Cheryl Chapman 21 Arlington, VA Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine"
  Florida Jennifer Anne Sauder 22 Homestead Miss Homestead Semi-classical Vocal, "If We Were in Love" from Yes, Giorgio Top 10
  Georgia Kelly Jerles 20 Perry Miss Cobb County Vocal, "Where the Boys Are" Non-finalist Talent Award

Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award

Previously Miss Georgia Teen USA 1983

3rd runner-up at Miss Teen USA 1983

  Hawaii Luana Alapa 26 Honolulu Miss Island International Vocal, "South Sea Sadie" Mother of Miss Hawaii Teen USA 2015, Kyla Hee
  Idaho Holly Hill 20 Meridian Miss Meridian Vocal, "The Music and the Mirror" from A Chorus Line
  Illinois Cindi Hodgkins 22 Schaumburg Miss Chicago Vocal Medley, "My Man" & "But the World Goes Round" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Indiana Sheila Stephen 23 Unionville Miss Hoosier Hills Country Vocal, "Only You" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Iowa Robin Wolfram 24 Davenport Miss Scott County Popular Vocal, "Only You"
  Kansas Sherri Lee Mayer 26 Brewster Miss Harvey County Dramatic Interpretation, "Clear Glass Marbles" from Talking With...
  Kentucky Elizabeth McDowell 21 Prospect Miss Jefferson County Semi-classical Vocal, "Falling in Love with Love"
  Louisiana Patricia Brant 23 Monroe Miss Red River Valley Ventriloquism, "Arizona Yodeler" & "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" 1st runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
  Maine Laurie Wathen 25 Fort Fairfield Miss Northern Aroostook Piano, "Symphony No. 9" by Ludwig van Beethoven Non-finalist Talent Award
  Maryland Tamara Walker 21 Kingsville Miss Montgomery County Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" Top 10
  Massachusetts Aurelie McCarthy 24 East Boston Miss East Boston Marimba, "Hava Nagila," "William Tell Overture," & "Joplin on Wood" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Michigan Kaye Lani Rae Rafko 23 Monroe Miss Monroe County Hawaiian-Tahitian Dance Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  Minnesota Katherine Killen 20 Owatonna Miss Owatonna Vocal, "Tonight"
  Mississippi Toni Seawright 23 Moss Point Miss Mississippi University for Women Popular Vocal, "I'm Going All the Way" 4th runner-up First African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi
  Missouri Robin Riley 25 Columbia Miss Columbia Ballet, "Overture" from Funny Girl Top 10 Previously Miss Missouri USA 1983
  Montana Julie Reil 19 Miles City Miss Missoula County Vocal, "Being Alive" from Company Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
  Nebraska Mindee Zimmerman 23 Norfolk Miss Platte Valley Vocal, "People"
  Nevada Stacie James 23 Las Vegas Miss Las Vegas Vocal, "On My Own" from Les Miserables 2nd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
  New Hampshire Kristen Gamans 23 Manchester Miss New Hampshire College Gymnastics Character Dance
  New Jersey Robin Lange 22 Medford Miss Burlington County Dramatic Monologue
  New Mexico Becky Birdwell 25 Hobbs Miss Tucumcari Ballet
  New York Alice Knisley 21 Staten Island Miss Metropolitan New York City Vocal Medley
  North Carolina Lori Boggs 26 Kannapolis Miss Cabarrus County Popular Vocal, "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" Previously Miss North Carolina USA 1980
  North Dakota Susan Campbell 20 Grand Forks Miss Grand Forks Lyrical Dance
  Ohio Susan Kay Johnson 22 Columbus Miss Canton Vocal, "Believe"
  Oklahoma Leesa Cornett 20 Newcastle Miss Norman Vocal, "If He Walked Into My Life" from Mame Non-finalist Talent Award
  Oregon Tamara Fazzolari 21 Portland Miss Portland Tap Dance Mother of Miss Oregon 2015, Ali Wallace
  Pennsylvania Katarina Sitaris 24 Wilkes-Barre Miss Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo" from La boheme Cavalier Scholarship
  Rhode Island Cherilynn Cusick 21 Providence Miss Providence County Contemporary Ballet
  South Carolina Nancy Humphries 21 Myrtle Beach Miss Myrtle Beach Piano, "The Stars and Stripes Forever" Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Former co-host of Access Hollywood

Current co-anchor of Entertainment Tonight

  South Dakota Najla Ghazi 19 Brookings Miss South Dakota State University Oral Interpretations
  Tennessee Regina Athnos 23 Clarksville Miss Tennessee Peach Festival Flute Medley, "I'll Fly Away" & "Amazing Grace"
  Texas Rita Jo Thompson 22 Lufkin Miss Greenville Jazz Dance, "An American Trilogy" Top 10
  Utah Marianne Bales 21 Orem Miss Orem Lyrical Dance & Vocal, "Let Me Dance For You"
  Vermont Susan Bora 26 Colchester Percussion, "Opus D Opus - The Tonight Show Theme"
  Virginia Heidi Lammi 26 Alexandria Miss Northern Virginia Ballet en Pointe, Grande Tarantelle Top 10
  Washington Sharon Dean 21 Issaquah Miss Issaquah Vocal Medley
  West Virginia Saundra Patton 22 Morgantown Miss North Central Variety Act
  Wisconsin Maria Kim 20 Shorewood Miss Madison Classical Piano, "Fantaisie-Impromptu" Preliminary Talent Award

Non-finalist Talent Award

Previously Miss Wisconsin National Teenager 1983

Previously Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 1985

  Wyoming Terrilynn Hove 21 Casper Miss Laramie Vocal Medley

References

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  1. ^ a b Venezia, Joyce A. (September 21, 1987). "Miss Michigan Becomes Miss America 1988". The Schenectady Gazette. Schenectady, NY. Associated Press. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  2. ^ Zibart, Eve (September 21, 1987). "Just What the Judges Ordered". The Washington Post.
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