Katie Stam

Katie Stam Irk

Stam at Fort Meade in 2009
Born (1986-07-09) July 9, 1986[1]
Seymour, Indiana
Alma mater Seymour High School
University of Indianapolis
Title Indiana's Junior Miss 2005
Miss Duneland 2008
Miss Indiana 2008
Miss America 2009
Predecessor Kirsten Haglund
Successor Caressa Cameron
Spouse(s) Brian Irk (m. 2010-present) [2]
Children Charlotte (b. 2013)[3]
Rose (b. 2015)[4]
Wrigley (b. 2016)[5]

Katie R. Stam Irk (born July 9, 1986) is an American beauty queen from Seymour, Indiana, who was crowned Miss America 2009.

Early life

Katie Stam was born to Keith and Tracy Stam on July 9, 1986.[6] Growing up, she was a 4-H member and showed dairy cattle at the Jackson County Fair.[7] She graduated from Seymour High School in Seymour and is an alumna of the University of Indianapolis with a degree in communications.[8][9] She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seymour, where her mother teaches fifth grade at a Lutheran elementary school.[10][11] Stam interned at the Indianapolis news station WTHR in 2007. [12]

Pageants

Miss America 2009, Katie Stam signing autographs for fans

Stam began competing in pageants at the age of 15, won the Indiana's Junior Miss title in 2005, and was named second runner-up at the 2005 America's Junior Miss competition.[12] In November 2007, Stam won the local Miss Duneland title (Michigan City, Indiana). She competed in the Miss Indiana pageant for the first time in June 2008, and was crowned Miss Indiana.[13] For her state talent she performed "Art Is Calling Me."

Miss America 2009

Stam making an appearance in a parade

Miss America: Countdown to the Crown

On this TLC reality series, viewers followed the 52 Miss America contestants vying for the Miss America 2009 crown.[14] Viewers then had the opportunity to vote online for a contestant to help them earn a "Golden Sash", signifying a secured spot in the top 15. Stam was the first to receive a "Golden Sash" during the first episode.[15]

Preliminarycompetition

In the week prior to the televised pageant Stam won a preliminary swimsuit award.[16] Additionally, the three previous Miss Americas, Miss America 2006, Jennifer Berry, Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson, and Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund, had predicted prior to the pageant that Stam would win the Miss America crown.[17]

Miss America telecast

The Miss America 2009 pageant was broadcast live on TLC from the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 24, 2009. For her talent, Stam sang "Via Dolorosa" despite suffering from a throat infection.[18]

At the conclusion of the telecast, Stam beat out first runner-up Miss Georgia 2008, Chastity Hardman, for the title of Miss America 2009 and was crowned by Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund.[18] With this win she became the first Miss Indiana ever to claim the Miss America title. [18][19] Along with the title of Miss America, she also won a $50,000 scholarship.

In interviews held after her winning the Miss America crown, Stam expressed interest in completing her bachelor's degree in communication at the University of Indianapolis and seeking a career as a television news reporter and anchor after her reign.[20]

Miss America Role

Her platform was "Passion for Service: Promoting Community Service and Involvement."[21][22] As Miss America, Stam traveled approximately 20,000 miles each month promoting and speaking on her platform of community service and acted as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for the Children’s Miracle Network.[20]

On Thanksgiving Day 2009, Stam served food at the New York Rescue Mission and also appeared on a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the first Miss America to do so in nearly a decade.[11][23]

Stam met President Obama through a joint meeting with the Children's Miracle Network Hospital Champions at the White House.[24]

Personal Life

She married Brian Irk in July 2010.[2] They have three children.[3][4][5]

References

  1. ↑ "Miss America Katie Stam". Health Tips Today. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Chareunsy, Don (July 26, 2010). "2009 Miss America Katie Stam and Brian Irk tie the knot". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "News Reports from the World of Pageantry". Pageantry Magazine. United States: 12. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Miss Indiana / Miss America, Katie Stam joins The Fun Factor Band!". Artist Development Company. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Former Miss America loses bet, husband names son Wrigley after Cubs win". Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Miss America Katie Stam". Health Tips Today. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  7. ↑ Kickl, Chris (September 22, 2009). "Stam puts stamp on 4-H, dairy farming". The Daily Record. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  8. ↑ The Real South Korea Staff. "A sick Ms. Indiana wins the 2009 Miss America Pageant". The Real South Korea. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Katie Stam: More Than a Pretty Face". CBN. The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  10. ↑ Bauman, Michelle (March 26, 2009). "Miss America takes mission message home". Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Olaksy, Marvin. "Serving with Miss America". WORLD. 19 December 2009. p. 88.
  12. 1 2 "Seymour's Katie Stam wins Miss America". WTHR.com. January 25, 2009.
  13. ↑ "Miss Indiana Pageant". Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  14. ↑ "Does Getting to Know the Contestants Make You Care About Miss America?". POPSUGAR. January 9, 2009.
  15. ↑ "Born to wear the crown". University of Indianapolis-Reflector. February 4, 2009.
  16. ↑ "Delaware, Indiana win in Miss America preliminary". Associated Press. 2009-01-21.
  17. ↑ "Miss Indiana Katie Stam is crowned 2009 Miss America; Miss Georgia is first runner-up". Las Vegas Sun. January 24, 2009.
  18. 1 2 3 "Indiana student ill, but wins Miss America crown". Associated Press. 2009-01-24.
  19. ↑ "ENT-Miss America". The Canadian Press - Broadcast wire. 2009-01-25.
  20. 1 2 "Miss Indiana Katie Stam Wins 2009 Miss America Pageant". Discovery Press Web. January 24, 2009.
  21. ↑ "Miss Indiana Katie Stam Wins 2009 Miss America Pageant" (Press release). PR Newswire. 2009-01-24.
  22. ↑ Garcia, Oskar (2009-01-25). "Miss America says she dreamed of crown her whole life, but its job description lured her, too". Associated Press.
  23. ↑ "Who Killed Miss America?". EW.com. January 30, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Miss America 2009 Katie Stam Joins Children's Miracle Network to Meet with President Obama". Miss America Organization. March 25, 2009.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Katie Stam.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Kirsten Haglund		 Miss America
2009 		Succeeded by
Caressa Cameron
Preceded by
Nicole Rash		 Miss Indiana
2008 		Succeeded by
Megan Meadors
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/8/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.