Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, has been crowned as Miss America 2018. It’s the first time a Miss North Dakota has taken the crown.
Mund was named the winner out of 51 contestants — one from each state plus the District of Columbia — who competed to take the place of outgoing Miss America, Savvy Shields, formerly Miss Arkansas.
>> PHOTOS: Miss North Dakota Cara Mund crowned Miss America 2018
In the days before she was crowned, Mund encouraged her supporters to take action.
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma were a backdrop to the Miss America preliminary competition last week, with contestants from storm-tossed or threatened states sending messages of support and promises of prayers to those in harm's way.
Miss Texas Margana Wood gave a shout-out to her flooded hometown, Houston; she won Wednesday night's swimsuit preliminary.
Miss Florida Sara Zeng won Friday's swimsuit prelim, and promised to be part of the post-Irma cleanup and recovery effort, regardless of the pageant’s outcome.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
About the Author
