Year
Name
Hometown
Age
Local Title
Miss America Talent
Placement at Miss America
Special scholarships at Miss America
Notes
2025 Emily Rugg
Wichita 26
Miss Meadowlark
Vocal
2024 Alexis Smith
25
Miss Butler County
Ventriloquism
2023 Courtney Wages[ 1]
25
Miss Southern Kansas
Tap Dance
Top 11
People's Choice
2022 Ayanna Hensley[ 2]
Dodge City 21
Miss Kiowa County
Dance
2021 Taylor Clark[ 3]
St. John 21
Miss Augusta
Drums
Previously Miss Kansas' Outstanding Teen 2017[ 4]
2019 –20[ a] Annika Wooton[ 6]
Overland Park 25
Miss Wichita
Speed Painting, "Free To Be " Original Poem while painting a portrait of Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg [ 7]
Top 15[ 8]
Social Impact Initiative Scholarship Award[ 9]
Competed for the Miss Kansas title a total of seven times[ 6] [ 10]
2018 Hannah Klaassen[ 11]
Arkansas City 19
Miss South Central
Tap Dance, "The Greatest Show " from The Greatest Showman
CMN Miracle Maker Award 1st runner-up
2017 Krystian Fish[ 12]
Wichita 21
Miss Heart of the Midwest
Vocal, "They Just Keep Moving the Line " from Smash
Quality of Life Award Finalist[ 13]
2016 Kendall Schoenekase[ 14]
Overland Park 22
Miss Johnson County
Vocal, "Ain't No Sunshine"
CMN Miracle Maker Award 2nd runner-up[ 15] [ 15] [ 15]
4th runner-up at Miss Kansas Teen USA 2011 competition[ citation needed ]
2015 Hannah Wagner
Wichita 19
Miss Augusta
Ballet en Pointe, Swan Lake
2014 Amanda Sasek Moberly, MO 23
Miss Greater Wichita
Vocal, "I Don't Know My Own Strength"
2013 Theresa Vail Manhattan 22
Miss Leavenworth County
Vocal, "Nessun Dorma "
Top 10
America's Choice
First Miss America contestant to display tattoos in the swimsuit competition[ 16] [ 17]
2012 Sloane Lewis
Norwich 22
Miss Wooded Hills
Self-arranged Piano, "River Storm"
2011 Carissa Kelley[ 18]
Winfield 24
Dance, "Rolling in the Deep "
Previously Miss Kansas Teen USA 2004
2010 Lauren Werhan
Wichita 20
Miss Southwest
Ballet en Pointe, "Asturias"
2009 Becki Ronen
Buhler 20
Miss Flint Hills
Classical Trumpet, "Stars in a Velvety Sky"
2008 Emily Deaver
Augusta 19
Miss Augusta
Piano / Vocal, "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? "
2007 Alyssa George[ 19]
Minneapolis 21
Miss Sedgwick County
Classical Piano
2006 Michelle Walthers
Towanda 21
Miss Augusta
Vocal, "Shy" from Once Upon a Mattress
2005 Adrienne Rosel
Liberal 23
Miss Wichita
Theatrical Vocal / Dance, "America" from West Side Story
Quality of Life Award Finalist
2004 Megan Bushell
Wichita 22
Miss Wheat Capital
Vocal, "When you Say you Love Me"
Top 10
Quality of Life Award Finalist
2003 Angelea Busby
Lenexa 21
Miss Cheney Lake
Interpretive Baton Twirling / Dance, Theme from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Non-finalist Talent Award
2002 Jeanne Anne Schroeder
Hutchinson 24
Miss Chisholm Trail
Classical Vocal, "Time to Say Goodbye "
2001 Kimberlee Grice
Ulysses 23
Miss Kaw Valley
Vocal, "At Last "
Eleanor "Big Mama" Andrews Performing Arts Award[ citation needed ]
2000 Amy Lea Shaw
Derby 22
Miss Arkansas Valley
Classical Piano, "Prelude, Op. 23, No. 5 " by Rachmaninoff
1999 Leah Darby
21
Miss Derby
Vocal "I Dreamed a Dream " from Les Misérables
1998 Jennifer Vannatta
Leawood 24
Miss Greater Kansas City
Vocal, "Le Jazz Hot" from Victor/Victoria
Co-director of the Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma state pageants for the Miss USA organization[ 20] The Texas Tenors [ 20]
1997 Lesley Moss
Hoxie 24
Vocal, "You'll Have to Swing It "
1996 Jennifer Parks
Wichita Miss Arkansas Valley
Did not compete; originally 3rd runner-up, later assumed title after Holland won Miss America 1997 when the other runners-up declined to take the title
Tara Dawn Holland Overland Park 23
Miss Flint Hills
Classical Vocal, "Où Va la Jeune Hindoue" from Lakmé
Winner Preliminary Swimsuit Award
Previously National Sweetheart 1995
1995 Amy Keller
Great Bend 24
Miss Heartland
Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo' "
Top 10
Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1994 Trisha Schaffer
Liberal 22
Miss Southwest
Popular Vocal, "Orange Colored Sky "
Top 10
Preliminary Talent Award
1993 Lori Minnix
Lawrence 24
Miss KU/Lawrence
Classical Piano "Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor " by Tchaikovsky
1992 Pamela McKelvy
Kansas City 24
Miss Greater Kansas City
Popular Vocal, "I Am Changing "
3rd runner-up
Preliminary Talent Award
1991 Robbin Lee Wasson
Lenexa 21
Miss Greater Kansas City
Vocal Medley, "How Long Has This Been Going On? " & "It's a Miracle "
Top 10
1990 Kimberly Dugger
Wichita 22
Miss Wichita
Semi-classical Vocal, "Love Is Where you Find It"
Non-finalist Talent Award
1989 Jennifer Lyn Hedrick
Derby 22
Miss Fort Scott
Flute, "Carmen Fantasy" by Georges Bizet and François Borne
1988 Candice Cae Pyle
Dodge City 20
Miss Dodge City
Vocal, "Blue Moon "
1987 Sherri Lee Mayer
Brewster 26
Miss Harvey County
Dramatic Interpretation, "Clear Glass Marbles" from Talking With...
1986 Heather Lynn Clark
Benton 23
Miss Wichita
Vocal & Sign Language, "I'll Never Say Goodbye"
1985 Carolyn Jo Kirgis
Salina 25
Miss Blue Stem
Vocal, "Our Love Is Here to Stay "
Carolyn Jo Kirgis Johnson died in Phillipsburg, Kansas, of complications with multiple sclerosis on July 24, 2022, at age 61.
1984 Nancy Lee Cobb
Wichita 20
Miss Lawrence
Piano / Vocal, "I Love New Orleans Music"
1983 Laura Lynn Watters[ 21]
Colby 22
Miss Troia-Thomas County
Trumpet Medley, "Sugar Blues " & "Wood Chopper's Ball"
Non-finalist Talent Award
1982 Lisa Marie Berwick
Valley Center 21
Miss Wheatland
Vocal, "Battle Hymn of the Republic "
1981 Dawn Holmstrom
Wichita 20
Miss Wichita
Vocal Medley, "My Man " & "Happy Days Are Here Again "
1980 K. Leann Folsom
21
Miss Center City
Piano / Vocal, "Kiss Me in the Rain"
1979 Michelle Elaine Whitson
Mission 21
Miss Topeka
Harp, "Never on Sunday "
2nd runner-up
Previously National Sweetheart 1978 [ citation needed ]
1978 Lori Ann Bergen
Salina 20
Miss Salina
Violin, "Csárdás " & "Orange Blossom Special "
Top 10
Preliminary Talent Award
1977 Jill Dirks
Wichita 22
Miss Wichita
Vocal, "Open Your Heart"
Non-finalist Talent Award
1976 Linda Hall
Hill City 21
Miss Frontier
Piano, Theme from The Apartment
Wife of former United States Senator Tom Daschle [ citation needed ]
1975 Jana Salmans[ 22]
Hanston 20
Miss Dodge City
Vocal, "Follow Me"
1974 Karen Smith
Shawnee 18
Miss Shawnee
Jazz / Acrobatic Dance, "The Entertainer "
Non-finalist Talent Award
1973 Jane Schulte
Hays 21
Miss Fort Hays State College
Vocal Medley, "Happiest Girl in the Whole USA " & "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face "
1972 Cynthia Sikes Coffeyville 18
Miss Wichita
Vocal, "Fame"
Top 10
Preliminary Swimsuit Award
Starred as Dr. Annie Canavero on St. Elsewhere [ citation needed ]
1971 Sandy Rings
Topeka 20
Miss Topeka
Vocal / Ventriloquism, "Toyland "
Top 10
Preliminary Talent Award
1970 Linda Susan Edds
Manhattan 21
Miss Manhattan
Popular Vocal, "The Windmills of Your Mind "
1969 Margo Sue Schroeder
Hillsboro 18
Miss Marion County Fair
Piano, "Sunny "
1968 Jane Kathryn Bair
Parsons 18
Miss Kansas State College of Pittsburg
Ballet Interpretation, "My Friend the Sea"
1967 Kandee Kae Klein
Tribune Miss Garden City
Did not compete; later assumed the title after Barnes won Miss America 1968
Debra Dene Barnes Moran 20
Miss Kansas State College of Pittsburg
Piano, "Born Free "
Winner Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1966 Betty Louise Fox
Emporia 20
Miss Emporia
Popular Vocal Medley, "A Foggy Day " & "The Girl from Ipanema "
1965 Mimi Frink
Lawrence Miss Eudora
Did not compete; later assumed the title after Bryant won Miss America 1966
Deborah Irene Bryant Overland Park 19
Miss Overland Park
Dramatic Interpretation, "The Miserable Miserliness of Midas Moneybags"
Winner Preliminary Swimsuit Award
Previously Miss Kansas World 1963 and Top 7 finalist at Miss USA World 1963 .
