Miss Nebo Krissia Beatty was crowned Miss Utah 2015 Saturday night at Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City, bringing an end to a week of preliminary competitions involving 51 girls from across the state and a beginning to her year-long journey as the new Miss Utah.
As Miss Utah 2015, Beatty will spend a year taking her platform — "Live Well — Change the Focus" — across the state. Additionally, she will serve as an ambassador for the Miss America Organization's national platform, the Children's Miracle Network.
In September, Beatty will also compete at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
During Saturday's competition, 10 finalists were chosen from 51 titleholders based on preliminary scores from Wednesday, Thursday and Friday competition. In addition to Beatty, the other finalists were Miss Sandy Lizzy Palmatier, Miss Timpanogos Katina Burt, Miss Orem Maddi Millard, Miss Eastern Utah Shannon Oveson, Miss Northern Utah County Natalie Jaco, Miss Panoramaland Kassie Nielson, Miss Greater Salt Lake Hannah Harkness, Miss Utah County Lauren Wilson and Miss Lehi Brynn Christensen.
An eleventh finalist — Miss Pioneer Valley Madeline Larsen — was selected via a People's Choice competition held prior to the evening's events.
Nielson was named the fourth runner-up and took home an $800 scholarship. Harkness was named the third runner-up and received a $1,000 scholarship. Millard, the second runner-up, was awarded a $1,500 scholarship and Palmatier, as first runner-up, received a $3,000 scholarship.
As the new Miss Utah, Beatty was awarded a $10,000 scholarship.
Additional awards were also given out Saturday, including the Miracle Maker Award, the Spirit of Miss Utah award, the Miss America scholastic and service awards and the Glenn Harman Instrumental Music Awards.
The 2015 Children's Miracle Network Miracle Maker Award, given to the contestant who raised the most money for the Children's Miracle Network, went to Miss Farmington Kenzley Hess.
The Miss America scholastic award went to Miss Millard County Kennedy Springer, while the Miss America service award went to Miss Salem Tessa Fitzgerald. Both won a $1,000 scholarship as part of their award.
Additional awards included the Spirit of Miss Utah award, which is voted on by the contestants and went to Miss Orem Maddi Millard, and the Glenn Harman Instrumental Music Awards, which went to Miss Eastern Utah Shannon Oveson, Miss Greater Salt Lake Hannah Harkness and Miss Sandy Lizzy Palmatier.
During the first night of competition Wednesday, Miss Nebo Krissia Beatty took home a preliminary swimsuit award, while Miss Salem Tessa Fitzgerald took home a preliminary talent award. The Miss Riverton organization was also honored for being the local pageant to raise the most money for the Children's Miracle Network.
On Thursday, Miss Rocky Mountain Jessica Jensen won a swimsuit preliminary award and Miss Sandy Lizzy Palmatier won the evening's talent preliminary. Miss Cache Valley Morgan Flandro, Miss Riverton Amber Baron and Miss Utah County Lauren Wilson were also honored for collecting the most shoes in the Miss Utah Organization's shoe drive benefiting the Power 2 Become organization.
During Friday's competition, Miss Draper Karli Bird took home the swimsuit preliminary award and Miss Pleasant Grove Stephanie Acerson took home the talent preliminary award. Additionally, Miss Provo Malissa Richardson was awarded the Sadie Huish Memorial Scholarship, and 14 contestants were recognized for their participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award program.
Each preliminary award winner received a $100 scholarship.
More than 700 young women competed in local Miss America-affiliated pageants throughout Utah this year, with local competitors raising more than $63,000 for the Children's Miracle Network. The 51 titleholders at Miss Utah raised more than $20,000 of that total.