Children's Miracle Network

  After 18 years of partnering together, the Miss America Organization and Children's Miracle Network have decided to create a national platform for titleholders. The Miss America Organization and Children's Miracle Network will share in a commitment to raise awareness and funds for Children's Miracle Network hospitals across the country as well as the Miss America Scholarship Program. This partnership will create the following opportunities for future contestants and Miss America titleholders:

  - Miss America will act as a goodwill ambassador for Children's Miracle Network throughout her year of service.

  - Miss America contestants at all levels will raise money and awareness for Children's Miracle Network and the Miss America Scholarship Program.

  - Children's Miracle Networks will be the national platform for the Miss America Organization.

  The tradition of the personal platform will continue and contestants and titleholders will continue to raise awareness for their chosen advocacy cause.

  In North Dakota, we are very fortunate to have a Children's Miracle Network Hospital in Fargo at MeritCare Hospital. The money our local and state contestants raise comes right back to our community and to our own scholarship fund. This also provides contestants an opportunity to become involved firsthand with CMN.

  This past year, Miss North Dakota state contestants appeared with Ashley Young, Miss North Dakota 2008, at the CMN Celebration, televised live from Fargo. Ashley presented MeritCare Children's Hospital with a check for over $1,500 from Miss North Dakota fundraising efforts.