1964 Catherine Bergstrom
Kansas City 21
Miss Lawrence
N/A 1st runner-up at Miss Kansas 1964 pageant
Sharon Margene Savage
Florence 20
Miss Marion County Fair
Vocal, "Johnny One Note " & "Ritorna Vincitor" from Aida
During her reign she was killed in an auto accident near Peabody, Kansas [ citation needed ]
1963 Karen Raye Schwartz
Pratt 20
Miss Wichita
Classical Vocal, "Voi la Sapete" from Cavalleria rusticana
Non-finalist Talent Award
1962 Beverly June Wood
Prairie Village 18
Miss Kansas City
Charleston Dance
1961 Carolyn Jane Parkinson
Scott City 20
Miss Lawrence
Musical Reading, "Hello Kansas"
1960 Gayla Leigh Shoemake
El Dorado 19
Miss El Dorado
Original Dramatic Interpretation, "Rude Awakening"
1959 Sharon O'Neal
Kansas City 18
Miss Kansas City
Dramatic Interpretation
Non-finalist Talent Award
1958 Sharon Whitacre
Mission 18
Accordion, "3rd Movement of Concerto in A" by Pietro Deiro
1957 Georgiana Rundle
Axtell 21
Miss Kansas State
Vocal, "Habanera " & "Getting to Know You "
1956 Mary Ann McGrew
Wellington 19
Miss Lawrence
Dramatic Reading, "Understanding Others"
3rd runner-up (tie)
1955 Gail White
Arkansas City Piano
1954 Phyllis Ruth Danielson
Wichita 22
Vocal
1953 Joanne Milnar
Hutchinson 23
Water Ballet
1952 Kay Ann Goforth
McPherson Vocal / Dance
1951 No Kansas representative at Miss America pageant[ 23]
1950 Anabel Baker
Wichita Dramatic Monologue from Macbeth
1949 Shirley Hargiss
Topeka Vocal, "Cecilia On a See-Saw"
Top 15
1948 Vera June Ralston Wichita 18
Miss Wichita
Oratory
3rd runner-up
Preliminary Swimsuit Award
Better known as Vera Miles , whose acting career spanned 45 years[ citation needed ]
1947 Ruth Ellen Richmond
Fort Scott Miss Pittsburg
Vocal, "Wonderful One "
1946 Joyce Blakemore
Liberal
1945 No Kansas representative at Miss America pageant
[ 24]
1944 Grace Louise Pittman
Wichita
1943 No Kansas representative at Miss America pageant[ 25] [ 26] [ 27] [ 28]
1942
1941
1940
1939 Rosemary Winslow
Salina
1938 Blanche Webb
Humboldt
1937 Lucia Benton
Norton Top 16
1936 No Kansas representative at Miss America pageant[ 29] [ 30]
1935
1934
No national pageant was held[ 31]
1933 Pauline Sayre
23
1932
No national pageants were held[ 31]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927 Mildred Orr
Miss Wichita
No Miss Kansas
1926 Ruth Richardson
1925 Wildeana Withers
1924 Donna Frye
1923 No Kansas representative at Miss America pageant[ 32] [ 33] [ 34]
1922
1921
